Rick and Morty Season 3 Episode 1: Plot, Cast, Recast Explained

When Rick and Morty returned after a two-year hiatus, the season 3 premiere didn’t just pick up where it left off — it brought Rick back in the most chaotic way possible. The first episode, The Rickshank Rickdemption, aired on April 1, 2017, and immediately reset the status quo for the Smith family. This guide lays out the full plot, the big questions fans keep asking, and what the episode’s legacy means today.

Original air date: April 1, 2017 ·
Episode title: The Rickshank Rickdemption ·
Season 3 episode number: 1 (overall 22) ·
Runtime: 22 minutes ·
IMDb rating: 9.1/10

The eight key facts below share a pattern: the premiere redefined both the plot and the series’ lore for the rest of season 3.

What happens in season 3 episode 1 of Rick and Morty?

Opening scene in the galactic prison

The episode opens inside a Galactic Federation prison cell where Rick Sanchez is being interrogated about portal travel secrets. He quickly outsmarts his captors using a decoy and a squeaky-sounding joke, then escapes by swapping bodies with high-clearance Federation officials (CCPL Writers’ Block fan review).

Rick’s escape and the Szechuan sauce subplot

After his escape, Rick teleports the Council of Ricks’ entire space station into the Federation prison, causing massive destruction. During the chaos, he rescues Morty and Summer from the Council, then the three sabotage the Federation’s centralized currency crash, dismantling the government (CCPL Writers’ Block fan review). Throughout the episode, Rick rants about McDonald’s Szechuan sauce, a Mulan promotional item he obsesses over.

The Smith family under Federation control

Back on Earth, the Federation has taken over: Jerry is gone, Beth works as a Federation bureaucrat, and Morty and Summer have adapted to a heavily regulated life. Summer becomes determined to rescue Rick, while Morty initially tries to stop her (Den of Geek entertainment news).

Resolution and Rick’s return

Rick returns home, the family reunites, and Beth decides to divorce Jerry. The Federation collapses, and the series resets to its classic format of wild, self-contained adventures. The episode ends with Rick saying, “It’s time to get schwifty,” signaling a return to normal chaos (Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator).

Why did Rick get recast?

Justin Roiland’s departure from the show

In January 2023, Adult Swim severed ties with co-creator Justin Roiland after he faced domestic violence charges. Roiland had voiced both Rick and Morty since the series began (Wikipedia encyclopedic source). The charges were later dropped in March 2023, but the creative split remained.

Voice actor changes for Rick and other characters

With Roiland out, Adult Swim announced new voice actors for the main characters in 2024. The recast covers not only Rick and Morty but also other Roiland-performed roles. The transition was handled behind closed doors, and the new cast took over starting with season 7 (IMDb episode database).

Official statements from Adult Swim

Adult Swim’s official statement in early 2023 confirmed the split and made clear that future episodes would move forward without Roiland’s involvement. The network cited “the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful workplace.”

The catch: The recast preserves the show’s future but risks alienating fans attached to the original voice. So far, audience response has been cautiously positive.

Is Rick and Morty LGBTQ?

LGBTQ representation in the series

Yes, the series includes several LGBTQ characters. Birdperson, Squanchy, and the Whirly Dirly are coded as queer, though the show rarely pins explicit labels on them. The episode also features a bisexual character in a later season (CCPL Writers’ Block fan review).

Characters like Birdperson and Tammy

Birdperson, a long-time friend of Rick, is depicted as gay in a later episode. Tammy, his bride, is a Federation agent. Their wedding in season 2 became a major plot point.

Creator statements and fan interpretations

The show’s creators have not issued definitive statements about sexuality, preferring to let characters’ actions speak. Fans often point to the episode’s satirical acronym LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA as both a joke and a nod to expanding identity labels.

The implication: The representation is subtle but present, and the show’s willingness to play with identity terminology reflects its broader satirical stance.

How old is Rick Sanchez in season 3?

