Rick and Morty #15

After being goaded into an argument with Jerry about the 'noble nature' of sport, Rick takes Jerry and Morty to the biggest game in the Galaxy, where parents bet on their children as they fight to the death in a giant murdertorium! And Morty gets a front row seat!

Will Rick save Morty in time to prevent him competing? Will Jerry manage to elude the space mob? Will Morty find love in the bowels of the arena before it's too late?

Probably not.

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Synopsis

Jerry interrupts Rick and Morty from watching their show in order to watch a football game. Rick and Jerry argue about the value of sports when Jerry challenges Rick to show him a purer sport pursuit. Rick accepts and takes Jerry and Morty to an alien planet. Rick explains that the sport is pure because the contestants and spectators have personal stakes at risk. Jerry is skeptical. Rick gives Morty his lucky, albeit racist, sports cap.

The game begins and Jerry and Morty are shocked when they realize that the game is brainwashed children competing to the death to make their parents rich of "investments" (read: bets). Jerry storms off and tries to find a phone port to check the score of his game back home. He mistakenly places a bet and wins some money. He makes another bet and wins again. Then he keeps it up and draws the attention of management.

Meanwhile, Rick has picked a fight with another fan whose son seems too puny to compete. Rick gets far too brash and boasts that Morty could beat the fan's kid. A bet is made and Morty is dragged away to await his turn to compete. He freaks out at first, but then realizes that Rick must have a plan. Morty moves to inspire others to have faith in Rick.

Topside, Jerry let's Rick know that he's got involved in betting for an organization. The problem with all this is that Jerry mistakenly picked Morty to win. Brinko Slupba, the leader of the organization, invites the two to join him in a private box. Brinko alludes to a poor end if Jerry's pick doesn't pan out.

In the field, Morty frantically moves around and comes face-to-face with the other poorly qualified contestants and admits that Rick must not have a plan after all. He doubles down, however, by noting that each of them must also be the victims of abusive elders and tells them to keep on surviving by surviving the fight. They charge out and are immediately killed. Only Morty stands against of horde of massive contestants. Morty is not done and picks up a sword and goes nuts, hacking and slashing his way to a very gory victory.

Brinko is elated until the gaming commission busts him for cheating. Rick gets his family out alive, but Jerry had his hands taken away as punishment. Rick then reveals that he made out like a bandit, as he had also bet on Morty. The difference for him was that the "lucky" hat he had given Morty had a special headband that analyzes all outcomes and transmits the best one to the wearer's brain. Morty essentially had to win. Morty gets cheered up with a stack of money and some ice cream.