Dark Qiviut

Out of all the episodes in Gravity Falls, Society of the Blind Eye is, by far, the most disturbing. With this one episode, GF's mythos and cast background changes immediately. Even though nobody acts like they know anything about the creepy, supernatural forces that parade this small town, one small society truly does: the Blind Eye Society. They know of everything that goes on, but rather than truly figure out how to confront this fear, they force amnesia on Gravity Falls and let them enjoy their lives underneath a bliss of not knowing what was there.

The Blind Eye Society is both the most tragic and vile villains in the series so far? Why?

1. It opens up serious implications of why many characters in the town behave the way they do now.
   
   Is it possible that the man who married the woodpecker had his mind erased so much that he doesn't understand what makes falling in love with an animal (written to be a joke in Irrational Treasure) disturbing?
   
   Is that why Toby acts a little cookoo, including cheering when he knew about his awful-looking birthmark on his chest and doing whatever he could to earn respect?
   
   Is that why Sprott initially assumed Mabel was a witch in the carnival during The Time Traveler's Pig?
   
   Does Bud Gleeful know that Gideon's stalker-like lust for power should be taken seriously? (And more importantly, what about his wife?)
2. These villains are very down to Earth and genuinely believe they're doing the right thing. The Blind Eye Society is a double entendre: erasing bad memories and pretending all the creepiness is an illusion. They know what's going on at GF, but will do whatever it takes to pretend none of it exists.
   
   This is especially the case with Blind Ivan. Physically blind in one eye, he's a human who hates this feeling of humanity. He lusts for a utopia and erases his memory so often to keep it in his grasp. He's mentally erased his mind so much that Dipper erasing its existence has brought some really horrific consequences. While everyone no longer remembers their secret lives as Blind eye disciples, Ivan's brain's damaged. Although it's glossed over, you hint that he's not very well and may crack if he's zapped one more time.

The Memory-Erasing Gun alone turns this story into a level of horror akin to Courage the Cowardly Dog. The creepy here isn't merely supernatural, sight-like horror of Summerween or Gift Shop. Gravity Falls uses psychological horror, and it's used firsthand on Lazy Susan. The fact that she's affected makes you wonder…was she originally like this, or did her lazy eye and screechy eccentricity the result of brain damage from that gun?

That leads to Mabel. She's been so upset by her failed quest to get a boyfriend that she'll seriously risk everything without reconsidering the consequences. She wants to be a kid, but prove her responsibilities and success. It's the darkest turn with her character.

And during what they rightfully believed was the last time they remembered each other, they reveal secrets about themselves. For the most part, they're a bit glossed over, but they explain so much regarding their characters. The one to catch my attention most is Dipper: he wants to look, be, and act the smartest, but makes reckless decisions that put him, Mabel, and others in danger. Look no further than his crush-laden jealousy of Robbie.

Yet, nobody becomes more developed than Old Man McGucket. For the longest time, he acts like the insane, technology-obsessed hillbilly. After building him up so much, GF gives us the biggest plot twist of S2: he knew of the mysteries surrounding GF, but was scared so badly of what would happen to everyone that he invented his ray and shot himself with it so many times that he became insane and virtually homeless. Suddenly, everything about him changes. To say his life since 1982 was heartbreaking is an understatement. With one plot twist and that video of his memories, he became one of the most tragic characters in modern family-friendly cartoons.

The more I wrote about this, the more amazing (and sadder) it becomes. I don't know if it'll overtake Rocks the Mabel as my third-best GF episode, but it has a good chance to do so.

Grades:

1. Tourist Trapped: A-
2. The Legend of the Gobblewonker: C+
3. Headhunters: A
4. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel: A
5. The Inconceiving: C+
6. Dipper Vs. Manliness: A-
7. Double Dipper: B
8. Irrational Treasure: C
9. The Time Traveler's Pig: A
10. Fight Fighters: A
11. Little Dipper: B-
12. Summerween: A
13. Boss Mabel: C+
14. Bottomless Pit!: B-
15. The Deep End: B-
16. Carpet Diem: A-
17. Boyz Crazy: D+
18. Land Before Swine: A+
19. Revenge of the Gid: A+
    1. Dreamscaperers: A
    2. Gideon Rises: A+

--

1. Scary-oke: B
2. Into the Bunker: A
3. The Golf War: B+
4. Sock Opera: A
5. Soos and the Real Girl: C-
6. Little Gift Shop of Horrors: C/C+
7. Society of the Blind Eye: A

Quote

Dipper: Guys, are you seeing this? They just wiped Lazy Susan's memory!

