WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS!

"If you've ever taken a road trip through the Pacific Northwest, you've probably seen a bumper sticker for a place called Gravity Falls. It's not on any maps, and most people have never heard of it. Some people think it's a myth. But if you're curious, don't wait. Take a trip. Find it. It's out there somewhere in the woods. Waiting."

WHAT IS GRAVITY FALLS?

Gravity Falls is a Disney animated TV series created by Alex Hirsch, airing from 2012-2016. The show centers around two twins, Dipper and Mabel, their eccentric great-uncle Grunkle Stan, and the summer they spend in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Grunkle Stan runs a tourist trap called the Mystery Shack, home to all kinds of very fake supernatural oddities; but all while Stan purports these oddities, Dipper finds real supernatural happenings in town. Dipper finds a mysterious journal, labeled with a large 3 imprinted in a golden 6-fingered hand, and spends the rest of the summer trying to uncover the author of the journal and the mysteries of Gravity Falls.

MEET THE TOWNSFOLK!

Dipper, twin of Mabel, is a 12 year-old boy with a curiosity for all things weird in Gravity Falls. He is known to be anxious and self-concious, but also very curious and passionate, learning to believe in himself and his abilities as the show continues. Dipper is a character who wants to grow up-- he wants to be seen as mature, manly, and hates being viewed as a child. Many episodes revolve around his urge to be mature, and though he begins to savor being young as the summer continues, he can still fall into this mindset in the right situations. Though he's an incredibly nervous kid, he's always willing to stand up for who he loves and what he believes in, no matter the cost.

Mabel, twin of Dipper, is a 12 year-old girl with a love for everything cute. She's incredibly excitable and passionate, often seen as childlike, but endearing in that sense. She loves stickers, cats, unicorns, rainbows... everything a preteen girl would. She's also a bit boy-crazy, spending the summer looking for a her true love, alongside her friends Candy and Grenda. Unlike Dipper, Mabel fears the future and the idea of growing up, and tries her hardest to put it off as long as possible, culminating in the series finale as she tries to make summer last forever. Throughout the series, Mabel grows more confident in herself, and even though she fears change, she eventually learns to embrace it and make new memories with the people she loves most.

Stan is the great-uncle ("Grunkle") of Mabel and Dipper, and the owner of the Mystery Shack, where he is known as Mr. Mystery. Stan is a very off-beat person, with a sarcastic, sardonic attitude and a shady history, but a deep love for his family. Throughout the show, everything we see Stan do is for his family-- family is Stan's driving force, and without family, he is nothing. Stan cares deeply for Dipper and Mabel, wanting to make sure they go down the right path; but even still, he seems to know more than he lets on... maybe there's more to him-- maybe he's... not what he seems. (Wink wink!)

Ford is the other great-uncle of Mabel and Dipper, the author of the journals, and the long-lost secret twin of Stan. Ford has a love for everything weird, dedicating his life to studying anomalies in Gravity Falls; this love comes from his own percieved weirdness, as Ford has polydactyly, giving him a fully-functioning sixth finger on both hands. Ford is a deeply self-concious person, but puts himself out to the word as a confident, clever, incredibly intelligent person. After finally escaping 30 years trapped in the portal he created, he spends the rest of his life trying to make up for his past mistakes, holding a deep respect and love for his familty and friends.

McGucket is the crazed "local kook" of the town, often scampering around on all-fours and seemingly shouting nonsense at any occasion. Even still, he is a very endearing character, with some of the funniest lines in the show. He was initially created as nothing but a gag character, never meant for any serious storylines, but was developed later on into a character with a shockingly tragic backstory-- once Stanford's college pal and lab assistant, the things he saw in Gravity Falls led to a history of memory erasing, cult leading, and the possibility of the end of the world. After confronting his past, Fiddleford grows into a forgiving and kind, albeit still eccentric, man and learns to regain and cope with the memories he's lost.

