Smizmar

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Amy is Kif's Smizmar

A smizmar is the love partner in Amphibiosan culture. Unlike a mate, the smizmar may not necessarily be the parent of the offspring. When an Amphibiosan loves another individual (i.e. their smizmar), they enter a "receptive state", in which their skin becomes a semi-permeable membrane, which allows the passage of genetic material.

During this state, Amphibiosans should be extra sensitive to whom they touch if not wearing protective gear (i.e. gloves), as anyone's touch can produce the pregnancy. Usually, the smizmar would be the biological parent, but in some cases, it may be someone else. However, regardless of contributor, the smizmar is always viewed as the parent in Amphibiosan culture. If two Amphibiosans are involved in coupling, both may fall pregnant. A male smizmar is referred to as a "smizmale," and a female smizmar the "smizmama."

An issue of this complexity it can cause is evident in "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch", wherein Kif enters the "receptive state", because of his smizmar, Amy. However, during an unfortunate event in the bridge of the Nimbus, Leela ended up giving Kif this genetic material.

If there is reason to believe the biological parent would be more suitable than the smizmar, the Grand Midwife may issue a challenge to the smizmar so they may claim custody of the children, as she did with Amy. Despite the midwife insisting it would be a rigorous challenge of generic and neuropsychological exams, it appears the challenge simply consists of asking if the smizmar loves the children. However, this may have been a ruse to convince Amy she is the children's true mother. (8ACV02)

The concept is also apparent in the film When a Man Loves a Smizmar. In "The Impossible Stream," one of the series viewable on Fulu is How I Met Your Smizmar, a parody of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Alternate usage

In the Season 2 episode "Raging Bender", seemingly before the final definition of the word was decided, smizmar is some sort of gender. The MC at the boxing match announces, "Ladies and gentlemen and smizmars, welcome to tonight's main event!" In the same episode, the marquee of the movie theater advertises the film When a Man Loves a Smizmar. This usage occurs again in the Season 7 episode "The Thief of Baghead".