Here’s an Idea: What if Stan never stole his brother’s identity… at least, not on purpose?

QUICK NOTE: This is not meant to confirm or deny the Identity Swap theory. These are just musing I’ve had, especially in light of my last post. I’ve just been on a roll lately so my brain won’t stop thinking about it so I need to get this out so I can SLEEP TONIGHT JAYSUS.



While in the beginning I was leery about Stanford actually being Stanley, I think there is too much evidence for it and it’s pretty much confirmed. HOWEVER, I do not think Grunkle Stan ever actually stole his brother Stanford’s identity. I think it was simply bestowed upon him by Gideon, and he never corrected the little gremlin because he didn’t care enough.

OBSERVATIONS:

Stan is ONLY EVER referred to by the citizens of Gravity Falls as “Stan Pines” or Mr. Pines”. He refers to himself as either Stan Pines or his stage name, “Mr. Mystery”.

The only two individuals to name him as Stanford has been Gideon and Gideon’s father (presumably because Gideon referred to Stan as such and never challenged his son on that name).

For someone stealing someone else’s identity whose entire backstory he just HAPPENS TO KNOW, Grunkle Stan is incredibly frank and honest about his past life. He was telling the truth to everyone about Colombian prison, the Stan Vac vacuum is seen multiple times in the Shack, he doesn’t lie to Soos about being a wimp in school, he doesn’t change the name of his girlfriend in his story to Dipper. Basically, everything Stan has told us has lined up with what we see in Grunkle Stan’s memories. He doesn’t change them to “become someone else”. He is Stan the Man, and he isn’t impersonating anyone or making up a backstory when he tells them of what he did in his younger years. Another thing that’s probably true? Stan not being allowed on planes or in airports anymore. Damn those Colombian nights.

The law in Gravity Falls states that all you need to own a property is to physically have ownership of the deed, regardless of name on said deed. This is proven true when Gideon takes control of the Mystery Shack land and nobody questions him, regardless of the name “Stanford” on the deed. When Stan retakes the deed, he is just showing himself retaking the Shack back into his possession. He never claims to be the name written on the actual deed.

I know some fans theorize that because Stan is impersonating the Author, he must also be impersonating the Author’s personality, and the real Grunkle Stan is seen in the more tender, quieter moments he sometimes displays. This means some folks theorize the Author as an asshole jerk who hates kids and was constantly yelling and making a show of himself. However, this is actually more in line with what we know of Stan. Grunkle Stan is the one who is a master conman and artist, Grunkle Stan is the one who is silly, impetuous, unbridled, and hates hippies. He’s the unabashed jerk that fakes who he is, puts on a show, and eats up the money that comes pouring in. He is extroverted, reads people well, understands what motivates others, manipulates, lies, and is success-driven. All characteristics we don’t see in the Author who is observant, nature-and-science-and-space oriented, reclusive, artistic, sometimes silly, paranoid, and not good with people or women. If we know these things from the Journals about the Author, then wouldn’t Stan display those characteristics to his audience? Wouldn’t he continue to play the part of the researcher who is cataloging strange things in the backwoods of Gravity Falls? Instead, Stan actually stays true to his strengths of character. We know for sure he was a grifter and we see those abilities every day at the Mystery Shack. Despite his past lies, this man is not lying or hiding his personality to become someone else. Come on guys… STNLYMBL on the car that Stan has had since the 60s. He clearly LOVES that car. It’s part of who he is! But if he was impersonating his brother on purpose, wouldn’t he use/keep his brother’s car? Unless of course, he wasn’t actually impersonating his brother; he was simply living in the house his brother owned and when he brought his belongings(like his left-over Stan Vacs), he brought his beloved car with him and made sure to keep his fancy, one-of-a-kind license plate while he was at it. This Bill Cipher Quote, which may or may not pertain to Stan: “TRUTH” IS A CONCEPT INVENTED BY POWERFUL LIARS TO GUILT YOU INTO GIVING THEM MORE POWER. DONT FALL FOR THE TRAP. LIE UNTIL WHAT YOU WANT TO BE TRUE BECOMES TRUE. LIE UNTIL YOU CANT REMEMBER WHATS A LIE AND WHAT ISNT. LIE UNTIL YOU ARENT LYING ANYMORE.” ^Stan lied his whole life to have what he wanted to be true, come true(originally to possess money; afterwards to reclaim his long lost brother). He probably lied so much, his real identity was forgotten by most of the police and he could regain it without much consequence. After he gave up grifting to make the Mystery Shack, Stan actually returned to his old name. He lied so much, he could now actually tell the truth. Stan is Stan, and he hasn’t been lying about who he is or what he is for a long, long time.



In conclusion: Stanley never stole his bro’s identity and never claimed to be his brother “Stanford”. Gideon is just an idiot.

That’s the end of this meta.