GIR is the insane, hyperactive robotic assistant of Zim and the closest thing the incompetent Irken has to a friend, having been constructed from scrap parts and given to Zim by the Almighty Tallest just before it was handed to Zim, instead of a regular SIR (Standard-issue Information Retrieval Unit). He also makes a guest appearance in the episode Fighter Dive from The Avenging Regular Show Unlimited.
Appearance[]
The only differences between GIR and regular SIR units are the unique coloration of the luminous parts of GIR's body (teal instead of red), a different configuration for the eyes, and his cross-hatched mouth. The similarities in construction suggest that the components from which he was built came from an out-of-date model of SIR unit.
GIR's usual Earth disguise consists of a green "mongoose-dog" suit with a zipper on the stomach, and a head that can be pulled over like a hood. It also includes a small tail that he is inexplicably capable of wagging like a human dog's. The large eyes sometimes blink while at other times they don't. Also, the mouth will sometimes open when he speaks, whereas other times it stays closed.
He also has a small child disguise with blonde hair and the mouth hanging open so he can see, but it was only used in two episodes.
Personality[]
GIR is happy-go-lucky and extremely hyperactive, and will eat just about anything, regardless of whether it is edible or not. Most of the time he spouts nonsense, but does have a few, short moments of clarity: For instance, in Walk for Your Lives, he actually contemplated whether making the explosion go faster would make things worse ("But if the big 'splody goes fast, won't it get all bad?"), and in Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy, when he questioned the wisdom of sending a machine into the past to destroy Dib.
GIR usually fools around when Zim gives an order, and always goes right back to what he was doing before once he has completed the order (which is only done occasionally) or - more often - when Zim leaves. Zim has described GIR's intelligence as "bad"; indeed, the little robot is often one of the many reasons why Zim's plans frequently fail. GIR has also been known to disobey orders whenever it conflicts with getting something he wants, such as rubber piggies or food.
Zim has taken advantage of GIR's poor intelligence in the past, having once attached GIR to a power amplifier in Plague of Babies to incapacitate Sergeant Shnooky and his underlings with an amplified wave of the little robot's stupidity. However, despite his stupidity GIR also has shown an occasional manipulative side, having used his antics in the past to bend others to his will.
Unlike Zim, GIR does not mind getting involved with typical Earth culture; on several occasions he has even admitted to loving Earth. GIR also has a strong love of Earth snacks, such as tacos, taquitos, candy, chocolate bubblegum, waffles, cupcakes, tuna, biscuits, chicken with mayonnaise, pizza, Suck Monkeys, numerous Poop products, mashed potatoes, muffins and corn. He can eat and enjoy them, even though he is a robot, and was even shown somehow becoming fat in the Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom after stealing all of the Halloween candy from trick-or-treaters.
Despite his sub-par disguises, GIR is actually quite good at blending in with the humans, due to his behavior and intelligence being similar to theirs. In Attack of the Saucer Morons, he even befriended multiple teenage human females. His favorite assignment from Zim is "monitoring Earth broadcasts" (in other words, watching TV); when doing so, he usually watches The Scary Monkey Show, which he has declared to be his "favorite show". His favorite movie is Intestines of War, which he has seen over one hundred times (FBI Warning of Doom). GIR is also very loyal to Zim, despite disobeying him often and mainly being a hindrance to his plans.
There have been times where Dib has "tricked" him into doing things, like putting a camera in Zim's Base in Zim Eats Waffles, and even inviting him into the base during The Frycook What Came from All That Space. This is probably because Dib doesn't seem to bother GIR as much as he does Zim, saying in Planet Jackers that "he seems nice". By the time of Mysterious Mysteries however, GIR seemed to be aware of Dib's antipathy toward his master, and flat-out defended him, though this was probably because Zim told GIR exactly what to say.
GIR does not hate or dislike anyone, which contrasts very sharply with Zim, Dib, and especially Gaz. He instead approaches everything in the world, living or not, with boundless affection and enthusiasm.
Duty Mode[]
Every so often, GIR will display brief instances of complete functionality. Usually triggered by Zim giving an order, this "Duty Mode" is made manifest by the teal parts of GIR's body and eyes flashing red, his voice changing from high-pitched to harsh, deep and rough, and GIR himself snapping to attention, alert and utterly obedient. He concludes it with a salute and response of 'Yes, sir!'. These random bouts never last for long, though, and after a few seconds, GIR is right back to his gleeful, hyperactive self.
As it turns out, however, this brevity is probably a good thing for Zim: As he learned the hard way when he tried to lock GIR into Duty Mode via a Behavioral Modulator, if GIR was fully lucid all the time, he would quickly realize that his own master was a threat to their mission to conquer Earth, and would quickly eliminate him (GIR Goes Crazy and Stuff).
Equipment[]
GIR possesses "superior geographic abilities" that were given to him by Zim. In his head there are an array of various weapons, but he rarely uses them. There is also a great deal of empty space that he uses to store things, like a giant pile of rubber piggies, a puppy, or even a beehive. This is implied to be the "thermos" function stated by Tallest Red to be built into all SIR units. He also has X-ray vision, the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes, and jets in his feet.
GIR can also analyze living things and inanimate objects, from race to intelligence.
Role in Invader ZIM[]
GIR serves as Zim's "evil" henchman, but is usually more of a hindrance than a help. As stated above, he has complied when Dib asked favors from him and replaced vital equipment with food in "Walk of Doom". Moreover, his erratic behavior has often ended up having catastrophic consequences and ruining Zim's plans. However, GIR has bailed Zim out occasionally, saving him from alien fanatics in "Attack of the Saucer Morons". He can also be used as a form of transportation when the Voot Cruiser is unavailable, such as in "The Nightmare Begins".
Bloody GIR[]
Bloody GIR is an Easter egg visible in several episodes of Invader Zim. Bloody GIR was born when Nickelodeon refused to allow a scene involving GIR covered with blood. The crew inserted the forbidden image into single frames in a few episodes. Post-production supervisor Jason Stiff has confirmed that the image appears in "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy". The existence of Bloody GIR has been confirmed by director Steve Ressel in interviews. The frames were reportedly scattered throughout the episodes following "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy" by Ressel and Chris Graham. Bloody GIR can be seen the most clearly during the opening in "Mortos der Soulstealer", when the purple pipe from Zim's house envelops the shot right before Dib's sequence. In fact, it is almost in plain sight. Although many claim to see Bloody GIR in almost every episode, Simons stated at the 2011 InvaderCON that he only inserted Bloody GIR into a couple of episodes.
Quotes[]
- (in dog suit but unmasked while using a how to make a valentines cake book) and last but not least a half inch of sugar(puts a half inch of sugar) and put it in the ovem, turn it on 20%, and put on 2 hrs and 35 minutes (put the bowl in the oven, closes the over door, turned it on, use it on 20%, and puts it on 2 hours and 35 minutes) well now time to wait for 2 hours, and 35 minutes.
- Ow! Damn my robot nerves!
- YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!
- Guys! What's going on? What is happening?
- I just want to check on the... aaaah!
- Yee-ahh!
- Oh, what are you talking about?
- Here, I will show you. This way.
- Hey, do you know where I can get a pacifier in this place? I'm jonesin'.
- Aww. That's more like romance.
- You're alive?
Gallery[]
