Rick And Morty Fans Are Still Recovering From Uncle Steve's Death
It's no secret that "Rick and Morty" features some pretty dark scenes, from Morty (Justin Roiland) having to bury his own dead body to the butchering of Mr. Tophat Jones (Roiland) for some stomach acid-drenched Strawberry Smiggles. However, many fans agree that one death in particular is the hardest to cope with.
Season 2, Episode 4 ("Total Rickall") opens with the Smith family enjoying a lighthearted breakfast with Uncle Steve (Tony Barbieri), the goofy brother of Jerry (Chris Parnell) who is treating everyone to a Paris vacation. Yet within seconds, Rick (Roiland) blasts Steve to death. Apparently, Steve is actually a parasite that embeds itself into human memories in order to multiply. This was a tough loss for many viewers, who mourned in response to a YouTube clip of the scene.
@richardbarrett4488 said, "I cried through two seasons watching Uncle Steve become his own man and they just kill him like that ... " @anathemaa said, "Uncle Steve was my favorite character. When they killed him off, I died inside. Remember when he taught Morty to ride a bike in Episode 2?" @branchyapple added, "I loved Uncle Steve. I saw so many episodes of him. He was taking care of the Smith family. So many good episodes, so many good memories. Rest in peace Uncle Steve."
But wait ... was Uncle Steve part of the Smith household for two seasons?
Uncle Steve represents what Jerry wants most out of a loved one
In true "Rick and Morty" fan fashion, comments mourning the loss of Uncle Steve are meant to be sarcastic and not taken so seriously. No, Uncle Steve is not seen in the cartoon prior to "Total Rickall," and neither is Frankenstein (sorry, Frankenstein's monster) (Kevin Michael Richardson), Pencilvester (Tom Kenny), or any of the other zany, wacky creatures who suddenly appear in this episode.
Despite these characters' brief time on the show, some fans feel that they represent a larger purpose than just causing mayhem in the Smith household. On Reddit, u/Burnnoticelover suggested that the main parasites, especially Uncle Steve, represent what each family member longs for in a companion. "Uncle Steve recognizes Jerry's potential, assures him he'll get a job, and has enough money to take the family on a spontaneous trip ... " this user said. "He's what Jerry wants most in life — an older brother who can take care of him."
Ultimately, this makes the idea of Uncle Steve never existing even more heartbreaking. Poor Jerry, who has some of the worst things happen to him, can never seem to catch a break. But at least he can hold onto those memories, even if they were implanted in his brain by a parasite.