[7.6/10] This is another episode where the action does little to move me, but the philosophical side of things is much more compelling. At least the action is a little less undifferentiated this time, with clever moments and touches of character to liven up the fight. I appreciate the return of Space Jerry to help turn the tide, which helps make his episode feel like more of an integral part of the story rather than a one-episode lark. The use of the hologram gun was well set up and offers a decent headfake for the audience. And I particularly enjoyed the ending with Birdperson’s family striking the final blow. I’ll admit, it feels pretty weird that the vestiges of the Galactic Federation baddie can just possess the moona dn shoot it toward Earth. (What is this, *Majora’s Mask*?) But seeing the estranged family come together to save the plant as one unit, with Bird Daughter striking the final blow, is unexpectedly heartwarming in an outing that's more bitter than sweet. To that end, I found the choices around Elle and the doomsday device really affecting. Long-haired Rick’s speech about there being no right answers, just the consequences of our choices hit me hard. It’s natural to try to find the right path, but a recognition that good and bad are not so simple, that ultimately all we can do is take stock of the ripples caused by our decisions, is a brand of sci-fi existentialism that feels genuinely profound. His follow-up that it’s arrogant to search for meaning, because ultimately it comes down to what you find satisfactory is a similar rejoinder to navel-gazers like yours truly (and arguably the show’s creative team), reflecting the kind of jaded but arguably galaxy-brained thinking of a man who has seen the infinite possibilities of the multiverse, which would have a profound impact on one’s moral compass. And yet, there is morality at play here. I love that when faced with the decision of whether to let Long-haired Rick’s universe be destroyed in order to hang onto Elle, Morty just can't do it. He sees the wealth of people whose lives have been touched by Space Morty’s deeds and he can't erase that. Ethical or not in the grand scope of the multiverse, Morty just couldn't live with himself if he did that. And in the most sympathetic part of all of this, it’s also understandably traumatizing for him to see the reflections of a dead hero version of himself he feels he can't possibly live up to. To be frank, I’m still a little unclear on what exactly the connection between Alien Elle and human Elle is. But if the human version retains the knowledge of her alien counterpart, then the idea that this is a bit of a *Vertigo* situation, with Morty feeling like he can't possibly live up to the standard set by the doppelganger he’s being compared to, is really gutting. Space Beth asks Elle why she’s so attached to Morty, and the implied answer is that Elle loved a different Morty in another dimension,and is projecting that onto our Morty. That would be tough for anyone to reckon with, and you really feel for the little guy. But in the end, it’s hard to slate Elle too hard given what she does here. It may not be moral to sacrifice an entire universe full of life and possibility to save someone you love, but it’s hard to look askance at sacrificing yourself to accomplish the same. Elle choosing to defeat the Galactic Federation big bad by going with him into space and canceling out the doomsday device by sacrificing herself is moving, poignant stuff. It is the inverse of the choice presented to Morty, one to give up her safety and existence to preserve how. That is both beautiful and tragic, restoring the status quo but in a way that feels meaningful, because it came with a twist, and with a cost. (not to mention another hint at whether this is fate or freely chosen or somehow both.) We’ll see what the aftermath is like, but honestly, even if *Rick and Morty: The Anime* ended here, I’d be unexpectedly happy with it. There are a lot of big ideas and convoluted plotting at play in this show. But somehow, the creative team managed to weave it altogether in a way that hit hard. Unlike Elle, I didn’t see it coming.