Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim or it's characters.

Chapter 2,

Ok, decision time... Normally I like to start the serious evaluation on a character that I personally relate to. And as it turns out, that Dib is more like me then I want to admit.

But on the other hand, the show is named Invader Zim. Therefore it should be about Zim. And the series starts off with a gathering of Irkens.

So do I trust my gut and go with Dib...? or do I follow expectations and go with Zim...? Hmm...

Dib, Season 1.

[The Nightmare Begins]

So we first see Dib on his roof listening to the alien transmission. Now I wonder exactly how much he heard. Because if he heard everything the tallest said, then he should have known from the beginning that Zim wasn't a real Invader. Oh, and I love how he jumps off his roof. It lookes so epic... until he swims in dishwater.

I'm know that Dib keeps logs on Zim, and it's my guess that he did this before they even met. And I say this because it took Zim 6 months to travel to earth. So if Dib kept a log of the transmission he picked up earlier, then he would have a record of the tallest giving Zim a fake task. If Zim found this record, then it could crush him. Possibly.

Also, could Dib's reaction to Zim be any better? I mean, frozen with shock, and probably feeling excited too. You can instantly tell that Dib isn't very liked or accepted among his peers. And he tends to get ignored by everyone. Sometimes his sister will throw him a bone, but that's all he gets.

Writers purposely made Dib obsessed with Zim, in the beginning of the show. Then later to make him more pleasant they toned that down. But at the same time, they increased the size of his head so that they could make jokes about it.

So why should Dib be so obsessed with Zim. Because he is an outcast. And I know a loner or two won't like me saying that, but it's true. So let me explain.

Ever since Dib was young, he has been smart and loved the supernatural. We don't know much about his mother, but his father doesn't accept this at all. He demands proof of such things. He isn't accepted anywhere, because of his beliefs in the supernatural. But Dib is smart and he can be a skeptic. But he is lonely because no one believes him.

So what does introducing Zim do? It gives him a chance to show everyone he was right, and then he wouldn't be ignored, or rejected, or teased... only accepted and praised. Zim presents the chance of a better life. And so that's why he gets obsessed with Zim. Not because he's crazy, but because he is lonely. Think about it.

As for the whole "Bigfoot was using the belt sander in his garage" thing...? Uh... (cough, cough) maybe that's crazy. Although for a writer, it would be a nice plot device. He knows a Bigfoot and perhaps became friends with it. Maybe, just maybe, there is a whole tribe of the Bigfoots (Bigfeet?). And Dib knows them really well, and cares about them, so that's why he hasn't turned them over.

Side note: wouldn't it be a great story if Dib became an agent that protected the supernatural world. Kinda like M.I.B. but more with legends then aliens. Is that what a paranormal investigator does? I can only find information on ghost hunters, so I don't think that Dib wants to be that limited.

Chasing Zim, we see that Dib is quick on his feet, and also very agile and balanced. Especially when he jumps off of the Skool bus, onto a wall, and then runs across a thin fence line. I know it's a cartoon, but I can just hear my younger sister screaming "logic!". Seems like that's the only word she can say when I show her a cartoon I grew up with. Uh, but Zim rushes home, and we seen that Dib followed him home, though that should have been impossible. (Logic!) But we do see that he had an idea of how to follow Zim, we just don't see it. And Dib tells Zim that he is willing to wait forever to catch him. But he does get less confident when his alien handcuffs get destroyed.

Uh, but I think it's safe to go out on a limb and say that those handcuffs aren't the greatest thing. On one hand, they may just be fancy handcuffs because the creators would never believe aliens exist. So it would never hurt anyone because it was never supposed to. And on the other, perhaps it shocks everything, because the creators wanted people to believe it worked. "Well it shocks you, but if you were an alien you would be unconscious." See what I'm saying. The chances of some magazine, selling a product designed to knock out aliens, and for them to believe in aliens/it would work? Well, maybe if it was a product from the government, and I doubt it was.

[Bestest Friend]

If Dib is such a reject, then I'm surprised that the popular blonde even knew his name. Perhaps it's because of his obsession with the supernatural? I don't recall seeing this child in his class, but if she was, then that makes sense. His entire class gets annoyed by him. But if she isn't, then Dib's reputation must be known to the whole school. I should keep an eye out for her, that way we should figure out the answer.

Also, Zim is torturing these three kids in the middle of... Well... at the corner of the lunch room. But we all know that Dib is keeping an eye on him. Because it's Dib. And why hasn't he sounded the alarm of an alien conducting human experiments (Zim's paraphrased words)? Was it because his vision was blocked, or that no one else cares enough to notice? Curse you Dib.

Huh, it just occurred to me that Dib has probably been at the school for his entire life, and hasn't made a friend. And after a few minutes of testing, Zim made a friend. Now, I know that Dib is pretty self-sufficient, and he has his sister for the major stuff. But I'm willing to bet that Dib got a little jealous. Zim is an alien who interacts better with humans then he does.

And what the heck, Keef was inviting people to Zim's house. Wouldn't this be something that Dib would jump at the chance to get? Even if Keef chose not to invite Dib, there were plenty of crumbled up flyers to prove his acceptance.

Plus, if Keef decided to not invite Dib, would that be because Zim said he hated Dib? Or is Dib simply a reject to the outsiders? Regardless, Dib should have gone to Zim's house for a 'party', invited or not. He just really dropped the ball here.

