Grunkle Stan

Last updated
Grunkle Stan
Gravity Falls character
Gravity Falls - Stan Pines.png
First appearance"Tourist Trapped" (2012)
Created by Alex Hirsch
Voiced by
  • Alex Hirsch
  • Declan J. Krogman (young) [1]
In-universe information
Full nameStanley Pines
Alias
  • Stanford Pines
  • Steve Pinington
  • Stetson Pinefield
  • Andrew "8-Ball" Alcatraz
  • Hal Forrester
  • S618 (prison number)
  • 061800 (Gravity Falls prison number)
  • 618 (Mystery Shack Address)
Nicknames
  • Grunkle Stan
  • Mr. Mystery
  • Mr. Pines
  • Bill Vipher
GenderMale
OccupationOwner of the Mystery Shack
Family
SpouseMarilyn Rosenstein [2] (ex-wife)
Origin Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey
Home Gravity Falls, Oregon
Nationality American

Stanley "Stan" Pines, [1] also known as "Grunkle Stan", and formerly known by the alias Stanford Pines, is a main character in the Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls , created and voiced by the series creator Alex Hirsch. In an interview, Alex Hirsch stated that Grunkle Stan was loosely based on his grandfather, also named Stan. [4]

Contents

Stan is the great-uncle (or grunkle) of the show's two main protagonists, Dipper and Mabel Pines, who are sent to live with Stan at the Mystery Shack, his house and tourist trap which presents creatures and objects of supposedly supernatural origins. Dipper and Mabel Pines are Stan’s sisters grandchildren. He is most often depicted wearing a black suit, white shirt, red string bow tie, red fez, and a cane topped by a billiard 8-ball. At home, he is usually seen wearing slippers, blue and white-striped boxer shorts, a white tank top and a gold necklace. [5]

At the beginning of the show, Stan, known as Stanford Pines, is portrayed as a relatively simple character, with his shady past being used primarily as a joke until later in the series. [6] In the episode "A Tale of Two Stans", his real name is revealed as Stanley Pines, who spent 30 years covertly working to bring his twin brother, the real Stanford Pines, back to their reality after being sucked through an inter-dimensional portal. [7]

Besides his appearances in the main series, Stan has also appeared in the 2018 graphic novel, Gravity Falls Lost Legends . An alternative version of the character, named Mr. Ponds, appears in a 2020 episode of Amphibia with Alex Hirsch reprising his role.

Role in Gravity Falls

Stanley "Stan" Pines, whose name is "Stanford Pines" until the return of the actual Stanford Pines, is predominantly portrayed as a scheming and frugal individual. His primary source of income is the Mystery Shack, a tourist attraction he manages, often employing humorous and cunning tactics to boost its profitability. [8] Although Stan exhibits avaricious tendencies, he displays a sincere protective instinct towards his great-nephew Dipper and great-niece Mabel, whom he supervises over the summer at their parents' request. Stan feigns ignorance regarding the paranormal occurrences in Gravity Falls and is antagonistic towards Gideon Gleeful, a malevolent child entrepreneur who runs the "Tent of Telepathy" and aspires to take over the Mystery Shack.

Stan secretly possesses the first of three mysterious journals written by Ford, his estranged brother. By the end of the first season, Stan acquires all three journals, the second and third previously held by Gideon and Dipper, respectively. He successfully activates an interdimensional portal, facilitating Ford's return from another dimension in the episode "Not What He Seems". The Pines brothers then share their backstory with Dipper and Mabel. The sons of Filbrick and Caryn Pines, the brothers grew up in Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey; and their relationship became strained when Stan inadvertently ruined Ford's chances of being accepted into a prestigious university. After the disowned Stan took up a career in sales, concocting elaborate schemes that led his products to be banned in most American states, he accepted Ford's invitation to come to Gravity Falls, where Ford had taken up residence to study supernatural phenomena. Outraged that Ford did not invite him to reconcile and refusing his orders to bury a journal, Stan fought Ford until he pushed him into the portal. For the last 30 years, Stan has used Ford's identity and operated the Mystery Shack as a front for his efforts to bring Ford home. In the present day, the brothers face challenges in reconciling their relationship while preparing for the impending "Weirdmageddon," an apocalyptic event foretold to be instigated by Bill Cipher, a demon and the series' main antagonist.

