The episode begins with Homestead Rick and Arcade Morty traveling through space when a piece of debris from the destroyed Citadel smashes into their windshield, forcing them to make an emergency landing on a planet covered in crystal cornfields. As they explore, a spaceship suddenly lands nearby, and a group of Ricks emerges, violently rounding up multiple Mortys and loading them onto their ship. Homestead Rick tries to avoid conflict, wanting only to carry the goods he acquired at an arcade and leave, but the Ricks, upon realizing he is not one of them, shoot him multiple times before departing and burning down the nearby town.

Homestead Rick wakes up later, his wounds being patched by robots. He returns to his farm only to find it burned down and a mocking message written in feces on the floor that reads, "What grown man listens to Tori Amos?" Searching further, he opens a hidden compartment in the floor revealing a stash of weapons. He arms himself and sets out toward the New Citadel, determined to confront the Ricks responsible.

On the way, Homestead Rick discovers Arcade Morty and Doctor Morty hiding in the back of his truck. Despite his gruff demeanor and warning that "if you die, you die," he reluctantly allows them to accompany him on his mission.

Meanwhile, the Ricks who captured the Mortys are revealed to be constructing a new Citadel. They are using the captive Mortys as raw material to create a Morty clone, though their ultimate purpose for this clone remains unclear. Trafficker Rick ascends an elevator to meet Boss Hogg Rick, who explains that once they have enough Mortys, they can all live like kings. Boss Hogg Rick hands Trafficker Rick a paper bag containing a vial of portal fluid, indicating plans to use it in their scheme.

Back with Homestead Rick and his companions, they approach the New Citadel. Homestead Rick's motivation is fueled by revenge for the destruction of his home and the shooting he endured. The episode follows their infiltration and confrontation with the Citadel Ricks, including tense moments of combat and strategic maneuvering. The Ricks gamble with dice that come to life and box each other, a surreal detail highlighting the bizarre culture of the Citadel.

Throughout the episode, the dynamics between the different versions of Rick and Morty are explored, with Homestead Rick embodying a hardened, vengeful persona, Arcade Morty showing resourcefulness, and Doctor Morty contributing his own skills. The episode culminates in a confrontation where Homestead Rick and his allies attempt to stop Big Rick's plan to rebuild the Citadel in his image, fighting against the authoritarian control the new Citadel represents.

The episode ends with the fate of the Morty clones and the future of the Citadel left uncertain, setting up ongoing conflict and questions about identity and power among the Rick and Morty clones.

At the end of "Rick and Morty" Season 8, Episode 3, titled "The Rick, the Mort & the Ugly," Homestead Rick, after being shot and having his home burned down by other Ricks, arms himself and sets out with Arcade Morty and Doctor Morty to confront the new Citadel being built by the clone Ricks. The episode closes with them heading toward the Citadel, ready for a showdown, leaving their fates open but poised for conflict.

The episode's ending unfolds as follows:

After Homestead Rick is shot multiple times by a group of Ricks who mistake him for an outsider, he is rescued and patched up by robots. He then returns to his home, only to find it burned down and defaced with a crude message mocking his taste in music. This destruction signals the severity of the threat posed by the other Ricks who are rebuilding the Citadel.

Homestead Rick discovers a hidden compartment in his home containing weapons. He arms himself, preparing for retaliation. While driving toward the new Citadel, he finds Arcade Morty and Doctor Morty hiding in the back of his truck. Despite his gruff warning that "if you die, you die," he allows them to join him.

The episode ends with this trio--Homestead Rick, Arcade Morty, and Doctor Morty--heading toward the new Citadel, which is being constructed by the clone Ricks who have been capturing Mortys to use as fodder for Morty clones. The Citadel's leader, Boss Hogg Rick, envisions a future where, with enough Mortys, they can all live like kings. The episode closes on this tense note, setting up a confrontation but not revealing the outcome or the ultimate fate of the characters involved.

Thus, the main characters at the end are poised for conflict: Homestead Rick is alive and armed, determined to fight back; Arcade Morty and Doctor Morty are alive and accompanying him; the clone Ricks are actively rebuilding the Citadel and capturing Mortys, but their ultimate success or failure remains unresolved in this episode.

Yes, Rick and Morty Season 8, Episode 3 ("The Rick, the Mort & the Ugly") does have a post-credits scene. It features a follow-up to a minor joke from earlier in the episode involving two anthropomorphic dice. These dice, first seen during a background game among clone Ricks, emerge from the wreckage and continue their ongoing vendetta, effectively continuing their fight. This scene serves as a light, humorous epilogue that echoes the episode's themes of conflict and fractured identities among the clone factions. It does not include Jerry or any Jerry clones but resonates with the episode's exploration of clone identity and multiversal politics.

The episode begins with Rick collecting wreckage from the destroyed Citadel, which sets the stage for the story. This wreckage causes their ship to be hit by a piece, forcing an emergency landing on a planet inhabited by Rick and Morty clones. The Citadel's destruction and its remnants are central to the episode's plot and themes, highlighting the aftermath of Evil Morty's previous actions and the fractured state of the clone society.

Homestead Rick is a Rick clone living on a planet with Morty clones. After Rick and Morty land there, the episode shifts focus to Homestead Rick's daily life, including his work harvesting crystal corn and his interactions with the local Mortys. He is portrayed as a rugged, independent character who is wary of other Ricks and is involved in a conflict with other Rick clones. His storyline drives much of the episode's action and emotional depth.

Morty shows a strong desire to assert his individual identity, which is a key emotional thread in the episode. His boredom and frustration with the salvage mission contrast with his interactions on the clone planet, especially with Arcade Morty, highlighting his struggle to define himself apart from the Rick and Morty clone dynamic. Morty's personal growth is emphasized through these interactions and his reactions to the chaotic events around him.

The Rick clones on the planet are in conflict, with some, including Homestead Rick, opposing others who are aggressive and hostile. The episode features scenes where Rick clones kidnap Mortys and engage in tense standoffs. Homestead Rick resists involvement in the chaos, indicating a fractured and dangerous environment among the clones. This conflict underscores themes of loyalty, survival, and identity among the Rick clones.

This episode introduces a risky and novel focus on Rick and Morty clones other than the main characters, particularly spotlighting Homestead Rick and Arcade Morty. It also features creative elements like living dice that fight each other, and a setting that revisits the Citadel's aftermath. The episode experiments with format and character focus, marking a series first by sidelining the main Rick and Morty for much of the story and exploring new dynamics within the clone society.

The episode "The Rick, the Mort & the Ugly" from Rick and Morty Season 8 is rated TV-MA and TV-14 on various platforms, indicating it is not family-friendly for children. It contains severe violence and gore, severe profanity, severe alcohol, drug use, and smoking, and moderate sexual content and nudity presented mostly as comedic or implied rather than explicit.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

• Severe and graphic violence and gore, including bloody and intense fight scenes.
• Strong language and profanity throughout the episode.
• Sexual references and innuendos, some involving nudity (though mostly censored or blurred), and mature themes such as implied sexual situations.
• Alcohol and drug use, including Rick's frequent intoxication and related behavior.
• Moderate frightening or intense scenes that may be disturbing.

Given these elements, the episode is intended for mature audiences and is not suitable for children or viewers sensitive to graphic violence, strong language, sexual content, or substance use.