one. [Simple and Complex]
Let’s first analyze the reasons why many people complain that the third season of RAM is not as good as the first two seasons.
"Story" says: "The relative complexity of the characters must be adapted to the genre. Action/expedition films and comics require the characters to keep simple, because complexity will divert our attention from thrilling actions or funny jokes. , And thrilling actions and funny jokes are indispensable for these types. Interpersonal and inner conflict stories, such as education and atonement plots, require the complexity of the characters, because simplification will deprive the insight into human nature, and the insight into human nature There are exactly these types necessary." As
you can see, RAM is full of contradictions between type and complexity of characters.
In the first two seasons, the story type was more of an action/adventure film. The main focus was on the main storyline of each episode. As long as the brain was big and ironic enough, the audience would be satisfied. In the third season, more emphasis was placed on the characterization of the characters. We saw that the inner struggles of the characters in the play accounted for a large proportion. Even in the latest fifth episode, Jerry’s complicated emotions towards Rick also gave us. Here comes an abstract and piercing description.
Jerry's unspeakable fantasy when crossing a wormhole
The focus is more on the shaping of the characters' hearts than the stimulation of the plot. No wonder many people think "not as good as the previous two seasons." But I don't think the lack of stimulation of the plot will reduce the visibility, as a foreign brother explained RAM In the video, he said, "This season RAM looks like it is heading towards a kingdom of ideas, which is very exciting."
The screenwriter chose to kick Jerry out of the game in the first episode. You must know that in the first two seasons Jerry often appeared as the main contradiction in the play. He often acted as the fuse for the differences between Beth and Rick. Because Jerry was too stupid, Beth often seemed to compromise for him. People who stand on the opposite side of Grandpa, so contradictions often appear simple.
But after we drove out Jerry cleanly this season, we found that their family's problems still exist, just like the last words of Dr. Wang in the episode of Rick the Pickled Cucumber, rationalizing the morbid state with intelligence is not the way to solve the problem. The crux of the problem is not Jerry, but Rick himself. He should be aware of this but resist it. In the latest fifth episode, he was furious with Jerry and attributed all the frustrations of his daughter’s life to Jerry, but Beth’s life Is it all because of Jerry's frustration?
In fact, for Beth, he is much more important than Jerry. I
don’t need to say how much Beth values her dad. It can be said that Beth’s subconscious is very lack of love. This has nothing to do with Rick’s sudden disappearance for many years. She needs others to be there. She is by her side, so she will not leave Jerry without Rick, but as long as Rick comes back, she will follow her father's back at all costs (Of course, Beth changed one. To see her changes, you have to look mainly at the back Beth in the parallel world). It can be seen that although the two grandpas love grandpa very much, they also know that grandpa is a crazy bastard and will not blindly protect his shortcomings, but Beth will deliberately defend her father, and even try to match Rick, because she is afraid that his father will leave again. . In the fifth episode, Beth will study the machines she doesn't understand by herself. She doesn't realize that she has done terrible things to Summer. When she does these things, she doesn't realize that she has become a person like Rick.
Beth always show off his father intentionally or unintentionally
In the third season, the creation of characters, the struggles and changes within the characters have become new highlights. If the theme of the first two seasons is absurdity-hedonism, then the theme of the third season is to face absurdity and be brave.
two. [Human Degeneration]
According to Heidegger's theory, when I use the other to hide the existence of the problem, and thus avoid the responsibility of answering "what am I?", these relationships are unauthentic. I think this sentence just illustrates the problem of the Rick family.
It can be found that their family is often in a state of blaming each other.
Rick blames Jerry
Jerry blames Rick
Jerry accuses Beth
It is not difficult to find that their family has a tendency to avoid problems (the two children have mild symptoms), even if they are as clever as a grandpa, they cannot avoid the vulgarity. However, everyone has excuses. Only Rick has no reason to find excuses because of limitations. Saying that it didn't exist, this pushed him to an obvious embarrassment-his escape was seen through by Doctor Wang. Rick does what he wants, and can even go to another parallel universe to continue living after destroying one universe. However, his indulgence is not freedom, and his pursuit is not his true self. Rousseau said: "Life is free, but it is everywhere in chains." From a certain perspective, Rick seems to be the freest person in this play, but in fact the most depraved person.
three. [Returning to the truth is not to save yourself through others, but to redeem yourself]
In the second season, there is a detail that is very interesting. When Rick said that he has grown up, Unity cast a very skeptical look. Rick said : "Really! Didn't I reunited with my family!"
