Season 3 of Rick and Morty finally came to an end last Sunday – or did it? A new fan theory suggests that “The Rickchurian Mortydate” will not be the final episode of Season 3. The theory suggests that a Christmas special airing sometime this winter will be the true finale to this season.

The theory stems from the stinger that played at the end of the finale where we see Mr. Poopybutthole with his new wife and son. He states that he may have a big white Santa Claus beard when Season 4 airs. This remark has fans thinking that Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon may be planning something special this holiday season. They have been known for sneaking many easter eggs into their Rick and Morty episodes.

There is some plausibility to this theory since the first episode of this season, “The Rickshank Rickdemption”, premiered on April 1, 2017, as an April Fools’ Day joke. The rest of the episodes did not begin airing until July 30, 2017. Clearly, Roiland and Harmon have no problem taking long breaks between episodes. Also, there is the fact that Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, which is the normal day that Rick and Morty airs on Adult Swim. The big question is: what would the plot of the Christmas episode be about? Well, there are a few obvious choices and some lesser known possibilities.

There is the possibility that the new episode could explore why Rick and Morty were burying a Santa Claus during one of Morty’s removed memories in “Morty’s Mind Blowers”. Perhaps this was just another one of Rick’s Anatomy Parks gone wrong. (Those bureaucrats will never understand Pirates of the Pancreas) Maybe we will see Tammy and Phoenix Person get revenge for the Galactic Federation being destroyed. There is also the possibility that the episode will explore if the current Beth is truly a clone. Personally, I think she is and here is a great article that further backs up my beliefs.

A final possibility is that we will get another chapter in the story of “Evil Morty”. This is what all the fans have been craving since “The Ricklantis Mixup” a.k.a. “Tales from the Citadel” aired earlier this season. When we last saw “Evil Morty” he had become President of the Citadel of Ricks and has started installing a new regime. This storyline continuing so soon may be a stretch because we typically get a new story with “Evil Morty” every other season, starting with “Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind” in Season 1. The safe bet is that we will not see this storyline continue until Season 5. That being said, Rick and Morty is a freeform anthology and Roiland and Harmon do not adhere to normal animated sitcom formulas – except maybe the “rule of three”. So, who knows if we will even get an episode this winter… and if we do, will it be a true finale to Season 3 or an early start to Season 4?

Better keep your eyes glues to Adult Swim on Christmas Eve just in case!

What was your favorite episode of Rick and Morty this season? Do you think there will be a Christmas special? Leave your comments below!