Zim causes GIR to be stuck in 'duty mode'. Unfortunately, the newly-competent GIR sees Zim as a hindrance to taking over Earth.
Tropes
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Duty Mode!GIR sees Zim as an obstacle to taking over Earth and attempts to remove him. To be fair, he's not wrong...
- Aliens Steal Cattle: The beginning of the episode references the alleged connection aliens have to cows.
- Better the Devil You Know: By the end of the episode, Zim concludes that as insane everyday GIR is, he is much less dangerous than his Duty Mode, preferring him somewhat Harmless Villain Chaotic Stupid moments to Duty Mode!GIR actively trying to eliminate him.GIR: [hits the floor face-down, his programming returned to normal] Hi floor! Make me a sammich!
Zim: THAT'S BETTER! ...I guess. - Department of Redundancy Department: Duty Mode!GIR criticizes Zim's competence by saying "Your methods are stupid! You progress has been stupid! Your intelligence is stupid!"
- Disproportionate Retribution: A library patron gets his retinas confiscated for having two discs overdue.
- Dumb Is Good: Zim probably thinks so after this episode, as it's only when GIR is his normal flighty self that he doesn't attempt to kill Zim.
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Esoteric Happy Ending: Played for Laughs: the episode ends with Zim and GIR returning Squidman back to the sea while happy music is playing... only for GIR to point out that the man's gonna get eaten by a shark, with the happy music still playing all the while. - Extremely Overdue Library Book: When someone tried returning disks he rented form the Information Center, he is trapped in a forcefield when it finds that he has 2 disks overdue. Since the library card is through identification of their retinas, they will have to remove them.
- Gone Horribly Right: Duty Mode!GIR is far more competent and focused than regular GIR. Unfortunately for Zim, that means that he notices how incompetent Zim is.
- Hypercompetent Sidekick: Duty Mode GIR. Unfortunately, he sees his boss as an obstacle to his plans.
- I Have a Family: The policeman begs Zim not to hurt him because he has a house, children, pets, and a toilet... and toilet children.
- Noodle Incident: Squid Brain Policeman: "I want to thank you. That was quite an adventure; the car wreck, the library fight, and then the galactic space battle that happened on the way to this beach."
- The Starscream: GIR, when stuck in Duty Mode.
- Through the Eyes of Madness: GIR sees four cows in a field as sausages wearing top hats and tuxedos saying, "Dance with us, GIR! Dance with us into oblivion!"
