INVADER ZIM
#130a
"Ten Minutes To Doom"
by Rob Hummel
FADE IN:
EXT. SKOOL FRONT YARD - AFTERNOON
High drama... Slow motion... The Skool BELL RINGS. It's three o'clock and all of
the kids are heading home.
As credits roll, we see ZIM walking happily. Dib and Torque Smacky stand nearby.
Dib turns to Torque and says something. Torque CHUCKLES menacingly and throws a
ball al ZIM. ZIM falls to the ground, dislodging his backpack. Everyone LAUGHS
at ZIM. Slow motion laughter is creepy. Torque sees Dib laughing and gets
disgusted at the unpopular kid's enjoyment. ZIM hits the floor and everything
goes back to REAL-TIME as ZIM's PAK pops off of his back. Dib's eyes light up in
shock al the sight and he quickly takes action. He holds it for a beat, awed,
then runs off with it. We push in on ZIM's dazed face, into BLACK as he passes
out.
OVER BLACK:
We hear a strange, alien HEARTBEAT. A CLOCK appears on the screen, counting down
from ten minutes.
ZIM (V.O.)
Ughh... Whuh? My lifeclock? Why? Lifeclocks don't come on unless...
EXT. SKOOL FRONT YARD - AFTERNOON
ZIM snaps awake, frantic. He reaches around to feel his back.
ZIM (CONT'D)
AAAAAAAGH!!! My PAK!! IT'S GONE!!
The CLOCK moves to the corner of the screen, where it will remain for the
rest of the episode. The first thing ZIM sees are the faces of his skoolmates
circled above him. All the kids point in one direction: down the hall. ZIM
follows the pointed fingers with his eyes and sees... DIB, standing al the end
of the hall and clutching ZIM's pak to his chest. Dib looks guilty as hell,
realizing he's been caught. He bolts around a corner. ZIM chases him around for
a few turns until he loses him in an open area with a huge crowd of kids, but no
Dib. ZIM loses it, whirling about in the middle of the crowd, searching with his
eyes.
ZIM (SHOUTING INTO CROWD) (CONT'D)
GIVE ME BACK MY PAK, DIB! I need it to LIVE! Without it I can only survive for
ten minutes and the countdown has already started! I am NOT going to expire on
this filthy planet because of youuu!!
(ZIM notices that the crowd is staring at him)
Ehh...forget all that "need my backpack to live" stuff. Yeah. Um, it's just
that... uh... it was full of sandwiches, and I love sandwiches.
Behind a nearby pillar on a raised part of a nearby building, Dib has overheard
the whole thing. He cradles ZIM's PAK like it's taken on a whole new meaning.
ZIM can be seen below.
DIB (TO HIMSELF)
This thing's even more important than I thought. Oh hi, Screamy.
SCREAMY, a happy looking kid, walks by and stops in front of Dib. Immediately
after speaking, Dib covers his mouth in horror of what he has just invited.
SCREAMY (AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS)
HI, DIB!! HOW YA DOIN!??!!
The whole crowd, including ZIM, looks up at the sound.
DIB (WHISPERING LOUDLY)
No, Screamy! SHHH!!! Don't say any-
SCREAMY
HOW COME YOU'RE WHISPERIN', DIB!?!! HUH, DIB?!! HUH?! I LIKE YOUR NAME: DIB!!!
Dib screams, terrified. He clamps his hands over Screamy's mouth, but then runs
screaming at the site of ZIM pushing his way through the crowd towards him. Once
again, ZIM arrives too late and Dib is gone. He grabs Screamy by the shirt.
ZIM
SCREAMY! Where did he go? Where did the little thief run to?!
SCREAMY
I DUNNO, BUT HE SURE DID RUN! AH YOU SHOULDA SEEN'IM! LIKE A GAZELLE! A GAZELLE
I SAY! WOW, I SURE WISH I-
ZIM flinches at Screamy's onslaught of sound.
