Rick and Morty Brings Back Surprising Character After a Decade Absent

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I’ve been watching the current run of episodes for Rick and Morty Season 8, and it’s quite fascinating! The latest installment has reintroduced a familiar face that fans haven’t laid eyes on in a decade. Unlike previous seasons, this time around, most episodes have been standalone stories delving into fresh aspects of our characters. However, instead of restoring the original status quo as seen in earlier episodes of this nature, this season has creatively used the characters’ evolutions over the years to approach these adventures from unexpected perspectives.

In the latest Season 8 episode of “Rick and Morty,” titled “Nomortland,” Jerry Smith found himself in an unusual situation. The episode unfolded with Jerry encountering a more rugged version of himself, embarking on a journey through various fractures in the multiverse. This fresh adventure introduced fans to realities they hadn’t previously encountered within the series, one of which depicted the Smith Family in a unique twist: Beth had remarried, and her new husband was none other than Paul Fleishman, who last appeared in 2015, as hinted at during Season 2.

Who Is Paul Fleishman in Rick and Morty?

In Season 2 of “Rick and Morty,” the character Paul Fleishman made his debut in the episode titled “Mortynight Run.” This episode initially aired on Adult Swim back in 2015. In this episode, it was disclosed that Rick had been depositing their Jerrys at a unique daycare center called the “Jerryboree,” which offers a wide range of activities that Jerrys enjoy. However, while Jerry encountered various iterations of himself from multiple universes there, he also crossed paths with Paul Fleishman. Paul presented himself as hailing from a universe where Beth remarries, yet humorously mentioned his respect for boundaries as a stepfather and stated that he wouldn’t overstep with Summer and Morty.

In a twist that feels eerily familiar yet refreshingly new, the eighth episode of Rick and Morty’s eighth season, titled “Nomortland,” sees Paul rejoining the Smith family. As Jerry escorts his multiverse-traveling counterpart, fondly known as “Mooch,” to his home universe, he discovers that this particular Beth has tied the knot with none other than Paul. Despite any lingering tension, there’s no animosity between this Beth and Jerry; instead, Jerry acknowledges his past mistake of abandoning his feelings of insecurity rather than addressing them. With Paul back in the picture, the Smith family seems stronger than ever.

What Does This Return Mean for Jerry?

Introducing Rick once again into the storyline, it creates quite a chaotic chapter in Jerry’s narrative arc within the animated show “Rick and Morty.” This interdimensional portrayal of Jerry serves to underscore the personal growth he has experienced throughout the series. Despite understanding that he doesn’t inhabit his original universe (following the confusion depicted at the end of “Mortynight Run”), our Jerry believes that his family, in whatever dimension they may be from, genuinely cares for him.

In this alternate Beth who remarried Paul, he believes that his family will manage regardless of the outcome, and so our Jerry can return to his home universe with certainty that they still value his presence. This unexpected revelation for the new Jerry only intensifies the significance of his journey, especially when considering the progress he’s made in the past ten seasons.

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2025-07-14 17:40