[Nanozim]

Ok, so was Dib simply waiting for Gir to come home? Was he waiting there for hours, and simply did not set off the alarm? Zim has updated his security a few times in the show, so that is possible. Or maybe Dib saw Gir when he was out, and stalked him. Dib seems to have some equipment on hand for all sorts of things. He loves the supernatural, remember. I know later in the show Gaz tricks him into chasing a chupacabra. And that as a kid he chased a Bigfoot kid. At least, I think that's what Dib called him. But he seems prepared to chase creatures whenever he can.

As for the climbing on the walls thing. Well, Dib must have some kind of strength and agility in order to do that. Not to mention the fact that he is can't weigh a lot because of all the, 'pipes' in the roof. I assume they are cables, but they would still sink if someone was heavier.

And this is probably the very first time Dib has seen Zim without his disguise. Granted there isn't really a difference between him and the disguise, but still. Here Dib sees the antennas, and the real eyes of his enemy. By the way, a lot of people say they are red/pink... but to me it looks like two different shades of pink. Call it whatever you want, I'll understand. But don't get mad at me if I just say 'pink' and not 'red/pink' or just 'red'.

I understand that Dib can get excited about all of the Irken equipment, but he should learn to not blow his cover and speak. Or at least forget the flash, turn it off/leave it at home (depending on the camera). Heck, with Gir, if Dib said something, and he quickly hid from Zim, couldn't Zim have brushed this off as something Gir did? Maybe.

The dodging objects with flips is a really cool defense you can find in plenty of action movies. I've seen it with Jackie Chan, and Kim Possible, and in a few dancing routines. Surely there has got to be a specific name for this, but I don't know what to call it. But somehow Dib has taught himself how to do it, either by training, or perhaps the trail and error of life.

We learn about Dibs favorite show. Mysterious Mysteries of Strange Mysteries. Which helps fuel his supernatural love of the paranormal. Hm, I bet his father blames the show for his sons obsession. Or he simply thinks of it as a phase. Or if he notices at all. Well, forget that, Dib tells his dad all about Zim, and he isn't surprised. So he can't be oblivious to it. But because Dib and Gaz are alone most of the time, perhaps like other children, they see a tv personnel as a parental figure. So maybe Dib sees the host as his father? The one who understands him, teaches him, and guides him on the ways of the real world? I don't know. But it could be a plot device in a story.

I think half the time Dib ruins his chances of exposing Zim because he was being Cocky. Kind of like when the Villian has the Hero strapped down and about to die... when the Villain starts monologuing. In the show Dib is... hm... I suppose technically he can be the good guy and the bad guy. Because on one hand, Zim wants to destroy the earth, which is classic Villain behavior; and Dib is trying to save it, aka Hero behavior. But on the same hand, the show is all about Zim. So that makes him the main character, which probably makes him the Hero by default. Which in turn, means that Dib is the Villian.

Eh, either way, the monologuing concept really makes a lot of sense. Because if we put a lot of work into something, we want to tell someone all about it. We want to brag, and be praised for our intelligence, and get the response that we want to see. And for Dib and Zim, Dib does put effort into his breeches, and wants Zim to know about it. I think part of the monologuing is because of pride, and part of it is validation. Like 'see, I'm the greatest!... Right?' Or something like that.

I bring this up now because Dib could have kept quite about the copy and let Zim on his merry way. Granted there is a chance that Zim would have tried to destroyed Dibs brain anyways, but I think Zim didn't plan to do that. Sure he laughed at Dib, but it also sounded like a growl of anger; which tells me that Zim would have stopped at crushing the disc. To just scare Dib and prove that he is the superior being.

Dib relies a lot on his brain. He is smarter then the average student, and he is the only one who knows about Zim. And being alone, he is left with spending time with his brain.

I wonder what would have happened if Zim had succeeded. Would Dib be just like all the other kids? Unaware of Zim's true nature. Heck, maybe if Dib, say got in an accident and lost his memory, he wouldn't be the same person. Maybe. Because Dib remembers being brought up in a alien spaceship and that fueled his love of the supernatural. If Dib lost his memory, then he would be given a clean slate. A chance to live as a normal child. Perhaps still a smarter child, but normal regardless. He has a famous dad, and I'm guessing that he could buy literally everything he ever wanted. Dib could be the most popular kid in school.

When you think about it. Dib is an outcast because he loves the paranormal, and it makes him paranoid. With this gone, he could really be anyone he wants to be. I better move away from this topic, but don't be surprised if I make a story about Dib having amnesia.

I do like the fact that Dib doesn't lie to his dad. Probably because his truth sounds like a lie anyways. But he gets the nanoship and starts fighting for his brain.

Honestly, I do love playing video games. And I can understand that Dib would want to take charge and fight himself, but I got annoyed with the fact that he didn't get his sister to help right away. And she wanted to play.

My sister, like Gaz is more of a video game nut then I am. She had multiple FNAF games on her computer, and if she is on YouTube, she is watching other people play games. If I were in Dib's position, I would want my sister to help.

Gaz knows secrets the Dib would never know, as you can see, and she has been perfecting her skills for a long time. Not only that, but the fight is Inside Dib! He can't truly concentrate when he has a bunch of flying ships, and weapons going off. He should have let Gaz take over on that fact alone.

By the way, Zim may have deleted the location of the disc from Dibs brain, but the disc still exists. It can easily be something that Dib stumbles unto and use against Zim. If it was possible, then Zim could have downloaded the information and then destroyed the remaining disc. Again, finding the disc could be a plot device.