During the apocalypse, Stan and an army of the series' characters rescue Ford, but Bill captures both brothers during an argument. To erase Bill from existence and stop the apocalypse, Stan agrees to change clothes with Ford so they can trick Bill, who is after a secret equation only Ford knows, into entering Stan's mind instead. As Ford begins erasing Stan's memory, Stan defeats Bill and finds that his purpose in life was to protect his family. [9] After Gravity Falls returns to normal, Stan awakens without any memories, but his family and friends help revive them. On the last day of summer, Stan and Ford agree to live out their dream of sailing around the world to research more anomalies. Stan, now respected as a local hero, promotes his handyman Soos to the manager of the Mystery Shack, and he is last seen fighting an anomaly at sea with Ford aboard a ship dubbed the "Stan-O-War II", in reference to a marooned ship they claimed for themselves as children.

Production

Character and concept

Stan is based on Alex Hirsch's grandfather, also named Stan. Both share the characteristics of being big, barrel-chested men whose clothes have popped-undone buttons; both also wear a gold chain and gold rings. [10]

Stan originally looked considerably different than he does in the show. In concept art, Stan was shorter, did not have his shoulder pads, and had a pointy pink nose instead of a big orange one. His face also resembled more a puppet than a grizzled old conman. [11] This version of the character was seen in an unaired unofficial pilot of the show, which was low budget and a pre-production test version similar to the aired pilot episode "Tourist Trapped".

Along with Dipper and Mabel, Stan has appeared in almost every episode of the series. He was featured in the Gravity Falls series of shorts entitled "Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained", as well as a short ("Stan's Tattoo") in which the twins investigate the mysterious tattoo on Stan's shoulder. In "A Tale of Two Stans", it's revealed that it was not a tattoo but a burn scar.

In other media

Amphibia

Alex Hirsch voices a character similar to Grunkle Stan named Mr. Ponds, also referred to as The Curator, in the Amphibia episode "Wax Museum". He is an amphibian who runs a wax museum similar to the Mystery Shack. Within the episode, the human Anne Boonchuy and the Plantar family arrive in a small town and visit his museum, where he shows them various wax figures (which are real creatures coated in wax). When Anne spots a portable CD player in the museum, she demands to buy it from him, but he initially turns her down. However, after Anne reveals her human appearance, Mr. Ponds offers it to her if she agrees to show off for a night. However, Mr. Ponds plans to cover her in wax like the other exhibits in his museum. The Plantars rescue her and free the wax figures, who drag Mr. Ponds into another room with the intent to take revenge. A pool of red liquid appears underneath the rooms door, but Mr. Ponds claims that "It's just wax." However, the very next scene reveals that Mr. Ponds was killed. [12]

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    Pines are any coniferous tree of the genus Pinus.

    <i>Gravity Falls</i> American animated television series

    Gravity Falls is an American mystery comedy animated television series created by Alex Hirsch for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel, who are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan (Hirsch) in Gravity Falls, Oregon, a mysterious town full of paranormal incidents and supernatural creatures. The kids help Stan run the "Mystery Shack", the tourist trap that he owns, while also investigating the local mysteries.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Hirsch</span> American animator (born 1985)

    Alexander Robert Hirsch is an American animator, writer, producer, and voice actor. He is the creator of the Disney Channel and Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls, for which he provided the voices of Grunkle Stan, Soos, and Bill Cipher, among others. He also earned BAFTA and Annie Awards for the series. In 2016, Hirsch co-authored Gravity Falls: Journal 3 which debuted as a No. 1 New York Times Best Seller and remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for forty-seven weeks. In 2018, Hirsch wrote Gravity Falls: Lost Legends which also appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. In 2024, Hirsch wrote The Book of Bill, which appeared on the Amazon and New York Times Best Seller's list.

