Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
*ActuallyADoombot: In Chapter 19, Aldrich uses several of his robots equipped with holograms of his appearance to show up at both his election day rally and a fight with the EnemyMine against him, while he safely observes everything from a third location. [[spoiler: Similarly, Lex uses the HardLight tech Aldrich provides him as part of their alliance in order to be present at the fight without actually being there.]]
Changed line(s) 21 (click to see context) from:
** A downplayed example in Chapter 15, wherein during an argument with Lex, Tak is suddenly hit with the worrisome realization that with the small army of [=DIRs=] at his disposal, he's effectively taken over her base during the course of their partnership.
to:
** A downplayed example in Chapter 15, wherein during an argument with Lex, Tak is suddenly hit with the worrisome realization that with the small army of [=DIRs=] at his disposal, he's effectively taken over her base during the course of their partnership. [[spoiler: When their alliance eventually breaks down in Chapter 18, Lex seizes complete control of the facility from her.]]
**In Chapter 19, [[spoiler: Lex and Aldrich announce their VillainTeamUp by sending a CADIR to attack Zim's base]].
**In Chapter 19, [[spoiler: Lex and Aldrich announce their VillainTeamUp by sending a CADIR to attack Zim's base]].
*AppropriatedAppellation: Zim starts referring to Gaz as "Gaz-Beast" as an insult, but she decides that she likes the ring of it.
*BackForTheFinale: James Conroy, the brainwashed attorney who Zim's team use to beat Aldrich in court in Chapter 13, is summoned by the Minion Trio in Chapter 19 to help sabotage Aldrich's Election Day plans.
Changed line(s) 50 (click to see context) from:
* BigBrotherInstinct: What snaps Dib out of his pure terror of [[spoiler: Aldrich preparing to kill him]]? Seeing that Gaz's life is at risk.
to:
* BigBrotherInstinct: What BigBrotherInstinct:
**What snaps Dib out of his pure terror of [[spoiler: Aldrich preparing to kill him]]? Seeing that Gaz's life is atrisk.risk.
**This comes up again in Chapter 19, when Dib insists on accompanying Gaz during a mission to confront Aldrich instead of splitting up, because he doesn't want to leave her alone around him. He specifically cites being the big brother and needing to protect her as his reasoning, which she is uncharacteristically touched by.
**What snaps Dib out of his pure terror of [[spoiler: Aldrich preparing to kill him]]? Seeing that Gaz's life is at
**This comes up again in Chapter 19, when Dib insists on accompanying Gaz during a mission to confront Aldrich instead of splitting up, because he doesn't want to leave her alone around him. He specifically cites being the big brother and needing to protect her as his reasoning, which she is uncharacteristically touched by.
Changed line(s) 55 (click to see context) from:
* BiggerOnTheInside: Coathanger Electronics facilities are all truly massive on the inside, much more so than what the buildings should be capable of. The Announcer speculates that Coathanger has mastered dimensional manipulation technology.
to:
* BiggerOnTheInside: Coathanger Electronics facilities are all truly massive on the inside, much more so than what the buildings should be capable of. The Announcer speculates that Coathanger has mastered dimensional manipulation technology. [[spoiler: Aldrich later lends this technology to Lex during their VillainTeamUp, allowing him to turn his base into a PocketDimension to trap their enemies in when they attack.]]
*BluntNo: This exchange during the EnemyMine in Chapter 19:
-->'''Dib''': If my sister- who hates all of you- is a better boss than Zim, can I ask why you guys keep working for him?
-->'''Minion Trio''': No.
-->'''Dib''': If my sister- who hates all of you- is a better boss than Zim, can I ask why you guys keep working for him?
-->'''Minion Trio''': No.
* BreakThemByTalking: Bob has a natural talent for getting under people's skin and finding the right BerserkButton to make them snap.
Changed line(s) 70 (click to see context) from:
* EliteMooks: In Chapter 15, Lex creates a group of upgraded [=DIRs=] called [=SADIRs=] (Specialized Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units), which are four times the size, much more durable, and specifically designed to be able to fight even Minimoose evenly.
to:
*ElectionDayEpisode: The story climaxes on the day of the election of Mayor of The City, which Aldrich is hoping to win in order to gain the power and influence needed for his master plan.
*EliteMooks: In EliteMooks:
**In Chapter 15, Lex creates a group of upgraded [=DIRs=] called [=SADIRs=] (Specialized Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units), which are four times the size, much more durable, and specifically designed to be able to fight even Minimooseevenly.evenly.
**And then there's the Combat Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units ([=CADIRs=]) which are deployed in the finale. They're even stronger than the [=SADIRs=], being the size of gorillas and with the proportional strength compared to their smaller counterparts, and are armed with [[spoiler: HardLight weapons and shields provided by Aldrich]].
*
**In Chapter 15, Lex creates a group of upgraded [=DIRs=] called [=SADIRs=] (Specialized Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units), which are four times the size, much more durable, and specifically designed to be able to fight even Minimoose
**And then there's the Combat Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units ([=CADIRs=]) which are deployed in the finale. They're even stronger than the [=SADIRs=], being the size of gorillas and with the proportional strength compared to their smaller counterparts, and are armed with [[spoiler: HardLight weapons and shields provided by Aldrich]].
Changed line(s) 74 (click to see context) from:
** At the end of Chapter 18, [[spoiler: after Tak's alliance with Lex breaks down, Zim offers that they work together against him, as he's now an enemy to them both]].
to:
** At the end of Chapter 18, [[spoiler: after Tak's alliance with Lex breaks down, Zim offers that they work together against him, as he's now an enemy to them both]].both. The Membrane faction ends up getting in on this alliance as well in Chapter 19 when they ask for help against Aldrich, leading to an arrangement wherein the three teams' resources are divided up to take out both enemies simultaneously]].
*GodzillaThreshold: Dib considers having to ask Zim for help against Aldrich to be this trope, though Fizzmitz states that he has a currently undisclosed other option that's actually worse, so he's keeping it in reserve for now.
**The Combat Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units ([=CADIRs=]) created in the finale are the DIR design upgraded to look like gorillas, and are the most dangerous of Lex's minions.
*LiteralMinded: During the EnemyMine in Chapter 19, Fizzmitz asks GIR to give him a hand. GIR responds by tearing one of his own hands off and giving it to him.
*LovedByAll: Minimoose is adored by Zim and his minions, and even Tak and Dib like him despite being enemies.
*LuredIntoATrap: In Chapter 19, [[spoiler: Lex and Aldrich anticipate Zim and Tak's assault on the former's base to hijack control of his MechaMooks, so they use Aldrich's dimension-distorting technology to change its layout and seal it off in a PocketDimension once they enter, cutting them off from their target and any escape, while unleashing said MechaMooks on them]].
*LuredIntoATrap: In Chapter 19, [[spoiler: Lex and Aldrich anticipate Zim and Tak's assault on the former's base to hijack control of his MechaMooks, so they use Aldrich's dimension-distorting technology to change its layout and seal it off in a PocketDimension once they enter, cutting them off from their target and any escape, while unleashing said MechaMooks on them]].
Changed line(s) 134 (click to see context) from:
** In addition to GIR and Minimoose for Zim, and [=MiMi=] for Tak, Lex uses a large number of DIR (Disposable Information Retrieval) units to do his dirty work.
to:
** In addition to GIR and Minimoose for Zim, and [=MiMi=] for Tak, Lex uses a large number of DIR (Disposable Information Retrieval) units to do his dirty work. Later, he starts making various upgraded variants that are even more deadly.
Added DiffLines:
*MultiPartEpisode: The story's climax, titled "Election Day", is split between Chapters 19 and 20.
Added DiffLines:
*NoSell: [[spoiler: Unlike the other DIR models, the [=CADIRs=] are able to shrug off [=MiMi's=] EMP attacks, due to being powered by Aldrich's self-generating Electro-blobs.]]
Added DiffLines:
*RulesLawyer: A literal example when James Conroy (who is an actual lawyer) undermines Aldrich's attempt to get himself elected Mayor of The City by pointing out that it wouldn't be valid if he runs unopposed, so encourages random people in the crowd to become candidates, until ''the entire crowd'' has signed up. When Aldrich protests them running, Conroy replies that if Aldrich (who isn't even from the City) is eligible, then everyone is. And since every candidate is allowed ten minutes to speak at debate before the votes are cast, that delays the election by ''sixty days''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* CutenessProximity: As revealed in Chapter 18, Aldrich's ultimate EvilPlan is to unleash a horde of robotic cute animals on The City while all the adults are distracted by voting for him, which all The City's children will feel compelled to pet, allowing the robots to drain their Childergy and give him enough for his end goal of [[spoiler: warping reality to get rid of all children]].
Added DiffLines:
* JustBetweenYouAndMe: Dib notes that both Zim and Aldrich have a psychological habit of needing to explain their plans in detail to their enemies, to the point that in Chapter 18, his idea for figuring out Aldrich's master plan is to just ask him. Gaz and Fizzmitz are both dumbfounded that this actually ends up working.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
*{{BFG}}: In Chapter 18, Zim's team sets up a giant cannon capable of turning anything into amoeba goo, which they plan to use on Aldrich when he makes his Election Day speech. [[spoiler: Thanks to interference by Tak and Lex, they never get a chance to do so, though Bob ''does'' use it against Lex's [=DIRs=], turning the tide of battle against him before the cannon breaks down.]]
** In Chapter 18, the Membranes tell Tak about Zim's plan with the {{BFG}} so that she and Lex will go after him, keeping all the Irkens busy while they infiltrate Aldrich's headquarters without distractions.
Changed line(s) 69,70 (click to see context) from:
* EnemyMine: In Chapter 15, after [=MiMi=], Minimoose and the Minion Trio are transported to a deserted island in a teleporter accident, Zim and Tak reluctantly team up to find them before Lex does -- Tak wants [=MiMi=] back, knows how to find her, and doesn't trust Lex to retrieve her (despite their alliance), but needs a ship to travel to the island, while Zim has a ship and wants to retrieve Minimoose (he's ambivalent about his other minions), but doesn't know how to find him. So, the two call a temporary truce until they can get to the island and locate their respective robots.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him.
to:
* EnemyMine: EnemyMine:
** In Chapter 15, after [=MiMi=], Minimoose and the Minion Trio are transported to a deserted island in a teleporter accident, Zim and Tak reluctantly team up to find them before Lex does -- Tak wants [=MiMi=] back, knows how to find her, and doesn't trust Lex to retrieve her (despite their alliance), but needs a ship to travel to the island, while Zim has a ship and wants to retrieve Minimoose (he's ambivalent about his other minions), but doesn't know how to find him. So, the two call a temporary truce until they can get to the island and locate their respective robots.
** At the end of Chapter 18, [[spoiler: after Tak's alliance with Lex breaks down, Zim offers that they work together against him, as he's now an enemy to them both]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him. Several chapters later, she again refuses an opportunity to finish him off after Lex has incapacitated him, explaining that she feels it undermines her victory if she's relying on someone else to do the hard work for her.