[Parent Teacher Night]

I do think that it's a bit rude of Dib to think that Zim not having parents will prove that he is an alien. I mean, Dib lives in a one parent home, so he should know better.

I don't know, maybe I'm starting to be more like my sister, and how she wants logic in her cartoons.

Besides, in this episode, Dib goes for a lot of Cheap Shots. I'm guessing that as soon as Dib heard about Parent Teacher Night, he just knew that his dad would validate Dibs findings. But instead his father asks where Zim is from.

Hm, I know that when people of science talk about alien discovery, they always think experiments and an autopsy. It does make sense that they would want to start there, because... well, that's how our ancestors learned how the human body worked. But right now, Zim doesn't even know that Zim is an Irken. Or where his planet is, or who his leaders are, or how the culture works. He doesn't know. Maybe the Irken planet has different social circles, a with their own set of rules and regulations. It can't be too crazy, because we have that on earth.

In Asian communities, people normally know that they slurp their noodles. It's considered polite, and I heard some people say that it enhances the flavor of your food. And there are many places, I believe they are in Europe, but they believe that the best compliment you can give a chef, is to burp after eating.

And I live in America, where it is considered rude to slurp, and burp. At a young age, I was taught to apologize if I did such things. The high class try to avoid it as much as possible, but we all do these things on occasion. It's natural.

So why should we believe that the Invaders are the only Irken? We see that they aren't. On the show they have several working in Food Courtia. Surely these Irken would be different from the Invaders.

Not to mention that there has to be Irkens who invent, because they want to have the best weapons/defense. And ones to aid medically. And ones who teach young Irkens. They need the same process of roles that we do on Earth.

But this is something we don't really know, because our knowledge of the Irkens is pretty limited to what Zim chooses to reveal to us. Dib doesn't ask Zim. Not that Zim would tell him, but still.

Imagine how much Dib could learn about aliens and their culture, if, stressing if, he made the effort to become Zim's friend. And I know that they remain enemies on the show, but the closest thing they have to a friend is each other. I wonder if the revival of the show will bring Zim and Dib closer together.

[Walk of Doom]

I think the costume that Zim has on is literally called 'old man'. But I can't recall if Dib has seen this one. Not that it really matters because Dib would see right through it, but still.

[Germs]

It's really unclear how long Zim stayed a agoraphobic, because of the Germs. But normally wouldn't this set off red flags for Dib? I mean, Zim wants to destroy the earth, and he goes missing? Surely Dib would have wanted to check this out. I mean, if all of this occurred in a single day... then that would make more sense. Technically it all depends on how quickly the goggles got delivered.

But even if Zim showed up later that same day, he should have known that something was up. If not for his tardiness, but for the simple fact that he was covered in raw meat. I suppose that there is a chance that Dib brushed this off as Zim not understanding Humans, but still.

[Dark Harvest]

Somewhere online, I saw that this is apparently a fan favorite. And that generally makes it the most watched episode in the show. So, maybe some of you will understand me when I say, that maybe Irkens and Humans have similar body structures. I mean, it looks like a regular (sorta) digestive track. When you see it, through Dib's goggles that is.

Speaking of which, I have an idea of why he had these delivered to the school. But maybe his father told him that he was getting too obsessed and that if Dib got one more package delivered at home, then he would get in trouble. So, Dib got it delivered at the school because it was his loop hole. Besides, it is a nice way of learning about Irken interiors without doing an autopsy. I just assume that's why Dib wanted the goggles to begin with.

But for all of you ZaDr fans, this is the episode that made me start to understand. Because of what Dib says to his sister. "See Gaz. To defeat my enemy, I must study my enemy; then become my enemy; then move in with my enemy; then wear my enemy's clothes, then-" Seems a bit on the attracted side, don't you think?

By the way, here is more of that cocky behavior I mentioned earlier. Zim was bored out of his mind, barely paying attention, when Miss Bitters tells him to leave. But Dib tries to scare him. And you see Zim and he does go to the nurse. But then he thinks about what Dib said and he looks in the biology room. We only see the class with Miss Bitters as their teacher, and maybe she has taught a little about biology. But maybe she taught this before Zim got there, or he didn't listen to it. So this could be the first time he actually learned about the human body.

So think about this. If Dib hadn't tried to scare Zim, he wouldn't have stolen all of those organs. Perhaps this could be a sign of Dib's influence over Zim, but that would be more for Zim's evaluation, then Dib's.

We know that Dib is smart. And with a father like his, it's probably one of the ways Dib used to connect with his father. Hm, if Dib learned at an early age, that he had to work hard for connection, it could possibly explain how he can become obsessed so easily. Of course this would only be a specific detail that fueled his loneliness. It is a bit cliche to blame all of your problems on "daddy-issues" or "mommy-issues". And I'm not saying that these issues suddenly become any easier, but people are so complex that it's normally not one problem they are having. It's thousands of little things that we carry with us every day.

I'm getting off track. Dib is drawing in class, but he can get away with this because of his intelligence. Now, I do realize that there is a lot of study about children's drawings. And this one does seem pretty self explanatory, but hey, this is an evaluation. So let's talk about this. First thing I noticed about this drawing is the fact that the doctor and the nurse is screaming. That shouldn't be right, because they would be technical and professional, as Dib should know. So why screaming? Perhaps this is how Dib traditionally sees his peers. As people who can't handle the reality of what Zim is.

