‘Rick And Morty’ Does A Better Clone Saga Than Spider-Man
by Frank Martin
Clones are not an easy storytelling device to utilize. It’s such a wonky science fiction concept that can mean so many different things that stories often lose track of themselves amidst the crazy character drama that can arise. Perhaps no better example of this is the infamous Clone Saga from various 1990s Spider-Man comics. In the beginning, the tale started with a very simple idea for Peter Parker to question whether or not he is a clone, but as the storyline grew, it carried on way longer than it should have and ultimately lost focus. So it may be surprising for audiences to learn that Rick and Morty handled the concept far better.
The Clone Saga has origins decades before it started when the villain known as The Jackal cloned Peter Parker. Years later, the clone returned seemingly from the death to complicate Peter’s life. The clone named himself Ben Reilly and took up a new persona as the Scarlet Spider. For years, neither Ben nor Peter knew who was the original, and more clones were introduced to further complicate matter. It was a mess of a storyline that pretty much never ended as Ben Reilly has continuously popped up over the years and even continues to be a thorn in Peter’s side to this day.
Rick and Morty‘s clone storyline followed a similar idea. Rick’s daughter, Beth (Sarah Chalke), was torn between staying with her family and going on her own adventure. Rick (Ian Cardoni) had the idea of cloning her so that a version of herself will always stay behind. Beth wanted Rick to make the clone and decide which one will stay behind and which will go on the adventures. He did so, but then made himself forget which was the real Beth. This creates a horrifying dynamic for them as they both lead completely different lives unaware of which is the original. This is a Clone Saga free from crazy villains and science fiction antics that detract from the core of the story. A clone story is supposed to be about identity and finding one’s purpose. Seeing Beth interact with her family while unaware of her true nature showcased what a clone saga can be, something the Spider-Man storyline had lost fairly quickly.
Rick and Morty is now streaming on Max.
