As Rick and Morty marks the franchise's tenth anniversary, fans of one incredibly dark fan theory were just vindicated. Slowly revealing its lore season by season, Rick and Morty has always been ripe for fan speculation, with the characters' true identities and backstories always being in question thanks to an entire multiverse of Ricks and Mortys, all with their own agendas. However, one fan theory runs through the entire franchise, from its first episode up to now.

For years, Rick and Morty fans have speculated that Rick is somehow messing with time to keep the Smith family the same age. The show has packed a lot of adventures into its run, and yet throughout the entire story Morty has remained 14 years old. Given there have been wars, planetary invasions, prison stints, and cross-universe moves, some fans have pointed out that the Smiths staying the same age is suspicious, and it makes sense that Rick has frozen the family in time at the ages where they're most useful to him.

This is essentially confirmed in Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special #1, by Alex Firer, Fred C. Stresing, Dean Rankine, Alessandro Santoro and Crank! In the issue, Rick reflects on a ten-year-old insult by Jerry and decides to move into a retirement home. As Jerry and Beth argue about Jerry demanding Rick leave the house a decade ago, Jerry suddenly realizes that Morty was 14 back then, just like he is today, asking:

He was 14 then! Did your dad do that, too? Did your dad freeze us all at the same age?!

Rick Has Frozen the Smith Family in Time

The Fan Theory Explains Why Morty Doesn't Age

This fan theory explains why Morty has remained 14 through so many events, with the logic that Rick keeps him at the prime age where he's willing to follow him around as his teenage sidekick (and block his genius brainwaves from detection.) The show has also made it clear many times over that Rick absolutely has the technology to pull this off. When Rick and Morty revisit Rick's original reality in season 6, episode 1's 'Solaricks,' it's revealed that Rick set a given day to repeat, and that everyone on Earth has been reliving the same 24 hours over and over again. Of course, in that case, the people still aged at a normal rate, but it makes sense he'd show a little more care when it comes to his family.

The theory is bolstered by the theory (also essentially confirmed as fact) that Rick knows he's on a TV show. Rick has referenced being a TV character multiple times on Rick and Morty, often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience, but this was explicitly confirmed in the comics. Rick and Morty #57 sees Rick visit a world where his and Morty's adventures are a successful TV franchise, and he reveals this is the case in many dimensions. Rick still believes himself to 'real' but knows he's being watched by fans in other realities, perhaps explaining why he'd strive to create a consistent 'sitcom' timeline where nothing ever changes.

Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special #1 seemingly sees Jerry realize Rick's terrifying actions as Rick decides to retire and releases his grip on the family, however the comic ends with a return to status quo, as Rick resolves to pursue even more adventures, proclaiming, "Infinity years, Rick and Morty!" Indeed, if this Rick and Morty fan theory is indeed true, then that statement may end up being literally true.

Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special is available now from Oni Press.