Wendy is a teen girl and employee at the Mystery Shack, though she doesn't really do all that much work, often laying around or skipping work to hang out with friends. She's a sassy, sarcastic girl with a cool attitude, always able to handle even the scariest situations. Wendy is a bit of a tomboy, rarely acting in a very "girly" way, and is often portrayed as a very brave, tough character-- she is also very kind and welcoming, if a bit teasing on occasion; it's all out of love! She serves as a once-crush and now friend to Dipper, always supporting him and working by his side, as well as being a close friend and confidant to Mabel. Wendy is arguably the closest friend the twins have in town, always believing in them and making sure they have hope for the future.

SOOS RAMIREZ

Soos is the handyman at the Mystery Shack, with a love for not only his job and a goofy personality. Soos is a character who mainly serves as comic relief, always goofing off and acting silly; he is also an incredibly loyal person, stopping at nothing to protect and support his friends, especially Stan. Soos views Stan as a sort of father figure, one he never had growing up, and when Stan finally decides to retire, he bestows Soos the honor of being the new Mr. Mystery. Alongside his girlfriend Melody, Soos runs the Mystery Shack with a passion and love for it only he could bring to the table.

Bill Cipher is a dream demon of thousands of years of age and the main villain of the series, having worked with hundreds of people over the years under an innocent guise, but most important to the story, Stanford Pines. Bill not only works with Ford in the series, but Gideon too, as well as tricking Dipper and Mabel into doing his bidding. Bill is a morbid character with a sick sense of humor and very little, if any, morals, using any form of trickery he can to get into people's heads. Bill, as horrible of a person he is, is arguably one of the best villains in recent media, and is a fan-favorite for that exact reason-- even if he does try to bring about the end of the world.

WHY I LOVE GRAVITY FALLS!

I started watching Gravity Falls when I was in elementary school. Frankly I don't remember the exact year I started watching it, but I know it was while the show was still airing-- probably somewhere during season 1B to 2A. Growing up autistic and queer, I always felt out of place and weird with my peers. Sure, I had friends, but I never quite felt like I fit in. (Though, I do vividly remember reading from the journal with my friends at recess and pretending to summon Bill Cipher, as well as gushing about each episode of the finale the morning at school after it aired...) It's cheesy to say, but Gravity Falls made it feel like it was okay for me to be weird. I saw a part of myself in each of the characters-- in Dipper's insecurity, in Mabel's excitability, in Stan's sarcasticness, in Ford's intelligence... every character in the show just spoke to me in a way no other media did, or ever will.

Dipper, especially, was a character that is very close to my heart, especially as a kid. I totally idolized him-- I used to dress up as him and only respond to the name Dipper for days, which, in hindsight, makes a lot of sense for a young trans boy who just didn't know it yet. In recent years, Ford has become a deeply personal character to me. I see myself in him in many ways-- in his insecurity, in his excelling where his sibling failed, in his pressure to be the best, in his intelligence, in his fears, in his joy-- not to say he's literally me, but he's literally me. Especially after the release of The Book of Bill, and after reading the lost journal pages, I just felt such a deep connection to the narrative written. My traumas parallel his in many ways, and the way he copes and the way he speaks about what happened to him is so deeply reminiscent of myself it's almost sickening. Finally seeing him heal from his trauma in The Book of Bill, seeing him feel happy, loved, and free... god. It was something I needed so bad, and it came at the perfect time.

Gravity Falls is a show for the weirdos, for the outcasts, for the kids who never felt like they fit in. It's a reminder that no matter how weird you may be, no matter who you are or what you've been through, there is a place for you. There are people like you, who will love you regardless of your mistakes and your scars. As Stanford himself wrote, "stay curious, stay weird, stay kind, and don't let anyone ever tell you you aren't smart or brave or worthy enough." To me, that's what Gravity Falls is about: learning to love yourself and extend that love to others. I'm sure to many Gravity Falls is just a silly show from their childhood, but for me, it's a core part of who I am. I think without having seen it as a kid, I'd be a much different person than I am today. I'm so thankful and lucky that this show was, and is, a part of my life, and I'll never be able to move on from it. So, yeah, thank you Gravity Falls. See you next summer. ♡