Why can‘t Rick use portals?
As a hardcore Rick and Morty fanatic, I was devastated when Rick’s trusty portal gun broke down at the end of season 5. Like many fans across the multiverse, I’ve been dying to know—why CAN’T Rick use portals anymore? Read on for a comprehensive explainer, plus my own gamer takes on what this means for our favorite animated duo going forward.
The Central Finite Curve—Gone in a Flash
First, a quick recap. The Central Finite Curve (CFC) was a conceptual barrier separating the subsection of the multiverse accessible to Ricks from the rest of reality. It contained every universe where Rick was the smartest person.
In the season 5 finale, Evil Morty enacted a devastating plan, using portal fluid to destabilize and ultimately destroy the CFC altogether (cue those epic giant yellow cracks shattering reality!). This utterly decimated the supply of viable portal fluid in one fell swoop, leaving Ricks stranded across dimensions.
Let me tell you, my gamer friends and I LOST IT watching this unfold. An attack of this scale threatens the very fabric of Rick and Morty’s reality-hopping adventures!
By the Numbers: The CFC
To understand the CFC’s scope, estimates put the number of alternative universes in the multiverse around 10^2,000,000. That’s a 10 followed by 2 MILLION zeroes worlds! The CFC contained just a tiny fraction—merely 10^302,000 universes. Still an unfathomably large number for our puny human brains.
But in the grand scheme of the multiverse? Not so much. This underscores how Severely Evil Morty’s ploy disrupted Rick’s ability to travel freely.
Why Can‘t Rick Whip Up New Portal Fluid?
Naturally, my first question after the CFC collapsed was—why can’t Rick just make more portal fluid?
Well, here’s the kicker. It turns out the portal fluid formulas were unique to the CFC, likely created by a Rick within it. Now, with no access to the CFC, Rick lacks the specs to produce functioning fluid, leaving his portal gun powered by inert remnants.
I dug deep into portal physics and discovered space-time itself behaves differently within the CFC compared to the broader multiverse. This suggests portal fluid is specially calibrated to exploit the CFC’s properties. And that secret sauce is now gone, baby!
No wonder Rick is struggling to recalibrate new fluid in season 6. My theory? Operating portal guns outside the CFC requires unraveling space-time behavior from scratch! A tall order even for the genius Rick Sanchez!
| Portal Fluid Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Within CFC | Specially calibrated fluid exploits unique CFC space-time attributes |
| Outside CFC | Space-time behaves radically differently, rendering CFC fluid inert |
As a reminder, only Ricks had access to the CFC universes. This allowed them to monopolize advanced technology like portal guns. Now, diffusion into wider reality may let other genius alien races access similar tech. Talk about upending the status quo!
Grounded At Last? Impacts on Our Dynamic Duo
63 episodes in, a broken portal gun is obviously huge for the normally reality-hopping Rick and Morty. Could this strand them more permanently in their home dimension?
Personally, I’m PUMPED at the thought of more grounded adventures! Don’t get me wrong, I live for the whacky planet-hopping. But barring access to infinite alternate worlds will force actual character development! gasp A shocking proposition, I know!
Imagine Rick unable to instantly escape consequences. Will we see personal growth? Could he forge deeper connections without splitting his time across realities? And how will the family adjust to life without hopping households on the regular?
So many juicy questions! Season 6 is already showing the portal-less world causing chaos. My favorite so far? Rick’s flailing attempts to develop an app to replace portal travel. Which failed spectacularly, naturally.
It seems interdimensional cracks from the CFC collapse may slowly filter valid portal fluid into the family’s reality over time. But I anticipate a slow drip, not a gushing firehose! In short—no quick fix in sight for our portal woes!
At the end of the day, I’m thrilled to watch this cliffhanger pan out across season 6 and beyond. A story of this magnitude that actually STICKS? You better believe I’ll have my gamer glasses on analyzing every detail! And if you love picking apart plot like I do, buckle up multiverse travelers—we’re in for a wild ride!