** In Chapter 15, after [=MiMi=], Minimoose and the Minion Trio are transported to a deserted island in a teleporter accident, Zim and Tak reluctantly team up to find them before Lex does -- Tak wants [=MiMi=] back, knows how to find her, and doesn't trust Lex to retrieve her (despite their alliance), but needs a ship to travel to the island, while Zim has a ship and wants to retrieve Minimoose (he's ambivalent about his other minions), but doesn't know how to find him. So, the two call a temporary truce until they can get to the island and locate their respective robots.
** At the end of Chapter 18, [[spoiler: after Tak's alliance with Lex breaks down, Zim offers that they work together against him, as he's now an enemy to them both]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him. Several chapters later, she again refuses an opportunity to finish him off after Lex has incapacitated him, explaining that she feels it undermines her victory if she's relying on someone else to do the hard work for her.
* EvilOldFolks: Lex is ancient, to the point that his body appears decrepit and practically rotting. He's also a NoNonsenseNemesis who acts as the story's KnightOfCerebus.
Changed line(s) 185 (click to see context) from:
** "Mayoral Wars" (16-20): Aldrich launches his campaign for Mayor of The City.
to:
** "Mayoral Wars" (16-20): Aldrich launches his campaign for Mayor of The City.City, while the conflict between the Irken factions hits a boiling point.
Changed line(s) 191 (click to see context) from:
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Zim repeatedly tells his minions that only he can kill Dib. Though he will allow them to torture him if the opportunity allows.
to:
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Zim TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou:
**Zim repeatedly tells his minions that only he can kill Dib. Though he will allow them to torture him if the opportunityallows.allows.
** Tak refuses to let anyone else kill Zim, to the point that she won't even take the opportunity to finish him off when her ally Lex incapacitates him, because she feels as if it wouldn't really be her victory.
**Zim repeatedly tells his minions that only he can kill Dib. Though he will allow them to torture him if the opportunity
** Tak refuses to let anyone else kill Zim, to the point that she won't even take the opportunity to finish him off when her ally Lex incapacitates him, because she feels as if it wouldn't really be her victory.
Changed line(s) 211 (click to see context) from:
* VillainTeamUp: After being introduced in Chapter 8, Lex seeks out Tak for an alliance against Zim.
to:
* VillainTeamUp: After being introduced in Chapter 8, Lex seeks out Tak for an alliance against Zim. [[spoiler: This alliance ends up breaking apart in Chapter 18 when Lex's condescension towards Tak's obsessive rivalry with Zim causes her to finally snap and turn on him. Afterwards, Zim offers Tak an EnemyMine alliance against Lex, while Lex approaches Aldrich for an alliance against Zim.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
*ArmorPiercingQuestion: In Chapter 17, when Tak once again gloats about being superior to Zim, Lex questions why if that's the case that she constantly feels the need to prove it, which stops her short for a moment before she angrily shakes it off.
**In Chapter 17, Zim challenges Aldrich to a HumongousMecha fight, then leaks news of this so that the Membranes and Tak will also show up, intending to deal with all his enemies at once. Later on in the same chapter, when Gaz starts losing to Aldrich, she provokes the Irkens into fighting him for her simply by suggesting whoever succeeds in doing so will by definition proven superior to her as well; this buys her enough breathing room to get her second wind against him by the time he beats the Irkens.
*{{Eagleland}}: Slab Rankle parodies this trope during his fight with Aldrich in Chapter 16, as his response to a demand of WhyWontYouDie is "Because America!", and when he says he's fighting for the American values of "fast food and freedom", a bald eagle flies overhead to caw patriotically (despite not being indigenous to The City).
Changed line(s) 83 (click to see context) from:
* FlatWhat: Fizzmitz's reaction in Chapter 14 when told that Professor Membrane's home security system has an AttackDrone specifically for the sake of fighting Santa.
to:
* FlatWhat: Fizzmitz's FlatWhat:
**Fizzmitz's reaction in Chapter 14 when told that Professor Membrane's home security system has an AttackDrone specifically for the sake of fightingSanta.Santa.
**Gaz can only whisper one of these in Chapter 17 when Iggins declares their latest fight as a grand match to declare the greatest gamer in the world, since she doesn't remotely view the situation that seriously.
**Fizzmitz's reaction in Chapter 14 when told that Professor Membrane's home security system has an AttackDrone specifically for the sake of fighting
**Gaz can only whisper one of these in Chapter 17 when Iggins declares their latest fight as a grand match to declare the greatest gamer in the world, since she doesn't remotely view the situation that seriously.
Added DiffLines:
*HumongousMecha:
**During their siege on the Membrane house in Chapter 2, Zim and his minions resort at one point to attacking with a mech built from the remains of the Megadoomer, the three of them jointly piloting it. The Membranes counter by sending out a mech of their own remotely piloted by Gaz, which easily trounces the Irkens as they try to operate all four of their mech’s limbs despite there only being three of them.
**In Chapter 17, the above two mechs are brought out again (with the Announcer now providing the Irkens with a much-needed fourth pilot) for a makeshift tournament against each other and also other mechs created by Tak and Aldrich (the latter being remote piloted by Iggins before Aldrich takes over himself).
**During their siege on the Membrane house in Chapter 2, Zim and his minions resort at one point to attacking with a mech built from the remains of the Megadoomer, the three of them jointly piloting it. The Membranes counter by sending out a mech of their own remotely piloted by Gaz, which easily trounces the Irkens as they try to operate all four of their mech’s limbs despite there only being three of them.
**In Chapter 17, the above two mechs are brought out again (with the Announcer now providing the Irkens with a much-needed fourth pilot) for a makeshift tournament against each other and also other mechs created by Tak and Aldrich (the latter being remote piloted by Iggins before Aldrich takes over himself).
Added DiffLines:
*OurZombiesAreDifferent: The zombies canonically used as security by the City Mall show up in Chapter 16, now cybernetically upgraded to make them an actual threat.
Added DiffLines:
** Slab Rankle takes so much offense to Aldrich's plans to renovate his mall that he engages him in an epic life-or-death brawl.
Added DiffLines:
*ShoutOut:
**When Gaz effortlessly defeats Zim's Mega-Doomer Mech in Chapter 2, a disembodied voice declares it a "[[Franchise/MortalKombat Flawless Victory]]".
**In Chapter 16, Slab Rankle at one point insults Aldrich by calling him a "[[Franchise/StarWars nerf-herder]]".
**When Gaz effortlessly defeats Zim's Mega-Doomer Mech in Chapter 2, a disembodied voice declares it a "[[Franchise/MortalKombat Flawless Victory]]".
**In Chapter 16, Slab Rankle at one point insults Aldrich by calling him a "[[Franchise/StarWars nerf-herder]]".
Added DiffLines:
** "Mayoral Wars" (16-20): Aldrich launches his campaign for Mayor of The City.
Added DiffLines:
*UnknownRival: PlayedWith. While Gaz knows who Iggins is and doesn't like him, she does ''not'' view the two of them as archenemies the way he does.
Added DiffLines:
*VillainOverride: When Iggins fails to defeat Gaz in their HumongousMecha fight in Chapter 17, Aldrich takes over remote control of his mech to handle things personally.
Added DiffLines:
*WhyWontYouDie: Aldrich asks this during his fight with Slab Rankle in Chapter 16, as the latter refuses to go down no matter how many times he's stabbed.
Added DiffLines:
*YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Gaz's word-for-word reaction when Iggins is revealed to be the one piloting Aldrich's HumongousMecha in Chapter 17.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
**A downplayed example in Chapter 15, wherein during an argument with Lex, Tak is suddenly hit with the worrisome realization that with the small army of [=DIRs=] at his disposal, he's effectively taken over her base during the course of their partnership.
**Tak carries out a fairly simple one at the start of Chapter 15 — hearing that Aldrich is making a public announcement, she simply waits for Dib and Zim's teams to show up and confront him and each other, and while the three factions are fighting each other, she sends into the melee a DIR that's been modified to act as a bomb and blow them all up. And the only reason it fails is because Aldrich sees the DIR and loudly acknowledges it as a bomb, resulting in Minimoose tossing it safely away.
Changed line(s) 46 (click to see context) from:
* BigWhat: Bob's reaction in Chapter 13 when Tak distracts the Minion Trio by offering to let them work for her instead of Zim.
to:
* BigWhat: BigWhat:
** Bob's reaction in Chapter 13 when Tak distracts the Minion Trio by offering to let them work for her instead ofZim.Zim.
** Zim and Tak's shared reaction in Chapter 15 when GIR tells them they should kiss.
** Bob's reaction in Chapter 13 when Tak distracts the Minion Trio by offering to let them work for her instead of
** Zim and Tak's shared reaction in Chapter 15 when GIR tells them they should kiss.
*EliteMooks: In Chapter 15, Lex creates a group of upgraded [=DIRs=] called [=SADIRs=] (Specialized Appliance Disposable Information Retrieval units), which are four times the size, much more durable, and specifically designed to be able to fight even Minimoose evenly.
*EnemyMine: In Chapter 15, after [=MiMi=], Minimoose and the Minion Trio are transported to a deserted island in a teleporter accident, Zim and Tak reluctantly team up to find them before Lex does — Tak wants [=MiMi=] back, knows how to find her, and doesn't trust Lex to retrieve her (despite their alliance), but needs a ship to travel to the island, while Zim has a ship and wants to retrieve Minimoose (he's ambivalent about his other minions), but doesn't know how to find him. So, the two call a temporary truce until they can get to the island and locate their respective robots.
Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* EveryoneHasStandards: PlayedWith. Skoodge doesn't like fighting children, but does so anyway at Zim's orders.
to:
* EveryoneHasStandards: EveryoneHasStandards:
** PlayedWith. Skoodge doesn't like fighting children, but does so anyway at Zim'sorders.orders.
**Bob and the Announcer don't like Zim, but are still horrified when they learn just how badly Red and Purple bullied him when they were all younger, to the point that Zim's mind has apparently blanked out the worst of it.
*EvilIsNotAToy: In Chapter 8, Tak agrees to ally with Lex so that she can use his resources to more quickly rebuild her base and have a better chance of defeating Zim. However, by Chapter 15 she's come to realize that those same resources have allowed him to effectively take control of her base away from her, and that he's perfectly willing to get rid of her if he ever decides he doesn't need her anymore.
** PlayedWith. Skoodge doesn't like fighting children, but does so anyway at Zim's
**Bob and the Announcer don't like Zim, but are still horrified when they learn just how badly Red and Purple bullied him when they were all younger, to the point that Zim's mind has apparently blanked out the worst of it.
*EvilIsNotAToy: In Chapter 8, Tak agrees to ally with Lex so that she can use his resources to more quickly rebuild her base and have a better chance of defeating Zim. However, by Chapter 15 she's come to realize that those same resources have allowed him to effectively take control of her base away from her, and that he's perfectly willing to get rid of her if he ever decides he doesn't need her anymore.
