Spacejunk AU question: Does Zim still deal with phantom pain feelings after losing his arm/leg/antennae? Does Dib help him deal with it? The first few months were probably particularly tough with that I'm sure. (Tbh I'm interested in a lot of those early healing days if/when we get to it in the comic.)
Hi Lucky!! thanks for leaving your question :)
Yes, he deals with phantom pain. It's specially more constant in earlier times. On Earth the only people he allowed to help him in those moments were Gaz and his computer, and it was very tough indeed.
Zim eventually learns to deal with it and kinda gets used to feeling phantom pains occasionally.... Except when it comes from his missing antenna.
Antennae are irkens' Achilles' heel; they don't only have olfactory and auditive functions, they also work a crucial part of their balance and orientation... and they are HEAVELY sensitive. When pain comes from such an important and sensible organ, it's straight torture. Like, imagine having the worst migraine of your life, but at the same time you're dealing with the agonizing pain of a perforated eardrum, you have vertigo, nausea, you feel disorientated, agitated...ALL of it at the same time. It's the closer description of what Zim suffers when those pains come from his missing antenna. It not only comes this way, he also has to deal with it whenever he does maintenance to his prosthetic.
Fortunately, the phantom pain coming from his missing antenna is very rare, but when it happens it lets Zim completely incapacitated. The only thing he can do is rest and stay as still as posible so that the pain doesn't get worse. In moments like this Dib stays by his side and doesn't move until he's getting better.
