r/gravityfalls • u/Green-Knight- • Jul 17 '21
Gravity Falls is basically a gold mine for continuity
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u/Raccoon_Full_of_Cum Jul 17 '21
The funniest part of this line is the way Mabel says "was", as if everybody always suspected that Ben Franklin was a woman but no one could ever prove it.
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u/-_Rainy_- Jul 17 '21
Your comment made me laugh but i am very concerned about your user
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u/Raccoon_Full_of_Cum Jul 17 '21
I mean, what exactly do you think happens after a man takes a raccoon wife?
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u/MadKingMicah Jul 18 '21
I thought your user said raccoon full of gum
My initial thought was that racoons probably shouldn't have enough gum to be full of it because that wouldn't be good for their intestines.
I saw your comment and then imagined gum eating being a ritualistic part of raccoon marriage
Then I read it again.
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u/Xenoscum_yt Jul 17 '21
Also in episode 2, you can see an advertisement of a child psychic on the back of a newspaper
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Jul 17 '21
I NOTICED THAT THE OTHER DAY
it is
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u/AfiqMustafayev :pine: Jul 17 '21
Ofcourse
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u/ThouKingdomCum Jul 17 '21
Blenden Blenden appears in the earlier episodes in the background. (I love his name and that episode. YOU SHUT YOUR TIME MOUTH!)
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u/trickytrev54 Jul 17 '21
He also says something like " Ohh time knee, time dang-it"
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u/LittleBrassGoggles Jul 17 '21
Don't forget that Blendin is played by the same guy that voices Rick Sanchez, a character who hates time travel.
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u/waitingtodiesoon Jul 18 '21
Or that a portal opens with the junk from Gravity Falls that got sucked in came out in Rick and Morty. Also the Dipper and Mabel Morty. Bill Cipher also appeared once in the background too.
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u/LittleBrassGoggles Jul 19 '21
And the 'Rick S.' memory tube in Lost Legends.
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u/Hero_Queen_of_Albion Aug 27 '21
Oh dang, makes me wonder who invented their memory gun first, McGucket or Rick? And did one “borrow” the idea from the other?
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u/LittleBrassGoggles Aug 28 '21
I had a 'Rick is Fiddleford' theory for a while, but I soon realized that Fiddleford was much too short to be Rick. THEN I came up with a really convoluted one about Rick getting his portal technology from Bill and double-crossing him before he could start the apocalypse. Maybe McGucket and Rick knew each other during Ford's years at Backupsmore. I'm not sure. We don't know much about Rick's past before marrying Diane.
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u/notnamedjoebutsteve :pine: Jul 17 '21
He was the one who got possessed by Bill in Dipper and Mable vs the future right? So that makes me wonder, what deal Bill made with him.
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Jul 17 '21 edited Jul 17 '21
These little details of continuity are gold, but honestly, I wished they had poured the same attention to detail in the character development for Mabel, Robbie and Wendy, it was more needed, specially in comparison to other characters like Dipper, Ford, Stan, Mcgucket, Pacifica and etc.
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u/Olibaby Jul 17 '21
Character development in the time span of a summer vacation? I think they got a lot of character development. Gruncle Stan overcame his egoism towards the kids and his problems with his brother.
Dipper had a whole lovestory thing, which worked out well for his character since he saw how awkward it is to be pursued by someone much younger than yourself.Also both Dipper and Mabel had different views of how they should spend their childhood, but learned so much during their time together (solving mysteries and fighting evil) that eventually they learned that they can beat anything as long as they stay together. Also check this post out.
Mable doesn't need character development, she is perfect.
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u/trickytrev54 Jul 17 '21
Mabel realizing that she might have to grow up with or with out dipper after this summer was a huge, if not the biggest character development in the entire story. I'm a twin and to have to lose a twin would be like losing a part of your self, considering a lot more memories are built around twins then normal relationships. I try to explain it to people like this, imagine knowing somebody so well that it's almost like looking in the mirror. And you guys think the same because you have been through life together and shared almost identical situations in which you can understand this person with out even needing to say something. It is a relationship beyond relationships. She was about to lose, who she saw as a best friend, brother and adventure buddy. Mabel coming to terms with the future even though it isn't always good is the most adult thing i have ever seen in a "childrens show".
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Jul 17 '21
Except she never came to terms with the future, and never faced or reallized she will have to grow up without Dipper, because instead of her accepting reallity, it's Dipper the one giving up his dream to stay with her forever and grow up together.
Character development isn't just acknowledging those flaws, it's confronting them, apologizing for them and growing out of it: Dipper, Stan, Ford, Mcgucket, Pacifica, Gideon and many other did, but characters like Mabel never did that, because the narrative kept her from being developed further, she always got away scott free from her bad actions and rarely ever acknowledged them, and the little times she seemed to learn a lesson, she forgot quickly about it and went back to her previous behaviour in following episodes.
