# Morty Smith
**Morty Smith** is a fictional character and one of the two leads of the [Adult Swim](https://www.edgepedia.org/adult-swim) animated series *Rick and Morty*, a teenage boy (a high school student in the show's own framing) swept into interdimensional adventures by his grandfather, the super-scientist [Rick Sanchez](https://www.edgepedia.org/rick-sanchez).[1](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155) • [2](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/rick-and-morty-how-old-morty-smith-age-justin-roiland.html/) He is the nervous, morally grounded counterpart to Rick's nihilistic genius, and the series' title pairs the two names.[1](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Grandson of Rick Sanchez and the second lead of *Rick and Morty*, an animated series on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block[1](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155) • [3](https://comicvine.gamespot.com/morty-smith/4005-117058/) |
| Voice actors | Originally Justin Roiland; in Season 7, Harry Belden[4](https://epguides.com/RickandMorty/?linkId=23280412) • [5](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/rick-and-morty-season-9-release-date-and-how-to-watch-adult-swims-zany-sci-fi-satire) • [14](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/rick-and-morty-ian-cardoni-harry-belden-justin-roiland-1235752378/) |
| Age | Kept deliberately fixed; co-creator Justin Roiland said the characters stay "locked into that same age" in high school[2](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/rick-and-morty-how-old-morty-smith-age-justin-roiland.html/) |
| First appearance | The pilot episode of *Rick and Morty*, broadcast December 2, 2013 on Adult Swim[6](https://thetvdb.com/series/rick-and-morty/allseasons/official) |
| Family | Member of the Smith family, with parents Jerry and Beth and sister Summer[5](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/rick-and-morty-season-9-release-date-and-how-to-watch-adult-swims-zany-sci-fi-satire) |
| Season 9 | Premiered May 24, 2026, runs 10 episodes; its finale aired July 26, 2026[7](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/new-episodes-rick-and-morty-premiere-may-24-adult-swim) • [8](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/rick-and-morty-season-9-episode-10-release-date-time-adult-swim-hulu) |
## Origin and voice
The character descends from a crude parody short that [Justin Roiland](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-roiland) made years before the series. *The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti*, listed by TheTVDB with a date of September 19, 2012, was created as a provocation aimed at Universal Studios' lawyers over a *Back to the Future* parody, and it became the seed of the television show the following year.[6](https://thetvdb.com/series/rick-and-morty/allseasons/official) For the series itself, the character and voice were retooled with the help of co-creator [Dan Harmon](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-harmon).[3](https://comicvine.gamespot.com/morty-smith/4005-117058/)
Roiland voiced both [Rick and Morty](https://www.edgepedia.org/rick-and-morty) through the show's first six seasons.[4](https://epguides.com/RickandMorty/?linkId=23280412) In the Season 7 cast lineup, Morty is voiced by [Harry Belden](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-belden)[14](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/rick-and-morty-ian-cardoni-harry-belden-justin-roiland-1235752378/), alongside [Ian Cardoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-cardoni) as Rick, Chris Parnell as Jerry, Sarah Chalke as Beth, and Spencer Grammer as Summer.[5](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/rick-and-morty-season-9-release-date-and-how-to-watch-adult-swims-zany-sci-fi-satire)
## Character and role in the series
Morty functions as the audience's standpoint inside the show's absurd science fiction. A philosophical analysis of the series describes him as representing a more traditional way of thinking, emotional, complicated, and ambivalent, set against Rick's sociopathic scientific rationality.[1](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155) The show's premise keeps him in high school indefinitely: Roiland told Collider that the characters retain character development and growth while remaining locked into the same age, a choice that lets the series run for years without aging its cast.[2](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/rick-and-morty-how-old-morty-smith-age-justin-roiland.html/)
The multiverse premise gives Morty a distinctive narrative position. The official Adult Swim retrospective on the road to Season 9 traces the multiverse's origins from the first reveal at the Council of Ricks to the final destruction of the Citadel in Season 5, including the rise of [Evil Morty](https://www.edgepedia.org/evil-morty), whose story is tied to the society of alternate Ricks and Mortys.[9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3xapNqvrV8)