    <i>Gravity Falls</i> season 1 Season of television series

    The first season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls premiered on Disney Channel on June 15, 2012, and ended on August 2, 2013. The season contains 20 episodes.

    "Tourist Trapped" is the series premiere and the first episode of the first season of the American television series Gravity Falls. The episode was directed by John Aoshima and written by series creator Alex Hirsch, and premiered on Disney Channel on June 15, 2012, airing immediately after the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Let It Shine.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mabel Pines</span> Fictional character and protagonist of Gravity Falls

    Mabel Pines is a fictional character and one of the two lead characters of the Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls. The character is voiced by Kristen Schaal, and designed by the series creator, Alex Hirsch. She is inspired by Hirsch's own twin sister, Ariel Hirsch. Mabel first appeared on the unreleased pilot created by Hirsch which he used to pitch the show; she then appeared on the first episode "Tourist Trapped". Mabel, alongside her brother Dipper Pines, stars in every episode of the series. Mabel also has two series of shorts dedicated to her: "Mabel's Guide to Life" and "Mabel's Scrapbook". She also appears in two additional short series, "Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained" and "Fixin' it with Soos", and the music video "Call Me Mabel", a parody of Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe".

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipper Pines</span> Fictional character in Gravity Falls

    Mason "Dipper" Pines is a fictional character and one of the two lead characters in the Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls. The character is voiced by Jason Ritter, and is loosely based on the childhood of series creator Alex Hirsch. Dipper is the only character to appear in all the episodes of Gravity Falls. Beside his presence in the main series, he appears in the Gravity Falls mini-series "Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained", "Fixin' it with Soos", and "Mabel's Guide to Life", as well as the books Gravity Falls: Lost Legends and The Book of Bill.

    <i>Gravity Falls</i> season 2 Season of television show

    The second and final season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls premiered on Disney Channel on August 1, 2014 and on Disney XD on August 4, 2014, and ended on February 15, 2016. It was greenlit on July 29, 2013, and consisted of 20 episodes.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreamscaperers</span> 19th episode of the 1st season of Gravity Falls

    "Dreamscaperers" is the nineteenth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American animated series Gravity Falls. The episode is the first of the two-part season finale of the season. It originally aired on the Disney Channel on July 12, 2013, and was written by series creator Alex Hirsch, alongside Matt Chapman and Tim McKeon, and directed by Joe Pitt and John Aoshima. The episode marks the first appearance of Bill Cipher, the series' main antagonist.

    "Gideon Rises" is the twentieth and final episode of the first season of the animated television series Gravity Falls. It originally aired on the Disney Channel on August 2, 2013, and was directed by John Aoshima and Joe Pitt, and written by series creator Alex Hirsch, Matt Chapman, and Michael Rianda.

    "Not What He Seems" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls, which was created by Alex Hirsch, and the 31st episode overall. The episode was written by Shion Takeuchi, Josh Weinstein, Jeff Rowe, Matt Chapman, and Hirsch, and directed by Stephen Sandoval. In this episode, Dipper and Mabel begin to question who Stan really is after officers arrest him for stealing chemical waste. The episode, which breaks the show's status quo by introducing Stan's long-lost twin brother, ends with a cliffhanger to the second half of the season.

    "A Tale of Two Stans" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls, which was created by Alex Hirsch, and the 32nd episode overall. It was written by Josh Weinstein, Matt Chapman, and Hirsch, and directed by Sunil Hall, and originally aired on Disney XD on July 13, 2015.

