Annotations for Zero Percent

Lyric: Synthetic animals
Annotation:
This could be a nod to the line, “streetwalking cheetah with a capital G” from the song ‘Party Poison’ earlier in the album, which was itself a reference (to ‘Search and Destroy’ by Iggy Pop and the Stooges). The meaning of the phrase itself could be that the Killjoys of the Danger Days universe feel that Better Living Industries -who manufacture “synthetic” emotions- have forced them to become “animals” in order to defend themselves.

Lyric: I don’t have much of an education
 But I got a knack for elimination
Annotation:
In the Danger Days universe, Killjoys are typically aged 15-17, so this may be referencing the fact that the teens should be in school but are instead fighting Better Living Industries.

Lyric: This is the bonus stage!
Annotation:
Often in video games there is a bonus stage. Using it in this context of a song give the impression that life is a like a game. The whole song is pretty carefree and about rebelling​- so the video game reference seems rather apt.

Lyric: Don’t need the system
 We can kill them if we try
 Shoot up everything we see
 And we’ll write it on the wall
 I hope you die!
Annotation:
This is Gerard’s call for rebellion. He wants to encourage fellow outsiders to fight against the mainstream and unapologetically be themselves. In terms of the Killjoy universe, the “system” is likely referring to Better Living Industries. One of the Killjoys' goals is to prove to the public that they don’t need the pills BLI makes to feel things. Funnily, when Party Poison is killed in the music video for  “SING,” Korse backs him up against a  wall before shooting him.

Lyric: Manipulation
 Just to form an alibi
 You’re the prototype for me
 And if heaven wants to take us they can try
Annotation:
Not even heaven and God could take them away from earth if they wanted to The ‘system’ (Better Living Industries, commonly abbreviated as ‘BLI’ or ‘BL/ind’) manipulates people into taking pills that subjugate them by only making them happy. This forms them an alibi as they claim to be the ‘good guys’, because they eliminate the negative emotions.

Lyric: I want annihilation
 A new design for X and Y
 I want your violation
Annotation:
The protagonist is clearly unhappy about how the world is run (off of money and power) and wants to change it. He suggests changing it violently by breaking the rules.

Lyric: Now, I’m going to show you how much I love you
 Oh, my magazine is full of ugly things
Annotation:
This section involves some wordplay: a magazine is both a publication and a form of attachable gun storage for bullets. With the image of a published magazine in mind, fans might think of MCR’s defiance for societal definitions of beauty. One of the main promotional taglines for the  “SING” music video was “would you destroy something perfect to make it beautiful?” Frontman  Gerard Way has also spoken out about this at concerts, often saying something like: The world is gonna try to clean you up, what you gonna do about it? They’re gonna try and make you pretty, what the fuck you gonna do about it? You’re gonna say: ‘I wanna stay ugly.' The gun-related meaning may remind fans of some lyrics from  “My Way Home Is Through You”: Well, my gun fires Seven different shades of shit So what’s your favorite color, punk?