Changed line(s) 68 (click to see context) from:
* EyeScream: When installing a Brain Nail into James Conroy in order to both brainwash him and increase his underwhelming legal knowledge, the Irkens do so by stabbing it through his eye.
to:
* EyeScream: EyeScream:
** When installing a Brain Nail into James Conroy in order to both brainwash him and increase his underwhelming legal knowledge, the Irkens do so by stabbing it through hiseye.eye.
** Skoodge gets an eye ripped out by Lex's "Brother" during the fighting in Chapter 15.
** When installing a Brain Nail into James Conroy in order to both brainwash him and increase his underwhelming legal knowledge, the Irkens do so by stabbing it through his
** Skoodge gets an eye ripped out by Lex's "Brother" during the fighting in Chapter 15.
Changed line(s) 80 (click to see context) from:
* HealingFactor: Irkens have a limited one provided by their [=PAKs=]. At some point prior to the story, Zim developed a "healing mist" that speeds up the process, being capable of near instantly repairing any wounds.
to:
* HealingFactor: HealingFactor:
** Irkens have a limited one provided by their [=PAKs=]. At some point prior to the story, Zim developed a "healing mist" that speeds up the process, being capable of near instantly repairing anywounds.wounds.
**Lex heals at a rapid pace that is disturbingly quick even by Irken standards.
** Irkens have a limited one provided by their [=PAKs=]. At some point prior to the story, Zim developed a "healing mist" that speeds up the process, being capable of near instantly repairing any
**Lex heals at a rapid pace that is disturbingly quick even by Irken standards.
Changed line(s) 83 (click to see context) from:
* HiddenDepths: Each of the Minion Trio turns out to have surprising interests, as revealed in Chapter 13 — Skoodge has taken up horticulture, Bob has picked up engineering skills from observing Zim, and the Announcer loves fashion.
to:
* HiddenDepths: HiddenDepths:
** Each of the Minion Trio turns out to have surprising interests, as revealed in Chapter 13 — Skoodge has taken up horticulture, Bob has picked up engineering skills from observing Zim, and the Announcer lovesfashion.fashion.
**The Announcer reveals in Chapter 15 that he actually hates being so tall, in contrast to Irken culture's obsession with height. This is because every time he had a growth spurt, he had to leave behind hard-won friends because it was no longer acceptable to socialize with them, until he reached a point where he could only interact with the likes of the Tallest and their inner circle, who are all jackasses.
** Each of the Minion Trio turns out to have surprising interests, as revealed in Chapter 13 — Skoodge has taken up horticulture, Bob has picked up engineering skills from observing Zim, and the Announcer loves
**The Announcer reveals in Chapter 15 that he actually hates being so tall, in contrast to Irken culture's obsession with height. This is because every time he had a growth spurt, he had to leave behind hard-won friends because it was no longer acceptable to socialize with them, until he reached a point where he could only interact with the likes of the Tallest and their inner circle, who are all jackasses.
Changed line(s) 89 (click to see context) from:
* KillerSpaceMonkey: Lex's DIR units are not real monkeys, actually being robots in shoddy monkey costumes, but they're still monkey-looking {{Killer Robot}}s from outer space.
to:
* KillerSpaceMonkey: KillerSpaceMonkey:
** Lex's DIR units are not real monkeys, actually being robots in shoddy monkey costumes, but they're still monkey-looking {{Killer Robot}}s from outerspace.space.
**The upgraded SADIR units are even more dangerous, being much larger and more heavily armed, while still wearing monkey disguises. Tak notes that while the regular [=DIRs=] look like spider monkeys, the [=SADIRs=] are more like mandrils.
** Lex's DIR units are not real monkeys, actually being robots in shoddy monkey costumes, but they're still monkey-looking {{Killer Robot}}s from outer
**The upgraded SADIR units are even more dangerous, being much larger and more heavily armed, while still wearing monkey disguises. Tak notes that while the regular [=DIRs=] look like spider monkeys, the [=SADIRs=] are more like mandrils.
*LaserGuidedAmnesia: According to Skoodge, for some reason Zim doesn't remember all the bullying that Red and Purple put him through when they were younger, thinking instead that they were always great friends. It's speculated in-unverse that something so traumatic happened that his mind simply blanked it all out and worked around it.
Changed line(s) 107 (click to see context) from:
** Similarly, [=MiMi=] is this to Tak, who surprises herself with how much she cares about her.
to:
** Similarly, [=MiMi=] is this to Tak, who surprises herself with how much she cares about her. To hammer the point home, Tak actually refers to [=MiMi=] as her friend in Chapter 15.
*OhCrap: Skoodge's word-for-word reaction in Chapter 15 when he realizes that he and the other minions have been accidentally teleported to a deserted island.
**At the end of Chapter 15, Zim is so grateful to the Minion Trio for protecting Minimoose that he actually thanks them, something he's literally never done for anything.
**Ms. Bitters has apparently been encouraging Bob's natural ability to BreakThemByTalking, to the point of pushing him towards a career in the CIA. Given her general apathy towards teaching, that says a lot.
*ShipperOnDeck: PlayedForLaughs in Chapter 15, when GIR interrupts an argument between Zim and Tak to tell them they should kiss.
*ShutUpHannibal: In Chapter 15, when Lex tries to give a speech to the Minion Trio to convince them to give him [[spoiler: Minimoose]], Bob repeatedly cuts in to tell him to shut up, not letting him get a word in until he finally decides to just attack them.
*ShutUpHannibal: In Chapter 15, when Lex tries to give a speech to the Minion Trio to convince them to give him [[spoiler: Minimoose]], Bob repeatedly cuts in to tell him to shut up, not letting him get a word in until he finally decides to just attack them.
*TakeThat: The author does not like ZADR or ZADF, so in Chapter 15 has Dib quite clearly overjoyed at the thought of causing Zim harm by seemingly causing the deaths of his minions, in order to make it clear that there's no positive emotion between the two of them.
*UsedToBeASweetKid: According to Skoodge, while Zim's more or less always had the same personality, when he was younger he was more affectionate towards his friends and only expressed his more aggressive attitude [[BullyHunter towards those who messed with them]]. It was only after enduring years of torment from his supposed friends Red and Purple that something finally happened that caused that better part of him to die and leave only the Zim we know now.
Changed line(s) 177 (click to see context) from:
* TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible orders.
to:
* TheWorfEffect: TheWorfEffect:
** In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terribleorders.orders.
** Whereas the regular [=DIRs=] are mostly CannonFodder, the [[EliteMooks SADIRs]] introduced in Chapter 15 are powerful enough to even match Minimoose in combat.
** In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible
** Whereas the regular [=DIRs=] are mostly CannonFodder, the [[EliteMooks SADIRs]] introduced in Chapter 15 are powerful enough to even match Minimoose in combat.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ActorAllusion: As Iggins doesn't have a last name canonically, the author gives him the name "Greenberg", a reference to his voice actor on the show.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
**Chapter 14 starts with Aldrich giving Iggins control of a drone, which he uses to attack the Membrane house and Zim and Tak's bases, which quickly transitions to a HighAltitudeBattle as all three factions fight back.
*AttackDrone: In Chapter 14, Aldrich gives Iggins access to one operating like a video game, having him use it to attack the Membrane house and Zim and Tak's bases. As part of the resulting HighAltitudeBattle, Gaz counters with one of her own that's part of her father's home security system.
*FearIsNormal: When the events of Chapter 14 force Gaz to confront her trauma from [[spoiler: nearly dying]] back in Chapter 7, she's at first angrily in denial about it, as she equates showing fear with weakness. Dib tells her that feeling fear is perfectly normal, especially since despite how strong she is she's still just an 11 year old, and that the important thing is that she learn to not let the fear hold her back.
*FlatWhat: Fizzmitz's reaction in Chapter 14 when told that Professor Membrane's home security system has an AttackDrone specifically for the sake of fighting Santa.
*HeroicSecondWind: In Chapter 14, [[spoiler: Gaz has a HeroicBSOD due to her TraumaButton getting hit, which only worsens when Iggins destroys her drone in the dogfight due to her skills being impeded by said BSOD. Fortunately, Dib is able to give her a YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech that snaps her out of it; she proceeds to fly Tak's ship back into the fight, which she quickly wins.]]
*HighAltitudeBattle: Chapter 14 features one between Iggins (remotely operating Aldrich's drone), Gaz (operating another drone that's part of her father's home security system), Zim (in his Voot Runner) and Tak and Lex (jointly piloting the latter's ship). [[spoiler: Gaz's drone gets taken out first, but she compensates by hooking up Tak's old ship to the same system and remote piloting it instead, ultimately winning the fight with it.]]
Changed line(s) 135 (click to see context) from:
* SkewedPriorities: During Tak and Lex's attack in Chapter 13, Zim takes the time in the middle of the initial standoff to complain when Bob refers to it as "''our'' base" instead of just Zim's.
to:
* SkewedPriorities: SkewedPriorities:
** During Tak and Lex's attack in Chapter 13, Zim takes the time in the middle of the initial standoff to complain when Bob refers to it as "''our'' base" instead of justZim's.Zim's.
**This is what ultimately costs Tak and Lex a victory in Chapter 14's HighAltitudeBattle: [[spoiler: when Gaz reenters the fight in Tak's old ship, Tak refuses to let Lex fire on it as she still wants it back, which distracts them both long enough for Gaz to shoot down Lex's ship.]]
** During Tak and Lex's attack in Chapter 13, Zim takes the time in the middle of the initial standoff to complain when Bob refers to it as "''our'' base" instead of just
**This is what ultimately costs Tak and Lex a victory in Chapter 14's HighAltitudeBattle: [[spoiler: when Gaz reenters the fight in Tak's old ship, Tak refuses to let Lex fire on it as she still wants it back, which distracts them both long enough for Gaz to shoot down Lex's ship.]]
Changed line(s) 151 (click to see context) from:
* TraumaButton: Seeing the human Rat People in the City's sewers gives Skoodge some uncomfortable flashbacks to the Slaughtering Rat People of Blorch.
to:
* TraumaButton: TraumaButton:
** Seeing the human Rat People in the City's sewers gives Skoodge some uncomfortable flashbacks to the Slaughtering Rat People ofBlorch.Blorch.
** Gaz's beloved video games become one for her after [[spoiler: Aldrich's VR system nearly kills her]] in Chapter 7, quite noticeably avoiding playing them from then on. Said button then gets hit in Chapter 14 when facing off with Iggins and the Irkens in a HighAltitudeBattle with a drone that's operated like a game, severely limiting her skills until Dib manages to talk her through it and into a HeroicSecondWind. By the end of the chapter, she's back on her Game Slave.
