Aeronautical Canon
Dan Harmon describes the official storyline as a weight that creators must learn to lift rather than simply follow blindly.
Creative Defiance
The goal of high-level storytelling isn't to be safe within the rules but to find ways to subvert them without crashing the ship.
The Story Circle
Harmon clarifies that his structural models are meant to be guides for the lost, not cages for the naturally gifted geniuses.
Dan Harmon, the mastermind behind Rick and Morty and the cult classic Community, has recently articulated a perspective on television canon that is as intellectually dense as it is controversial. During a recent industry screening, Harmon compared the necessity of series serialization to the force of gravity in aeronautics, suggesting that while it is essential for the structure to exist, the true art lies in the attempt to defy it. This "galaxy-brained" take offers a rare glimpse into the psyche of a writer who has fundamentally changed how we perceive character development and narrative structure in the modern era of adult animation.
Dan Harmon and the burden of narrative gravity
I recently sat in on a conversation that felt more like a seminar on existential physics than a discussion about cartoon shows. Dan Harmon, flanked by legends like Genndy Tartakovsky and Joe Cappa, spoke about his craft with a intensity that suggested he was dismantling his own brain in real-time. For years, I have followed Harmon’s work, from the meta-commentary of Community to the nihilistic voyages of Rick and Morty, but his latest revelation regarding storytelling canon changed my perspective on why his shows feel so uniquely untethered.
To Harmon, the concept of canon is not a treasure chest of lore to be guarded, but rather a force of nature. He described it as gravity for an aeronautical engineer. Imagine trying to build a plane; gravity is the reason you need wings, but it is also the very thing trying to drag your creation into the dirt. This duality is where Harmon lives. He recognizes that without some semblance of serialization, the audience has nothing to hold onto. Yet, he views the act of writing as a constant struggle to stay airborne against the weight of "what happened before."
This perspective explains the often jarring shifts in Rick and Morty. The show frequently mocks its own "lore," sometimes going as far as to literally destroy entire universes to avoid being pinned down by a single timeline. Harmon’s "galaxy-brained" approach isn't just about being clever; it is a defense mechanism. By treating canon as a force to be defied, he ensures that the creative spirit of the show remains as chaotic and unpredictable as the multiverse itself.
This refusal to be governed by the past is what makes his work feel so alive. Most showrunners treat their bibles like holy scripture, afraid to deviate for fear of fan backlash. Harmon, however, sees the Bible as a set of blueprints that are meant to be revised the moment the engine starts. It is a risky way to run a comedy show, but as the Emmy awards on his shelf suggest, it is a method that yields spectacular results.
The tension between the creator and the canon is palpable in every episode. We see a writer who understands the rules so deeply that he has earned the right to break them. It is not a dismissal of the audience's investment, but rather an invitation to value the journey more than the destination. In a world of safe, predictable reboots, this defiance is a breath of fresh air.
Why does Dan Harmon fear the commitment of serialization?
During the session, Harmon made a startlingly honest admission: he is scared of commitment. In his words, the more compelling a story becomes, the higher the "chances for you to do things wrong." This is the secret anxiety of every great writer, but few are as vocal about it as the man who created Rick Sanchez. He views the relationship between a writer and a long-running serialization as something akin to a toxic romance where the stakes are perpetually rising.
When an audience loves a set of characters, they begin to build a mental fortress around them. They expect certain behaviors and logical progressions. For Harmon, this fortress is a prison. He joked about "coming home drunk and s***ting his pants," a characteristically blunt metaphor for the messiness of the creative process. It highlights his belief that writers are fallible human beings who shouldn't be expected to maintain a perfect, unbroken line of logic over a decade of television.
This fear of commitment actually serves the Rick and Morty narrative. It allows the show to pivot from high-concept sci-fi to domestic drama without losing its soul. Because the creator is willing to admit he might "do it wrong," he is free to experiment. This experimental freedom is what gave us episodes like "Pickle Rick" or the "Interdimensional Cable" series—concepts that might have been stifled by a more rigid adherence to television canon.
Furthermore, Harmon’s honesty about his process builds a unique trust with the viewers. We know he isn't trying to sell us a polished, corporate product. He is sharing a struggle. That vulnerability, hidden behind layers of sci-fi jargon and burps, is why the fandom remains so rabidly loyal. They aren't just following a show; they are following a mind that is constantly at war with its own creations.
