Reprimanding Dib for his actions in the previous chapter, the Swollen Eyeball leadership assigns him new partners to keep him in line. Unfortunately, the twins Steve and Viera don’t get along too well and may make things worse.
- Agree to Disagree: Dib ultimately gets Steve and Viera to settle on this regarding their Magic Versus Science argument.
- Batman Gambit: Dib plays on Zim and Tak's egos and tempers in order to get their pet monsters to attack each other, giving his team an opening to destroy them.
- Continuity Nod: Mention is made of MacMeaties still being rebuilt after being blown up a couple of chapters ago.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Team Save Earth's first outing sees them effortlessly defeated by Tak, due to their infighting keeping them from acting coherently.
- Divided We Fall: Dib and the twins' first outing falls apart pretty quickly, due to Steve and Viera's ongoing magic vs science feud. Fortunately, the next time around, Dib gets them to agree to focus on the mission, not their feelings about it.
- Epic Fail: Dib and the twins' first fight, against Tak. Norlock unfavorably compares it to the Charge of the Light Brigade.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Dib and the twins don't work as a team at first, but after getting over their problems during the fight with Zim and Tak at the climax, they work together much better.
- Freudian Excuse: Steve and Viera's intense arguments over science and magic stem from the life philosophies they developed in response to being raised by former hippies. Dib isn't impressed, and calls them out on it.
- Kaiju: Tak's latest plan is an enhanced, giant cyborg rat. And then Zim shows up with a similarly enhanced snake.
- Magic Versus Science: Viera and Steve's ongoing argument, which gets in the way of their effectiveness as a team. Fortunately, Dib gets them to Agree to Disagree, and going forward this doesn't become such a big deal.
- Motive Rant: A heroic example, as Dib gives one to the Swollen Eyeball leaders for criticizing his methods for fighting Zim.
- Noodle Incident: Dib references a "Radioactive Macaroni" incident. We get no details on this.
- Sarcastic Clapping: Norlock does this after the Epic Fail of Team Save Earth's first outing.
- Shout-Out: Tak's giant rat monster is Experiment 24601.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: The senior SEN agents assigning the twins to join Dib, giving him backup and friends.
- Villain Has a Point: Norlock calling out Dib and the twins on their terrible performance as a team.
- Villainous Rescue: Norlock swoops in and saves Dib's new team from Tak, knowing Zim wants Dib for himself.
- Wham Episode: The Swollen Eyeball senior agents assign the twins to team up with Dib, changing his status quo in a positive way by giving him allies and real friends.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- This chapter opens with Dib being reprimanded by the SEN leadership for his actions in the previous chapter.
- Later, Dib chews out Steve and Viera for letting their petty personal grudge interfere in fighting Tak.
