Zip

**Zipporah "Zip" the Naive Switcher Tug** is one of the main antagonists in the Seventyverse's TUGS spinoff series, and was the fifth member of the Z-Stacks and is currently the fourth member of the Star Fleet.

## Backstory

Zip came at the same time as Zorran, Zebedee, Zak, and Zelda having been dishonourably discharged from Moran Towing Company. They were all swiftly purchased by Captain Zero.

Because she and Ten Cents were the only switchers in the group, they had a secret friendship after Ten Cents stood up for Zip when she was being bullied by Zorran and Zak. The two competed for smaller contracts across the port, and as they learned more about each other, developed a spark of romance. When Zug came after Zelda's death he decided to put an end to this friendship and unfortunately, his manipulation on Zip had worked. This left poor Ten Cents on his own, and Zip deeply morally conflicted. The other Stars and Z-Stacks found out about Ten Cents' previous friendship with Zip, but only Hercules knew about the romantic spark between the Star Crossed Lovers.

Zip was usually seen at the Zero Dock, helping the other Z-Stacks out with their loads or seen around with Zug. Zip and Zug were the Z-Stack equivalents of Ten Cents and Sunshine, in which they were the smallest tugs in the Fleet and were competing against the other two for work.

After Zip's turnaround, she and Ten Cents decided to rebuild their friendship, but not the romance part. When Ten Cents started to gain feelings for Ariel, Zip decided to think a way of get Ariel to live in Bigg City.

When Zug went missing, Zip was horrified. Unfortunately, Zug's disappearance happened on the same day Bigg City was attacked by the Nazis. Top Hat shoved Zip away from an enemy bomber, but ended up being destroyed in the process. Zilly, Kirke and Sally Seaplane also died heroically. Zip was devastated to learn that Zug had been murdered via a forced Final Firing and got advice for Zob on how to be brave. When Billy Shoepack was murdered and Stormy discovered the swastika, Zip volunteered for the Navy, along with Ten Cents, Big Mac, Hercules, Zorran and Zak. Penny, Meridian, Venus, Theodore, Emily and George came to do their work whilst they were away. It was also then that Zip discovered that Venus was her big sister and also learnt that Zion was killed at Pearl Harbor.

Zip, Zorran, Ten Cents, Big Mac, Hercules, Warrior, Venus, Captain Star, Captain Zero and Captain Lucky discovered that Zak and Zeus were part of a group of Nazi sympathizers, led by Captain Zero's wife Ursula who were plotting to take over Bigg City Port. Tragically, Captain Zero was shot dead after saving Captain Star from Ursula. Zip angrily called the villains out for it and Zeus tried to attack to Zip, but Venus protected her. Zip also participated in the rescue mission when the Nazi group took O.J., Warrior, Zebedee, Little Owl, Stormy and Hail hostage. After the Nazi group was defeated and Zorran suicide bombed a warehouse, killing himself, Zak, Zeus and Ursula, Zip, Zebedee and Zob, who were now the last remaining Z-Stacks, joined the Star Fleet. Zip suggested that Ariel and Penny should work at Lucky's Yard, a decision that everyone agreed with. Zip decided to become the Star Fleet's No. 4, to honour Top Hat who saved her life as well as her best friend, Zug.

## Relationships

### Ten Cents

Before Zug joined the Z-Stacks, Ten Cents and Zip had a secret friendship. When they met, Ten Cents stood up for Zip when she was being bullied by Zorran and Zak. Zip, surprised and grateful, started a friendly rivalry with Ten Cents. The two competed for smaller contracts across the port, and as they learned more about each other, developed a spark of romance. When Zug came, he decided to put an end to this friendship, and unfortunately, his manipulation on Zip had worked. This left poor Ten Cents on his own, and Zip deeply morally conflicted. The other Stars and Z-Stacks found out about Ten Cents' previous friendship with Zip, but only Hercules knew about the romantic spark between the Star Crossed Lovers.

After Zip's turnaround, she and Ten Cents decided to rebuild their friendship, but not the romance part. When Ten Cents started to gain feelings for Ariel, Zip decided to think a way of get Ariel to live in Bigg City. After the battle, she suggested that Ariel and Penny should work at Lucky's Yard, a decision that everyone agreed with.