ZIM
Come on, Screamy, think! THINK LIKE NEVER BEFORE!! WHICH WAY DID HE GO?
SCREAMY
LET ME THINK! LET MEE...UHHH!! UHHHH!!!
SCREAMY thinks about it. He thinks real hard. ZIM is insane with waiting for
SCREAMY. The strain of thinking is too much and the top of SCREAMY's head
explodes. Black smoke pours out. ZIM drops a moaning and twitching SCREAMY to
the ground.
ZIM (FURIOUS)
NOOOOO! Feeble humans!
ZIM's eye catches a security camera. Then another, and another. From the looks
of things, the Skool is monitored by hundreds of security cameras. ZIM looks
like he's just thought of something, and he runs off.
INT. SKOOL SECURITY OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
ZIM bursts into the security room, waking the Security Officer, who sits in
front of a huge bank of monitors.
ZIM
Quickly! My backpak's been stolen! Everything that I am is in that PAK! My
memory drive, my charging cell, my atmospheric processor! My ZIMNESS!
The Officer just stares at him. ZIM rethinks his approach.
ZIM (CONT'D)
Heh. It also gots my baby brother inside!
SECURITY OFFICER
SWEET DONKEY! My baby brother was taken away in my backpack once, too! What can
I do to help?
ZIM
I need to find the thief Dib!
The Officer turns to a keyboard and starts typing.
SECURITY OFFICER
I'm not really supposed to tell you this, but you kids are implanted with a
homing chip so we can find you at all times...
ZIM looks a little uneasy at this bit of information, but he's got more
important things on his mind right now...
SECURITY OFFICER (CONT'D)
Ha! Found him...
[page of script missing- here is the missing
dialogue from the audio track on the special features DVD]
DIB (ON PHONE)
I need to speak to Professor Membrane! This is his son! What do you mean he's busy!?! This is important! Well, tell him I'm coming to the lab. I have something he'll wanna see.
SECURITY OFFICER
East wing, near the exits!
DIB
Torque!?! ZIM called you a dookieweenie, and says he's gonna beat you up! Look! Here he comes now!
TORQUE
Deeniewookie!?!
DIB
Nononono... Eh, dookie-weenie.
TORQUE
Dooky... WEENIE!?! THAT HURTS MY FEELINGS!
Torque lets loose a stream of horrible screams that sounds like an angry baboon. ZIM's screams soon get added into the mix.
DIB
You're going to make me very famous, little alien backpack! I just hope... What the-?
Dib groans as the PAK struggles with him.
EXT. SKOOL - CONTINUOUS
Dib gets dragged off into the streets. Shortly after, ZIM explodes from the
skool, having escaped the beating, with Torque no far behind.
TORQUE
TAKE IT BACK! TAKE BACK THE DOOKIEWEENIE!! Ahhhhhhh!
ZIM runs into a crowd of pedestrians, ditching Torque for the moment. ZIM stops
to catch his breath against the leg of a standing pedestrian.
ZIM
So... weak... No! My body shell... is already starting to deteriorate! My
amazing intelligence... draining. Must reconnect with brain.
TORQUE
ZIM!
ZIM's been spotted, and now he runs again, desperately looking around for a way
out. ZIM spots something that gives him hope. He sprints madly and leaps...
directly into THE FATTEST SUMO WRESTLER WE HAVE EVER SEEN. He sinks into his
girth. Torque walks by, confused. He looks for ZIM but can't find him anywhere.
He runs off.
Beat.
Another beat.
Finally, ZIM's fist shoots out from between two folds of flesh on the SUMO
WRESTLER. Triumphant music plays. His face pops up, gasping for air. He flops to
the ground. He looks up to see Torque, a block away. Torque doesn't see ZIM. ZIM
looks around. He's running out of time. He spots GAZ playing a NINJA FIGHTING
video game in an ARCADE.
ZIM
The sibling. Maybe she could... No! An INVADER needs help from no... helper!
He coughs sickly and wobbles woozily, steadying himself on a nearby doggy. He
looks desperate.
