Line #31 Heartwarming/InvaderZim


1	->''"The major tenants of the show are [[SadistShow sarcasm, cruelty and violence.]] Affection and warm, fuzzy things, anything that would [[MisaimedFandom inspire "Awwww!"]] ...it's not in the show!"''
2	-->-- '''Jhonen Vasquez''' on why this page really shouldn't exist
3
4	'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''
5	----
6	!!The show
7	* "Walk of Doom". After GIR strands the two of them by replacing his guidance chip with a cupcake, Zim starts shouting at him... until he sees poor GIR in tears and, in a brief moment of humility, realizes that getting mad at him won't solve their problem and accepts his apology. Subverted, though, in that GIR was just sad that his cupcake was gone.
8	** Pretty much any time Zim is ever nice to anybody.
9	** A lot of Zim's CMOH seem to relate to GIR, for instance: "I already promised the moon to GIR."
10	*** Not to mention Zim telling GIR "please" that one time.
11	*** And then there's GIR's obvious affection for Zim, like in "Germs": "Aww, somebody needs a hug!"
12	*** Zim just having a casual conversation with him in "Zim Eats Waffles", or any time he does so. There's no way he hates the little robot as much as he claims, taking the time to bond with him like that.
13	** Not to mention his line in the Halloween episode: "I only hope poor GIR is alright by himself...against those ''zombies!"'' The fact that he's a supposedly self-centered and unfeeling alien who actually really cares about his defective little robot, well...''awww.''
14	** In an unfinished episode, Zim reacts to GIR appearing to have been turned... Well, you know, [[https://youtu.be/i4j4_NkmMdA?t=1m36s just listen to it.]] This short scene is also a bit of a TearJerker.
15	** One of the earliest examples is in "Battle Of The Planets", when Zim sends GIR to stop Dib. "Maybe that little robot isn't such a bad evil minion after all..."
16	* The unfinished episode, "Mopiness of Doom". In a nutshell, Dib and Zim realize how much they need their rivalry. It ends with them shouting insults and death threats at one another, both as happy as can be.
17	** From the same episode, Gaz shows some serious ''concern'' for Dib when he quits paranormal studies in favor of "real" science (which makes him bored and miserable but keeps him from being a social outcast). She even tries to lure him back by bringing up the Vampire Doughnut special airing on TV that night, something which would normally interest him. To her, his new behavior "isn't right" and upsets the natural balance; the shift back to status quo at the end sees her saying contentedly, "All is right with the world again. ... [[MoodWhiplash stupid world]]." When you consider that she normally finds his "paranormal stupidity" profoundly irritating, it's quite interesting that for her, the rightful balance of things apparently involves Dib ''being true to himself and doing what he really loves.''
18	** Zim's startlingly emotional and human reaction to Dib's return, full stop. Directly from the script (greatly aided in the recording by a particularly teary delivery from Richard Horovitz):
19	--->'''Zim (in a daze):''' ''(gasps)'' Dib, is that you? Is it really you? You're back to your old self?\
20	...\
21	'''Zim:''' You have no idea how happy that makes me, you revolting little worm!
22	* When Dib actually finds competent help from Nasaplace's janitor in "Battle of the Planets"...
23	-->'''Dib''': Why would you help me? Nobody ''ever'' helps me!
24	-->'''Darkbooty''': Let's just say [[ItMakesSenseInContext my eyes are]] ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext swollen]]''!
25	* In "Hobo 13", Zim throws Skoodge into the cavern of the Meat Thirsty Hogulus as a decoy to pass one of the obstacles. The DrillSergeantNasty asks about Skoodge when Zim claims the job to be done and forces Zim to try and save him. This is the literally the only consideration Skoodge is shown in the entire series, since he's considered to be a worthless, expendable peon even by his own race.
26	* "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy" is a particularly [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids cold-blooded episode]] in which Zim's time travel machine keeps making Dib have debilitating accidents years before they'll even ''meet''--by the time he's eight, he's got an oxygen tank, liverspots, a mechanical claw for a hand, lethargic, brain damage... and then Zim goes all the way and KILLS HIM... so Professor Membrane brings Dib back to life with a HumongousMecha powersuit so that he can't be injured ever again! Given his [[ParentalNeglect normal treatment]] of his "insane" son, that's probably the nicest thing we've ever seen him do for the boy. Who cares if it's an alternate timeline? It's still sweet to see.
27	** That same timeline also had a Gaz who, while not even close to the "sweet little sister" stereotype, was just a little less evil to Dib. Explained the accidents right away, sounded a bit concerned when he didn't automatically remember... for her, that's downright ''affectionate.'' Pummeled!Dib's life may have been filled with horrible accidents and rubber piggies, but at least his family cared for him a bit.
28	** This together with the attention Membrane gave to curing Gaz in "Gaz, Taster of Pork" makes one realize: for all his flaws as a parent, you really have to give the Professor credit for one thing--the minute one of his kids has a medical need, he drops everything and devotes his time to helping them.