Second thing that I noticed is that Zim is awake. Again, Dib should know that in a professional autopsy, the patient would already be dead. And perhaps that could indicate Dib's lack of knowledge of Irken. Meaning their lifespan and what can kill them. Do not knowing how Zim can die, he simply draws him alive instead. Or this could also mean that Dib wants to make it his personal mission to make Zim suffer. This can be indicated throughout the show, but here, he only really knows that Zim is an Alien. Sure Zim asks if the earth would be prepared for a full scale invasion, in the pilot episode. And though this is a big sign, this is Dibs only sign, that Zim is evil. Therefore the evil must suffer, right?

The third thing I noticed, was a detail that I overlooked until now. Which is, he drew Zim in his Human disguise instead of as an Irken. Why would this fly with any teacher? Even Miss Bitters would have to take that away, if she saw it. It like foreshadowing, but in 'real' life, you know. If my sister got a letter from school saying a child drew about her dying, then I would get pretty worried. I think in reality, the main reason the drawing has the disguised Zim, is because the writers didn't put the other Zim in. And the Nurses would actually be the people in the nurses office now, but the writers influence the show and characters, so... yeah...

I took a quick glance online, to see if there were hidden details to think about, and one talked about colors. Girls liked to stay with warm colors, boys stayed with cool. Green is creative, Yellow is happy, red is excitement. But you want to know what it says about darker colors, such as the ones used to color Zim's organs? "Darker Colors tend to be used by a child who is more dominant or demanding". I laughed because I thought that this sounded a little like Dib. Always demanding attention.

I'm not sure what else I can say about the drawing, but there is plenty of the episode that we haven't talked about yet. Like how Dib broke a pencil in order to shove it up his nose? That's... just so... stupid, and yet brilliant because it worked.

Small side note. I absolutely love the pigeon creating a creepy tension. It's like a classic horror tactic and I appreciated that. Although, maybe Dib hasn't watched many horror films at this point, because he calls out to Zim. I mean when was the last time Sidney Prescott asked for Ghostface? I think that this one act shows a bit of... the only word that works is 'trust'. But the two seem to have an unspoken understanding of respecting each other at school/in class. I say that because playground and gym can be different. But perhaps it is scarier for Dib to hear something and it not be Zim. Like 'Zim are you the one stealing the science equipment?' 'Yes, because Gir broke all of mine.' Something like that. Huh, they rarely lie to each other, don't they. They tend to be really honest with one another. Thus being the building blocks for a friendship or, for some people, a romance.

P.S. Dib. You have got to learn how to not talk to yourself, out loud. Sure this is a cheap trick to help the audience know the feelings of a character, but still.

And again, the whole cockiness thing, caused Dib to be back on the prowl. I mean, come on, Zim stopped, and Dib just had to remind him that he was missing stuff. Argh!

This Torque kid, does not care about Dib, but he doesn't immediately push him away. So Dib sees this as an invitation to explain everything he knows about Zim. But it it wasn't for Torque, we wouldn't know the explanation for Dibs love of aliens, specifically.

"I get vague memories of being taken onboard an Alien ship when I was a baby. And I'm not sure, but I think they were doing tests. Trying to create some kind of genius super-baby perhaps."

This is a detail a lot of people like to slip into stories about Dib. And heck, I've done that too, but there is another possibility. Maybe, Dib had unintentionally created these memories to help him deal with the fact that he is smarter/different from everyone else. I mean, it sounds a bit silly, but the human mind, well, is amazing. You can actually create memories for things that had never happened before. I learned that in psychology class. Or at least I think I did. ;)

Boiler Room, so Nightmare on Elm Street. Course, I love Freddy, so I thought this was fun. Um, Zim steals Dib's lungs, and they both make it to the nurses office. Kinda funny when you think about it, because the whole school is missing organs, and yet here, the pair sits together. (Seemingly because Miss Bitters forced them)

And one thing, that I want people to start thinking about, is the fact that Zim returned all of the organs. He didn't keep them for his research or as trophies for his Tallest, no. He gave everyone a body part back. There is a chance that Zim didn't give a person their original organ, but I doubt that. Mixing different blood types cause clotting, and organs can be rejected by the body, especially new ones. So, Zim may not know that, but perhaps his technology can tell which of the 6 hearts belongs to who, and that's how he went about it. Otherwise, he could have killed off his entire class. Sure he wants to destroy the world, but that wouldn't be the smartest thing if he wants to blend into the background.

I'll probably mention this again for Zim's evaluation, but that's because IF this IS the most watched episode of Invader Zim, then why don't people talk about Zim actually returning the organs?

[Attack of the Saucer Morons]

This is another episode that doesn't really have Dib. But that doesn't really make sense. Because you have the peace loving alien-enthusiasts, and the scientific community in this episode. Both would be groups that Dib could easily fit in with... and they both seem to be local. I say that, because why would Zim travel a long way to study police vehicles. I imagine that he would want to stay close to the base, on the off chance that he would need to retreat and hide.

So the hippies, and the scientists. I would think that, despite his age, Dib would know about both of these gatherings. And the UFO convention changed dates, so I can be a bit lenient on that. But considering how many people showed up, in a short amount of time? (Scoff) shouldn't that have been a red flag, or something? There is easily 50 people here, and at least four different stands for people to buy things. Even if Dib didn't agree with them when it comes to aliens being good, it is still a bunch of people coming together who believe in aliens. Dib should feel welcomed in this crowd, as long as he didn't force his opinion on the others.