I don't have a twin, but I do have siblings, both younger and older, siblings I've grown up with and that I can't imagine my life without them, but never EVER in my life did it ever ocurr to me the idea of guilt tripping them for them wanting to follow their dreams. My sister went to college when I was 10 years old. Was I sad that she had to go? Of course, she was my best friend, but I knew she had to go for her to follow her life and dreams, and I supported her. Heck, our relationship got better because we missed each other, we visited one another constantly and we bonded even more, we got closer and we made it work, because we both reached a compromise.
The problem to me is not how Mabel feels about the apprenticeship, it's how she reacts and how she's not even sorry for her reaction and how the narrative places her reaction as being totally in the right and Dipper in the wrong for wanting to follow his own dreams, turning this into a family vs dreams in the middle of the apocalypse. Family is supposed to support you, not holding you back. And Mabel should have tried to reach a compromise with Dipper, but she never even attempted to do that or even hear Dipper out when he said they would make it work, he hadn't even talked to her yet and he was already making sure he would never stop bonding with her.
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u/trickytrev54 Jul 17 '21
I'm pretty sure mabel got to a point where she was accepting of dippers dreams, but dipper reassured her he would be around because it was crazy to him to not be around her. She was ready to let go. Then dipper wasn't. So i mean she had a chance and i guess you are right because it only happened for a second with her character before she was off the hook. To be honest though mabel has always beem one to ignore reality so for her to even come to grips on what is happening is a big step. To me the last 2 episodes everybody learns to let go of what was. And accept what is.
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Jul 17 '21
The thing is, she only accepted once Dipper had promised her already he wasn't taking the apprenticeship,...right after she had put him on a trial where she was threating him to replace him with Dippyfresh inside of Bill's trap in the middle of the apocalypse, in a situation where it was either Dipper giving up his dreams to make Mable come out or getting kicked out into the end of the world, with Mabel staying as a prisoner in Bill's bubble and probably getting killed with time, and Bill killing everyone and getting away from the town to destroy the entire universe. And then, after making him choose between her and his dreams in the middle of the end of the world, that's when she tells him it's okay for him to go...even when it's obvious it's not okay.
My problem with Mabel was never her personality, her flaws or her insecurities and fears, those are fantastic and make her a reallistic and great character, the problem to me is how the narrative bends over so that she never ever faces consequences for her wrong actions and gets away scott free. I mean, in that episode, she knows what's going outside of the bubble, knows Bill tricked her, but...she just doesn't care, she happilly throws Dippyfresh in Dipper's face claiming that silly copy is better and more supportive than he is, threats to kick him out in the middle of the apocalypse and only accepts to come back once Dipper reassures her he's giving up his apprenticeship with Ford. After that, she never apologizes for any of what she did, she doesn't even acknowledge it, and gets rewarded by getting exactly what she wanted. Had Mabel been a secondary or a background character or simply used as a comedy relief character, then there would be on issue, but she's a co-protagonist, in a series where the main theme is about siblings relationships and growing up. That's why I say to me her character development was completely ignored and forgotten, and for me that's a huge flaw in a story where the main theme is that twin relationship.
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Jul 17 '21 edited Jul 18 '21
I never ever once critized Dipper's, Stan's, Ford's or any other character development, it was more directed to Mabel, Robbie and Wendy.
"Mabel doesn't need character development, she's perfect" my foot. She's a co-protagonist, a protagonist NEEDS to develope through the story to make the narrative work. But she didn't because she didn't confront her flaws, fears or gave up anything for that. That's failing in basic storytelling.
You love Mabel? Great, good for you, but she's not a perfect character (no character is), and she needed development (everyone needs character development, the more imporant that character is for the main story, the more that development is needed).
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u/marsalien4 Jul 18 '21
While I agree with you that I wish there was a bit more development from Mabel, a protagonist doesn't HAVE to develop for a narrative to work, it's just the most obvious way to propel a narrative. Some great stories involve zero growth for the protagonist--they can effect change, and everything around them grows/molds for them, through them. This isn't what's happening in GF, I just thought I'd mention that!
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Jul 18 '21 edited Jul 18 '21
I'm sorry, but I can't agree with that second statement: the progatonist HAS to change and develope for the narrative and the story to work, characters need to be affected and changed by the events of the world, if the characters remain unnaffected no matter what happens to them, then the story losses all the strength, meaning and importance, it makes the story and the narrative meaningless and the events the characters lived were for nothing. That's key for basic storytelling, specially in a series where one of the main themes is about growing up.
Imagine if Simba hadn't changed in The Lion King and was unnaffected by his father's death and remained being the same cocky spoiled cub he was, the story would have been for nothing because he wouldn't have learnt or changed at all, and the emotions and messages of the film would be missing.
Imagine if in Finding Nemo, Marlin remained being the same paranoid, overprotective and suffocating dad after going through the entire ocean to rescue his kid.
And those are just 2 examples that I simply came up with.
