it's not a phase mom

my media analysis ass: "also because he burned his bridges with a version of his grandson who is almost an intellectual equal. but EM is too much like himself, and he hates himself. not even EM could pull rick out of the codependent death spiral he's in with morty prime. deep down rick wants to hang out and have fun with his loved ones, but he feels bored and useless if the stakes are that low. he doesn't want to solve problems in normal human ways because that requires vulnerability and a tolerance for mundanity. he would literally rather murder countless versions of himself than let the past go and connect with other people in healthy nonviolent ways. rick creates problems and confrontations so his loved ones call him for help- because, despite all his complaining, he wants to feel needed. that's the only way besides substance abuse that lets him feel connected with others. rick is always testing morty's boundaries this way and morty always comes back to coregulate his emotions and make him really FEEL like the smartest guy in the universe. for rick, an abusive egomaniac who nonetheless hates himself and doesn't think he deserves love, this is better than cocaine. it's going to destroy him when morty finally asserts himself as an individual"