I guess the Children of the Bright and Shining Saucer would be more of a club. Considering the fact that they have initiations. But the sign said "UFO Convention." That sounds pretty inclusive for all of those who love aliens. So maybe these Children, are simply the ones to protect the "love ship". Although maybe Dib didn't want to be initiated and that's why he didn't show up? Maybe? Because the first time I saw this episode, I was worried that Zim got probed. And if you ask me, I'm pretty sure that's a good reason to not be initiated.

These people seem to be from all walks of life. So it is possible that Dib heard about Zim losing his disguise in front of these people. If he found enough reliable witnesses, then perhaps he could have gotten some credibility for what he was saying. Match that with the evidence he has collected, and scientists would surely believe him. Perhaps it wouldn't be enough for an autopsy and experiments, but maybe it would be. I mean, Zim did wreck a playground and tried to hit a baby. Surely that father would've fought to get some justice.

Huh, Zim almost hit a school bus. Maybe Dib was in class when all of this happened, and couldn't go to the event, because they switched days at the last second.

But I suppose that there is a chance that Dib could have been at the scientific gathering instead. One of the scientists looks familiar. If I'm correct, then this would be one of Dr. Membrane's assistants. Can you imagine if he brought Dib to the convention to... eh... well... actually he would probably be to busy to do that himself. But this assistant could have taken Dib because the Doctor asked him to. Because then, perhaps Dib would hear some real insight into aliens, and then be done with it. Like getting it out of your system.

Who knows, my guess is that Dib missed the whole thing because he was at school. But he could have skipped and gone to the hippie one, or be taken out of school by the assistant. No matter which one you choose to believe, I highly doubt that Dib didn't hear about these multiple alien sightings.

[The Wettening]

As usual, Dib gets excited when Zim doesn't understand something about earth. Like rain. And Dib just knew that something would happen to the alien. Although, can you imagine how disappointed Dib would be if nothing happened.

I suppose that it's only fair to admit that my favorite Gif comes from this episode. The kids are playing in the rain, Zim looks back at Dib, and Dib smiles. And obviously it repeats, but it says 'Stay with someone who looks at you like Dib to Zim'. Which when you add that sort of mentality to that scene... (purr)... then Dib's expression becomes ten times hotter. (Laughs) just in my opinion, of course.

It makes sense for Dib to stay behind in order to study this allergy Zim possesses. Uh, but I also thought that it was ridiculous for Dib to jump into the puddle to splash Zim. Maybe Dib is a bit sadistic?

And here, Dib still has no clue what type of alien Zim is. Surely if he is going to believe that aliens are in the universe, it would only make sense for him to also believe that there are different aliens who are from different planes. Come on, Dib. Stop being so small-minded.

Also, Dib is exploring more of that sadistic behavior when he turns on the sink ever so slightly. Though, if I'm going to be fair, this could be pleasure from revenge instead of Zim being uncomfortable. This is the first time that Dib has actually gotten the upper hand over Zim. Dark Harvest Dib may have scared Zim a little, causing him to steal the organs, but this is different.

Dib has actually found a weakness. Something that even Zim didn't know was a problem. And it scares Zim to his very core. Truly, there wouldn't be another time when Dib felt so powerful. Which is only one of the reasons why I don't believe Dib when he says that he 'doesn't feel good about winning this one'. YEAH RIGHT!

Dib creates blue prints, and invents, which shows that he is like his father a little. And he is obviously smart enough to build it. Because if he wasn't, there wouldn't be much of plot.

Besides, he puts on this whole display for the children of the playground. And part of me couldn't help but feel bad for him, because he is trying to pick a fight with Zim, who isn't fighting back. Dib wants to be the hero, the savior, a pioneer to the people of earth. He is trying to sound justified so that he doesn't look like the bad guy.

[Career Day]

Now I know, Dib has been crazy about the supernatural world forever. What else could he want to be if that's not a paranormal investigator? But at the same time, I know most of us have been asked this in our lives.

I think in elementary school I said that I wanted to become a mother. And now I'm going back to college to attempt to become an animator. Computers seem to hate me, but my point is that times change. There is so many things that can influence us, and it is nice to hear a kid know exactly what they want to do with their lives.

Dib would make a fantastic paranormal investigator, and you all know it.

So Dib instantly knows that something is up with Zim. Heck, he knew before even Zim did. And though he does normally outsmart Zim, it does seem weird for Dib to figure it out first.

I do kinda love how Dib says "horrible, horrible tests." Followed by a sweet, "see ya." Heh, I wonder if this is how my sisters see me.

But Dib gets paired with the professional paranormal investigator named Bill. And I suppose this is where Dib learns why people like him get a bad rap. Perhaps Dib has discovered that in a way, Bill is a calling sign of who he may become.

Remember those case files? Dib finds them on the floorboard of the car. You know what this professional believes in?

C.H.U.M.S.,

Psychic Lawn Gnomes,

Vampire Lemurs,

Frankenchokey,

And you want to know what he doesn't believe in?

Big Foot,

Ghosts,

Dinosaurs,

And of course, the plot device, Galactic Equinox (alien molt phenomenon)

Now, I realize that Dib actually believes in Big foot, and there are lots of people who believe in ghosts. And I'm not fighting for who is right, and who is wrong. My point is that this investigator thinks that they are fake. And there is several things that Dib does not believe in. But they focus on that later in the show.

What if Dib has spent many restless nights, staring at the ceiling, wondering if one day he will be just like Bill. And why not, they have different opinions, but their behaviorisms are very similar. Bill is obsessed with Count CocoFang, the same way Dib is obsessed with Zim.