Rick's habit is: encounter problems-solve problems. There is no problem that he can't solve, but why is he still so painful? Precisely because this is the cause of the disease, if you get into trouble, change the universe. When you encounter a problem, invent something to solve it. When you meet someone who is upset, hit it. The daughter is in a bad mood for divorce, and he even designed a robot to coax her daughter (although it is also forced by circumstances). This method of coaxing her daughter is unparalleled in the world.
Going back to Unity’s questioning, Rick certainly hasn’t grown up. It’s better to say that he has never had a problem and didn’t want to realize the problem. The words of Dr. Wang in the third season should have stung Rick for the first time in three seasons and left him speechless. Everyone has to make a choice.
Four. [Why do we like Rick? 】
"The best works not only reveal the truth about the character's personality, but also show the arc or change in the character's inner nature in the process of its narration, whether it becomes better or worse."
Analysis of Rick from the perspective of the character's arc, alcoholism, hiccups , Fart, swear words, often with unidentified liquid on the corners of his mouth, irresponsible old Mediterranean crazy man, this is the initial impression that Rick gave to people. You must know that although these appearance factors are Rick and his distinctive personal characteristics, they are not what Rick has. The real reason for personal charm is that if Rick is like this at the beginning and the end of the story is still the same as the beginning, his characterization is completely consistent with the truth of the characters, and the audience will be dull.
Anyone who has seen RAM knows that Rick's heart is not what he shows, or that he doesn't care about anything. On the contrary, he loves his grandchildren and daughters, and even has a certain kindness to Jerry. His pain is deep and philosophical. There must be a Ghost hidden deep behind him. The screenwriter is very clever and only reveals a bit of true or false fragments at a time, which makes it even more curious what kind of past he will have. . I have read the description of Schopenhauer in the book, and some of Rick’s shadow can be seen in it: "... He (Schopenhauer) cynics and attacks popular prejudices, not so much as showing the self-restraint he advocates. Said it shows more attachment to life. He is indeed arrogant and bossy in his own way, and slightly perverse, which makes him always carry a loaded pistol with him when he sleeps. But his character He loves to socialize. He loves wine, women and songs, and leads a usual self-centered academic life. Hegel is welcomed and accepted by the public, and he is extremely distressed about it..."
In S03E01, it can be seen that Rick knows Rick best
Rick eats superhero vinegar
Rick eats Mr. Needful's vinegar
Tiny Rick confides
From all the details, Rick, who always says "I don't give a fuck!" is actually looking forward to real understanding and love. He hopes that others will like him.
Contrasting or contrasting characterization to reveal the truth about the character is an essential element in all good storytelling techniques. Life teaches us this grand principle: it seems like this is not the case, and people should not look at themselves.
So what the audience wants to see is these plots. With these factors, Rick's character will be truly full:
The arc of Rick's characters has been changing throughout the three seasons, and we combined the way of operation between characters and structures in "Story" to illustrate.
The first step is to lay out the characterization characteristics of the protagonist: Rick is a lunatic, genius scientist, alcoholic, irresponsible, and brings a lot of trouble to his family.
In the second step, we are drawn into the hearts of the characters: At the party, Birdman revealed that Rick’s mantra actually means "I am in pain, please help me", exposing that Rick is not just a simple lunatic, but torn apart by time and space. At the moment of his death, Rick gave Morty the hope of survival and chose to die by himself. His true nature was revealed when he chose this action.
In the third step, the character’s deep nature conflicts with the character’s external appearance. We feel that he is not what he appears to be on the surface. On the one hand, Rick is extremely irresponsible and sells weapons to the killer just to play for an afternoon. Games, but on the other hand, he has other qualities, such as he loves his grandchildren, for example, he will be so sad that he wants to commit suicide because of the breakdown of his relationship with Unity, and he also has a friendship that he values very much.
In the fourth step, after revealing the inner nature of the character, the story began to put more and more pressure on him, asking him to make more and more difficult choices: Rick escaped from prison after surrendering to the Galactic Federation and successfully defeated him. The Federation took his grandchildren home to win Beth, and pushed Jerry out of the house. It seemed that life had entered a more tolerant and comfortable state, but in fact, it eliminated the superficial contradictions and exposed the more essential contradictions. The current RAM stage is in the fourth step.
The fifth step, when the story climax comes, this choice has profoundly changed the character's personality. This stage has not yet arrived.
We will wait and see what kind of character arc Rick will complete. Given that it will take nine seasons to find Sichuan hot sauce, I think this process will be slow.
"The blade of a knife is difficult to cross, so it is difficult for a wise man to say that the way to salvation is difficult."
Bibliography: "Story" "Oxford History of Western Philosophy"
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