Soos: They should've wiped off that awful mascara.

Mabel: I think she looks beautiful!

Wendy: She's doing the best she can, Soos!

Soos: Whoa, touched a nerve there.

THANK YOU, Wendy & Mabel!

The Blind Eye leader just shot Lazy Susan with a memory-erasing gun. Every memory of her encounter with the gnomes is gone.

…

…

…

*curls up, disturbed*

Quote

McGucket: Uh, genius? I'm no genius. I've never done nothin' worthwhile in my life. Everyone knows I'm no good to nobody. I can't remember what I used to be, but I must've been a big failure to end up like this.

…

The Blind Eye! Robes, the men, my mind! They did something!

So, hold up. Old Man McGucket used to own that laptop, but after 1982, he can't remember anything very clearly about his life. Like someone took away his memories and sanity.

…

…

…

…

*shiver* Holy shit, that's Courage levels of disturbing there.

>two teens spray-paint "McSuckit" on McGucket's house

HEY, BASTARDS!!! GET YOUR SORRY ASSES OFF HIS JUNKYARD!!!

Quote

Stan: *sees kids running off* Hey, what about work KIDS! *stares at the abyss* Why is Soos eating his own pants?

LOL!

Onto Society of the Blind Eye!

Creepy sons of bitches.

David Cassidy passed away today at 67 years old. RIP.

Little Gift Shop of Horrors has a couple of other problems to score:

1. In Abaconings, they're much shallower than what we traditionally see in the show. Yes, Stan's making this story up just to convince the traveler to buy his merch, but Stan's portrayal of them suggests either he doesn't connect with them too well, or he's so desperate to sell that he'll reduce their portrayals to flat ones. The former makes the most sense, but it doesn't make the story any more compelling. Nonetheless, Abaconings isn't awful. Just really below average and doesn't make either of them or Waddles come out of it for the better. (And I already criticized the "pigs = stupid" implication in an earlier status.)
2. The ending is really unsettling and infuriating. Stan may be a really big asshole, but drugging and kidnapping a merchant, and nobody in GF bats an eye, including Dip and Mabel? Every attraction at the Mystery Shack is fake or an animatronic, and when they're not, there are normally big consequences. Stan may be a crook…but he's not evil. His act's really out of character here and makes him very unlikeable. Whether it's noncanon (keyword shown in one shot during "Clay Day") or not doesn't matter. And in the credits, the traveler really wanted help and out of his cage. Needless to say, the ending is awful and currently my most hated moment in the show. Whether I'll hate it or not in the future remains to be seen.

Now, the other two short stories are really good. Hands off is easily the best of the three for reasons stated earlier. All four are really good, and Stan actually learned a very valuable lesson in shoplifting, even though the witch's motivations were very different. The Hand Witch is sympathetic and human; her creepiness with the hands only adds to it. (And it only makes me hate that misogynistic caricature *cough*Giffany*cough* more.) Clay Day tackled her (genuine) fear of clay animation, but she conquers it through a creative motion. Soos becoming a real-life Gumby is a really creepy joke, but it's done really well, doesn't degrade the characters, remains confined to that one scene, and the segment doesn't takes itself so seriously.

Overall, a small improvement over Soos and the Real Girl.

Grades:

1. Tourist Trapped: A-
2. The Legend of the Gobblewonker: C+
3. Headhunters: A
4. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel: A
5. The Inconceiving: C+
6. Dipper Vs. Manliness: A-
7. Double Dipper: B
8. Irrational Treasure: C
9. The Time Traveler's Pig: A
10. Fight Fighters: A
11. Little Dipper: B-
12. Summerween: A
13. Boss Mabel: C+
14. Bottomless Pit!: B-
15. The Deep End: B-
16. Carpet Diem: A-
17. Boyz Crazy: D+
18. Land Before Swine: A+
19. Revenge of the Gid: A+
    1. Dreamscaperers: A
    2. Gideon Rises: A+

--

1. Scary-oke: B
2. Into the Bunker: A
3. The Golf War: B+
4. Sock Opera: A
5. Soos and the Real Girl: C-
6. Little Gift Shop of Horrors: C/C+

Quote

Mabel: Ooo, old people movies. Get ready for references we don't understand, and words we can't repeat.