    "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls" is the series finale of the American animated television series Gravity Falls, which was created by Alex Hirsch. The episode, which serves as the twentieth episode of the second season and the 40th episode overall, was written by Shion Takeuchi, Mark Rizzo, Josh Weinstein, Jeff Rowe, and Hirsch, and directed by Stephen Sandoval. The series follows twelve-year-old twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who stay for the summer with their great uncle Grunkle Stan in a tourist trap called the Mystery Shack, set within the fictional town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. In this episode, Stan's brother Ford discovers the extent of Bill Cipher's plans, while the Mystery Shack crew forms a plan to fight back and reclaim the town. A final confrontation with Bill leads to the Pines family's ultimate fate and greatest sacrifice.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Cipher</span> Animated character from Gravity Falls

    Bill Cipher is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the Disney channel animated series Gravity Falls. The character is voiced by the show's creator Alex Hirsch. He is a "nightmare demon" that can be summoned and released into a person's mind. Bill first appears physically in "Dreamscaperers". However, many references to him are hidden throughout the backgrounds of the episodes and within the opening of the series. He is also a prominent character in the Gravity Falls book, Gravity Falls: Journal 3.

    The Cipher Hunt was an alternate reality game and international scavenger hunt created by storyboard artist and voice actor Alex Hirsch based on his animated series Gravity Falls. The goal was to find the real-life statue of the series' antagonist Bill Cipher, which was briefly glimpsed at the end of the series finale. The hunt involved retrieving and decoding clues hidden in various locations worldwide.

    <i>Gravity Falls: Lost Legends</i> 2018 graphic novel by Alex Hirsch

    Gravity Falls: Lost Legends is a graphic novel published by Disney Press, based on the animated television series Gravity Falls. Written by series creator Alex Hirsch, the comics in the book are illustrated by various artists, including Asaf Hanuka and Dana Terrace. The comics explores four new adventures taking place within the show's continuity.

    "Bottomless Pit!" is the 14th episode of the first season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls, which was created by Alex Hirsch. It was written by Alex Hirsch and Mike Rianda, and directed by Joe Pitt and Aaron Springer. The episode features Soos, Grunkle Stan, Dipper Pines, and Mabel Pines falling down a bottomless pit and telling stories to pass the time.

    "The Golf War" is the third episode of the second season of the American animated television series Gravity Falls, which was created by Alex Hirsch, and the 23rd episode overall. It was written by Jeff Rowe and Hirsch, and was directed by Matt Braly. The episode features Mabel Pines challenge her arch-rival Pacifica Northwest to a mini golf match, with Mabel hiring small golf ball-headed beings called Lilliputtians to foil Pacifica's game.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "A Tale of Two Stans". Gravity Falls. Season 2. Episode 12. July 13, 2015. Disney XD.
    2. 1 2 As stated in Gravity Falls: Journal 3
    3. ↑ As stated in Gravity Falls: Lost Legends
    4. ↑ "Access - D23". D23. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    5. ↑ "Grunkle Stan Costume". Carbon Costume. 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    6. ↑ "Grunkle Stan – Creative Analytics". Creative Analytics. 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    7. ↑ Hill, Jim (2015-03-09). "Is Gravity Falls ' Grunkle Stan 'Not What He Seems'? Disney XD Episode Answers Big Questions Tonight". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    8. ↑ Hood, Cooper (2019-07-02). "Gravity Falls' Mystery Shack Has Different Names In Other Countries". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
    9. ↑ "What's In a Character: Stan Pines". AniB Productions. 2017-02-08. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    10. ↑ "Gravity Falls - Behind the Scenes - First Look Featurette". YouTube. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
    11. ↑ "The development of Stan (pre-production to the final result) | Gravity Falls Amino". Gravity Falls | aminoapps.com. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
    12. ↑ Strickland, Jenn (director); Jenava Mie (writer) (August 8, 2020). "Wax Museum". Amphibia. Season 2. Episode 5B. Disney Channel.
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