Minimoose

Minimoose
Undisguised Disguised
Name	Minimoose
Species	Robot Moose
Gender	Technically Genderless
Affliation	Irken Empire Zim
First Appearance	Nubs of Doom (cancelled) The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever (aired)
Voice Actor(s)	Jhonen Vasquez

Minimoose is a supporting character that would have made its official debut in the episode "Nubs of Doom". However, due to the cancellation of the series, it only appeared in "The Most Horrible X-mas Ever". Minimoose was originally made to be the ultimate tool of destruction and a replacement sidekick for Zim, after Zim got tired of GIR constantly being distracted by Suck Munkeys.

Appearance

Minimoose was created by Zim and takes the form of a floating, purple, nose-less moose. It works very similarly to Chibiusa's Luna-P toy in Sailor Moon R. While appearing to be a failed creation, Minimoose truly is a tool of doom, but Zim doesn't know how to use it. However, GIR did manage to accidentally activate its built-in weapons while playing with it.

Minimoose would have disguised himself as a tiny airplane in "Nubs of Doom", much like GIR's dog costume. This was the only real known consistent disguise he would have had, although in Issue 24 he was disguised as a bucket.

Personality

Minimoose's personality wasn't shown much and it's unknown whether it is somewhat diabolical and mischievous in nature, or innocent and carefree like GIR. In the script for the unfinished episode "Nubs of Doom", it was very obedient to his master and completed all his tasks. This was because Zim was originally going to install an Obey-o-nator-2000X, the most unquestioningly obedient computer brain in the galaxy, but Zim wanted it to be even more unquestioningly obedient. Zim also accepted a top-secret experimental Vortian doomsday device offered by Vortian Prisoner 777 and incorporated it into Minimoose's construction. Minimoose, unlike GIR, is not tempted and distracted by Suck Munkeys, which was more than enough obedience for Zim.

Role in Invader Zim

Minimoose was supposed to be a primary character, but due to the series' cancellation it never got to be one. It’s vocabulary consists of small squeaks - pronounced "Nyah!" - which are done by Jhonen Vasquez. The characters around it can understand its speech, although the audience cannot. Its original purpose was to replace GIR as Zim's companion, although due to its failure to live up to expectations, Zim keeps both GIR and Minimoose with him at his base.

Minimoose made his debut in "The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever", but Zim mentioned that he has had Minimoose with him "the entire time." This is a reference to the unfinished episode "Nubs of Doom", which was scheduled to air before the premiere aired. However, due to Invader Zim's cancellation, Nickelodeon only let the animation team finish one episode, and they sided with the Christmas special. This resulted in Minimoose being a mystery to the fans.

Minimoose's role in the comic series has been mostly limited to cameos, though in some issues it has a slightly larger role:

• Near the end of the first issue, it distracts Dib long enough for Zim to escape in the Voot Runner, setting up the events of the following issue.
• In Issue 3, it serves as Zim's mount during his scheme as the artist "Shminvader Shmim", carrying him around from place to place.
• In Issue 24, for the first time ever it actually accompanies Zim and GIR off Earth to the black market planet Cyberflox and is left behind with GIR when Zim is abducted.
• In Issue 25, Minimoose and GIR fly the Voot Cruiser to planet Dooq to rescue Zim from Fitzoo-Menga's clutches.
• In Issue 27, Minimoose is first seen being used as a bowl for GIR's food. It later does a terrible job at causing a distraction in order to stop Xooxi from boring Zim further, and finally gasps in shock when Zim insults their "host."

Abilities

Only four functions of Minimoose have been seen:

• Binoculars (Zim once used Minimoose as binoculars in "The Most Horrible X-mas Ever")
• Pack animal
• Pilot

However, Minimoose contains many more deadly super weapons in "Nubs of Doom", giving the name to what would have been it’s debut episode.

Minimoose is also capable of giving speeches, as shown when it introduced Santa Claus and the teleporter to the people of Earth, who cheered massively; either due to Santa's presence, or that Minimoose made a satisfactory speech. Minimoose is also shown to be quite persuasive. In "Nubs of Doom", another speech was made by Minimoose to get the "Stop Piling Cows" protest group to leave the base. Also in issue 1 of the comic series, Minimoose was able to distract Dib with idle conversation long enough to allow Zim to launch into space.

Filmography

Invader Zim (TV Series)

• The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever
• Nubs of Doom (unfinished)
• Day of da Spookies (unfinished)
• Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus! (TV Movie)

Invader Zim (Comics)

• Issue 1
• Issue 3
• Issue 9 (one panel cameo)
• Issue 13
• Issue 15 (cover)
• Issue 20
• Issue 23 (one panel cameo)
• Issue 24
• Issue 25
• Issue 27

Trivia

• Like the SIR Units, Minimoose is genderless, but is identified by whatever gender pronouns its master dubs them.
  • It was confirmed by Jhonen Vasquez at San Diego comic-con during the Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus! panel that Minimoose's assigned gender is undetermined, and it could be either male or female.
• Unsurprisingly, Minimoose has had more appearances in the comics than in the TV series but has yet to have an issue where he is central to the plot.
• Unlike Zim or GIR who needs disguises to conceal their identities from the humans, Minimoose technically doesn't necessarily need one since the resembles an Earth creature and doesn't have to worry about keeping its abilities hidden since most people are oblivious.

Gallery