Rick and Morty Episode 14: Auto Erotic Assimilation

Rick, Morty, and Summer answer a distress call from a damaged alien ship, where they find a surviving crew that says an assimilating hive mind has taken over their people. The hive mind immediately attacks and begins assimilating the remaining crew, then reveals itself to Rick as Unity, an old lover Rick has history with.

Rick, Morty, and Summer travel to the planet Unity controls, where Unity has taken over an entire population and created a peaceful, highly organized society at the cost of everyone’s individuality and free will. Summer is disturbed by what she sees and tries to push back against the loss of personal identity, but Unity controls the entire world, so her protests have little effect.

Rick spends time reconnecting with Unity, and the two quickly fall back into partying, drinking, and drug use. Their reckless behavior causes Unity’s grip on the planet to weaken, and the carefully managed society starts to unravel. As Unity loses focus, the planet’s inhabitants begin regaining their separate identities, and the result is chaotic conflict and social collapse.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Jerry and Beth discover a hidden underground lab beneath the garage and find a chained-up alien there. They argue over what the discovery means and over Rick’s behavior, with their discussion quickly turning into a fight about their marriage and about Rick’s place in the family.

Eventually, Unity decides to end things with Rick and leaves the planet, choosing to do what is best for the people it was controlling. Rick returns home emotionally devastated, apologizes to Beth, and says he is staying with the family. Afterward, he goes to his lab and attempts to kill himself with a ray gun, but he passes out before it fires and survives.

The episode ends with Rick later confronting another hive-mind being in hopes of seeing Unity again, but he is turned away and leaves.