### Zug

When Zug first arrived, he tore Zip's friendship with Ten Cents apart. Zug would take advantage of Zip's naivety, but after their turnaround in *Run Aground*, Zug regretted tearing Ten Cents and Zip apart. Zip also considered Zug her best friend. Zip was devastated when Zug was forcefully giving the Final Firing.

In the *TUGS Survival AU*, Zip was relieved when Zug was only given Green Water by mistake.

### Zion

Zip and Zion used to work at Moran Towing Company together. Zion and Zip were incredibly close for a long time. However, Zip started to fall into the wrong crowd - as did Zebedee - when they got to know Zorran and Zak more. Zion tried very hard to keep his sister on the straight and narrow, but the two had a massive falling out. Zip - along with the trio of harbour tugs - went to Bigg City Port to the Z-Stack company - while Zion went to the Navy. (Info regarding Saving Bigg City to be added)

(Details regarding the TUGS Survival AU to be added)

### Venus

Both Zip and Venus were overjoyed to learn they were sisters. When Zeus tried to attack Zip, Venus protected her from the narcissistic tug. After the battle was over, Venus decided to join the Star Fleet so she could get to know Zip better.

In the *TUGS Survival AU*, Venus joins the Z-Stacks after Zeus is fired.

## Personality

Zip is like Zug, only worse, and is a “true zero” in the Z-Stacks. Her head is often in the clouds, and she is well known for being a coward. She is easily scared and sometimes speaks out of turn, as well as being quick to back down when engaging in an argument, and is easily dominated.

Zip could be described as being "slow in the head," for it will often take her a while to catch onto things, even with basic terms and phrases such as "devious".

Zip and Zug are a similar wavelength. However, Zug is much more skeptical of the pair, whilst Zip is quite the opposite. Zip will often follow along with Zug's plans in any situation, even if doing so causes Zug to lose his nerves. Zug often takes advantage of Zip's naivety to keep himself out of danger.

Like Zebedee, Zip let other Z-Stacks do the planning while she assists. Zip heavily looked up to Zorran, but usually fails to meet his standards.

Again, similarly to Zebedee, Zip is also shown to have a kinder side to her. The biggest example being when Ten Cents needed help with keeping Izzy Gomez floating. Zip stated that she should help him, but Zug turned down the idea.

However, recently, Zip, along with Zug, have been able to do the right thing. Both of them have helped rescue a freightliner with Warrior and Hercules' help. Zip is also working to mend the friendship she once had with Ten Cents. (Details regarding the Wartime trilogy to be added)

## Technical Details

### Basis

Like the rest of the Zero Fleet, Zip is based on the Moran tugs of New York.

### Livery

Zip's livery consists of a black hull sporting white trim, and a maroon superstructure which also sports a white trim. Her smokestack is painted in a solid black with the Zero Marine Bigg City insignia on its sides, a white stripe along its top, and a white number "5" on its front. Zip flies the Zero flag and has a silver search light positioned on the front of her hull. Her name is also painted on the sides of her hull in white with a dash at each end. She wears a black fedora with a white stripe.

In Aftermath, Zip is repainted into the Star Fleet's cooperate yellow, red, blue and white livery with the number "4" on her stack. This is in memory of her late friend Zug (who was No. 4 of the Z-Stacks and her best friend), and in honor of Top Hat (who was No. 4 of the Star fleet and saved her life).

## Differences between TUGS, Salty's Lighthouse and the Seventyverse

* In *TUGS* and *Salty's Lighthouse*, Zip was male. In the Seventyverse, Zip is now female with her full name being Zipporah.
* In the SeventyVerse, Zip and Ten Cents used to be friends prior to meeting Zug and Sunshine, and even had a crush on each other.

## Trivia

* Because Zip's original voice actors (John Baddeley in *TUGS* and Ian James Corlett in *Salty's Lighthouse*) are both male, the preferred voice actress for Zip is Tara Strong who voiced Harleen Quinzel from *DC Super Hero Girls*.
	+ As a result, Zion uses John Baddeley's voice whilst Hank gets Ian James Corlett's voice.
* Zip's worst nightmare is everyone hating her, which was spurred on Ten Cents and Zion turning on her. Although Ten Cents and Zip buried the hatchet, she never got the chance to do the same with Zion. Though they were able to bury the hatchet in the TUGS Survival AU.