Explain SMBC — the wiki for Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Zorgax

2020-10-06 View on smbc-comics.com → 1 revision
Zorgax
Votey panel for Zorgax
This explanation is incomplete or may contain errors. It was generated by AI and has not yet been reviewed by a human editor.

Explanation

The Joke

An alien named Zorgax is being addressed by a group of humans. One person says, "What the hell is that, Zorgax? You guys keep getting into our learned-food bank. Come, but this time up, I'd like you to explain yourself, man." Zorgax appears to be standing next to a mannequin-like figure. Another human says, "It's just a mannequin on a stick."

In the next panel, a human says, "We should discuss our relationship status." In the final panel, the aliens all scatter, yelling "Scatter! Scatter!" The aliens, who were brave enough to visit Earth and steal food, are terrified by the prospect of having a serious conversation about the status of a relationship.

The Humor

The comic plays on the classic trope of aliens visiting Earth, but subverts the usual "alien invasion" scenario. Instead of being a threat, the alien Zorgax and his companions are essentially scavengers raiding the food supply and using decoys to avoid getting caught. The real punchline comes when a human tries to initiate an emotional conversation about "relationship status," which causes the aliens to panic and flee. This is a relatable joke about how discussing relationships can be more terrifying than any science fiction scenario. The aliens can handle interstellar travel and infiltrating human society, but they cannot handle emotional vulnerability. It is a commentary on avoidant behavior in relationships, projected onto aliens for comedic effect.

View History (1) Original Comic
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