Incept-Rick
Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon has gone on record for abhorring Christopher Nolan’s Inception, citing that it was “unnecessarily complicated.” Of course, Harmon has a penchant for referencing pop culture works that he dislikes (See: Community). So, it comes as no surprise that the Season 1 episode, “M. Night Shaym-Aliens!” is a big nod to Inception.
In essence, Rick is “the mark” while the Zigerions are the “Leonardo DiCaprio” of the story. That’s the beauty of being a creative in the entertainment industry – you can reference everything you love and loathe in one fell swoop. They’re all just opinions, baby! Art is subjective!