** Seeing the human Rat People in the City's sewers gives Skoodge some uncomfortable flashbacks to the Slaughtering Rat People of
** Gaz's beloved video games become one for her after [[spoiler: Aldrich's VR system nearly kills her]] in Chapter 7, quite noticeably avoiding playing them from then on. Said button then gets hit in Chapter 14 when facing off with Iggins and the Irkens in a HighAltitudeBattle with a drone that's operated like a game, severely limiting her skills until Dib manages to talk her through it and into a HeroicSecondWind. By the end of the chapter, she's back on her Game Slave.
Added DiffLines:
*YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Dib gives Gaz one in Chapter 14, when her TraumaButton gets pushed and it limits her abilities in the HighAltitudeBattle, telling her that FearIsNormal and that she shouldn't let it hold her back from being as strong as she truly is.
*YouHaveFailedMe: [[spoiler: When Iggins fails in his task to destroy the Membranes or Irkens in Chapter 14, Aldrich decides to imprison and torture him as punishment.]]
*YouHaveFailedMe: [[spoiler: When Iggins fails in his task to destroy the Membranes or Irkens in Chapter 14, Aldrich decides to imprison and torture him as punishment.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 167 (click to see context) from:
* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Aldrich Coathanger has an IrrationalHatred of children, not only trying to personally kill Dib by skinning him with a knife (which he implies he's done several times before to other kids), but intending to harvest enough Childergy (in ways that are physically harmful to the children he's taking it from) to warp reality so that children don't exist.]]
to:
* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Aldrich Coathanger has an IrrationalHatred of children, not only trying to personally kill Dib by skinning him with a knife (which he implies he's done several times before to other kids), but intending to harvest enough Childergy (in ways that are physically harmful to the children he's taking it from) to warp reality so that children don't exist.]]]]
----
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Up To Eleven is a disambiguation
Changed line(s) 48 (click to see context) from:
* ChainsawGood: During the fight in Chapter 13, GIR turns his arms into chainsaws, that happen to be [[UpToEleven on fire]] (and [[CallBack shooting peanuts]]), which he uses to go after [=MiMi=] and the [=DIRs=].
to:
* ChainsawGood: During the fight in Chapter 13, GIR turns his arms into chainsaws, that happen to be [[UpToEleven on fire]] fire (and [[CallBack shooting peanuts]]), which he uses to go after [=MiMi=] and the [=DIRs=].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
*AbnormalAmmo: The Amoeba Gun, first wielded by Bob in Chapter 8 before it becomes his primary weapon later on, fires acidic {{Blob Monster}}s at people.
Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs:
to:
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs:AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: Given the number of factions fighting each other, this happens a number of times:
Added DiffLines:
**In Chapter 13, Tak and Lex launch a full-scale assault on Zim's base to try and [[spoiler: steal Minimoose]].
Added DiffLines:
**In Chapter 13, when she's overpowered by the Minion Trio, Tak deliberately hits Skoodge's BerserkButton by mocking his one-sided friendship with Zim in order to make him attack her in a blind rage, which leaves him vulnerable to her skewering him with her PAK legs.
Added DiffLines:
*BigWhat: Bob's reaction in Chapter 13 when Tak distracts the Minion Trio by offering to let them work for her instead of Zim.
Added DiffLines:
*ChainsawGood: During the fight in Chapter 13, GIR turns his arms into chainsaws, that happen to be [[UpToEleven on fire]] (and [[CallBack shooting peanuts]]), which he uses to go after [=MiMi=] and the [=DIRs=].
Added DiffLines:
*{{EMP}}: [=MiMi=] is equipped with one that Tak has her use on a regular basis to disable her enemies' weapons and defenses.
*EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him.
*EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite utterly hating Zim, Tak is disturbed by the sight of Lex's Brother slowly killing him by deleting his PAK code. She also refuses to finish him off when he's been rendered unconscious by the strain of fighting the Brother off, though she says that it's because she wants him to know that she was the one to kill him.
Added DiffLines:
*GreaterScopeVillain: Lex is working on behalf of a new Tallest who has taken over since Red and Purple were lost in the Florpus, and is now working to stop the Empire's decline and revitalize it, which somehow requires [[spoiler: Minimoose's power source]].
Added DiffLines:
*HiddenDepths: Each of the Minion Trio turns out to have surprising interests, as revealed in Chapter 13 — Skoodge has taken up horticulture, Bob has picked up engineering skills from observing Zim, and the Announcer loves fashion.
Added DiffLines:
*KnightOfCerebus: In a story where even psychopaths like Zim or Aldrich are played more for BlackComedy than anything else, Lex is the one antagonist played deadly serious, being a NoNonsenseNemesis fully capable of overpowering and [[MindRape mind raping]] his opponents thanks to his Brother.
Added DiffLines:
**The Minion Trio eventually all admit that they care for Minimoose too.
Added DiffLines:
*SkewedPriorities: During Tak and Lex's attack in Chapter 13, Zim takes the time in the middle of the initial standoff to complain when Bob refers to it as "''our'' base" instead of just Zim's.
Added DiffLines:
**The Minion Trio start out as only moderate fighters thoroughly outmatched by the likes of Tak. By Chapter 13, with a bit of training, equipment upgrades, and practice, they're capable of overwhelming her through sheer force, leaving her to resort to outthinking them to get an advantage.
*TooSpicyForYogSothoth: When the Brother is attempting to kill Zim by deleting his PAK code in Chapter 13, he fights it off through sheer determination, which overwhelms the Brother and shuts it down.
*TooSpicyForYogSothoth: When the Brother is attempting to kill Zim by deleting his PAK code in Chapter 13, he fights it off through sheer determination, which overwhelms the Brother and shuts it down.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
*AlliterationAndAdventurers: Fizzmitz mentions a game called Wizards & Warrens while trying to convince Dib to get more excited about learning the VancianMagic-style rules of Poopmancy.
** In Chapter 12, Tak attacks the Membrane house in an attempt to recover her ship.
Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Professor Membrane's home security system includes rooftop missiles, rubber bullet guns, a remote control mech, flamethrowers, grenade turrets, and a perfectly normal honey badger.
to:
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: ArsonMurderAndJaywalking:
** Professor Membrane's home security system includes rooftop missiles, rubber bullet guns, a remote control mech, flamethrowers, grenade turrets, and a perfectly normal honeybadger.badger.
** In Chapter 11, the charges filed against Zim by Aldrich's lawyers include breaking and entering, theft, patent infringement, property damage, and "general hooliganry".
** Professor Membrane's home security system includes rooftop missiles, rubber bullet guns, a remote control mech, flamethrowers, grenade turrets, and a perfectly normal honey
** In Chapter 11, the charges filed against Zim by Aldrich's lawyers include breaking and entering, theft, patent infringement, property damage, and "general hooliganry".
** During the CourtroomEpisode, Conroy riles Aldrich up by mentioning past allegations against him, eventually causing him to blurt out a confession about being a [[spoiler: child murderer]]. This causes Aldrich to resort to throwing money at the judge and jury to cover it up, leading to a free-for-all over the cash that causes the whole trial to collapse, letting Zim off free from the charge of having stolen tech from Aldrich to begin with.
*CourtroomEpisode: Chapter 11 sees Aldrich suing Zim and his minions for stealing his HardLight tech. Zim counters by brainwashing the City's District Attorney into representing him, who proceeds to flip the trial by using it to expose Aldrich's own criminal activities, causing the whole case to fall apart.
*EyeScream: When installing a Brain Nail into James Conroy in order to both brainwash him and increase his underwhelming legal knowledge, the Irkens do so by stabbing it through his eye.
* HardLight:
**Aldrich makes use of hardlight holograms for a variety of uses.
**Zim steals some of Aldrich's tech during the [=NASAPlace=] fight and retools it for the Announcer to use.
**Aldrich makes use of hardlight holograms for a variety of uses.
**Zim steals some of Aldrich's tech during the [=NASAPlace=] fight and retools it for the Announcer to use.
Deleted line(s) 58 (click to see context) :
* HardLight: Aldrich makes use of hardlight holograms for a variety of uses.
*HoistByHisOwnPetard: James Conroy does this to Aldrich on the witness stand during the CourtroomEpisode, bringing up Coathanger Electronics' state of the art surveillance cameras that should have video evidence supporting his charge of property theft against Zim, but which he isn't sharing because they also have incriminating footage of Aldrich's own criminal activities. Conroy then uses this to segue into past allegations against Aldrich, eventually riling him up so much that he blurts out a confession to one of his previous [[spoiler: child murders]]. Aldrich then has to resort to throwing money at the judge and jury, causing a riot that ends the trial in what is technically a win for Zim.
Changed line(s) 72 (click to see context) from:
** Lex's "Brother" is a self-aware mechanical tentacle that emerges from a pod attached to his shoulder, which can hack into an Irken's PAK and MindRape them.
to:
** Lex's "Brother" is a self-aware mechanical tentacle that emerges from a pod attached to his shoulder, which can hack into an Irken's PAK and MindRape them. Dib's use of TrueSight in Chapter 12 reveals that "Brother" has organic components to it, and a sentience that is capable of knowing it's being observed even when completely within its pod.
*RedRightHand: In addition to Aldrich's albinism, his left eye tends to twitch and become paralyzed if he gets agitated, and needs to be smacked back into functionality.
Changed line(s) 102 (click to see context) from:
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Aldrich gloats about how being a trillionaire means that he can buy his way out of anything, something he demonstrates after the destruction of his VR gaming facility by literally throwing money at the cops so they won't investigate him, and at Jeff Sheffy to stop reporting about it, which works in both cases.
to:
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Aldrich gloats about how being a trillionaire means that he can buy his way out of anything, something he demonstrates after the destruction of his VR gaming facility by literally throwing money at the cops so they won't investigate him, and at Jeff Sheffy to stop reporting about it, which works in both cases. He later throws even more money at the judge and jury during the CourtroomEpisode when Zim's lawyer manages to trick him into exposing himself as a [[spoiler: child murderer]], making everyone forget about the entire case as they fight over the cash.
** "Normalizing Doom" (Chapters 11-15): A series of unconnected adventures showcasing the four factions all adjusting to dealing with each other.
Changed line(s) 124 (click to see context) from:
** At the end of the second arc, Dib and Gaz start taking steps to increase their fighting prowess to deal with the various villains' superior skills, by means of learning Poopmancy from Fizzmitz.
to:
** At the end of the second arc, Dib and Gaz start taking steps to increase their fighting prowess to deal with the various villains' superior skills, by means of learning Poopmancy from Fizzmitz. By Chapter 12, after only a basic tutorial, they're already capable of overpowering Tak in a straight-up fight.
Added DiffLines:
*TrueSight: Poopmancy has a spell like this called "Unveiling", which allows the user to gain intimate knowledge of everything around them. Using it in Chapter 12 allows Dib to learn Lex's identity, and the nature of Lex's "Brother".