At least Dib was smart enough to use this obsession to his advantage, instead of pridefully trying to prove the man wrong. But when push came to shove, he stood between the two adults. Pleading that the innocent man shouldn't be harmed. I think that this shows a respect for life that we don't always see.

I mean, let's say that Zim was an alien who had come to earth, looking to find shelter and peace. Would Dib still try to get it to an autopsy table? Probably not. Because then, Zim would be innocent, and perhaps even a bit helpless. He would need the understanding Dib could provide.

But Zim is trying to destroy the earth, and Dib is trying to save it. So there you go.

[Battle Dib]

Did you guys notice that this is the first episode that has only Dib, without Zim. And normally they are together, but every once in a while, you get to see more of how they are as individuals.

You know, you see professor Membrane holding a child by the neck, which is obviously making him cry. But notice that Dib is actually in this picture too. Dib probably feels bad for the child, while he holds a notebook and pen out for his father. So he is trying to help his dad. And maybe a part of Dib is curious if his father ever held him that way. Which I'm sure would lead to having several emotional problems.

I guess Dib doesn't visit his father at work. Or if he does, not frequently. Because if he did, then surely everyone in that building would keep an eye out for Dib, and Gaz. They would make it their mission to recognize them immediately, and treat them well.

Agent mothman? Swollen Eyeball Members? Good God. Where on earth should I start?

First of all, a secret organization? Which is pretty cool in my opinion. Did they reach out to Dib? Or did Dib find them? Because either way, I have a problem with that. If they found him, then how on earth would Dib know if they are the real deal. How does he know that they aren't taking advantage of him. Making him do all the work, and then stealing all the credit. How did they approach him? Did they have any proof of their statements? How did they find Dib? Why would they want a member so young? Did they have to stalk Dib to learn if he should be a part of their organization? If they did stalk him, why didn't they discover Zim and take him into custody?

And what if Dib found them? Well, how good can the organization be if they get an elementary student discovering who they are? What did Dib see? When did he find the time to join a club when he has been so focused on Zim. Perhaps Dib behaved like Beast Boy and infiltrated their security system, and his skills impressed them. (P.s. this is how Beast Boy joined the Doom Patrol). Honestly I may like that last option the best, but if Dib found them, then perhaps they aren't the greatest paranormal investigators.

Oh, and I can't forget Dib's code name. Agent Mothman. Does anybody here get how awesome that name is? Is anyone still familiar with the legend of the Mothman? I'm not surprised if you don't know it. Even though I love reading folk stories of lore, I have only heard/read about the Mothman a handful of times. And actually, for the season, I bought a Halloween magazine. The side says Haunted Mysteries Legends, so yeah, that's it.

But it talks about the Mothman in the scary story section. There is one paragraph here that explains Mothman very well, especially for Dib.

"In 1966 and 1967, numeros sightings of the Mothman occurred throughout Mason County- all fitting the same description as the original (seven feet tall, glowing red eyes, wingspan of 10 feet, and can fly at 100 MPH). But on December 15, 1967, most of the sightings ceased. At around 5:00 pm that fateful day, the Silver Bridge collapsed into the Ohio River, killing 46 people and seriously injuring nine others. Because of the timing of the bridge tragedy, local legend has it that the sighting of the Mothman is a bad omen that predicts impending disaster."

So Dib, agent Mothman, is here to warn us about the impending danger of Zim. Oh, I just love references like this.

A thought just occurred to me. The writers of the show were very careful when it came to designing the city. If I'm correct, it's so that the audience could believe that all this could happen in their town. I'll have to double check that reason, but if the Mothman is more of a local legend, then perhaps the city is set in Ohio. But this name would be perfect for Dib, even if he wasn't in Ohio.

Maybe I shouldn't even discuss the 3D model that Dib just happened to have of Zim. Because he could have made it for himself, or specifically for the Swollen Eyeballs. But regardless, this could be something Dib keeps on his desk.

And Dib is Professor Membrane's son. I don't know about you, but I have learned to recognize my boss's wife. And he just has his children, so how is it that Dib can't get past security? Especially for someone as high profile as Professor Membrane, you would think that the staff would keep pictures of Dib and Gaz as reference. Perhaps since they don't know him, this could mean that Dib really doesn't visit his father at work. Which could be a result of his father being a real scientist and Dib wanting to be a Paranormal Investigator. And if it is, that would explain why Dib had trouble on the exam when it came to the personal history of his father. If you don't get close to people then it's hard to really learn about them.

You know, I can understand being the older siblings wanting to give the younger siblings the benefit of the doubt, but Diiiiiiib. Gaz doesn't always have your best interests at heart. And maybe it's an age thing, because there is an age gap between me and my sisters, and his sister is close to his age. But if Gaz knew where the staff entrances were, then truly they could have left the exam room, or the battle arena and just gone to see their dad. Right?

So maybe Dib has a weak spot for trusting his sister. But I keep thinking that he still got some red flags when he was taking that test. And just having Gaz stare at him. If he did feel like something was off, then this may be where Dib starts to wonder why Gaz is doing all this.

With the battle, I would think that Dib would be more confident. I mean, he literally fights Zim on a regular basis, and he sees Zim as a superior being. For now. And in some cases, Zim is, but he has his faults like everyone else. Still, what does fighting another contestant compare to Zim?

