Okay. So I mentioned how badly this theory has fucked me up and now it’s time for Staying Up Late On My Birthday To Write Tumblr Posts aka The Snadger Vomits Her Emotions Onto The Fandom.

Quick disclaimer—this isn’t a criticism of the theory itself, or the person who posted it (who is great and awesome and writes lovely fanfics) or anyone who likes it. Nor my attempt to explain how any of it is “problematic” or whatever the cool kids call it nowadays. Just an explanation of why it upsets me and why I desperately don’t want it to be canon.

It’ll have a lot of phrases like “I feel” and “I like,” because it really is just me vomiting up my emotions about the theory. You will need to read the linked theory post to understand what I’m talking about here.

The basic crux of the theory is that Bill, or some part of Bill, was more or less reincarnated in “another form, another time” as Stan. (Scribe has suggested it might be more of a horcrux thing than a full on reincarnation, as has Dubsdeedubs. But…if this is a way for Bill to “absolve his crime,” it makes me think that whatever amount of Bill is attached to Stan, it’s enough to influence his actions—enough that Stan’s sacrifice is also Bill’s absolution for what he did. If Bill were just an inanimate observer it wouldn’t absolve anything.)

It explains a lot—like why Bill and Stan share so many quirks and how they were kept separate. It carries some wonderful themes of redemption and forgiveness, the idea that even the worst villain of Gravity Falls can over time learn from his mistakes and right the wrongs he made in the past. It’s a good theory.

And I hate it. I hate it I hate it I hate it so much.

Let me explain.

It’s no secret that I love Stanley Pines to an unhealthy level. This blog is basically a transcript of my mental breakdown surrounding Stanley Pines. He reminds me in a lot of ways of my father. He holds a very special place in my heart. His story is the story of a man who no one ever believed in—who never even believed in himself. Someone who was hurt countless times and became spikey and grumpy and rude, but had a beautiful soft heart underneath that rough surface. Who in the end had a bond with his family strong enough not only for him to find the courage to sacrifice himself for the world, but for the precious child whose love and trust he earned to bring him back.

That’s Stan’s story. It’s his arc. I don’t want it to be part of Bill’s. I don’t want it to be Bill’s redemption or atonement. I want it to be the story of Stan’s life. I want Stan to be Stan, and for his struggles, heroics, failures and triumphs to be his own, not Bill’s.

Stan’s relationship with his family, particularly with the twins, is such an important part of the show. Him slowly growing to love and care for the kids as they break through his crusty exterior—it’s heartwarming.

By contrast, while I was reading the Journal I found a note from Bill gloating about how he intended to make Dipper’s body commit suicide, trapping him in the mindscape for eternity and asking Mabel if she “wanted to join him”–a note that was probably placed with the intent that Mabel find it only after he threw Dipper’s body off the water tower. It’s hard not to interpret the “want to join him, Shooting Star?” line as his attempt to drive Mabel to freaking suicide. I just can’t really stand the idea of that mind, that personality, being layered over someone who loves those kids as much as Stan does.

Stan’s been through a lot of pain in his life. But if his life is also Bill’s redemption arc, it makes all the struggles and pains he’s suffered through seem like…punishment? Justice? Karma? Meant to be for the purpose of Bill’s character development?

I mean, Stan never deserved to be thrown out of his home as a teenager, but Bill probably does deserve to be made helpless, powerless, scared and alone if only to show him what he put others through. And there’s one thing that Bill absolutely, positively, without a doubt does deserve: To be rejected by Stanford Pines.

Bill wasn’t just manipulative of Ford, he wasn’t just cruel and mocking, he was a monster in every sense of the word. He abused Ford. He tormented him night and day for the purpose of psychologically breaking him, and physically tortured him with electricity all to use him for his own ends. And this is after he convinced him that he was his friend. His only friend.



So if Stan was on some level Bill, even if he didn’t have Bill’s memories, it would make Ford abandoning Stan feel like the right thing to do. Whether because on some level Ford had a sixth sense that the person standing in front of him was someone who would convince him that he was his only friend, then betray him or just as karma for Bill—finally getting told to take a hike from the guy he hurt so badly for his own ends and entertainment.

This moment, the end of Stan’s childhood and the beginning of ten years of struggling—the moment where the Stans’ relationship fell apart and the tragedy that sunk its claws into my heart so deeply it’s what brought me into this fandom would become a part of Bill’s comeuppance.

I just…don’t want that.

There’s something else too.

Gideon did a lot of bad things, and he had a redemption arc. Presumably, Mabel forgave him since he was at their birthday party. But she also didn’t date him.

If Stan’s life is Bill’s redemption arc, then it ends with the man whose life Bill ruined, who he abused and tormented, sailing off into the sunset with him. (Or a person that is, to some degree, him) Completely unaware of his true nature (as he may very well be too.)

If this were the case, I’d be enormously uncomfortable about Stan and Ford’s friendship. I’d be uncomfortable with Ford being around him. And that would enormously taint what, to me, is one of the most emotionally important parts of the show—Stan and Ford’s repaired relationship.

Sigh.

I probably wouldn’t be so bothered by this if it didn’t fit very well narratively, because that makes me nervous that it might someday be revealed as canon. I’ll be okay if it’s just an au or a fan theory or whatever, but if it’s ever confirmed canon I’ll…I’ll…eat a big, big bowl of ice cream and cry, okay?