29	** After many a DownerEnding and the mental, physical and emotional damage he suffers over the course of the episode, it's extremely uplifting to witness Dib's joy at being restored to his ordinary [[ButtMonkey if unlucky]] self, with no more trauma in his past than usual and no worse comedown than being harmlessly dragged off Zim's lawn by gnomes.
30	--->'''Dib:''' —Wait a minute. Have I always been like this? ''Yes!'' I have, haven't I?! My whole life! Good old Diblike Dib!
31	* Gaz cares so much about spending time with her dad that she goes out of her way to save Dib from being experimented on by Zim. Not because she cares about Dib, mind you (or at least, not that she cares about him whenever his rivalry with Zim is involved), but because she's afraid that if she brings home Dib as a horrible mutant, their dad will cancel dinner.
32	* It is kind of admirable that Zim still tries to prove himself as an Invader despite the Tallests' blatant hatred of him.
33	** The Tallest themselves give Zim a PetTheDog moment in "Abducted," where they seem genuinely interested in hearing Zim's explanation of the humans and the Abductors.
34	* Despite all the crap Zim puts him through, Keef never gives up on his mission to be his friend or loses his cheerful demeanor.
35	* Dib stargazing at the end of "Tak, The Hideous New Girl," saying how wonderful it'd be to just "fly up there and see it all." It's a small validation that Dib really isn't just an attention-hungry nutjob, he really is fascinated with alien life.
36	* Probably the ''only'' sincerely nice moment in the entire show is Dib's speech at the end of "The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever," where he encouraged everyone to stop buying into the spectacle of Santa and just go home to be with their families. It even works... at least until ZIM, [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext dressed as the Easter Platypus, buys the crowd off with shrimp]] in exchange for Dib's beating.
37	* Any time ZIM and Dib put their differences aside and work together for some greater good. It usually goes [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption about as well as anything anybody else they attempt]], but it's good to know they have priorities.
38	* In "Backseat Drivers From Beyond the Stars", after Gaz mentions to Prof Membrane that Dib's constant babbling about aliens and whatnot bugs her, he explains that some people like to talk and he'll probably settle down if she just listens to him. If you think about it, that's pretty nice for a guy who claims his son's insane, since instead of agreeing that the blame should be on Dib for annoying Gaz, he kind of stood up for him by saying Dib just has a few quirks and Gaz should try to be more understanding.
39	** He also puts Gaz on his shoulder during this scene, which is rather adorable.
40	* This exchange between Zim's robot dad and Billy's AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents in "Parent Teacher Night." It's one of the last moments before things go off the rails, but it's sweet nonetheless.
41	-->'''Robot Dad''': Sports aren't everything, I'm sure your kid'll find ''something'' he's good at.\
42	'''Billy's Dad''': (''warmly'') That's true.
43	* Though they're usually no nicer to Zim, the kids at skool are often quick to call Dib out for [[CassandraTruth accusing him of being an alien just because he looks different]]. One of them even sounds genuinely offended.
44	-->"Man, Dib, you think just cuz someone looks different, you can call 'em an alien??"
45	* Dib's compassion for his fellow humans. Even though it would be hard to blame him if the only reason he was defending them was to get recognition, it's not the only reason. He really does care.
46	** Two notable examples are when he sees Zim offering Nick waffles and thinks he's forcing them on him: "That poor kid!", and this from the Christmas episode:
47	--->'''Zim''': I need to play Santa until I beam humanity to the Tallest as slaves!\
48	'''Dib''': (trying to be in disguise but lets his horror slip out) ''Slaves?! That's awful!''
49	* That waiter who only makes 5 monies every two years is forced to bet 500,000 monies on Zim... and wins over 6 million monies when Zim makes it. He quits his awful job as a waiter immediately. Though this is quickly subverted when the Tallest respond by tying him up and trapping him in a ship with Zim that is set to autopilot to fly into a star. Given that [[NegativeContinuity Zim is alive and well in the next episode]], there is a chance the waiter survived as well.
50	* In the pilot episode, there's a moment where Zim is poisoned by the beans Dib pressured him to eat and Gaz appears to look worried. When Dib tries to show the kids how unhumanly Zim is reacting he's no where to be seen, and given Gaz was also gone it's implied she had carried him off.
51	** During their food fight battle Zim takes a second to compliment Dib on his burrito canon, saying that his hard work really shows. Dib happily accepts the compliment before getting right back to business.
52	* Crosses as Funny is Dib and Gir dancing together in "The Frycook What Came From All That Space", Dib especially looking like he's having fun and feeling a total 180 from getting humiliated earlier in the episode.
53
54	!!Other
55	* For a truly insane yet extraordinary example, the last page of the Magazine/{{Nickelodeon Magazine}} comic: Zim offers Dib to come with him to a planet consisting of giant space bunnies and soda after Zim becomes Earth's overlord and plans to destroy it via killer robots. Dib actually accepts, followed by the last picture being the two guys as well as GIR and Minimoose doing just that and having the time of their lives. Negated some since it's EsotericHappyEnding incarnate and was most likely meant as a joke, but [[SadistShow the show considered,]] how this situation could have went, how much both Dib and Zim get downer endings, and just seeing them having fun together ''without'' it ending in a fight it counts.

Context Heartwarming / InvaderZim