SPOILER WARNING OF DOOM:This section or article may contain spoilers!
When the Skool President has a mental breakdown after not displaying enough Skool spirit, a new President needs to be elected. Zim immediately jumps at the chance for power, and becomes the first candidate (even Gaz votes for him). Dib objects, as Zim is "criminally insane," but he's deemed annoying and ignored. Instead, Willy, an extremely unintelligent Skoolchild, becomes the other candidate. The first debate of the campaign ends in a victory for Zim after he promises the Skoolchildren to fill Dib's head with salted nuts, and Willy just babbles incoherently. To give Earth a fighting chance, Dib becomes Willy's campaign manager. During the final debate, it starts off well for Zim, but Willy makes a comeback because of the words fed to him by Dib through a communicator. When the votes are officially counted, Willy is declared the next Skool President. However, Zim has the last laugh in the end, because the Skool Principal and The Board brainwash Willy to become their puppet, a fate that Zim has now escaped, thanks to Dib.
End of Spoilers:There are no further spoilers for this section or article. You can breathe now.
Facts of Doom
Trivia
In this episode we learn that Ms. Bitters can't stay in sunlight very long, much like some depictions of Count Dracula.
This episode never aired in the US until 2006, but it has aired in other countries years earlier, such as Australia first releasing this episode in 2003.
At the end of the episode, we see Gaz holding GIR and eating salted nuts out of his head. This is the third time that Gaz really interacts with GIR. The first being in Bloaty's Pizza Hog and the second in Tak: The Hideous New Girl.
GIR has only two lines in this episode. Both are "SALTED NUTS!!!", one when Zim said, "...and replaced with SALTED NUTS!," and the other when rewarding Dib.
This was Willy's first and last major appearance in Invader ZIM.
Willy did, however, appear briefly in Bolognius Maximus, as Dib objects that he was the last one to use the toilet (for Ms. Bitters has told him to go roll around in this toilet so as to smell better).
The Skool board appears to be a syndicate of evil, their leader is seen stroking his evil pet beaver, reminiscent of the Bond villain Blofeld. The beaver also has a pet (it looks like an aphid) and tears up after its pet falls to the ground.
Some fans consider this episode to be one of the worst of the series, due to its rushed story and poor writing.
After GIR yells "SALTED NUTS!" for the first time, when the Skool children are yelling/cheering, if you listen closely you can hear Gaz doing the same thing, but she is not seen in the crowd wearing a brain monitor like the others. Additionally, when the candidates' popularity levels are being monitored, the indicator light flashes green, meaning that she is supporting Zim.
There was a scene were Ms.Bitters complaining about Dib jamming things into student ears, meaning that he wasn't the first time to do something like that.
During the campaign, the auditorium's security sentries are IT-0 droids from Star Wars.
Things You Might Have Missed
If you look closely at the part when Dib says "Yes!" you can see a clock that says 12:16. This clock has a first appearance in Parent Teacher Night.
When Gaz votes for the new Skool's president, she votes for Willy but her indicator flashed green several times when the candidates' popularity levels are being checked, meaning that she must have meant to vote for Zim. Miss Bitters actually mentions this herself when explaining how the indicators work, saying that this means that someone may find interest in what the other candidate has to say. Also, when the Skool children are yelling/cheering, if you listen closely you can hear Gaz doing the same thing, but she is not seen in the crowd wearing a brain monitor like the others.
Animation Errors
During the awkward silence portion of the debate, Zim doesn't have his eye lenses on, though no one seems to notice or care (not even Dib). This should be considered a goof, as he still has his hair piece on.
Another goof is when Zim is screaming "MY EMPIRE OF DOOM BEGINS NOW!" The ballot box on both sides (Zim and Willy) stop at 207, though the beeping indicated that the votes are still being counted.
In the scene where Zim was daydreaming, in one frame his PAK was gone.
When the Skool worker throws Zim into the pillow-lined room, the door slams without any sound.
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