Many younger adults and kids today know that feeling.

I have one big problem with Abaconings: the intelligence enhancement meter ("high" >>>>> "low" >> "pig") implicating that pigs aren't very intelligent. Sure, pigs may not be able to solve the universe's mysteries, but pigs are really, really smart. A 2015 report revealed that pigs are incredibly intelligent.

Here's a little Feb. 2014 clip showing their intelligence:

Other than that, not bad.

Now, Clay Day!

>AM and the Hog

>Mabel uses keyboard, three times for the horn, one more for a fart noise

Fart jokes usually aren't the best jokes, so why did it come out funny here? XP

Hands Off is really funny and quite sweet. Yes, she's a witch, but wants to socialize and be accepted. Him shoftlifting gave her an excuse to ask him for a date. Sure, Stan deserved the hijinks, but y'can't help but feel sorry for her. Give the story (and everyone in the story) credit for making us feel for the witch and not make her a bad guy.

Abaconings sounds creepily interesting. (On a side note, bacon tastes like salty vomit.)

>hijinks from his lack of hands

LOL! Stan deserved that.

And the Hand Witch has to pause for a resolution? Hmm…

P.S.: Because he wants to flip her off so badly ( ), is there any fanart of Grunkle Stan giving someone the finger?

>Stan shoplifts a witch's watch

>loses hands next morning

That's whatcha get fer stealin', ya wicked ol' hunk!

Onto Little Gift Shop of Horrors!

Love the pre-intro opener.

Finished Soos and the Real Girl last night.

This one is really conflating, and not on the good end. First, the positives:

1. Soos is in rare form. One of his best appearances of the series.
2. Dipper, Stan, Wendy, and Mabel are excellent.
3. Great humor.
4. Melody is a sweetie.
5. When Soos realized his mistake and got creeped out by .GIFfany acting obsessive, he broke up and then defended himself, his friends, and Melody against her.

But now, to the negative, and there's a real big one.

I'm nowhere close to understanding anime archetypes and stereotypes. But according to the GF Wiki, .GIFfany (I'll type "Giffany" for the rest of the status, 'cause it's easier) resembles the "yandere," an anime archetype of a girl who becomes obsessive and psychotic when she sees his boyfriend fall for another girl. I still have to research the "yandere" archetype and stereotypes attached to them. That said, her lines from the very beginning resemble the love-obsessed girlfriend (or ex-girlfriend here). When he steps one toe away from the computer, she becomes more obsessive and jilted. She exposes her evil past without remorse. How she psychotically and vaguely described "deleting" the programmers was creepy.

As a character, Giffany is very basic. Her "personality" (or lack thereof) has no dimension beyond what was there. Her villainy is straightforward, and her lines seem to follow the "obsessed girlfriend" template. When Soos declares their relationship over, she turns extremely psychopathic and becomes the "crazy ex-girlfriend" stereotype seen in a lot of Western media (and a stereotype rightfully criticized for being misogynistic). When you have a villain with motivations this straightforward from the very beginning of the story, you make her flatter than cardboard. With Headhunters, the sculptures were motivated by being stuck in the attic for so long. In Rocks the Mabel, Gideon becomes obsessed with Mabel, but doesn't want her hurt (TV Tropes uses this as a "yandere" example, BTW). In SatRG, Giffany is creepy, but lacks that creativity prior antagonists and villains have. Being a video game AI doesn't cut it. Secondly, the A-story is written to be taken seriously, so her half-dimensional manipulation and craziness hurt the story even more. So far, she's the flattest character of the series.

I don't know what could be done to improve it, but I think one way to make her sympathetic (and credit to the AV Club review for this point, as well as the criticism of Gif) is to feature her as a lonely AI. Soos is capable of living his life not being trapped. Instead of maybe being jealous of Melody and other girls capable of sharing feelings with Soos, how about be jealous of Soos or the girls because they get to be around, share their feelings, and live a life, while she can't unless Romance Academy is played. So when Soos decides to possibly break up, she doesn't want to be lonely again. Maybe a code that programmers plugged in to wipe her out and protect themselves long ago causes her to break down? Keep her a villain, but give her some complexity to not contrive the A-plot. If anyone has better ideas, please plug them in below.

I've seen quite a few stereotypes/caricatures in FIM with EQG1, Dragon Quest, Fame & Misfortune, among others. Gravity Falls falls for it, too, at times; the cover art of Romance Academy uses the "basement-dwelling, love-deprived neckbeard" stereotype as a type of joke. Stereotypes aren't clever and can extensively hurt the story. That happens here.

