Conspiracy
The Smith family is having breakfast. Rick creates a small robot just to deliver butter to the table when Morty comes to the kitchen to ask Rick to help him with his science project. Jerry jumps at the opportunity to work on a project with Morty due to his low self-esteem about his intelligence. Morty decides to agree. Summer asks for a ride to her job, which is given to Rick as Jerry is “busy”.
Rick gives Summer a ride to her job helping a cranky old man run an “ancient thrift store” called Needful Things. The store is run by Mr. Needful and recently opened. Before Rick and Summer arrive, Mr. Goldenfold accidentally arrives (he thinks the store was Jamba Juice). Mr. Needful knows his name without an introduction and gives him aftershave to attract the attention of the women. The aftershave is free, but Mr. Needful states, “Nobody ever pays here…not with money.”
Summer and Rick arrive at the store and Rick immediately suspects Mr. Needful and asks if he is the devil. This accusation scares Mr. Needful, who quickly tries to give Rick the microscope, which Rick reluctantly takes when Summer pushes him out the door. Meanwhile, Jerry and Morty begin working on a model of the solar system for their science project. Jerry says that Pluto is a planet and Morty tries to correct him. However, Jerry refuses to say that Pluto is not a planet.
Morty visits Rick in his garage, where Rick scans the microscope and discovers that using it would greatly lower his IQ. Jerry jumps in on Morty asking Rick about whether or not Pluto is a planet. Jerry vehemently argues that if it was once a planet, it could be a planet again. Mr. Goldenfold returns to Needful Things and says that the aftershave worked, but it made him impotent. After Rick arrives and administers the cure to Goldenfold, he reveals that he has invented a device to identify the negative effects of cursed items. Rick goes around the store, scanning all the items and uncovering their curses that terrify the customer base. Mr. Needful and Rick have a brief fight before Summer shoves Rick out the door.
Jerry tries to call NASA to argue about Pluto’s planetary status. However, the two are quickly kidnapped by an alien ship and taken to Pluto, where they meet King Flippynips, the ruler of Pluto. The King is thrilled that Jerry believes Pluto is a planet, and Jerry becomes a spokesman for the populace, assuring them that they are still a planet. A large cheering crowd quickly inflates Jerry’s ego.
The Needful Things start selling various items, but Summer and Mr. Needful discover that it’s because Rick has opened another store across the street called Curse Purge Plus!. The shop removes curses for a fee and is an instant hit. This puts a strain on Mr. Needful’s self-esteem and he tries to kill himself, but is saved by Summer. Summer arrives at Rick’s store to admit defeat, which results in Rick getting bored and burning the store down.
Jerry becomes famous among the population of Pluto, appearing at various events to advocate that Pluto is a planet. Morty meets Scroopy Noopers, a Plutonian scientist who reveals that large corporations are mining plutonium from Pluto’s core, causing the planet to shrink and slowly die. Jerry’s views align with those corporations who are desperate to keep the public ignorant of the issues. Morty’s attempts to convince his father to tell the people the truth fall flat. Only when King Flippynips captures Scroopy Noopers and reveals that he is his son does Jerry find the courage to tell the people of Pluto their problems.
Mr. Needful opens a new tech venture and opens n33dful.com to rave reviews. As he congratulates the staff, he orders security and Summer, who feels betrayed, is quickly fired. He approaches Rick, who offers an idea. The two lift weights, take steroids and become incredibly muscular, and ambush Mr. Needful at a tech lecture before celebrating together.
In the post-credits sequence, muscular Rick and Summer beat up various villainous people.
