Mysterious Mysteries is in big trouble; Lately, none of their subjects have been particularly mysterious, or even interesting. Pressed by the network to improve the show's quality, the host does the unthinkable and takes a look at one of Dib's entries; the video he sent in just might prove the existence of aliens, but only if its credibility survives an episode of...Mysterious Mysteries!
Mysterious Tropes
- Classically-Trained Extra: The actor playing Zim in the reenactments has a posh accent.
- Godzilla Threshold: As it turns out, due to a Noodle Incident, the show's crew have been actively ignoring Dib's submissions. But, faced with cancellation and stuck with lame concepts like "Pigfoot", the host takes a chance and opens one of Dib's entries.
- Noodle Incident: The shows host is unwilling to talk to Dib again after...that last time. He says this while running his hand across the scar on his cheek as he hallucinates Dib for a split second.
- Not Helping Your Case: See below for Zim's response to the question, "Are you an alien?"
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Gir doesn’t bother to disguise himself while masquerading as a surprise witness. No one notices, even after he calls Zim his master, though the only reason Zim is proven innocent is because Gir’s nonsensical story caused him to have a mental breakdown and declare that everyone involved was crazy, before grabbing the camera and gibbering like a lunatic.
- "Rashomon"-Style: The story of what happened is told four different ways by Dib, Zim, Gaz, and GIR. Dib’s story that has him as a brave hero, Zim as even more of an incompetent Card-Carrying Villain, and Gaz as a Neutral Female, Zim’s story has him as an innocent kid bullied by Dib for his “lunch moneys”, Gaz’s story has Zim and Dib as babbling idiots, and Gir’s story has to be seen to be believed.Host: What does that have to do with anything?
Gir: Me and the squirrel are friends. - Show Within a Show: Aside from the beginning and ending, the entire episode is framed as an in-universe episode of Mysterious Mysteries.
- Special Effect Failure: In-Universe. The "dramatic reenactments" are full of obviously cheap effects and Bad "Bad Acting". It's amazingly hilarious.
- That Liar Lies: "LIES! The filthy earth boy lies!" -Zim.
- Unreliable Narrator: All of the recreations of the video are blatantly skewered. Special mention goes to Gir’s story, which is an incoherent and unhinged mess about a giant squirrel and claims to have witnessed because he was a chubby lady hiding in the bushes.Gir: And that's when the giant squirrel showed up.
Zim: Gir!
Host: Let her talk! Can't you see she's upset!? - Yank the Dog's Chain: Dib finally has shown the world proof that Zim is an alien! And by the end of the episode, it's discredited. As usual.