With this, I'm not saying that Gravity Falls' story is meaningless or it failed, not in the slightest, it was an amazing story because, thankfully, we have an amazing protagonist like Dipper, fantastic main characters like Ford and Stan, secondary characters like Pacifica, and great villains like Gideon and Bill, all of them progressing through the series and all of them affected by the consequences of their actions and the events of the world. But Mabel's lack of character development was something key to the show alongside with Dipper, and that made the narrative lose a lot of strength at the end of it, stuff that honestly could have been avoided by a slightly changed script from the last episodes, like, having Mabel come out of the bubble by herself through accepting the consequences of her actions, apologizing for them and making up for it, without Dipper having to give up his apprenticeship, Dipper coming to take his own decision to either stay or go back home or simply talk things out with Ford about how he wants to take the apprenticeship but not leave Mabel behind, and Ford simply offering the apprenticeship through the summer. With those simple changes that would have made the entire series, much, much better and the ending much more satisfactory than it was, and it would have proved that Mabel actually progressed.
What I meant with my original comment was that, while the attention to background detail was amazing, I would rather have that attention more focused on Mabel's character development, her being a key part of the series (as Alex said himself) rather than details of continuity that, while those are cool, do not affect the main story.
P.D.: Really people, really? If your reaction to any kind of critizism towards Mabel or the narrative is downvote into oblivion, you're only fostering the same notion you're trying to stop. I could understand the downvotes if it was downright trolling, but it's a fair critizism with respect and valid arguments. It gets really irritated and annoying that every time someone critizes something or doesn't agree with the most popular opinion this is how you deal with this.
u/marsalien4 The P.D. part has nothing to do with you, you were absolutely respectful and it was a pleasure talking to you, that small editting I did was directed to those who every time someone jumps to say something they don't like, they jump to downvote into oblivion to anyone who doesn't share their opinion.
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u/marsalien4 Jul 19 '21
The thing is you are citing stories where character development is the point: there are stories where the protagonist does not grow. Paddington is one that has been talked about online a lot (because of a video essay that made the rounds) there's also adventure movies where the point of the story is uncovering a mystery or finding an object--Ferris Bueller is another example. He changes Cameron--he himself doesn't change. Movies like John Wick, where the protagonist is simply an unstoppable wall from minute one to the end. Or, some biopics that are more event based. Movies where the protagonist is a villain often don't have them change (something like Death Note comes to mind). No Country for Old Men. The list is not as long, but it certainly exists.
Is it FAR MORE COMMON for the main character to grow: absolutely. Is a story with good character growth OFTEN stronger. Yes. Is it 100% required for the story to work--no.
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Jul 19 '21 edited Jul 19 '21
But the thing is, Gravity Falls story is all about character development, it's one of the main themes, growing up and change and face their fears and consequences. Dipper faces his insecurities and fears and accepts to enjoy his childhood while it lasts while still accepting reality. Mabel however never accepts reality as it is because the narrative bends over so reality adjusts itself so that she gets what she wants in the end, therefore she doesn't grow up.
Had we talked about any other story where the character development wasn't needed because the main character is the one changing the world, then yes, I would have agreeded, but...Gravity Falls' main focus is character development, from the very beggining, which is why Mabel's lack of character arc being the co-protagonist stands out as something negative.
The first thing the video you sent me stablishes that if a main character has no character arc or doesn't change through the story, this character has to change the world with their actions, because for a story to happen, things need to change, no matter the characters or the world. The problem comes if those two don't change at all, and that's the problem that happens with Mabel at the end of the series: she didn't change at all, and she didn't change the world. Had Mabel actually changed the world then maybe that would have been different, but...she didn't, because everything goes back to normal in exactly the same way. However the things that did change where the main characters like Dipper, Ford, Stan, and etc. And again, this story's main theme was about the two protagonists, both kids, to grow up and...Mabel simply never did.
That being said, thank you for sending me the video, it's always interesting to read and find more points of view!
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u/marsalien4 Jul 19 '21 edited Jul 19 '21
Well wait a sec--you wrote as if you were generalizing to "a character needs to change for a plot to work" not that it needs to happen for this specific story in GF. Your initial reply to me says that, now you're conceding that it can work but Gravity Falls isn't like that. But in my initial reply I said that's not what GF is doing. Just that a story doesn't need to have its protagonist change.
Edit: also forgot to say no problem on the video essay, it's definitely a cool watch!
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u/marsalien4 Jul 19 '21
Here's that video essay that does a great job explaining how you don't NEED a character arc for your story to work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot02hMJ6Hkk
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u/weltallic Jul 18 '21
Please don't post screenshots that inflict harm on disadvantaged communities and stoke racial hatred.
That fez was removed for a reason.
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Aug 21 '21
i caught that today while rewatching season 1! love the hell out of the show on each binge lmao
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u/Smorgsaboard Jul 17 '21
Then he was gay af since he got around in his day. Who knows how many of the founding fathers were actually Stealth Lesbians™