Evil Morty's Name

Evil Morty's name

...I'm under the impression that the show very much does not want us to call him "Evil" Morty.

1. The name was coined by the fans, not the creators (if this article is to be believed, at least):

2. A different name was handed to us, but it didn't catch on:

3. Evil Morty seems to me to be pushing the idea that being "evil" is something that describes every Morty who rebels against his tormentor...

...which in turn, means it's not defining of him. If a thousand angry Mortys lash out and therefore become "Evil Morty", how does this name differentiate him, specifically? How does it function as a name he'd choose for himself?

We can't really say that only a very small number of Mortys turn against Ricks, either, because he says to Morty Prime: "Now you're Evil Morty too. Sooner or later we all are." If he is to be believed, this means that it happens often. A lot.

...So I think it's a bit like calling Slick Morty "drama implant Morty". There are countless Mortys with a drama implant, but only one who also rolls up his sleeves and is called Slick Morty and who gave his life away in a desperate wish.

4. Rick protests against the name.

5. He seems to be bitter about the name:

6. In the show he claims that being sick of Rick is makes him evil, which can be translated either as:

(a) "I'm so desperate I have no choice but to escape at any cost, even if I have to do cruel things" OR

(b) "you can do any cruel act and it can be overlooked as humorous (couch Morty Prime killing people so he can die old with Jessica cough) but if I do cruel acts so I can escape Rick I'm considered evil"

In theory he could mean either of the two, but I think the first one makes more sense considering it was us fans who named him thus, and we did it because of his betrayal towards other Mortys, not because we judged him for wanting to escape.

7. Considering it turned out he really was worried about Morty Prime, this feels like one more moment where he expresses bitterness and sarcasm towards the name that was given to him:

8. I guess the moniker "evil" can be considered empowering, in a fashion, but I mostly feel this is a really sad part of the empowerment. He escaped, yes, and that's admirable (even if it had to be done at any cost) but that name highlights the absolute worst parts of his struggles. And while he may no longer hope for acceptance, friendship or understanding from anyone, this particular name still feels like it's rubbing in his face that he had to dirty his hands, that his peers are repulsed by him and that he will receive no forgiveness from anyone (at least, not anytime soon). It also reminds me of this post. Strength and cruelty are not the same thing. He is strong but we name him after the cruelty? Especially when we know this is likely only a hurt and lonely kid.

9. I understand that the name may have stuck by now, and even though I admit it has a nice ring to it, I actually hate using it anymore. I like to call him by the one thing that actually sets him apart from all the other cocky or evil Mortys, and that's the one object that is so important to him that it honestly feels like he can't wait to put back it on

that he used to turn the tables against Ricks

that he wears even when alone outside the Curve

that he tries to touch as a form of self-soothing

that his hand slips in his pocket for basically before his enemy has finished collapsing on the ground