## Season 9 (2026)
Season 9 premiered on Adult Swim on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 11:00pm ET/PT, with Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen describing it as bigger, bolder, and more ambitious than earlier seasons.[7](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/new-episodes-rick-and-morty-premiere-may-24-adult-swim) The season premiere, "There's Something About Morty," is listed by Adult Swim with the summary "Rick's been lonely, broh. Morty's worried bout side pieces."[10](https://www.adultswim.com/videos/rick-and-morty) The season comprises 10 episodes, with the finale, "Field of Dreams," airing July 26, 2026 on Adult Swim and reaching Hulu and [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) the following day.[8](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/rick-and-morty-season-9-episode-10-release-date-time-adult-swim-hulu)
The finale gives Morty a central turn. According to CinemaBlend's account, Morty, with no means to create something on his own, had to visit a sober Rick who had been cut off by the Smith family long ago and appeared to be the happiest version of the character the show has depicted.[11](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/why-rick-and-morty-season-9-finale-had-to-be-bummer-dan-harmon) TV Insider's recap is titled around Rick finally giving Morty what he has always wanted in the episode "Field of Dreams," and frames a comparison between the season's Smith family and Morty's family.[12](https://www.tvinsider.com/1278150/rick-and-morty-season-9-episode-10-field-of-dreams-recapending-explained/)
## Reception and cultural footprint
The series Morty anchors has been described as an Emmy-winning show, and its reach extends beyond television: the character appears in the public Rick and Morty API as a named character record, in comic-book databases listing 204 issue appearances, and in academic writing on the show's philosophical themes.[3](https://comicvine.gamespot.com/morty-smith/4005-117058/) • [13](https://rickandmortyapi.com/documentation) • [1](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155) A feature film directed by longtime series director Jacob Hair, confirmed by Dan Harmon ahead of Season 9, will exist in its own continuity, extending the franchise the character anchors.[5](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/rick-and-morty-season-9-release-date-and-how-to-watch-adult-swims-zany-sci-fi-satire)
## References
1. [Ethics and Technology: An Analysis of Rick and Morty, Open Philosophy](https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2020-0155)
2. ['Rick and Morty': How Old Is Morty Smith? Justin Roiland Discusses the Character's Age, Cheat Sheet](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/rick-and-morty-how-old-morty-smith-age-justin-roiland.html/)
3. [Morty Smith (Character), Comic Vine](https://comicvine.gamespot.com/morty-smith/4005-117058/)
4. [Rick and Morty: Titles & Air Dates Guide, epguides.com](https://epguides.com/RickandMorty/?linkId=23280412)
5. ['Rick and Morty' Season 9: Release date & how to watch Adult Swim's zany sci-fi satire, Space.com](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/rick-and-morty-season-9-release-date-and-how-to-watch-adult-swims-zany-sci-fi-satire)
6. [Rick and Morty: Aired Order, All Seasons, TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/series/rick-and-morty/allseasons/official)
7. [New Episodes of Rick and Morty Premiere May 24 on Adult Swim, Warner Bros. Discovery Pressroom](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/new-episodes-rick-and-morty-premiere-may-24-adult-swim)
8. [What is the release date for Rick and Morty season 9 episode 10 on Adult Swim, HBO Max, and Hulu?, TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/rick-and-morty-season-9-episode-10-release-date-time-adult-swim-hulu)
9. [Rick and Morty: The Road to Season 9, Adult Swim on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3xapNqvrV8)
10. [Watch Rick and Morty on Adult Swim, Adult Swim official episode listings](https://www.adultswim.com/videos/rick-and-morty)
11. [Why Rick And Morty's Season 9 Finale Had To Be Such A Bummer, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/why-rick-and-morty-season-9-finale-had-to-be-bummer-dan-harmon)
12. [Rick Finally Gives Morty What He's Always Wanted in 'Rick and Morty' Season 9 Finale, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1278150/rick-and-morty-season-9-episode-10-field-of-dreams-recapending-explained/)
13. [Rick and Morty API Documentation](https://rickandmortyapi.com/documentation)
14. ['Rick and Morty': Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden Replace Justin Roiland, variety.com](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/rick-and-morty-ian-cardoni-harry-belden-justin-roiland-1235752378/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Sitcom and comedy series › Sitcom and comedy-series characters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license