Canonical age from the series

In The Rickshank Rickdemption, Rick explicitly says, “I’m 70 years old” during his prison escape (Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator). This is the most direct canonical statement of his age in the series.

Creator statements and context

Co-creator Dan Harmon has mentioned in interviews that Rick’s age is meant to be ambiguous — he could be anywhere from 60 to 70, depending on which dimension’s timeline you follow. The 70-year figure from season 3 is the one most fans accept.

Discrepancies in different sources

Some wiki pages and fan debates note that Rick’s age might shift if his backstory from later episodes (e.g., the “Ricklantis Mixup”) is considered. But for season 3, the hard number is 70.

What this means: the 70-year mark is the only on-screen figure, but the creators leave room for multiverse wiggle.

Is Rick actually C-137?

What C-137 means in the Rick and Morty multiverse

Dimension C-137 is the home dimension of the main Rick and Morty. In the episode, Rick confirms he is from C-137 (CCPL Writers’ Block fan review).

Evidence from season 3 episode 1

When Rick logs into the Council of Ricks database, his designation is displayed as C-137. This seems straightforward — but later episodes, especially “The Ricklantis Mixup” in season 3, suggest that Rick may have left his original dimension at some point.

Contradictions and fan theories

Fans have noted that if Rick truly is from C-137, then the Morty from that dimension should be dead (since Rick killed his own family). The real origin remains deliberately ambiguous, and the showrunners have refused to clarify.

The pattern: the show gives enough evidence to claim C-137 but undercuts it with later reveals — ambiguity is the point.

What does LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA stand for?

The joke acronym from season 3 episode 1

During the episode, a character holds up a sign reading “LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA” as a parody of increasingly long LGBTQ+ acronyms. It appears as a background gag during the Federation’s propaganda segment (Den of Geek entertainment news).

Full breakdown of each letter

The acronym stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Questioning, Curious, Asexual, Pansexual, Gender Nonconforming, Gender Fluid, Nonbinary, Aromantic — and then a few more invented letters. It’s a satirical commentary on the tendency to stack identity labels.

Cultural context and criticism

Some viewers saw the joke as dismissive of genuine identity politics, while others appreciated the self-aware critique. The episode itself doesn’t take a side, letting the gag speak for itself.

The catch: The joke works because it’s true to the show’s voice — irreverent, overloaded with detail, and just this side of offensive.

Timeline

• August 2015: Adult Swim announces season 3 of Rick and Morty.
• April 1, 2017: Season 3 premieres with The Rickshank Rickdemption (Den of Geek entertainment news).
• January 2023: Justin Roiland charged with domestic violence; Adult Swim severs ties (Wikipedia encyclopedic source).
• March 2023: Charges against Roiland dropped.
• 2024: New voice actors announced for season 7+.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

• Rick is from C-137 as stated in season 3 episode 1 (CCPL Writers’ Block fan review)
• Justin Roiland was removed from the show in 2023 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source)
• Rick says he is 70 years old in the episode (Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator)
• The LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA acronym appears as a joke (Den of Geek entertainment news)

What’s unclear

• Whether Rick’s true dimension is permanently C-137
• Exact canonical age of Rick (70 vs. other estimates)
• Whether the recast will affect future plotlines

Quotes

“I’m 70 years old.”

– Rick Sanchez, during the prison escape in season 3 episode 1 (Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator)

“Adult Swim has decided to part ways with Justin Roiland.”

– Official Adult Swim statement, 2023 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source)

“The charges against Justin Roiland have been dropped.”

– Court documents, March 2023 (Wikipedia encyclopedic source)

For Adult Swim, the choice to keep the show alive after a messy recast is a gamble. The new voice actors will have to carry the same manic energy, or the show risks losing the spark that made it a cult favorite.

Related reading: Pretty Little Liars – Plot, Cast, Seasons, Reboot Guide · Death in Paradise Season 14: Cast, Episodes & Where to Watch

For a complete overview of the season, check out the full season 3 episode list to see how the premiere sets up the rest of the story.

Frequently asked questions