The meaning of “Vindicate” because I found a pretty foul potential double entendre in this episode’s title
It’s a very fun word that dances nearby the feeling of “exonerate” and “avenge”, but it can ALSO mean something closer to “justify” or “substantiate” depending on the context.
The first chop of the episode and the title implies Dwicky to be this potential vindicator, and he was- but not in the sense that he’s validating Dib’s belief in the paranormal. He doesn’t need anyone to confirm he’s right about Zim or that he’s not delusional, he already knows that. But he has been accused of such by everyone who knows his name, so, maybe that’s the real meaning, right? That Dwicky was supposed to be his advocate and absolve him in the eyes of everyone else who treated him so poorly? I’m sure that’s what he was hoping for… but we know too well how that turned out.
Dwicky did prove something by the end of this episode though, so it’s a perfectly fitting description of the conclusion. What that entire series of events actually served toward was Dib’s mistrust and low expectations of other people. A disposition that you can say has been…
Vindicated!
