An alien coming to conquer Earth is an overused yet classic sci-fi story. And a show that explored it the best was the Nickelodeon cartoon, Invader Zim. The series followed the misadventures of an extraterrestrial invader sent to infiltrate the planet. While the premise sounds innocent for a cartoon, Invader Zim had quite the dark side. It employed scenes of grotesque horror that would be unsuitable for today’s television.
A Look Back at Invader Zim
The Invader Zim animated series focused on Zim, an alien conqueror from Irk. He goes to infiltrate the planet Earth and observe its inhabitants. He must gather information on Earth’s weakness in preparation for his empire’s invasion. But in reality, Zim’s mission on Earth is a farce created by his leaders. He is in exile because he ruined the last intergalactic invasion his people attempted.
Nevertheless, Zim takes his assignment seriously and creates plans to weaken the world. He even disguises himself as a human child and attends school for research purposes. And the invader has his dimwitted and gluttonous robot, G.I.R., to help him sometimes. Unfortunately, Zim deals with constant resistance from Dib, an inspiring paranormal investigator. And when it’s not Dib, Zim has to contend with another odd human or alien.
The Horror Within Invader Zim
Being a cartoon aimed at kids, Invader Zim was full of action and comedy. But it was also packed with grotesque body horror imagery that could cause nightmares. For example, one episode showed a boy getting his eyes ripped from his skull. And there was another where baby-like aliens merged into a horrific monster. Zim once melted into a fleshy blob, similar to Tetsuo from Akira. And his lower half gets shredded into a stump during a lice outbreak.
The show’s horror aspects were also present in the characters’ designs. Many Earthlings in Invader Zim had exaggerated features or misshapen bodies, looking borderline inhuman or disturbing. It could be the creator’s artistic style, but it did provide some unintentional symbolism. The humans in the show were filthy, acted like animals, and ate nauseating food. They could be a representation of what humanity could become if not careful.
The Show’s Darkest Episode
During the run of Invader Zim, there was one episode that was peak horror. In the Season One episode, Dark Harvest, Zim becomes concerned about being discovered. He theorizes that his alien anatomy will expose him, so he gets a devious and grotesque plan. The alien begins harvesting organs from the school children and replacing them with random objects. Dib quickly discovers the plot, but when he finds Zim, it’s too late. The alien has harvested countless children and becomes a bulging blob of organs.
Fans have deemed Dark Harvest the darkest episode, even more so than the Halloween special. Zim had consumed so many organs that they were visible when he talked. He once coughed up an intestine and slurped it back down like a noodle. The chase scene where Zim pursued Dib for a pair of lungs was also nightmarish. Dark Harvest even became a source of controversy when mentioned in a 2006 murder trial. Nevertheless, the episode is considered a fan favorite due to its dark tone.
Final Thoughts
Invader Zim is a cult classic that many older audiences would enjoy. The comedy is ideal, the action is thrilling, and the horror is delightfully grotesque. Invader Zim is a timeless cartoon that can easily compete with today’s programs. And it’s all thanks to Jhonen Vasquez’s design work and Richard Horvitz’s voicing performance.
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