*VancianMagic: Poopmancy allows its users to practice a wide variety of spells, but only if they drink the appropriate flavor and/or combo of flavors of Poop Cola. Fizzmitz trying to teach the incredibly detailed list of combos to Dib and Gaz nearly puts them to sleep out of boredom the first time they hear it all.
*VancianMagic: Poopmancy allows its users to practice a wide variety of spells, but only if they drink the appropriate flavor and/or combo of flavors of Poop Cola. Fizzmitz trying to teach the incredibly detailed list of combos to Dib and Gaz nearly puts them to sleep out of boredom the first time they hear it all.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* MaskOfSanity: Aldrich Coathanger presents himself as an eccentric but friendly corporate scientist, but in actuality is [[spoiler: a child-killing psychopath]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* EvilVersusEvil: There are three factions in the BigBadEnsemble (Zim's team, the alliance between Tak and Lex, and Aldrich Coathanger), and they are all fighting each other for control of Earth.
* OriginalCharacter: Aldrich Coathanger and Lex are the first prominent characters to be introduced to the story who aren't canonical.
** At the end of the second arc, Dib and Gaz start taking steps to increase their fighting prowess to deal with the various villains' superior skills, by means of learning Poopmancy from Fizzmitz.
Changed line(s) 131 (click to see context) from:
** Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
to:
** Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to be quite important to the story going forward.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
The story is ongoing, but currently on hiatus in-between story arcs.
to:
The story is ongoing, but currently goes on hiatus in-between story arcs.
*AccidentalHero: In Chapter 7, the fight between Zim's team and Tak ends up spilling into Aldrich's office, interrupting him before he can [[spoiler: murder Dib]].
*AccidentalMisnaming: Zim keeps referring to Aldrich Coathanger as "Coat''rack''".
*AlbinosAreFreaks: Aldrich Coathanger is an albino, as well as a MadScientist [[spoiler: and a psychotic child killer]].
*AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs:
**In Chapter 2, Zim and his minions launch a day-long siege of the Membrane house to try and breach its defense.
**In Chapter 6, Tak announces her return to Earth by attacking Zim's base, intending to kill him and his minions and take control of the base for herself as a replacement for her nearly defunct Deelishus Weenie base.
**In Chapter 8, Zim returns the favor by ordering his minions to assault Tak's base in an attempt to kill her.
*AccidentalMisnaming: Zim keeps referring to Aldrich Coathanger as "Coat''rack''".
*AlbinosAreFreaks: Aldrich Coathanger is an albino, as well as a MadScientist [[spoiler: and a psychotic child killer]].
*AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs:
**In Chapter 2, Zim and his minions launch a day-long siege of the Membrane house to try and breach its defense.
**In Chapter 6, Tak announces her return to Earth by attacking Zim's base, intending to kill him and his minions and take control of the base for herself as a replacement for her nearly defunct Deelishus Weenie base.
**In Chapter 8, Zim returns the favor by ordering his minions to assault Tak's base in an attempt to kill her.
**Fizzmitz was an ally of Dib's in one two-part story in the comics, then never appeared again. Here, he joins up with Dib and Gaz after they cross paths at [=NASAPlace=] and he finds out about the threat posed by the Irkens and Aldrich, agreeing to help them and even becoming their mentor in learning Poop magic.
**The one surefire way to piss off either Skoodge or GIR is to hurt Zim.
**Tak is quite [[InsistentTerminology insistent]] that her vendetta against Zim is ''not'' about revenge. Saying that it actually is tends to send her into a rage.
*BigBadEnsemble: Zim is still the VillainProtagonist out to conquer Earth, but then the second arc adds in several other rival threats — Tak wants to defeat Zim and conquer Earth for herself, Lex comes into conflict with Zim over [[spoiler: possession of Minimoose]], and Aldrich Coathanger is out to TakeOverTheCity as a prelude to his main goal of [[spoiler: warping reality to wipe out all children]].
*BigBrotherInstinct: What snaps Dib out of his pure terror of [[spoiler: Aldrich preparing to kill him]]? Seeing that Gaz's life is at risk.
**Tak is quite [[InsistentTerminology insistent]] that her vendetta against Zim is ''not'' about revenge. Saying that it actually is tends to send her into a rage.
*BigBadEnsemble: Zim is still the VillainProtagonist out to conquer Earth, but then the second arc adds in several other rival threats — Tak wants to defeat Zim and conquer Earth for herself, Lex comes into conflict with Zim over [[spoiler: possession of Minimoose]], and Aldrich Coathanger is out to TakeOverTheCity as a prelude to his main goal of [[spoiler: warping reality to wipe out all children]].
*BigBrotherInstinct: What snaps Dib out of his pure terror of [[spoiler: Aldrich preparing to kill him]]? Seeing that Gaz's life is at risk.
*BiggerOnTheInside: Coathanger Electronics facilities are all truly massive on the inside, much more so than what the buildings should be capable of. The Announcer speculates that Coathanger has mastered dimensional manipulation technology.
*BloodierAndGorier: The fights in this story are significantly more violent than canon, with blood actually being spilled and only things like Zim's healing mist helping mitigate the damage. Tak in particular is very deadly in combat, at one point gutting Skoodge, and at another ''ripping out one of Zim's ribs''.
*BloodierAndGorier: The fights in this story are significantly more violent than canon, with blood actually being spilled and only things like Zim's healing mist helping mitigate the damage. Tak in particular is very deadly in combat, at one point gutting Skoodge, and at another ''ripping out one of Zim's ribs''.
*BrickJoke: After his fight with the Irkens that destroys his VR gaming facility in Chapter 7, Aldrich threatens to bill them all for the damages. When they meet again at [=NASAPlace=] in Chapter 9, he states that he actually ran the numbers and determined how much they all owe him.
Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
* DidntThinkThisThrough: During the Irkens' siege of the Membranes' house, Zim's final attack plan is to have Skoodge and Bob join him in operating a mech suit. However, he fails to account for the fact that each of its four limbs needs an operator, and there's only three of them, rendering it ineffective.
to:
*CorruptCorporateExecutive: Aldrich Coathanger, CEO of Coathanger Electronics, is conducting multiple illegal experiments in The City and using blatant bribery to cover it up. [[spoiler: He's also a child-hating psychopath who implies he's killed several, and intends to harness enough Childergy to warp reality and destroy the entire concept of childhood.]]
*DidntSeeThatComing: Zim is dumbfounded when Minimoose [[spoiler: catches Tak during her attack on Zim's base, only for some reason to then let her go with an AffectionateGestureToTheHead]]. He's very confused by this, and determined to figure it out later.
*DidntThinkThisThrough: During DidntThinkThisThrough:
**During the Irkens' siege of the Membranes'house, house in Chapter 2, Zim's final attack plan is to have Skoodge and Bob join him in operating a mech suit. However, he fails to account for the fact that each of its four limbs needs an operator, and there's only three of them, rendering it ineffective.ineffective.
** In Chapter 9, Dib tries to dramatically jump into the fight between the Irkens and Aldrich, only for Fizzmitz to grab him and point out that he was about to jump thirty feet and probably kill himself. Dib sheepishly admits that he got caught up in the moment.
*DidntSeeThatComing: Zim is dumbfounded when Minimoose [[spoiler: catches Tak during her attack on Zim's base, only for some reason to then let her go with an AffectionateGestureToTheHead]]. He's very confused by this, and determined to figure it out later.
*
**During the Irkens' siege of the Membranes'
** In Chapter 9, Dib tries to dramatically jump into the fight between the Irkens and Aldrich, only for Fizzmitz to grab him and point out that he was about to jump thirty feet and probably kill himself. Dib sheepishly admits that he got caught up in the moment.
*EvilSoundsRaspy: Lex's voice is a dusty, raspy whisper that is very unnerving to hear.
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Near the end of Chapter 2, Dib and Gaz discuss how the CEO of Coathanger Electronics is moving to the City to set up his new corporate HQ. The end of the next chapter reveals that this is more than a random bit of background information, as we learn that [[spoiler: the company is conducting shady genetic experiments]], suggesting they're going to be very important to the plot going forward.
to:
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Near the end of Chapter 2, Dib and Gaz discuss how the CEO of Coathanger Electronics is moving to the City to set up his new corporate HQ. The end of the next chapter reveals that this is more than a random bit of background information, as we learn that [[spoiler: the company is conducting shady genetic experiments]], suggesting they're going to be very important to the plot going forward. This is confirmed during the second arc, when said CEO turns out to be part of the BigBadEnsemble.
*HardLight: Aldrich makes use of hardlight holograms for a variety of uses.
*HiddenAgendaVillain: Lex states that he's on a secret mission from the Tallest, one that requires him to retrieve something that he later determines to be [[spoiler: Minimoose]]. However, why he's doing this is yet to be revealed.
*HypocriticalHeartwarming: In Chapter 6, Gaz beats up Zim and the minion trio for the TarAndFeathers stunt they pulled on Dib in the previous chapter, noting that only ''she'' gets to do that kind of stuff to him.
*HiddenAgendaVillain: Lex states that he's on a secret mission from the Tallest, one that requires him to retrieve something that he later determines to be [[spoiler: Minimoose]]. However, why he's doing this is yet to be revealed.
*HypocriticalHeartwarming: In Chapter 6, Gaz beats up Zim and the minion trio for the TarAndFeathers stunt they pulled on Dib in the previous chapter, noting that only ''she'' gets to do that kind of stuff to him.
*KillerSpaceMonkey: Lex's DIR units are not real monkeys, actually being robots in shoddy monkey costumes, but they're still monkey-looking {{Killer Robot}}s from outer space.
*LivingMacGuffin: [[spoiler: Minimoose]] becomes one when Lex determines that he's the one that the Tallest have dispatched him to retrieve.
Changed line(s) 43,44 (click to see context) from:
* MegaCorp: Coathanger Electronics is evidently a rapidly rising technology company that has managed to earn Professor Membrane's interest. [[spoiler: They also seem to have a shady side, being the ones who created the mutant creature that Zim's team hunts in Chapter 3.]]
* MoralityPet: Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and care for.
* MoralityPet: Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and care for.
to:
*MechanicalAbomination:
**Aldrich's MechaMooks are masses of metal worms enclosed in transparent human-shaped bodies that are then covered with hardlight holograms to pass for humans.
**Lex's "Brother" is a self-aware mechanical tentacle that emerges from a pod attached to his shoulder, which can hack into an Irken's PAK and MindRape them.
*MechaMooks:
**In addition to GIR and Minimoose for Zim, and [=MiMi=] for Tak, Lex uses a large number of DIR (Disposable Information Retrieval) units to do his dirty work.
**Aldrich's entire employee base appears to be composed of RidiculouslyHumanRobots.
* MegaCorp: Coathanger Electronics is evidently a rapidly rising technology company that has managed to earn Professor Membrane'sinterest. [[spoiler: They also seem to interest, and we learn during the second arc that they have a shady side, being their fingers in numerous fields.
