History Tearjerker / InvaderZim

* From the brief summary of the plot for ''Enter the Florpus'', Zim despairs over the realization that the Tallests had no intention of coming to the Earth. This could also potentially lead to Zim learning the truth about his "mission."

* Zim's encounter with the adorable blob experiment in "Abducted." He's kept in an isolated room of a spaceship, who hopes someone will rescue him... only to have ZIM [[KickTheDog nonchalantly leave]]? The poor creature is left to cry softly...

* "OH, GIR! GIIIIR! THEY'VE TURNED YOU INTO GROUND BEEF! HOW? WHY?????"

* In Issue 12, Membrane's hologram message laments that the only members of the human race he was able to save were his family...except for "poor insane Dib" because Dib still wanted to fight Zim even if he had to do it alone. Even with that logic, it's obvious Membrane made no attempt to rescue his son for his own good, try to look for Dib if he was captured, or even try to assist Dib at a time where it was obvious Zim was the enemy and winning.
* In Issue 21, when Dib and Zim realize that Gaz tricked them, Dib's reaction is to say, "She played us. My own sister totally played us."

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hello4.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Zim just left him.]]

* The ending of ''Tak: The Hideous New Girl'' has a moment of genuine reflection and realisation on Zim's behalf of the fact that he consistently fails the Tallest and that they don't like him at all.

* Zim's humiliating duties on Foodcourtia (from the same episode) are funny at first, but become genuinely depressing after he has a complete breakdown and begins weeping after being forced to dance in a mascot's costume filled with boiling oil.

* ''Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom''. Dib enjoys a life of many achievements in technology and the humanities, and defeats the Irkens in battle forcing them to surrender...until it [[YankTheDogsChain turns out]] that [[LotusEaterMachine it was all a simulation]] ran by Zim. Why? ''[[DisproportionateRetribution Because he wanted to know who threw a muffin at him in class.]]'' Zim could've just interrogated Dib in a more straightforward manner, but he had to go make Dib believe his wildest dreams were coming through before tricking him into saying "yes" in a simulated talk show.

* Despite everyone loving it, the show ended after just two seasons. Even though the team had a huge finale planned.
** Cry no longer, Zim is back, IN COMIC FORM
** And now they're making a movie.

** Bloaty. The poor man is completely miserable, and its [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation possible]] we see him ''pass away'' at the end.
*** Although his situation is no less tearjerky, Rikki Simons confirms that Bloaty is alive.
* How could one forget the MASSIVE tearjerker in the episode "Abducted" where we see an adorable experiment in an isolated room of a spaceship, who hopes someone will rescue him... only to have ZIM [[KickTheDog nonchalantly leave]]? The poor creature is left to cry softly...

* Even though the squid brained cop is far too ridiculous a character to be taken seriously, his earlier mention of his family becomes rather harsh when you realize he doesn't even remember them anymore thanks to Zim.

** Gaz also makes herself out to be kind of a hypocrite here too. She claims that Dib was selfish for trying to get her involved with his interests, but at the same time not only is she never willing to spare him any time of her own vocation but her obsession with video games is at such a violent level that even Dib's obsession with the paranormal can't compare. And another thing, even when Dib chooses (after the fact) to try and do things that she enjoys, [[UngratefulBitch she STILL finds some reason to hurt him]] (beating Dib up because he happen to win a game fairly). In conclusion, Jhonen was absolutely right about this issue making issue 2 look tame to Dib.

* In Issue 21, when Dib and Zim realize that Gaz tricked them, Dib's reaction is to say "She played us. My own sister totally played us.".

* The ending of ''Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom''. [[spoiler:Poor Dib. Just when things were starting to look better...]]

* ''Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom''. Dib enjoys a life of many achievements in technology and the humanities, and defeats the Irkens in battle forcing them to surrender...[[spoiler:until it [[YankTheDogsChain turns out]] that [[LotusEaterMachine it was all a simulation]] ran by Zim. Why? ''[[DisproportionateRetribution Because he wanted to know who threw a muffin at him in class.]]'' Zim could've just interrogated Dib in a more straightforward manner, but he had to go make Dib believe his wildest dreams were coming through before tricking him into saying "yes" in a simulated talk show.]]