Could it be that Zim is a familiar threat, and this one is a new threat? Or the fact that he and Zim are the same size, and this... kid?... is a lot bigger then he is? I'm not sure, but I would have wanted Dib to be as cocky and tough as when he is fighting Zim. Well, maybe just a 'Deadpool-cocky' and not a 'monologuing-cocky'.

I think the surprised look on Dibs face tells us that he really didn't mean to hit the target on his competitor. If anything he may have been trying to get up, when he hit Shunk's target. Not that it's necessarily bad for him to get the first point.

I wish that I understood why Dib's father was so extreme in his audience members? As Dib said "What does this have to do with science?" But that really does revolve around a evaluation of Professor Membrane and not of Dib.

At least there is still some of the karate dodging here. I mentioned this earlier at Zim's house, but I still like it. OH! How funny would it be if Dib stole/borrowed one of the robot spider suits from his dad. He could learn to work it and fight Zim with it. Because Zim has his spider legs too. Though in Dib's case, it would be attached to the spider body. Unless, he takes this technology that his father already has, and tries to create a pack like Zim's.

Ok, so if Dib knew that Gaz wanted revenge for him stealing her pizza, then why did he wait until after his battle to apologize. And then if he knew, why did he constantly trust in her? (Sigh) at least he tends to be a good brother.

And then Dib finally gets his permission slip sign, and then he goes and does the one thing he was worried about in the beginning... he forgot the briefcase. Seems to be a nice lesson for Dib to always remember where his stuff is.

Side note: Doesn't he have the dorkiest laugh ever? It just made me so happy.

Also, just because we do not see Dib present his findings on Zim, doesn't mean he never gives his presentation. There is still a good chance that the Eyeball members could be looking at Zim. Not that he would know.

[Planet Jackers]

Hm, in the Nanozim episode, Zim was inside of Dib. So if you want to be really technical, this is not the first time Zim has been at Dib's house. But he didn't walk up and knock on the door before. Heck, if it wasn't for his telescope being destroyed, he probably wouldn't have known where Dib lived for a long time. If Dib had seen Zim's reaction to simply ringing the doorbell, then there is a small chance that he could have assisted Zim in actually saving the world.

Hm, Side Note: I should write a parody of this episode where Dib helps Zim with the planet jackers...

Ok, but I think most people can understand exactly why Dib didn't trust Zim. Hey, wait... they almost never lie to each other. Even if we understand why Dib threw Zim out, Dib should have known that Zim wouldn't be lying about all that. Zim is honest with Dib and Dib is honest with Zim. Eh, whatever. This is still first season stuff anyways. They work together in the future, and just missed this opportunity.

Plus, Dib sees how the sky is different at the end of the episode. So technically he probably believed Zim then, though I doubt that he would ever admit it.

[Rise of the Zitboy]

Heh, oh, Dib. At least here he is smart enough to tease Zim with the amount of knowledge that he has. And Dib tries to get Gaz's attention, showing care for her. Granted he fails, but she doesn't look at Zim's zit.

Whether Zim thinks humans breath through their eyes, is not relevant. This could be his lack of knowledge on humans, or this is how Irken's breathe, or Zim knew that saying something ridiculous would get Dib to open his eyes. It doesn't matter, because getting hypnotized, we can see how strong Dib's will really is.

I know that this is a cartoon, and that this is an alien pimple, but traditionally if you hypnotized someone, you can't force them to do what they are morally against. In some cases, they simply convince people to do what they normally wouldn't because their fear of social rejection is gone. An example would be if a devout Muslim got hypnotized, then the hypnotist can have them act like a dog, but he can't force them to eat pork products. Because in their hearts, they believe that's wrong.

So Dib knows that this pastulio is Zim. For all of you ZaDr supporters, this could be a way that Dib shows hints of his feelings. Socially most people knows that he 'fights aliens', but perhaps deep down he knows that he cares for Zim. So Zim anything Zim has to say about his zit, Dib knows the truth. So Zim askes if Dib wants him to be happy, and Dib emotionally may want Zim to be happy. But logically he knows that it's stupid. So when Zim ups the ante and tells Dib he can hold his hand; Dib may see this as holding Zim's hand. Being romantic in a way, and this was a temptation that Dib couldn't break. Just Dib and Zim together, and nothing else mattered.

Also, Dib got stuck with Zim's mess. It seems that he can be pretty passive with adults that are... heh, that are his 'Tallest'.

[Invasion of the Idiot Dog Brain]

Ok, here in the episode it implies that Zim has not left his house in a year. On one hand that makes sense, because if Gir is in the house, then maybe Gir wouldn't have open the front door the entire time. But Dib noticed Zim not attending class, there is no doubt in my mind that Dib would notice if missed a whole year of school.

So it is possible that Zim still went to class every weekday, and Gir would repeat his process of trying to cheer Zim up. Although, I still think Dib would have noticed that Zim didn't try to destroy the human race in that year. How could he? He was stuck in the house part of his bunker the entire time. He couldn't get to any of his equipment, so he couldn't build anything. And it could be hard to plan anything out when Gir is being that annoying.

My point is that Dib should have known that something was up, and since Gir is part of the house/security system, he could have checked up on Zim a few times. I wonder what he thought.

And of course he would have noticed all the damage Gir did to the city. I imagine Dib would have seen an article in the newspaper about the incident. And kept this for his file on Zim.

[Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy]

We get to see into what Dib's life was like before Zim. We see 3-year old Dib going to protect children from a... alien bobo doll. Apparently it isn't the first time that he has done this type of thing, and we can see that his personality is pretty much the same. I wonder what happened originally. Did he pop the toy and get beat up by the kids there. Well, maybe not beat up, he is a little kid.

Simple childhood drama. Fighting over that cocofang cereal. I wonder if Professor Membrane actually does the food shopping for his family. And for one episode only, Dib gets a crushing fear of the stuffed pig that once belonged to Gir.

Then (in the past) 6 year-old Dib used a hover helmet to try and get into space. He didn't get hurt originally, so what did happen. He couldn't have gotten into space, because he wouldn't have been able to breathe. Perhaps when Dib got really high, he had trouble breathing, or got too cold, and came down willingly. Or in Ironman's case, the technology could have had problems working when it was cold, and forced him to come back.

Professor Membrane has cloaking jackets? Would this work like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, or would this work like Randall Boggs and he would simply stand still and blend into the background?

So Dib found a Bigfoot baby? Even damaged, he can be very persistent. You have got to admire that. But I just love the fact that the thing Dib hates the most is that Zim stole his childhood. Not that he is going to destroy the earth. So Dib isn't going for 'Earth's Hero' anymore, he is just going for 'Revenge' which made him a lot scarier.

Throughout this whole episode, Dib gets the feeling that something is up. So it only makes sense that in the end, Dib is happy at his original timeline is restored.

[A Room with a Moose]

So normally we see Dib as an outcast. Someone no one wants to be around, and gets pushed around. And he still is, but we see that Zim gets bullied too. And Dib only makes it worse by being a constant force of brutality. This could be a thing for the two to bond over.

Plus, Dib actually asked Zim about his home planet. I suppose in a weird way, this could be Dib's way of connecting with Zim. Because why would he admit that he truly wants to understand Zim's culture and ways. The only way Dib thinks that it's ok, is when they are battling, or in this case torture.

Dib says that eventually he will learn everything about Zim. Which is a nice promise, when you forget the way Dib said it. If your best friend walked up to you and said "I want to know everything about you." Wouldn't that be kinda nice. Some of you may even say "Where do you want me to start." It's the kind of sentence most couples want to hear from their loved one. It's just... nice...

Dib knew that something was up, but... uh... really? He couldn't tell that was Gir's voice at all? I find that hard to believe.

Sometimes I wonder why Dib attempts to make the other children understand him. Just like everyone else, they just ignore what's happening, and think that he's crazy. Also listening to Zim talk to Dib on the bus, makes me think that Zim has actually gained either an appreciation or respect for Dib. I'd say both, but in this part of the show, I wouldn't risk it. But there is a good chance that Dib picked up on this too. Probably after he got home and wrote it down as part of his log.

Hey, I wonder if Dib feels at all special in this episode. Because basically Zim says that Dib is more important than the earth; that Dib adds excitement/fun to his life; and Zim put so much planning into trying to get rid of Dib. At the end of the day, this has got to mean that Zim cares about Dib, and Dib is sure to figure that out.

Zim has cameras on the bus. He would have seen Dib getting bullied just like those kids bullied him. And if he paid attention to that then he would see Dib thinking about his options. Because there was a chance that Dib would have sacrificed himself in order to let the mean kids suffer. This would have made Zim proud. Of course Dib knew that he needed to save himself in order to save the earth, and therefore that was the better option. Well, he did think about Zim. Perhaps a small part of him knew that he would miss Zim, and if he returned to earth, then he could at least see him again. Which makes sense, ZaDr fan or not, because Zim is the only creature on earth who doesn't think that Dib is crazy.

[Hamstergeddon]

This early interaction with the Zim and the hamster I watched Dib closely. Because it seemed as if Dib was giving Zim a little help.

"Cute, the word is cute. Humans think hamsters are cute."

Dib helping Zim, and I got really confused. I thought that this was out of the blue, so when I started my Violet Eclipse story, I made sure to have a few scenes where Dib would help Zim, but Zim couldn't understand why. But let's take into account the last episode that I talked about. If Dib realized that Zim appreciates him, and thinks that he is special, then it is only fair that this would have effected Dib. Dib's father literally looked at him and didn't recognize him. So perhaps little pieces of advice/help is a bit of a peace offering to... I don't know- thank Zim for caring?

Course, that doesn't mean that this lowers Dib's paranoia. And for good reason. Oh, and I just love that Dib actually gives Zim a chance to confess. (P.s. Zim is a horrible lair) But why would Dib give Zim the chance to confess instead of blaming him, like he normally does? Is Dib trying to build trust?

Anyways, Dib goes to the authorities, which is good, but since he doesn't have all of the necessary information, he just kind of wasted their time.

Dib sees Zim fighting Ultra-peepi, and he is surprised to find some common ground. And though he feels conflicted about letting Zim go, he is glad to know that Zim will stop Ultra-Peepi. Plus, Zim actually said that he agreed with Dib. I wonder if Dib has had anyone agree with him. And Dib knows that Zim has a plan to stop the hamster, and tries to stop the military men from ruining it. I imagine this must have taken a lot of guts, showing bravery on Dib's part. I wonder if Dib saw Zim talking to this kid. Because it shows a small compassion that Zim probably developed from living with an all too emotional Gir.

[End of Season 1]

Phew! That took forever. Why do the serious chapters have to be so long? They take a while to write, and that drives me crazy. Well, the next chapter is a fun one. I'm gonna find the transmissions in season 2, between Zim and his tallest. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and will stick around.