INT. CITY BUS - CONTINUOUS
Dib, sitting on the bus, getting many stares, has finally contained the wild
PAK, holding it tight against his chest. The PAK suddenly stops struggling. Dib
looks alarmed, then relaxes, glad the resistance is over with for now.
DIB
Well, I guess I wore this thing out. I... huh?
He tugs al the PAK and finds that it's stuck to his chest, attached by two
strong cables that seem to actually go INTO him! He rolls around on the floor,
pulling at the thing. He eventually calms down.
DIB (CONT'D)
Okay... don't panic... Dad'll know how to get this off. I just have to get to
his lab... and then take over the filthy Earth.
Dib slaps his hands over his mouth, shocked to have just spoken these words.
INT. VIDEO GAME ARCADE - CONTINUOUS
The arcade has no front wall and Gaz plays a game nearest the sidewalk. A half
dead ZIM wobbles dangerously, riding the doggy like a horse. The dog stops and
ZIM flops off to the sidewalk, lying face up. Gaz stares at him then gives him a
lazy kick to the side. He quickly shoots upright, then immediately goes more
slack. His eyes look off in two different directions. His speech is slurred and
almost incoherent.
ZIM
(all one stream of words...)
Dibsister! Dib stole my backpak and he takes it to your father's lab for
experimenting on it and if I don't get it back soon, I won't live no more filthy
earth human.
GAZ
You're not making any sense.
ZIM (EVEN MORE SLURRED)
Backpak have brain thing make ZIM act like ZIM. Need pak to think stuff.
GAZ
Oh yeah... That's MUCH better.
ZIM beats his head against the wall, knocking his eyes back into alignment. Gaz
turns her head at the sound of her game (that she had been ignoring since ZIM
arrived) ending. ZIM sees the GAMESLAVE 2 poking out of Gaz's pocket and
snatches it while she's distracted. He stuffs it into his pocket.
ZIM
He also stole your Game device and wants to experiment on it too!
Gaz searches her pocket. She looks furious.
GAZ
Where did you say he was going?
ZIM has started to go wall-eyed again.
ZIM
Can't tell you... have to SHOW you... ZIM weak... need Dibsister to carry.
Gaz looks angry... she finally grabs ZIM by the ankle and drags him like a doll
down the street.
INT. MEMBRANE'S LAB - CONTINUOUS
MEMBRANE and another scientist stand next to each other. They have identical
workstations, each with a brain in a tray. Next to each of them stand inactive
robots with empty heads. A tense crowd of lab technicians watches. One of them
holds a stopwatch. Membrane completes whatever he is doing to HIS brain before
the other scientist and stuffs the brain into the robot on his side. The robot
springs to life.
ROBOT
I am FOODIO, the robot that will end world hunger. OFF I GO!
FOODIO runs off. The stopwatch holder clicks to stop the timer and holds
Membrane's arm up victoriously. The crowd cheers Membrane, while the other
scientist grudgingly hands Membrane a wad of cash. The crowd leaves the room.
Membrane poses heroically as cameras zoom in from seemingly nowhere to snaps his
picture. Dib runs in, scaring the cameras away.
DIB
Dad!
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
How did you get in here, little boy?
DIB
Dad, it's me, ZIM! I mean Dib! I want you to have a look at this! NOW LOOK,
FILTHY HUMAN! I mean... dad.
He gestures towards the PAK on his chest.
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
Son, I don't like to get involved in your fashion matters, but that big metal
shirt of yours is-
DIB
IT'S NOT A SHIRT! It's taking over my inferior human mind! You have to analyze
it! I'm sure you'll be amazed.
Dib activates the spider legs to show off the technology.
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
FASCINATING! Perhaps just a quick look.
EXT. STREET LEADING TO MEMBRANE LABS - CONTINUOUS
Gaz rides a motorcycle with a feeble ZIM hanging on behind her and an
exceptionally safe looking helmet on her head. The sound is deafening.