*MeleeATrois: By theones who created end of the mutant creature that second arc, the story has settled into a ''four''-way conflict between Dib and Gaz, Zim's team hunts team, the alliance between Tak and Lex, and Aldrich — the latter three factions are all in Chapter 3.]]
competition for control of The City (and by extension, the rest of Earth), with the Membranes fighting to stop all of them.
*MoralityPet: MoralityPet:
** Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and carefor.for.
**Similarly, [=MiMi=] is this to Tak, who surprises herself with how much she cares about her.
**Aldrich's MechaMooks are masses of metal worms enclosed in transparent human-shaped bodies that are then covered with hardlight holograms to pass for humans.
**Lex's "Brother" is a self-aware mechanical tentacle that emerges from a pod attached to his shoulder, which can hack into an Irken's PAK and MindRape them.
*MechaMooks:
**In addition to GIR and Minimoose for Zim, and [=MiMi=] for Tak, Lex uses a large number of DIR (Disposable Information Retrieval) units to do his dirty work.
**Aldrich's entire employee base appears to be composed of RidiculouslyHumanRobots.
* MegaCorp: Coathanger Electronics is evidently a rapidly rising technology company that has managed to earn Professor Membrane's
*MeleeATrois: By the
*
** Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and care
**Similarly, [=MiMi=] is this to Tak, who surprises herself with how much she cares about her.
*OOCIsSeriousBusiness:
**The minions are shocked when Zim calls off the attack on Tak's base, having been distracted from his vendetta against her by the bigger threat posed by Lex.
**Gaz noticeably avoids playing her Game Slave after [[spoiler: nearly being killed by Aldrich's VR gaming system]].
**The minions are shocked when Zim calls off the attack on Tak's base, having been distracted from his vendetta against her by the bigger threat posed by Lex.
**Gaz noticeably avoids playing her Game Slave after [[spoiler: nearly being killed by Aldrich's VR gaming system]].
*PoweredByAForsakenChild: The concept of Childergy, an immense amount of energy naturally generated by children, is carried on from ''Enter the Florpus''. [[spoiler: Aldrich's main goal is to harvest enough of it to warp reality and make it so that people immediately bypass the childhood stage.]]
*RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Between their state of the art AI and their HardLight disguises to make them look human, Aldrich's MechaMooks are virtually indistinguishable from normal people.
*ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Aldrich gloats about how being a trillionaire means that he can buy his way out of anything, something he demonstrates after the destruction of his VR gaming facility by literally throwing money at the cops so they won't investigate him, and at Jeff Sheffy to stop reporting about it, which works in both cases.
*ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Aldrich gloats about how being a trillionaire means that he can buy his way out of anything, something he demonstrates after the destruction of his VR gaming facility by literally throwing money at the cops so they won't investigate him, and at Jeff Sheffy to stop reporting about it, which works in both cases.
* SixthRanger: At the end of the second arc, after Fizzmitz learns about the Irkens' existence and how they're in an EvilVersusEvil fight with each other and Aldrich, the Membranes convince him to join them in fighting all the villainous factions. He agrees to do so, and to teach the siblings Poopmancy as well.
Changed line(s) 69 (click to see context) from:
* StoryArc: The story is released in five-chapter arcs, of which there is currently only one, "Invasion of the Freeloaders", about Zim's new QuirkyMinibossSquad coming to Earth and him reluctantly letting stay with him in exchange for service.
to:
* StoryArc: The story is released in five-chapter arcs, of which there is currently only one, arcs:
** "Invasion of theFreeloaders", about Freeloaders" (Chapters 1-5): Zim's new QuirkyMinibossSquad coming comes to Earth one by one, and him he reluctantly letting lets them stay with him in exchange for service.service.
**"Ramping Villainy" (Chapters 6-10): The BigBadEnsemble is established, as Tak returns to Earth, Lex arrives, and Aldrich Coathanger is revealed to be evil.
*TakeOverTheCity: Aldrich admits to Dib that he intends to get elected Mayor of The City as a step towards his larger goals.
** "Invasion of the
**"Ramping Villainy" (Chapters 6-10): The BigBadEnsemble is established, as Tak returns to Earth, Lex arrives, and Aldrich Coathanger is revealed to be evil.
*TakeOverTheCity: Aldrich admits to Dib that he intends to get elected Mayor of The City as a step towards his larger goals.
Changed line(s) 82,83 (click to see context) from:
* WhamLine: Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
* TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible orders.
* TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible orders.
to:
*VillainRespect: The Announcer legitimately admires Aldrich's HardLight technology, presumably due to his own extensive use of holograms.
*VillainTeamUp: After being introduced in Chapter 8, Lex seeks out Tak for an alliance against Zim.
*WeAreAsMayflies: Irkens appear to have lifespans roughly ten times longer than humans, with Skoodge's age of 167 being comparative to a human being 16. And then there's Lex, whose age isn't given, but is so old he looks incredibly elderly even by Irken standards.
*WeHaveReserves: Lex has no problem using his DIR units as body shields or cannon fodder, smugly noting that the "D" stands for "Disposable", and that he has plenty of them to throw around.
*WhamLine: Near WhamLine:
**Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
**At the end of Chapter 7, Dib tries to call his father for help after [[spoiler: Aldrich's scheme nearly killed Gaz]], only for an unfamiliar voice to talk to him over the phone, telling Dib that it's cut off all communications into and out of The City to prevent interference with the speaker's own plans.
*{{Whatevermancy}}: As in the IZ comics, there's Poopmancy, a magic of various skills powered by Poop Soda. At the end of the second arc, Fizzmitz agrees to start teaching it to Dib and Gaz.
* TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terribleorders.orders.
*WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Aldrich Coathanger has an IrrationalHatred of children, not only trying to personally kill Dib by skinning him with a knife (which he implies he's done several times before to other kids), but intending to harvest enough Childergy (in ways that are physically harmful to the children he's taking it from) to warp reality so that children don't exist.]]
*VillainTeamUp: After being introduced in Chapter 8, Lex seeks out Tak for an alliance against Zim.
*WeAreAsMayflies: Irkens appear to have lifespans roughly ten times longer than humans, with Skoodge's age of 167 being comparative to a human being 16. And then there's Lex, whose age isn't given, but is so old he looks incredibly elderly even by Irken standards.
*WeHaveReserves: Lex has no problem using his DIR units as body shields or cannon fodder, smugly noting that the "D" stands for "Disposable", and that he has plenty of them to throw around.
*
**Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
**At the end of Chapter 7, Dib tries to call his father for help after [[spoiler: Aldrich's scheme nearly killed Gaz]], only for an unfamiliar voice to talk to him over the phone, telling Dib that it's cut off all communications into and out of The City to prevent interference with the speaker's own plans.
*{{Whatevermancy}}: As in the IZ comics, there's Poopmancy, a magic of various skills powered by Poop Soda. At the end of the second arc, Fizzmitz agrees to start teaching it to Dib and Gaz.
* TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible
*WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Aldrich Coathanger has an IrrationalHatred of children, not only trying to personally kill Dib by skinning him with a knife (which he implies he's done several times before to other kids), but intending to harvest enough Childergy (in ways that are physically harmful to the children he's taking it from) to warp reality so that children don't exist.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/46289551/chapters/116539096 Invader Zim: A Bad Thing Never Ends]]'' is an ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfic by [=SaintAndreas=].
Months after the events of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus'', things have settled down on Earth, with Zim being constantly prevented in his schemes by a newly united Dib and Gaz. And then to make things more annoying for him, multiple other Irkens show up on Earth, seeking a place to stay as the Empire falls apart. Reluctantly accepting the aid of these newcomers, Zim engages in a new series of conflicts with his enemies, while more players show up to throw their hats in the ring. Who will reign supreme in the end?
The story is ongoing, but currently on hiatus in-between story arcs.
!!Tropes in this story:
*ApologeticAttacker: During their first fight, Skoodge apologizes to Dib for it, saying he'd prefer not to but has no choice due to being allied with Zim.
*ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Professor Membrane's home security system includes rooftop missiles, rubber bullet guns, a remote control mech, flamethrowers, grenade turrets, and a perfectly normal honey badger.
*AscendedExtra:
**Bob featured in only one episode of canon, but becomes a major character here as one of Zim's henchmen.
**The Announcer is an even bigger example, being just a prominent background character in a couple of episodes, but like Bob becomes one of Zim's minions.
*BadBoss: Zim is a terrible master to his minions, showing them no respect, constantly treating them as expendable, and [[NeverMyFault blaming them for his mistakes]].
*BatmanGambit:
**When trying to find the mystery beast that the Zoo Crimes Division is hunting for so Zim can use it for himself, the Announcer feeds the media the idea of a bogus big money reward for tips leading to its capture, with the tip line being routed to Zim's base. This allows the Computer to sort through the countless tips to find useful information, while the ZCD is tied up by all the people out looking for the creature to earn the reward.
**Tak deliberately gets herself thrown into solitary confinement on Moo-Ping 10, so that she can take advantage of the lack of surveillance to dig her way out of the cell to a spot that enables her to retrieve [=MiMi=] and access a teleporter she can use to escape.
**The minion trio manage to steal back the Ceramic Clown Puppy with a multi-staged one of these: [[spoiler: they lure Dib to an abandoned building by using a light show to make him investigate what he thinks is Zim's latest scheme, then tar and feather him. While he limps home from this, Bob insults him along the way, until the Announcer holographically disguises himself as Gaz to meet him outside the house, "scare" Bob off, and give him a desperately-needed pep talk to gain his confidence, and then follows him inside past the deactivated security system so he can steal the Puppy before Dib realizes what's happened]].
*BerserkButton:
**When Skoodge accidentally breaks her Game Slave during their fight in the first chapter, Gaz enters an UnstoppableRage against him.
**Bob hates being reminded of his former status as the Tallest's table drone. And he hates the Announcer's constant mockery of his short height even more.
**The only thing that gets under the Announcer's skin is the suggestion he wears stilts to artificially add to his height.
*BigNo: Dib's reaction to Zim's new minions all joining his class, with no one seeing through their terrible disguises.
*BreadEggsBreadedEggs: When contemplating what to do with the intruder in his base (who turns out to be Bob), Zim considers feeding him to mutant dolphins, testing laser weapons on him, or having Zim's experimental Mutant Laser-Dolphins test their lasers on him and then eat him.
*ChekhovsGun: The Ceramic Clown Puppy. After Chapter 2 establishes that Zim sees it as a trophy and really wants it back after Dib retrieves it from him, Chapter 5 sees his minions work to get it for him so he won't kick them out of his base.
*CityWithNoName: Since canon never named the city that the show takes place in, here it's only referred to as "the City".
*DidntThinkThisThrough: During the Irkens' siege of the Membranes' house, Zim's final attack plan is to have Skoodge and Bob join him in operating a mech suit. However, he fails to account for the fact that each of its four limbs needs an operator, and there's only three of them, rendering it ineffective.
*EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep:
**The Announcer never gives any other name for himself.
**Prisoner 777 has been imprisoned in Moo-Ping 10 so long that he's practically forgotten his own name. The closest he's got these days is the nickname "Sevens" given to him by the other prisoners.
*EveryoneHasStandards: PlayedWith. Skoodge doesn't like fighting children, but does so anyway at Zim's orders.
*FalseReassurance: When about to shoot a nervous Bob out of a cannon at the Membranes' house, Zim addresses his concerns about the safety of this plan by saying that Zim isn't in any danger from it. Bob, understandably, protests that that's not what he meant.
*{{Fingore}}: With nothing to dig through her cell floor with except her hands, Tak wears her fingers down to bloody nubs and regrows them to do so again, a dozen times.
*{{Foreshadowing}}: Near the end of Chapter 2, Dib and Gaz discuss how the CEO of Coathanger Electronics is moving to the City to set up his new corporate HQ. The end of the next chapter reveals that this is more than a random bit of background information, as we learn that [[spoiler: the company is conducting shady genetic experiments]], suggesting they're going to be very important to the plot going forward.
*{{Gaslighting}}: The Announcer uses holograms and narration to stroke Zim's ego, putting the idea in his head that having the Announcer as his NumberTwo will help Zim become as great and successful as he's ever wanted. An incredulous Bob outright refers to it as gaslighting when it works.
*GeneralFailure: The minions all agree that Zim is terrible at giving orders, instead usually just throwing the three of them at a problem and expecting results, without incorporating their respective skills.
*HealingFactor: Irkens have a limited one provided by their [=PAKs=]. At some point prior to the story, Zim developed a "healing mist" that speeds up the process, being capable of near instantly repairing any wounds.
*IntrepidReporter: PlayedForLaughs with Jeff Sheffy, who is constantly involved in major news... because he's apparently the only actual reporter in the City.
*KickTheDog: In Chapter 5, not only do the minion trio tar and feather Dib, Bob then follows him home and insults his head size the entire way.
*LameComeback: When Gaz points out that Zim's plan to flood the Membranes' neighborhood with sewage from the City Cesspool will affect his house too, all he can give in response is "Nuh-uh", causing her to roll her eyes.
*LargeHam: The Announcer is this, with his melodramatic speaking patterns, his constant use of holographic special effects to highlight whatever point he's trying to make, and his habit of narrating things.
*TheManInFrontOfTheMan: The Announcer intends to be this for Zim, talking his way into the position of NumberTwo and manipulating Zim to his own benefit while letting him stay the face of the operation to take all the heat. Unfortunately for him, Zim's ego and temper mean that controlling him from a position of comfort is virtually impossible.
*MasterOfIllusion: The Announcer is capable of generating perfectly realistic illusions.
*MegaCorp: Coathanger Electronics is evidently a rapidly rising technology company that has managed to earn Professor Membrane's interest. [[spoiler: They also seem to have a shady side, being the ones who created the mutant creature that Zim's team hunts in Chapter 3.]]
*MoralityPet: Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and care for.
*MythologyGag:
**Skoodge reveals that he's been living in Zim's base for months without him realizing it, which would have happened canonically in the unproduced episode "Day of Da Spookies" if it had been made.
**Tak mentally grumbles about how her ship came all the way to Moo-Ping 10 to help the Membrane siblings rescue their father and didn't rescue her itself. A deleted scene from the movie allegedly would have shown it doing exactly that.
*NarratingThePresent: The Announcer has a habit of doing this, typically to boost his own ego and insult everyone around him.
*NoodleIncident: The Computer makes mention of two separate "Piñata Incidents" as being among the times that Gaz has helped Dib beat Zim, which the Computer seems to think that Zim has forgotten.
*NoTrueScotsman: Bob tells Skoodge that he's "really nice for an Irken", then clarifies that it's not a compliment.
*OCStandIn: The Announcer, whom the author admits to using mostly because him appearing so briefly on the show means that he can be given whatever character gimmicks the author wants without directly defying canon.
*PaperThinDisguise: As in canon, Zim is fond of these in the form of simple things like contacts, fake beards, wigs and hats, which somehow always fools everyone except Dib and Gaz. He forces his new Irken minions to wear similarly bad ones as well, with a particularly bad case for the Announcer, who gets nothing more than a pair of Groucho glasses, which somehow still works.
*PatchworkFic: While primarily a continuation of ''Enter the Florpus'', the story also takes many plot elements from the [[ComicBook/InvaderZimOni IZ comic series]], which is generally accepted to be in a different continuity from the movie.
*PetTheDog:
**Zim's repeated acts of fondness towards Minimoose.
**When needing to make room for the minion trio to join the classroom, Ms. Bitters has Zita switch seats with another student so that she can then send a straight line of students to the Underground Classrooms without having to do so to her implied favorite.
*PrisonRiot: Offscreen, Tak apparently caused several of these on Moo-Ping 10 in order to get tossed into solitary as part of her breakout plan.
*PutOnABus: Professor Membrane leaves town in the first chapter for a four month science summit in Europe.
*QuirkyMinibossSquad: Zim's minions are this. In addition to the canonical GIR and Minimoose, there's now Skoodge (a fellow Invader, but also the TokenGoodTeammate), Bob (an ex-service drone who was basically press-ganged), and the Announcer (a LargeHam MasterOfIllusion).
*ScrewThisImOuttaHere:
**Bob abandoned ship when he realized that the Tallest weren't going to steer around the Florpus Hole, before making his way to Earth to hide out due to realizing most Irkens wouldn't take kindly to him abandoning the Tallest.
**The Announcer flees the weakened Empire to escape the Resisty's attacks, similarly taking refuge on Earth due to how out of the way and unimportant it is.
*SeriousBusiness:
**When Membrane tells Gaz that she wouldn't enjoy herself if she came along on his trip to Europe because her Game Slave's charger wouldn't be compatible with European electrical sockets, she twitches disturbingly and goes worryingly stiff at the thought of not being able to play her games.
**Zim has come to obsessively see the Ceramic Clown Puppy he stole from Dib as a trophy of his perceived victory at the end of ''Enter the Florpus'', with Dib becoming just as obsessed with retrieving it in order to spite Zim.
*ServileSnarker: The Computer and Bob are both willing to snark to Zim's face even while reluctantly following his orders.
*SiblingTeam: Dib and Gaz, building off their bonding in ''Enter the Florpus'', now spend a lot of time working together to fight Zim and stop his plans.
*TheSiege: Zim, Skoodge, and Bob spend most of the second chapter trying to break into the Membranes' house to steal back the Ceramic Clown Puppy, but keep getting stymied by the Professor's security system (which he left his kids in charge of while leaving for his conference in Europe) and by Clembrane's raw strength backing them up.
*StoryArc: The story is released in five-chapter arcs, of which there is currently only one, "Invasion of the Freeloaders", about Zim's new QuirkyMinibossSquad coming to Earth and him reluctantly letting stay with him in exchange for service.
*TarAndFeathers: The minions do this to Dib in Chapter 5 to humiliate and demoralize him.
*TeethClenchedTeamwork: While both work for Zim in exchange for being allowed to stay on Earth, Bob and the Announcer cannot stand each other. And for that matter, they don't like Skoodge or even Zim all that much either.
*ThatCameOutWrong: When Professor Membrane first tells his children that he's leaving for Europe for a work trip, the wording makes it sound like he's abandoning them. To his credit, he realizes his mistake almost immediately and quickly clarifies things.
*TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Zim repeatedly tells his minions that only he can kill Dib. Though he will allow them to torture him if the opportunity allows.
*TookALevelInBadass:
**On the show, the Resisty were a joke who were only a threat to the Massive when Zim accidentally sabotaged it. Here, it's mentioned that with the Massive and half the Armada out of contact, they've been managing to do a lot of damage by running around unchecked.
**The physical labor of digging through the floor of her solitary confinement cell by hand has caused Tak's arms to thicken in musculature, her claws to sharpen, and grant her several inches of height.
*TraumaButton: Seeing the human Rat People in the City's sewers gives Skoodge some uncomfortable flashbacks to the Slaughtering Rat People of Blorch.
*VestigialEmpire: The Irkens have been in rapid decline ever since the Tallest stupidly flew into the Florpus and took the Armada with them, leaving the Empire's military undermanned and galactic communications cut off. Planets are rebelling, the Planet Jackers have broken their peace treaty and are stealing worlds from them, and even the Resisty have proven themselves to be an actual threat.
*VillainousBSOD:
**The Announcer freezes up momentarily when Zim makes it clear that despite enjoying his flattery, he ''won't'' just let the Announcer sit around and not contribute to the mission like the other minions.
**Zim has a borderline FreakOut when he learns about the Empire's current dire straights, snapping angrily at his minions for being visibly upset about it, before retreating to another room to cuddle up with Minimoose for comfort.
*WhamLine: Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
*TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible orders.
Months after the events of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus'', things have settled down on Earth, with Zim being constantly prevented in his schemes by a newly united Dib and Gaz. And then to make things more annoying for him, multiple other Irkens show up on Earth, seeking a place to stay as the Empire falls apart. Reluctantly accepting the aid of these newcomers, Zim engages in a new series of conflicts with his enemies, while more players show up to throw their hats in the ring. Who will reign supreme in the end?
The story is ongoing, but currently on hiatus in-between story arcs.
!!Tropes in this story:
*ApologeticAttacker: During their first fight, Skoodge apologizes to Dib for it, saying he'd prefer not to but has no choice due to being allied with Zim.
*ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Professor Membrane's home security system includes rooftop missiles, rubber bullet guns, a remote control mech, flamethrowers, grenade turrets, and a perfectly normal honey badger.
*AscendedExtra:
**Bob featured in only one episode of canon, but becomes a major character here as one of Zim's henchmen.
**The Announcer is an even bigger example, being just a prominent background character in a couple of episodes, but like Bob becomes one of Zim's minions.
*BadBoss: Zim is a terrible master to his minions, showing them no respect, constantly treating them as expendable, and [[NeverMyFault blaming them for his mistakes]].
*BatmanGambit:
**When trying to find the mystery beast that the Zoo Crimes Division is hunting for so Zim can use it for himself, the Announcer feeds the media the idea of a bogus big money reward for tips leading to its capture, with the tip line being routed to Zim's base. This allows the Computer to sort through the countless tips to find useful information, while the ZCD is tied up by all the people out looking for the creature to earn the reward.
**Tak deliberately gets herself thrown into solitary confinement on Moo-Ping 10, so that she can take advantage of the lack of surveillance to dig her way out of the cell to a spot that enables her to retrieve [=MiMi=] and access a teleporter she can use to escape.
**The minion trio manage to steal back the Ceramic Clown Puppy with a multi-staged one of these: [[spoiler: they lure Dib to an abandoned building by using a light show to make him investigate what he thinks is Zim's latest scheme, then tar and feather him. While he limps home from this, Bob insults him along the way, until the Announcer holographically disguises himself as Gaz to meet him outside the house, "scare" Bob off, and give him a desperately-needed pep talk to gain his confidence, and then follows him inside past the deactivated security system so he can steal the Puppy before Dib realizes what's happened]].
