Fellow Rick's of the Interdimensional Rick committee, Part 2 is now commencing...
Forewarning, there's more-complicated-than-usual Chaos Magic theories quoted throughout, so if you're a Pickle Rick then just end it here.
To start you off with the appetizer, we'll talk about the episode. Season 4 Episode 1, the DEATH CRYSTAL.
"Death Crystals are crystals found on Forbodulon Prime that allow those who wield it to foresee their death in multiple possible future scenarios (Fandom.Wiki)"
Rick was trying to harvest the crystals when assassin looters suddenly arrive on the scene. When the user puts a death crystal on their PINEAL GLAND they're able to see how they'll die, and the outcome/visions change with every little action they make. OKAY, I know WTF right?
Let me elaborate this difficult-to-explain plot, by using someone elses explanation from Den of Geek:
“Death crystals show you how you’re going to die,” Rick explains. “Your future stems from your present which if you’re living right, keeps changing.” Therefore anyone who grabs hold of the crystal will be inundated with multiple visions of their future death. Those visions change as the person’s circumstances change. Sure enough, Morty picks up a death crystal and sees no fewer than 12 versions of his own death, which cycle and change as he moves about his environment. Morty, of course, becomes fixated on one possible future death in which an elderly version of his crush, Jessica, attends to him as he dies in his bed. Morty moves heaven and earth to make sure that this version comes to pass and in the process goes full “Akira.” Still, there are so many other Morty deaths that the death crystals reveal and that Rick and Morty’s animators kindly took the time to render."
Truthfully a video will explain these theories a lot better than words could. Start it at 0:33 (and you don't need to watch more than 10 seconds of it): https://youtu.be/IqSU7PQmD1Y
Spoiler alert: to keep the vision of him dying with Jessica by his side, he lets Rick die not even 5 minutes into the first episode. If you click the Den of Geek link above, it'll take you to the multiple funny probabilities of death he was shown. He even brings in the meeseeks to help him destroy the world to be with Jessica In this video https://youtu.be/_uCZiDFLRXU
Chaos magic is all about affecting the microcosm to effect the macrocosm and hacking the universe through specific metaphysical "theories" using mentalism and sympathetic magic (okay.. at least in my opinion).
As written on Chaos Magic's Wikipedia:
From 1994 to 2000, Morrison wrote The Invisibles for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, which has been described by Morrison as a "hypersigil": "a dynamic miniature model of the magician's universe, a hologram, microcosm or 'voodoo doll' which can be manipulated in real time to produce changes in the macrocosmic environment of 'real' life."
And as said by Hine:
Ilya Prigognine’s theory of “dissipative structures” shows how the very instability of open systems allows them to be self-transforming. The basis of this idea is that the movement of energy through a system causes fluctuations within it. These fluctuations, if they reach a critical level (i.e. a catastrophe cusp point) develop novel interactions, until a new whole is produced. The system then reorganises itself into a new “higher order” which is more integrated than the previous system, and requires a greater amount of energy to maintain itself, and is further disposed to future transformation. This can equally apply to neurological evolution, using a psychtechnology (ancient or modern) as the tool for change. The core stages of the process appear to be:
1. Change
2. Crisis
3. Transcendence
4. Transformation
5. predisposition to further change.
Really I could've just said "As above, so below," but the way Rick talks and thinks is a lot more simliar to the passage above. Besides the crystal being lodged in the pineal, you start to realize that these chaos ideas are very much in line with Rick's statement about the future always changing if you're living in the present correctly. The Death crystal is essentially a guide map, showing the different affected macrocosms changing with every minor microcosmic movement.
Yet another instance DAN HARMON (creator of Rick & Morty). WE'RE ONTO YOU!
Besides this episode there are many other instances, hopefully from now on you might CATCH them!
If you see any other instances (these are just my favorite), I'd love to hear and talk about it so shoot me a tweet or dm.
Til next time,
High King Dabbie