* The ending of Issue 2 can count, with [[spoiler: Dib secluding himself in his room once again in order to hide from ridicule after Zim transmits that embarrassing video to everyone in the galaxy. Dib being wrapped up in his blankets with bloodshot eyes and looking like he's about to break doesn't help.]]
** Also in this issue, [[spoiler: Gir has his legs blown off and is paralyzed, yet Zim and Dib both abandon him.]]
** Then there's also [[spoiler: Zim being trapped on the Gargantis Array after Dib denied him a ride, especially after Zim even referred to Earth specifically as his home. Though to be fair, Zim did have it coming.]]
* Issue 5. At first, Membrane appears to be keeping up with the streak of being a decent parent to his kids... until it's revealed that [[spoiler: he built that alternative world machine for Gaz ''with complete knowledge'' that she was going to use it to torture Dib AND participated in the kidnapping sequence.]]
** Taking a look at this issue from Dib's perspective makes the situation, while still the epitome of BlackComedy, ''freakin'' heart wrenching. [[spoiler: Yes, Dib should have known by now that not only does Gaz have absolutely zero interest in his hobbies but is, in all accounts, an extremely vicious-minded individual with [[HairTriggerTemper an extremely short fuse]] [[EvilIsPetty if interrupted.]] Problem is..even if Dib acknowledges and accepts that he has ''absolutely no one'' outside of her or [[ParentalNeglect Membrane]] to turn to [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer given]] [[NoRespectGuy his]] [[TheUnfavorite circumstances]]. Apparently, he'll risk abandonment, ridicule, and horrific punishment trying to find support from his own family before trucking on completely alone.]]
** Gaz also makes herself out to be kind of a hypocrite here too. [[spoiler: She claims that Dib was selfish for trying to get her involved with his interests, but at the same time not only is she never willing to spare him any time of her own vocation but her obsession with video games is at such a violent level that even Dib's obsession with the paranormal can't compare.]] And another thing, [[spoiler: even when Dib chooses (after the fact) to try and do things that she enjoys, [[UngratefulBitch she STILL finds some reason to hurt him]] (beating Dib up because he happen to win a game fairly)]]. In conclusion, Jhonen was absolutely right about this issue making issue 2 look tame to Dib.
* In Issue 12, Membrane's hologram message laments that [[spoiler: the only members of the human race he was able to save were his family...except for "poor insane Dib" because Dib still wanted to fight Zim even if he had to do it alone. Even with that logic, it's obvious Membrane made no attempt to rescue his son for his own good, try to look for Dib if he was captured, or even try to assist Dib at a time where it was obvious Zim was the enemy and winning.]]
* In Issue 21, when Dib and Zim realize that [[spoiler: Gaz tricked them]], Dib's reaction is to say "[[spoiler: She played us. My own sister totally played us.]]".

** Gaz also makes herself out to a hypocrite too. [[spoiler: She claims that Dib was selfish for trying to get her involved with his interests, but at the same time not only is she never willing to spare him any time of her own vocation but her obsession with video games is at such a violent level that even Dib's obsession with the paranormal can't compare.]] And another thing, [[spoiler: even when Dib chooses (after the fact) to try and do things that she enjoys, [[UngratefulBitch she STILL finds some reason to hurt him]] (beating Dib up because he happen to win a game fairly)]]. In conclusion, Jhonen was absolutely right about this issue making issue 2 look tame to Dib.

** This conversation:
-->'''Dib:''' [[CompletelyMissingThePoint Can't you just go there and eat tomorrow?]]

* ''Bloatey's Pizza Hog'', Gaz yells at Dib for going off to fight Zim because she "just wants to go out to eat with dad." Considering the [[ParentalNeglect situation]], this certainly counts.

** The very next shot, however, we see the blob's tube selected by a robotic claw and lifted up off screen. Fred and Mary were busy looking for Zim. Who else could have done this? I think Zim went back and gave the sad blob thing a fighting chance to escape.

* The ending of "Gaz: Taster of Pork". Ok, Dib might have deserved some punishment for using Gaz as a test rat for his spell drive (even though he did not do it out of ill will), but not only tricking Dib into believing she was still in danger when she obviously was not but also forcing him to clean up Shadow-Hog dookie ''with his head'' while he's crying for forgiveness? Not to mention all the horrific (and very graphic) death threats and beatings that Dib took from her while he was trying to help her? No wonder Gaz has a bit of a BaseBreakingCharacter status.

*** [[TheSociopath All]] [[KidsAreCruel things]] [[KickTheDog considered]], though, [[AssholeVictim she completely deserved it.]]
** Dib taking the punishment of the Shadow-Hog to save his sister. He's genuinely crying at the end and feeling guilty...[[UngratefulBastard and yet Gaz ignores this completely and leaves him to his fate.]] Poor Dib, you need a good friend, and that excuse of a sister of yours needs [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown an absolutely vicious beating]] or [[CruelAndUnusualDeath worse.]]
*** But alas, knowing [[SadistShow the series]] and that Gaz is currently Jhonen's favorite character, [[TheBadGuyWins that would most likely]] [[TearJerker never happen]] unless some miracle occurs.

* ''Future Dib''. Dib enjoys a life of many achievements in technology and the humanities, and defeats the Irkens in battle forcing them to surrender...[[spoiler:until it [[YankTheDogsChain turns out]] that [[LotusEaterMachine it was all a simulation]] ran by Zim. Why? ''[[DisproportionateRetribution Because he wanted to know who threw a muffin at him in class.]]'' Zim could've just interrogated Dib in a more straightforward manner, but he had to go make Dib believe his wildest dreams were coming through before tricking him into saying "yes" in a simulated talk show.]]

* ''Future Dib''. Dib enjoys a life of many achievements in technology and the humanities, and defeats the Irkens in battle forcing them to surrender...[[spoiler:until it turns out that [[LotusEaterMachine it was all a simulation]] ran by Zim. Why? ''Because he wanted to know who threw a muffin at him in class.'' Zim could've just interrogated Dib in a more straightforward manner, but he had to go make Dib believe his wildest dreams were coming through before tricking him into saying "yes" in a simulated talk show.]]

** Gaz also makes herself out to a hypocrite too. [[spoiler: She claims that Dib was selfish for trying to get her involved with his interests, but at the same time not only is she never willing to spare him any time but her obsession with video games is at such a violent level that even Dib's obsession with the paranormal can't compare.]] And another thing, [[spoiler: even when Dib chooses (after the fact) to try and do things that she enjoys, [[UngratefulBitch she STILL finds some reason to hurt him]] (beating Dib up because he happen to win a game fairly)]]. In conclusion, Jhonen was absolutely right about this issue making issue 2 look tame to Dib.

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