Hey so in 'Darkness' is Dib willing to try again with Zim because he can't see him in the dark? He can finally express his feelings without feeling like a freak because as long as he can't see him, he's not an alien. He's not his worst enemy. He's not a creature from another planet hell bent on world domination- He's just Zim. No fear of being judged or anything, because as long as its dark its /just/ Zim. Nothing less and nothing more. Because that's what I think of every time I read it
(regarding this fic - and also mild spoilers down on my comment so if you haven’t read that I suggest u do that before reading this response)
That’s an interesting way to look at it, and I honestly agree that part of the reason why Dib is so reticent of trying to do anything with Zim is because he’s an alien hellbent on destroying the world, but in truth most of his issues are about his perceived self worth and image.
When it’s dark you don’t have to be aware of the horrid meat sack you inhabit, you don’t have to think about how the mere shape of your existence paints a picture in other people’s eyes you have no control over. You can’t look down and see the hands you hate, the chest you despise, the legs you wish were different. When it’s dark you can focus on the shape of the other and you don’t have to fear if what you’re doing looks awkward, what you’re presenting looks undesirable, the face you’re making looks dumb. In darkness touch reigns supreme, and it’s much easier to paint a pretty picture with just the warmth on your skin on each other.
This is why not only the lights coming back but the reflection on the TV so quickly kicked Dib out of the happy place he had just built with Zim. ‘Cause not only could he see himself again, and see Zim up-close (with all of his Zimness, eneminess, alienness full on display, painting the words “Traitor to the Human Race” right up on his forehead) but the curved TV screen showed a clear, although heavily warped, version of his body. Staring at him. And as soon as the guilt arrived, the shameful stare appeared straight away on his reflection and it seemed to accuse him of a crime. The crime of daring to be happy while being such a walking waste of skin. And as his expression changed, his reaction to it changed, and it just fed onto this infinite chain reaction of feeling terrible for looking terrible and doing something terrible with his terrible, terrible enemy.
It all happened in an instant, and the only thing he could think to do to try and vanquish the evil, atone for his sins, was to kick Zim off him. And Zim’s words right after only cemented what he’d been feeling this whole time.