We Finally Understand The Ending Of Gravity Falls

Although it only aired for two seasons, "Gravity Falls" gained a huge cult following that still exists to this day. The Disney XD animated series gave fans an intriguing mystery with supernatural elements and also kept them hooked thanks to the show's quirky sense of humor. The show features the adventures of Dipper and Mabel Pines, twin siblings who spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan — the shady proprietor of a roadside attraction dubbed The Mystery Shack. What was meant to be a fun-filled vacation turns into a whirlwind of danger and adventure as the twins work together to uncover the hidden secrets of the sleepy town.

While some "Gravity Falls" episodes have self-contained plots, there is a continuing plot throughout the series that has the Pines going up against an enigmatic villain known as Bill Cipher. Bill is a two-dimensional triangle with one eye, a top hat, and a flair for the theatrical. Dipper meets Bill through the mysterious journal he finds, and he learns too late that making a deal with the strange creature leads to hazardous consequences. 

In the climactic four-part finale, "Weirdmageddon," Bill Cipher manages to cross over into the real world and plunge Gravity Falls and its townspeople into a state of chaos. It's up to the Pines family to put a stop to Bill's evil plans, but first they have to come to terms with their own internal conflicts. In the final showdown, "Grunkles" Ford and Stan set aside their grievances as Stan makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Mabel and Dipper. After Bill's demise, Mabel and Dipper say good-bye to their family and friends at the end of a long and bizarre summer.

As "Gravity Falls" comes to a close, there is a deeper message lying beneath the surface — one that is sprinkled throughout the series for those who paid close attention. Family is a powerful force — especially the bond between twin siblings, as made evident by the relationship between Mabel and Dipper. Creator Alex Hirsch himself has a twin sister, so it's no surprise that he chose to take elements from his own life and incorporate them into the show.

Throughout the series, the young siblings' relationship faces many challenges: Mabel often must put aside her boy-crazy nature to help her brother, and Dipper is frequently forced to choose between solving the deeper mysteries of Gravity Falls and Mabel's happiness. Twin brothers Stan and Ford have their own issues as well, yet even after years of estrangement and bitter grudges, they eventually make amends. When Stan and Ford trick Bill by switching places and Stan loses his memories as a result, it's his family that helps Stan to regain himself and his identity. In the end, the ultimate weapon against Bill Cipher is the enduring love and trust among the Pines family.

Though Dipper and Mabel Pines are twins, the two couldn't be more different. Dipper hates being seen as a little kid. In "The Inconveniencing," he lies to his crush, Wendy, and to her teenage friends, about his age to seem older and more cool. One episode later ("Dipper vs. Manliness"), Dipper enlists the help of a group of macho-obsessed Manotaurs to learn how to be more masculine. And then there is "Little Dipper," in which Dipper becomes so infuriated by the fact that his sister is slightly taller than him that he creates a flashlight which can change the size of whatever it shines on.

In Season 2's "Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future," Dipper receives the opportunity of a lifetime when his great-uncle Ford invites him to stay in Gravity Falls full-time as his apprentice, helping him to fight off evil and solve the town's many mysteries. While this sounds like a dream come true for Dipper, it would mean sacrificing what little time is left of his childhood — including time spent with his sister, Mabel.

Meanwhile, Mabel is getting things ready for her and Dipper's big 13th birthday. After a girl-to-girl chat with Wendy about the trials of high school and teenage life, Mabel realizes that she may not be ready for such a big change. Her one bit of solace is the fact that her brother and best friend, Dipper, will be by her side through it all — that is, until she overhears Dipper agreeing to stay in Gravity Falls as Ford's apprentice.

The twins view getting older on very different spectrums. Dipper wishes he could skip childhood, while Mabel just wants to be a kid forever. She goes so far as to be a willing prisoner of Bill in a bubble of her own fantastic imagination — even if it means staying there forever. In the end, the siblings realize that it doesn't matter what trials they face in the wake of growing up — as long as they can face them together.