*BerserkButton:
**When Skoodge accidentally breaks her Game Slave during their fight in the first chapter, Gaz enters an UnstoppableRage against him.
**Bob hates being reminded of his former status as the Tallest's table drone. And he hates the Announcer's constant mockery of his short height even more.
**The only thing that gets under the Announcer's skin is the suggestion he wears stilts to artificially add to his height.
*BigNo: Dib's reaction to Zim's new minions all joining his class, with no one seeing through their terrible disguises.
*BreadEggsBreadedEggs: When contemplating what to do with the intruder in his base (who turns out to be Bob), Zim considers feeding him to mutant dolphins, testing laser weapons on him, or having Zim's experimental Mutant Laser-Dolphins test their lasers on him and then eat him.
*ChekhovsGun: The Ceramic Clown Puppy. After Chapter 2 establishes that Zim sees it as a trophy and really wants it back after Dib retrieves it from him, Chapter 5 sees his minions work to get it for him so he won't kick them out of his base.
*CityWithNoName: Since canon never named the city that the show takes place in, here it's only referred to as "the City".
*DidntThinkThisThrough: During the Irkens' siege of the Membranes' house, Zim's final attack plan is to have Skoodge and Bob join him in operating a mech suit. However, he fails to account for the fact that each of its four limbs needs an operator, and there's only three of them, rendering it ineffective.
*EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep:
**The Announcer never gives any other name for himself.
**Prisoner 777 has been imprisoned in Moo-Ping 10 so long that he's practically forgotten his own name. The closest he's got these days is the nickname "Sevens" given to him by the other prisoners.
*EveryoneHasStandards: PlayedWith. Skoodge doesn't like fighting children, but does so anyway at Zim's orders.
*FalseReassurance: When about to shoot a nervous Bob out of a cannon at the Membranes' house, Zim addresses his concerns about the safety of this plan by saying that Zim isn't in any danger from it. Bob, understandably, protests that that's not what he meant.
*{{Fingore}}: With nothing to dig through her cell floor with except her hands, Tak wears her fingers down to bloody nubs and regrows them to do so again, a dozen times.
*{{Foreshadowing}}: Near the end of Chapter 2, Dib and Gaz discuss how the CEO of Coathanger Electronics is moving to the City to set up his new corporate HQ. The end of the next chapter reveals that this is more than a random bit of background information, as we learn that [[spoiler: the company is conducting shady genetic experiments]], suggesting they're going to be very important to the plot going forward.
*{{Gaslighting}}: The Announcer uses holograms and narration to stroke Zim's ego, putting the idea in his head that having the Announcer as his NumberTwo will help Zim become as great and successful as he's ever wanted. An incredulous Bob outright refers to it as gaslighting when it works.
*GeneralFailure: The minions all agree that Zim is terrible at giving orders, instead usually just throwing the three of them at a problem and expecting results, without incorporating their respective skills.
*HealingFactor: Irkens have a limited one provided by their [=PAKs=]. At some point prior to the story, Zim developed a "healing mist" that speeds up the process, being capable of near instantly repairing any wounds.
*IntrepidReporter: PlayedForLaughs with Jeff Sheffy, who is constantly involved in major news... because he's apparently the only actual reporter in the City.
*KickTheDog: In Chapter 5, not only do the minion trio tar and feather Dib, Bob then follows him home and insults his head size the entire way.
*LameComeback: When Gaz points out that Zim's plan to flood the Membranes' neighborhood with sewage from the City Cesspool will affect his house too, all he can give in response is "Nuh-uh", causing her to roll her eyes.
*LargeHam: The Announcer is this, with his melodramatic speaking patterns, his constant use of holographic special effects to highlight whatever point he's trying to make, and his habit of narrating things.
*TheManInFrontOfTheMan: The Announcer intends to be this for Zim, talking his way into the position of NumberTwo and manipulating Zim to his own benefit while letting him stay the face of the operation to take all the heat. Unfortunately for him, Zim's ego and temper mean that controlling him from a position of comfort is virtually impossible.
*MasterOfIllusion: The Announcer is capable of generating perfectly realistic illusions.
*MegaCorp: Coathanger Electronics is evidently a rapidly rising technology company that has managed to earn Professor Membrane's interest. [[spoiler: They also seem to have a shady side, being the ones who created the mutant creature that Zim's team hunts in Chapter 3.]]
*MoralityPet: Minimoose is the only being that Zim shows any affection and care for.
*MythologyGag:
**Skoodge reveals that he's been living in Zim's base for months without him realizing it, which would have happened canonically in the unproduced episode "Day of Da Spookies" if it had been made.
**Tak mentally grumbles about how her ship came all the way to Moo-Ping 10 to help the Membrane siblings rescue their father and didn't rescue her itself. A deleted scene from the movie allegedly would have shown it doing exactly that.
*NarratingThePresent: The Announcer has a habit of doing this, typically to boost his own ego and insult everyone around him.
*NoodleIncident: The Computer makes mention of two separate "Piñata Incidents" as being among the times that Gaz has helped Dib beat Zim, which the Computer seems to think that Zim has forgotten.
*NoTrueScotsman: Bob tells Skoodge that he's "really nice for an Irken", then clarifies that it's not a compliment.
*OCStandIn: The Announcer, whom the author admits to using mostly because him appearing so briefly on the show means that he can be given whatever character gimmicks the author wants without directly defying canon.
*PaperThinDisguise: As in canon, Zim is fond of these in the form of simple things like contacts, fake beards, wigs and hats, which somehow always fools everyone except Dib and Gaz. He forces his new Irken minions to wear similarly bad ones as well, with a particularly bad case for the Announcer, who gets nothing more than a pair of Groucho glasses, which somehow still works.
*PatchworkFic: While primarily a continuation of ''Enter the Florpus'', the story also takes many plot elements from the [[ComicBook/InvaderZimOni IZ comic series]], which is generally accepted to be in a different continuity from the movie.
*PetTheDog:
**Zim's repeated acts of fondness towards Minimoose.
**When needing to make room for the minion trio to join the classroom, Ms. Bitters has Zita switch seats with another student so that she can then send a straight line of students to the Underground Classrooms without having to do so to her implied favorite.
*PrisonRiot: Offscreen, Tak apparently caused several of these on Moo-Ping 10 in order to get tossed into solitary as part of her breakout plan.
*PutOnABus: Professor Membrane leaves town in the first chapter for a four month science summit in Europe.
*QuirkyMinibossSquad: Zim's minions are this. In addition to the canonical GIR and Minimoose, there's now Skoodge (a fellow Invader, but also the TokenGoodTeammate), Bob (an ex-service drone who was basically press-ganged), and the Announcer (a LargeHam MasterOfIllusion).
*ScrewThisImOuttaHere:
**Bob abandoned ship when he realized that the Tallest weren't going to steer around the Florpus Hole, before making his way to Earth to hide out due to realizing most Irkens wouldn't take kindly to him abandoning the Tallest.
**The Announcer flees the weakened Empire to escape the Resisty's attacks, similarly taking refuge on Earth due to how out of the way and unimportant it is.
*SeriousBusiness:
**When Membrane tells Gaz that she wouldn't enjoy herself if she came along on his trip to Europe because her Game Slave's charger wouldn't be compatible with European electrical sockets, she twitches disturbingly and goes worryingly stiff at the thought of not being able to play her games.
**Zim has come to obsessively see the Ceramic Clown Puppy he stole from Dib as a trophy of his perceived victory at the end of ''Enter the Florpus'', with Dib becoming just as obsessed with retrieving it in order to spite Zim.
*ServileSnarker: The Computer and Bob are both willing to snark to Zim's face even while reluctantly following his orders.
*SiblingTeam: Dib and Gaz, building off their bonding in ''Enter the Florpus'', now spend a lot of time working together to fight Zim and stop his plans.
*TheSiege: Zim, Skoodge, and Bob spend most of the second chapter trying to break into the Membranes' house to steal back the Ceramic Clown Puppy, but keep getting stymied by the Professor's security system (which he left his kids in charge of while leaving for his conference in Europe) and by Clembrane's raw strength backing them up.
*StoryArc: The story is released in five-chapter arcs, of which there is currently only one, "Invasion of the Freeloaders", about Zim's new QuirkyMinibossSquad coming to Earth and him reluctantly letting stay with him in exchange for service.
*TarAndFeathers: The minions do this to Dib in Chapter 5 to humiliate and demoralize him.
*TeethClenchedTeamwork: While both work for Zim in exchange for being allowed to stay on Earth, Bob and the Announcer cannot stand each other. And for that matter, they don't like Skoodge or even Zim all that much either.
*ThatCameOutWrong: When Professor Membrane first tells his children that he's leaving for Europe for a work trip, the wording makes it sound like he's abandoning them. To his credit, he realizes his mistake almost immediately and quickly clarifies things.
*TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Zim repeatedly tells his minions that only he can kill Dib. Though he will allow them to torture him if the opportunity allows.
*TookALevelInBadass:
**On the show, the Resisty were a joke who were only a threat to the Massive when Zim accidentally sabotaged it. Here, it's mentioned that with the Massive and half the Armada out of contact, they've been managing to do a lot of damage by running around unchecked.
**The physical labor of digging through the floor of her solitary confinement cell by hand has caused Tak's arms to thicken in musculature, her claws to sharpen, and grant her several inches of height.
*TraumaButton: Seeing the human Rat People in the City's sewers gives Skoodge some uncomfortable flashbacks to the Slaughtering Rat People of Blorch.
*VestigialEmpire: The Irkens have been in rapid decline ever since the Tallest stupidly flew into the Florpus and took the Armada with them, leaving the Empire's military undermanned and galactic communications cut off. Planets are rebelling, the Planet Jackers have broken their peace treaty and are stealing worlds from them, and even the Resisty have proven themselves to be an actual threat.
*VillainousBSOD:
**The Announcer freezes up momentarily when Zim makes it clear that despite enjoying his flattery, he ''won't'' just let the Announcer sit around and not contribute to the mission like the other minions.
**Zim has a borderline FreakOut when he learns about the Empire's current dire straights, snapping angrily at his minions for being visibly upset about it, before retreating to another room to cuddle up with Minimoose for comfort.
*WhamLine: Near the end of Chapter 3, Skoodge finds a collar that fell off the mutant creature that reads "[[spoiler: Property of Coathanger Electronics]]", suddenly implying that a seemingly throwaway conversation between Dib and Gaz in the previous chapter about [[spoiler: that company's CEO moving to the City]] is going to quite important to the story going forward.
*TheWorfEffect: In the first chapter, Skoodge shows enough fighting skill to easily beat Dib and keep ahead of Gaz (until he presses her BerserkButton). Afterwards, he proves to be less effective, though this is blamed on him following Zim's terrible orders.
