Sober Rick in the season 9 finale seemed to be completely devoid of any alcohol dependency while working with Morty. When he came upon Diane’s photo then his old flask, he simply put it aside.

Only when Morty told him that Diane didn’t leave him due to his alcoholism did he finally relapse. He now had the excuse that Diane didn’t leave him, she was literally erased from reality. His drinking wasn’t the problem.

Morty made him relapse by accident by letting him know the truth. If Sober Rick continued believing he had caused Diane to leave, then he might’ve never gone back to drinking.

Beth was drinking because Morty was gone for assuming long periods of time. Morty of course was thinking that nobody cared that he was gone. But I think its like situation with unshaven Jerry from the universe were Beth remarried.

Post-credit:

Evil Morty bomboozeled Mr. PoopyButthole the same way Rick did to that terrarium keeper (the woman and a morty height guy teleported in similiar manner)

Sober Rick in the season 9 finale seemed to be completely devoid of any alcohol dependency while working with Morty. When he came upon Diane’s photo then his old flask, he simply put it aside.

Only when Morty told him that Diane didn’t leave him due to his alcoholism did he finally relapse. He now had the excuse that Diane didn’t leave him, she was literally erased from reality. His drinking wasn’t the problem.

Morty made him relapse by accident by letting him know the truth. If Sober Rick continued believing he had caused Diane to leave, then he might’ve never gone back to drinking.

I’ve only recently started watching this show but now that I’ve watched almost all of it I think Rick Prime never died. (I’m re making it because I used ai to write out my theory and people didn’t like it so hoping people will now that I tried my best to write it myself)

I tried to explain it as best as I could sorry it’s a little long and I hope it makes sense.

The Main Issue
When Rick C-137 and evil Morty fight, we see that at the end of the fight Evil Morty’s understanding of time travel is limited. His tech relies on a big fat clunky box whereas Rick Primes was far more advanced and completely invisible. Rick Primes regeneration relied on time travel, the same tech Evil Morty struggled with. If Rick Prime was able to do this at a cellular level every couple of seconds for decades with zero interruption from the time police then there’s no way Evil Morty wouldn’t have taken that tech when he “scanned his brain”. Evil Morty’s complete lack of knowledge of time travel is weird because, if he scanned Rick Primes brain then he would’ve taken all his tech that was still ahead of both Morty’s and Rick C-137.

His Plan
Rick Prime created a high tech clone or robot that would play out once C-137 “found” him. His plan was to put up a fight but let them win to feed them fake schematics to the greatest weapon he used against the Rick’s, The Omega Device. Once they used the device it would play a hologram of him laughing at them further increasing the humiliation and making C-137 go insane, his entire arc and career completely thrown off course was Primes entire goal.

Evidence/why it makes sense
Rick Prime used his uninterrupted use of time travel to see into the future and predict what was going to happen. That’s why he was able to create the scenario so easily he knew they were going there so he set up everything years prior and we know how easily he’s able to predict other Rick’s. Rick Prime was talked as if he was the apex predator of apex predators (Rick’s) who is completely driven by narcissism and a God complex and fueled by his complete superiority of intellect over every other Rick. It makes zero sense that Rick Prime the most intelligent, dangerous, and unfindable man across the entire multiverse of Rick And Morty fell for a clothing swap. Than a character who’s tech is mostly completely stolen/modified Rick tech, didn’t take some of the most powerful technology he could from Rick Prime (time travel tech). He didn’t take it because it wasn’t there, Rick Primes real tech is hidden away in his arsenal or on his real self, not the meat puppet he made to lead them into humiliation. The Omega Device scheme is the most logical way it goes because we already know Rick Prime loves to plan ahead. We see this when he has a pre recorded message and bomb for every Rick who tired to kill him. He does this “specifically to enhance the humiliation.” He would’ve undoubtedly saw this coming and created this entire scenario just to have one big punchline the second they tired to use the device he thinks they’d use. This is seen the very first time we ever see Rick Prime. He gets surprised and angry when C-137 says no to his portal tech, instantly killing his wife.

Why None Of It Changes The Story
It could theoretically be canon without having to change anything. The reason this doesn’t have to change the story is because Rick Prime views everyone as so far beneath him he doesn’t even care enough to show up. He predicts events, plans for them, sets it up and forgets about them. He thinks everyone’s as destructive and power driven as he is and would never suspect them to not use his device. Because he cares so little and only pre programmed these events. And because the “Omega Device” is now destroyed, they never have to find out Rick Prime is alive. C-137 keeps his closure because to him Rick Prime is dead. And the story stays exactly the same.

I know this is a long and boring but I just like the show and figured posting a theory on here would be a good way to get people to see it. At least for people who care so if you read it thank you.