ZIM (REALLY OUT OF IT)
...hurry....there don't be enough time left...life...draining...ZIM..
Gaz speeds up, looking angry and determined.
INT. MEMBRANE'S LAB - CONTINUOUS
Membrane uses some scanning tools and probes at the PAK.
DIB
It's some kind of parasite! Get it off before... I AM ZIM! Hurry, dad! It's
doing something to my brains!
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
I've almost got it off of you here...
EXT. MEMBRANE LABS - CONTINUOUS
Gaz zooms past the guards, riding ZIM like a horse. ZIM looks exhausted and
drooly, and then confused.
INT. MEMBRANE'S LABS - CONTINUOUS
DIB
Careful... Dad, do you know what this means? This device... it IS ZIM. It's his
brain and his life support. That means his body is just.... something to carry
his PAK around. It's... I AM ZIM AND I WILL RULE YOU ALLLLL!!!
He uses the legs to push Membrane over. Dib, with robot legs protruding from his
belly, scuttles away towards the remaining robot from earlier.
Gaz bursts into the lab.
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
Gaz! Your brother wants to rule us all! We have to stop him!
GAZ
Yeah Yeah. He stole my GameSlave and now he's gonna pay.
ZIM flops through the door looking barely alive. He drools sick goo. The counter
is down to about thirty seconds.
ZIM
...give up, Dib...ZIM here now...prepare for...Floooooooog. ZIM FLOOOOOOG!!
DuuhhhhHHHhh...
Dib does some quick work on the robot brain, laughing evilly all the while. He
plops the brain into the robot and the robot comes to life, looking insane and
spooky.
ROBOT #2
I AM DESTRUCTIO! THE ROBOT THAT WILL END ALL LIFE ON EARTH! OFF I GO!!
Destrucio smashes through a wall and runs into the city. Dib rubs his hands
evilly, enjoying his work.
PROFESSOR MEMBRANE
Noooooo!
ZIM (WELLING UP SOME STRENGTH)
Dibsister! Attack!!
GAZ
Give me my GameSlave back now and I'll let you keep ONE of your limbs, Dib.
ZIM
BLUUAAAAAGH?!!
Dib is too busy LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY to notice his sister's threats. When her
rage reaches its peak, she leaps up, executes a series of ninja moves and knocks
the backpak off of Dib. It falls to the ground right next to ZIM. Stupid ZIM
looks at it for a moment as though trying to remember what it is. He stumbles
over and picks it up. He tries to put in on his head like a hat. The clock is
counting down... five seconds, four... he ties to stand on it... three, two...
finally, he puts it on his back. The clock stops with one second left on it.
ZIM's body rejuvenates, looking full and healthy green again. His eyes flash as
the data floods back into him. He levitates for a second, full of power.
ZIM (CONT'D)
I AM ZIM!
Dib raises his head to see the victorious ZIM.
ZIM (CONT'D)
You have no idea what you were toying with, Dib. Your filthy human body
chemistry isn't compatible with the PAK. It would've destroyed you! You're lucky
I defeated you. HAH!!
He raises his arms in victory. As he raises his arms, the GameSlave falls out of
his pocket. Gaz, standing over her dazed brother and preparing to make good on
her threat of limb removal, sees this and her eyes go wide with anger.
ZIM sees the advancing wave of evil that is Gaz, SHRIEKS and runs away. Gaz
chases him through the hole in the wall left by Destructio. Dib watches them go,
then remembers something very important.
DIB
OH NO! I MUST STOP DESTRUCTIO!
Dib runs out to stop the monster. Membrane is alone in his ruined laboratory. He
shakes his head sadly.
MEMBRANE
That boy and his friends...
Another wall comes down, revealing a furious Torque Smacky, still running after
ZIM. He runs through the hole that ZIM and Gaz just left from.
Torque
DOOOOOOOKIEEEEEWEEEEEENIE!!!
Membrane turns the lights off and leaves the room, disgusted.
end.