By embracing this fear, Harmon has turned a potential weakness into a structural pillar. He doesn't just write a show; he writes the experience of trying to keep a show running. It is meta-commentary at its finest, and it ensures that the character development of Rick and Morty remains grounded in human imperfection rather than artificial perfection.
Is the Dan Harmon Story Circle a guide or a cage?
The Dan Harmon Story Circle has become a legendary tool in writing rooms across the globe. It is a simplified version of the Hero's Journey, a circular map that ensures a character starts in a zone of comfort, goes into the unfamiliar, pays a price, and returns having changed. But how does Harmon himself use it? Is he a slave to his own invention? The answer, as it turns out, involves mushrooms and a trip to Joshua Tree.
Harmon explained that story models like his circle should be viewed as compasses rather than laws. He used a vivid analogy: if you can find your car while "tripping balls" in the desert without help, you're a genius like Quentin Tarantino. You don't need the map. But if you're lost and don't know where you parked, that’s when you look for the moss on the north side of the tree. The Story Circle is that moss. It is a survival tool for when the creative light dims.
This distinction is crucial for understanding the contemporary approach to writing. Harmon isn't interested in "double dribbles" or technical fouls. He is interested in the "satisfying barf" of a story that simply works. If a narrative feels right, the rules don't matter. He mentioned Michael Jordan—a player so gifted that the technicalities of the game became secondary to his performance. Harmon strives for that same level of instinctive brilliance.
However, the reality of television production means that inspiration isn't always constant. There are deadlines, budgets, and executive notes. In those moments, the circle provides a safety net. It allows the writers to "fake it" until the real inspiration returns. It is a pragmatic approach to art that acknowledges both the magic of the "muse" and the necessity of the "craft."
Ultimately, Harmon’s take on his own model is a lesson in humility. He created one of the most influential writing frameworks of the 21st century, yet he is the first to say you should ignore it if you're talented enough. It is this balance of structure and chaos that allows Rick and Morty to feel both narratively satisfying and completely off the rails at the same time.
How does the aeronautical engineer approach character growth?
If we accept that canon is gravity, then character development is the lift that keeps the story in the air. For Harmon, characters cannot be static points in a lore book; they must be living, breathing entities that react to the forces acting upon them. In Rick and Morty, this means that while the "rules" of the universe might change, the emotional core of the characters must remain consistent even as they evolve.
Rick Sanchez is a prime example of this philosophy. He is an all-powerful being who is constantly trying to escape the gravity of his own past. Every time the show touches on his "original" family or his "canonical" backstory, it is handled with a mix of reverence and resentment. Harmon wants us to care about Rick's pain, but he doesn't want that pain to become a set of chains that prevents Rick from doing something entirely new in the next season.
This "aeronautical" approach to growth means that characters don't just change; they adapt to survive the flight. Morty’s transition from a stuttering sidekick to a cynical adventurer is a natural response to the extreme "atmospheric conditions" of Rick’s adventures. It is a progression that feels earned because it follows the internal logic of the character’s experiences, rather than just checking a box in a series bible.
By focusing on the "physics" of character interaction rather than the "history" of the plot, Harmon creates a show that feels remarkably consistent even when it is wildly incoherent. We trust the characters because we understand the forces they are fighting. Whether it's Rick’s nihilism or Morty’s burgeoning morality, these traits act as the stabilizers for the narrative flight.
As we look toward the future of the series, it is clear that Harmon will continue to fight the gravity of his own success. He will continue to push the limits of what a cartoon show can be, subverting expectations and defying the very rules he helped define. It is a high-altitude act without a net, but as long as he keeps finding the "north side of the tree," we will be there to watch him fly. Could it be that the only way to truly honor a story is to be willing to let it go?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Harmon's canon metaphor?
Harmon views canon as gravity—it holds the world together, but the writer's job is to fly in spite of it.
Why does he fear serialization?
He believes high fan investment increases the penalty for narrative errors, describing it as a 'toxic relationship' with the audience.
Is the Story Circle a strict rule?
No. Harmon compares it to moss on a tree; it helps you find North only when you are already lost.
How does this affect Rick and Morty?
It allows for a fluid, chaotic style where any universe or timeline can be explored without rigid consequences.
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