26

In season 2, episode 10 of Rick and Morty, "The Wedding Squanchers", Rick and the Smith family evaluate an Earth-like planet for habitation, only to discover that everything is "on a cob" (Video).

When Rick realizes this, he freaks out and they quickly leave.

What is so terrible about this?

Improve this question
1
  • 8
    Petty sure it was just a joke. The planets weird but the fact that Rick found the idea so terrifying made it funny.
    – Ravneet Grewal
    Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 22:35

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
26

Very simply put: It freaks Rick out (with no needed explanation why).

This seems to be the intended explanation, as:

  • Morty and Summer are shown to like cob world (and its food), which lets the viewer "accept" cob world as a viable world to live in. If Rick freaked out before anyone liked the world, the viewer would have assumed cob world to not be viable.
  • Rick very much forces the choice between two planets instead of three, which seems to indicate that he feels he's alone in his disapproval of cob world (again indicating it's actually seen as a viable option by others), but at the same time he does not want to compromise about it.

And to be fair, I'm on Rick's side here. The thought of everything being on the cob, down to a molecular level, freaks me out too. It means you're in a world which is built with different fundamental elements that you're used to.

Improve this answer
0
27

It's a play on several tropes, namely No Time To Explain, Oh Crap!, and Don't Ask, Just Run.

Rather than get into the details of why it's so terrible, Rick, who's the only character present that's safe to assume would know why the planet is so terrible, simply hurries everyone back onto the ship to go to the third and final planet.

What makes the scene funnier: knowing the reason everything is corn shaped is so bad, or simply having Rick panic (Oh Crap!) and forcing his family to leave the planet (Don't Ask, Just Run) for seemingly no reason (No Time To Explain)? Do you really want to know why everything being in cob form is bad, or is it more fun to try and come up with your own explanation? Oftentimes the best monsters are the ones we never see and are left to imagine for ourselves.

Not everything needs to be explained. Doing so frequently can bog down the story in pointless details, make something that's supposed to be a big deal suddenly not a big deal, or maybe the writers couldn't really think of a good reason why but found a way to use an idea they came up with anyway.

Improve this answer
1

I'm pretty sure, that there is actually another answer for this question:

If everything is on a cob "down to a molecular level", that means that all oxygen-molecules would be too. If that is the case, there's a pretty good chance, that the human lungs of the Smith family cannot process the on-a-cob-oxygen and might die pretty fast, if they dont get off the planet quickly.

Improve this answer
5
  • They stay on the planet long enough that they would have noticed a difference there. If the oxygen simply doesn't work, then the effect is similar to holding their breath, which they would notice in the timespan that they were on the planet's surface. Also, Rick narrowed down a list of all planets to a list of three viable ones. One would assume "breathable atmosphere" to be part of the selection criteria.
    – Flater
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 13:19
  • It would be still an oxygen rich atmosphere. Also, I'm neither a pulmonologist nor a on-a-cob-expert, but they are still breathing oxygen, so they that's should be why they don't die of suffocation instantaneously. IMO this is far more logical than "It freaks Rick out".
    – Tom K.
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 8:49
  • 1
    I'm not following. Your answer states that they cannot breathe oxygen-on-a-cob and should therefore leave ASAP, but then you comment that they are still breathing oxygen so they that's should be why they don't die of suffocation. This is literally the opposite. Also, Rick's response is considerably distressed but also intentionally overrides the Smith family's approval of cob planet. If "we can't breathe here" is the reason, Rick would have no reason to override the Smiths, he only needs to inform them.
    – Flater
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 8:54
  • You left "instantaneously" out of your quote. This was my response to your point, that they didn't notice the - let's say - "inferior" oxygen, immediately after setting foot on the planet. Also, isn't the fact that Rick didn't tell them the exact reason, why they have to leave the planet, the whole point of this question? So your point "Rick could've just told them" is kinda moot.
    – Tom K.
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 10:45
  • 1
    The show is intentionally obfuscating Rick's motivations, since that is the joke of the scene. Rick makes the decision for everyone, because Rick is so freaked out that he refuses to compromise. If Rick's concern were objectively valid ("this planet is about to explode"), then there's no reason for him to force the decision. The fact that he forces the decision indirectly proves that Rick's motivation is subjective and can be dismissed by others (e.g. "this planet's purple atmosphere reminds me of being smothered by my grandmother who always wore purple sweaters").
    – Flater
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 10:57
1

Upon inspection of the weirdest ants I've ever seen, Rick finds out everything is on a cob down to a molecular level. That means that although it seems like a viable option, once a planet receives new inhabitants, they'll eventually grow and evolve with the planet, but here's the part where you'd freak out too, you would also eventually be on the cob. Therefore, “Get in the ship, everything is on a cob the whole planets on the cob, GO, GO, GO, GO!”. That's just what I think tho, tried to think up a scientific explanation. Like maybe he freaked because they would all be on a cob if they didn't get outta dodge.

Improve this answer
0

Strictly and objectively speaking, prior to the fourth season of Rick and Morty, the show never addresses this. No explanation in any way shape or form is provided.

All answers prior to Season 4 are mere speculation and only constitute theories and hypotheses.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .