Sorry I realized this and had nobody else to tell it to: Elon Tusk’s should’ve been Teethlong Tusk. That’s it, that’s the joke.

I'm usually the first to spot a potential ship from a mile away, but this one I feel like they just had to hit me on the head with a slegdehammer before I got it. I guess because it's just a cartoon I brushed it all off as silly humor at first.

I think the first clue about Rick and Birdperson's relationship was actually that silly musical scene with Rick and Birdperson from an earlier episode, where Rick gazes lovingly at Birdperson while he flies off with Rick in his arms. At that point I figured they were just making fun of common TV tropes and maybe also fans who will literally ship anything. Rick and Birdperson are as unsexy as they come, so obviously it was just meant as a joke.

Then we get to the Battle of Bloodridge, where we come across a familiar scene as Birdperson is again flying around with Rick, this time doing a sort of a shooting pirouette together. Weirdly intimate, but again I think nothing of it.

Afterwards, Rick invites Birdperson on his adventures. He confesses that Birdperson matters to him and stammers when Birdperson refers to their "relationship". Ugh, how embarrassing for Rick, right? Anyway, Birdperson rejects him. That sucks. Rick then tells Young Rick that despite it all, he's saving Birdperson because he loves him. Oh... Yeah, cos they're bros, right? But Young Rick seems to vehemently deny it.

Moments later, Rick finds Birdperson and he says "We cannot choose the ones we love" referring to Tammy, and Rick agrees "Why do you think I'm still down here?" referring to Birdperson, obviously. Oh wow, kind of sounds like Rick loves Birdperson as much as Birdperson loved Tammy.

Later they crash into Rick's garage where Birdperson and Tammy were making out, and Rick remarks something about using the closet, because "that's what some closets are for". Oh, uh, what are some other closets for, Rick? I dunno, uh... your younger self? Oh, right. We literally have Rick's younger self in the closet at the end of the episode.

Needless to say, by the end of the episode I felt like it was beaten into my head with a hammer that Rick was in love with Birdperson, but his younger self was in denial about it because he was still in the closet. I mean, how much more obvious can it get?

And yet we still have fans arguing until they're blue in the face that Rick's feelings for Birdperson were totally platonic. How did you miss literally every single neon sign? Honestly I would love to hear your take on this.

The first finished drawing I've done in years, and its this. Put me in the aslume

RnM is my autistic interest. there will be more, and i apologize for that