Swap Giffany's half-baked villainy in favor of a cleverer personality, and you got something going here. Instead, she's the fundamental flaw in the episode, and her presence cheapens the conflict. As the rest of it is real good, that's very unfortunate.

Grades:

1. Tourist Trapped: A-
2. The Legend of the Gobblewonker: C+
3. Headhunters: A
4. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel: A
5. The Inconceiving: C+
6. Dipper Vs. Manliness: A-
7. Double Dipper: B
8. Irrational Treasure: C
9. The Time Traveler's Pig: A
10. Fight Fighters: A
11. Little Dipper: B-
12. Summerween: A
13. Boss Mabel: C+
14. Bottomless Pit!: B-
15. The Deep End: B-
16. Carpet Diem: A-
17. Boyz Crazy: D+
18. Land Before Swine: A+
19. Revenge of the Gid: A+
    1. Dreamscaperers: A
    2. Gideon Rises: A+

--

1. Scary-oke: B
2. Into the Bunker: A
3. The Golf War: B+
4. Sock Opera: A
5. Soos and the Real Girl: C-

.GIFfany is becoming psychotic.

Suddenly, her emotional manipulation to start the episode has become really creepy.

Melody & Soos get along really well! Their communication is quite cute. <3

>GIFfany follows Soos around

>tells the story of her electrocuting programmers who tried to delete her from the game

That surely doesn't sound creepy, now does it?

Quote

Mabel: Dang! Where all dem sweet honeys at? I'll check the ladies' bathroom. *runs off-screen into bathroom* It's love time, girls! Get out there! No time to wash your hands!

*women run, screaming*

LMAO!

>Soos playing video game

>has no idea computer is unplugged

…uh-oh.

Quote

"Romance Academy"

Soos (reading package's back*: "9/10. Basement-dwellers recommend."

>image is a stereotypical "neckbeard"

Onto Soos and the Real Girl!

>Gabe makes out with puppets

Ooooooookay. o____O

This mini-review for Sock Opera is credited to this AV Club review for the same ep.

This show has made it really clear how despite Dipper being the show's primary protagonist, Mabel grows with him, and neither can truly develop or thrive without the other. Carpet Diem does this quite well, and the same happens here.

Bill Cipher's inclusion to this episode cleverly bridges the gap dividing both of them at this moment. Both of them are obsessed in their latest crises: Mabel with Gabe Benson, Dipper with cracking the password to that mysterious laptop. Cipher's biggest strength, manipulation, allows him to use each others' weaknesses against them. For the first time all series, Cipher brings up how Dipper has made sacrifices along the way to help Mabel, a strength not brought up by the show at this point. As a result of this, along with the comp's data risking erasure, forces Dip to crack and accept the deal.

For the first time, Mabel's selfishness is directly called out, too, by Cipher, no less. His taunts of her taking his journal to help her gain more respect and admiration from Benson and leaving him behind (right after Benson bashes an old friend of his behind her back) tests her own conscience. She had to make a decision very difficult for an aspiring kid like her, and she chose the action of sacrificing Gabe's admiration to rescue her bro. This was important character development for her, which she really needed after Boyz Crazy badly screwed both her and Dip up.

Very cleverly, Mabel takes advantage of weaknesses in Dipper's anatomy: his ticklish shoulders and (thanks from lack of sleep) low stamina.

Oh, and the Muppets parody in the credits is a nostalgic crack-up. XD

Sock Opera keeps up the streak. Great work!

Grades:

1. Tourist Trapped: A-
2. The Legend of the Gobblewonker: C+
3. Headhunters: A
4. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel: A
5. The Inconceiving: C+
6. Dipper Vs. Manliness: A-
7. Double Dipper: B
8. Irrational Treasure: C
9. The Time Traveler's Pig: A
10. Fight Fighters: A
11. Little Dipper: B-
12. Summerween: A
13. Boss Mabel: C+
14. Bottomless Pit!: B-
15. The Deep End: B-
16. Carpet Diem: A-
17. Boyz Crazy: D+
18. Land Before Swine: A+
19. Revenge of the Gid: A+
    1. Dreamscaperers: A
    2. Gideon Rises: A+

--

1. Scary-oke: B
2. Into the Bunker: A
3. The Golf War: B+
4. Sock Opera: A-/A