Jessica | |
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Rick and Morty character | |
First appearance |
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Created by | Justin Roiland Dan Harmon |
Designed by | Justin Roiland |
Voiced by | Kari Wahlgren [1] [2] [3] Misa Ishii ( The Anime ) |
In-universe information | |
Full name | Jessica |
Species | Human |
Gender | Female |
Title | Time God |
Occupation | Student God of time |
Significant others | Morty Smith Brad (ex-boyfriend) |
Jessica is a recurring fictional character in the American animated television series Rick and Morty and resulting franchise. Voiced by Kari Wahlgren and created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, loosely inspired by Jennifer Parker from Back to the Future , Jessica is the crush and later casual girlfriend of protagonist Morty Smith, who for the first four seasons of the series is oblivious to his feelings being partially reciprocated by Jessica. A social media-savvy student, in "Mort Dinner Rick Andre", Jessica is turned into a time god after spending millennia frozen in time within an alternate dimension where-in time passed faster. Known for her kind, inquisitive personality, the character has received a positive critical reception. [4] [5] [6]
The character was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon; when the concept of Rick and Morty was brought up to Adult Swim, the ideas for an expanded supporting cast and Jessica being featured as a "will they, won't they" love interest for Morty Smith was introduced, depicted as having red hair due to Harmon's love of redheads, and loosely inspired by Jennifer Parker (portrayed by Claudia Wells and Elisabeth Shue), the love interest of Marty McFly (the inspiration for Morty) in Back to the Future . [7] [8] In 2020's Rick and Morty Character Guide, an Easter egg sees Jessica be given the initialized name "Jessica W." in reference to the surname of her voice actress: Kari Wahlgren. [9] On the design of "Witch Jessica" in Rick and Morty: Ever After , the series' artist Sarah Stern described her as "the most enigmatic character in the book [who] needed a look [that was] both threatening and characteristically sylish [with] some fun forest-witch vibes [and] a black bodysuit strung with silver and bone", after the series' writer Sam Haggs had requested she be designed with "threatening but also step-on-me vibes". [10]
Jessica is introduced in the series' "Pilot", expressing interest in getting to know Morty more before Morty is taken away on an adventure. In "Rick Potion #9", a love potion given to Morty by Rick mutates with Jessica' common cold eventually leads everyone in the world not related to Morty being turned into "Cronenberg" monsters, and Morty and Rick abandoning the reality, the Prime Dimension, for another one, Dimension C-131. C-131's Jessica makes her first formal appearance in the first season finale "Ricksy Business", attending Rick's and Summer's party. Irritated by her boyfriend Brad, Jessica allows Morty to comfort her and he takes her on a tour of Rick's garage, showing her a map of the universe that fills the room and telling her of his adventures.
In "Rest and Ricklaxation", after Morty is split in two people, a Toxic Morty and Confident Morty, the latter asks out Jessica before making her feel he'd "get bored with her". Jessica then helps Rick with merging the Mortys back together, glad to have him back. A deleted subplot further explored Jessica herself "detoxed", her split versions described as "very co-dependent". [11]
In "Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat", Morty becomes obsessed with using a "time crystal" to follow a life path to a future where he will die with Jessica (actually one where she is his nurse), Jessica expressing further interest in him in "The Vat of Acid Episode".
In "Mort Dinner Rick Andre", Morty calls Jessica to admit his feelings for her, and the couple arrange a date. During his date with Jessica, as their attempts at making out are interrupted by Mr. Nimbus, whose actions lead to Jessica being sucked into another dimension, where she is frozen in time as a lure for Morty. After Nimbus and Rick help Morty rescue Jessica, Morty tries to continue their date, only for Jessica to reveal how due to spending "endless time" in stasis with only her thoughts for company, she has a changed perspective on life and the universe, telling a crestfallen Morty that they should just be friends "for now", before walking off into the night. [12]
Jessica returns in the seventh season episode "Rickfending Your Mort" (following Morty's move to the Parmesan Dimension in "Solaricks"), where a flashback reveals her and Morty to now be casually dating. [13]
The character has received a positive reception, from outlets such as Comic Book Resources , [4] [14] Looper , [15] Screen Rant , [16] [17] [18] The A.V. Club , [19] Inverse , [5] and Decider . [6]