Other|Fictional Characters

It’s Time We Admit That Beth Smith Is Actually The Most Messed Up Character On Rick And Morty

Eric Luis
Updated February 22, 2024 13 items

When Rick and Morty first premiered on Adult Swim, Rick's daughter Beth was portrayed as a smart, no-nonsense mother who loves her family more than anything. Three seasons in, and it's becoming clear that she might be far less put together than she likes to believe. This confident horse surgeon might be a sociopath as demented as Rick, which is certainly saying something.

Rick's relationship with Beth has been one of the series's more emotionally charged plot lines, dealing with issues like childhood abandonment and alcoholism. From the first episode, it was made clear that Rick was just coming back into his family's lives after being estranged for years, and that he's only recently started to heal those relationships. But it might be too late for Rick because Beth's history indicates that she may already be too far gone. 

This list of compelling evidence – which includes quotes from Rick and Morty – should be more than enough to convince fans that Beth Smith is messed up, with or without Rick.

  • Even At A Young Age, Rick Could Tell There Was Something Wrong With Beth

    Even At A Young Age, Rick Could Tell There Was Something Wrong With Beth

    In "The ABC's of Beth", Rick paints a pretty terrifying image of Beth as a little girl. "You were a scary f*cking kid, man," Rick says to his daughter during an argument. He was so worried about her dangerous potential, he invented the magical world of Froopyland to "protect the neighborhood." 

    Without that distraction, it sounds like she might have let her sociopathic tendencies wreak untold havoc among the townsfolk. 

  • Beth Blames Rick For Many Of Her Problems

    Beth Blames Rick For Many Of Her Problems

    It's easy to blame Rick's absentee parenting and debilitating alcoholism for Beth's emotional issues, and that's exactly what she does in "The ABC's of Beth." She refuses to apologize for herself and instead puts it all on Rick, who even admits to being a horrible father. 

    But even after accepting his share of the blame, he makes it abundantly clear that he believes a lot Beth's murderous rage and twisted thoughts are on her. Most of the morally questionable things he did for his daughter, like building her a taser shaped like a ladybug, were a direct response to her nightmarish requests.

  • It's Quite Possible That Beth Has Killed Several Children And Animals

    It's Quite Possible That Beth Has Killed Several Children And Animals

    During that same argument, Rick offers up a throwaway line that may hold extremely dark implications. When he explains his motivations for building Froopyland he says, "It was just more practical to sequester you before I had to start, you know, cloning a replacement for every less than polite little boy or gullible animal that might cross your socio-path."

    Rick isn't just improving here, it sounds more like a disgruntled man speaking from experience. If what he's saying is true, that means Beth has likely hurt innocent children for being "less than polite," to the point where Rick actually got tired of cloning and replacing her victims.

  • Could Her Insatiable Bloodlust Have Driven Her To Be A Horse Surgeon?

    Could Her Insatiable Bloodlust Have Driven Her To Be A Horse Surgeon?

    Young Beth clearly has no qualms with killing, or at the very least horribly maiming, both people and animals who cross her "socio-path." One of the items that young Beth requested from Rick may have been a reference to her eventual career as a horse surgeon.

    She displays a morbid curiosity of anatomy from a young age, prompting her to ask her father to build her a teddy bear with "anatomically correct innards." Beth is giving off a serious Dexter vibe here, possibly working her way into a job that allows her to fulfill her thirst for blood and gore.

  • She Definitely Pushed Tommy Into The Honey Swamp

    She Definitely Pushed Tommy Into The Honey Swamp

    According to Tommy – Beth's childhood friend – Beth's jealously of his friends and loving father made her lead Tommy into Froopyland to eliminate him. While his back was turned, Beth pushed him into the Honey Swamp where he was left to drown. This is evidence of the twisted coping mechanisms Beth uses to deal with her feelings of jealously and insecurity when it comes to her father.

  • Beth Looks Up To Rick For All The Wrong Reasons

    Beth Looks Up To Rick For All The Wrong Reasons

    Beth may be full of insecurities, but she also displays some traits of the narcissistic superiority that her father is known for. Like her father, she is unable to take the blame for her own faults and is way too forgiving of Rick and herself.

    This is especially apparent in "Pickle Rick," where Rick blows off the family's therapy session for completely selfish reasons. Not only does Beth encourage his unhealthy behaviors, she actively defends his obvious lies to her children and the therapist.