History Recap / GravityFallsS2E4TheSockOpera

* DealWithTheDevil: Dipper makes one with Bill Cipher. Initially subverted as Dipper was too GenreSavvy. However, sleep deprivation and desperation settled in when he had one last try and five minutes before the computer deleted all its data. Naturally, Bill screws him over, not fulfilling his end of the deal; WordOfGod says that Bill still owes Dipper a favor but is not to be trusted.

* GenreSavvy: Dipper is smart enough to initially refuse Bill's DealWithTheDevil, only agreeing because the laptop is about to self-destruct.
** When confronted with an 8-letter password, Dipper's first (on-screen) guess is 'password'. It doesn't work, but A for effort.

** Dipper's faced with one when he tries one too many wrong passwords and the laptop threatens to self-terminate with only one more attempt allowed. Cue Bill Cipher and his "offer" to help out. So either take a long-shot and risk deleting potential data you and your friends nearly got killed recovering, or take up the "deal" of a dream demon that's bound to backfire on you. Dipper's GenreSavvy enough to realize his position, but goes with Bill anyway because his next guess would've been a shot in the dark ''at best.''

-->'''Dipper:''' Ugh, I can't take that sound anymore! ''(pounding the keyboard; the laptop buzzing with each strike)'' [[PunctuatedForEmphases I! Hate! You! Sound!]]

* NotHelpingYourCase: Mabel is having a hard time taking Dipper possessing his sock puppet self seriously because of how silly he looks when mad, at which point Dipper pulls off an angry [[TheMuppets Kermit]] face while comically growling in frustration.

** Only noted recently on Tumblr (credit to come), but when Bill approaches Dipper the second time, a Rubix cube also appears in the Dreamscape.

* DealWithTheDevil: Dipper makes one with Bill Cipher. Initially subverted as Dipper was too GenreSavvy. However, sleep deprivation and desperation settled in when he had one last try and five minutes before the computer deleted all its data. Naturally, Bill screws him over.

** Probably it has more caffeine than sugar, but Mabel drinks five shots of her namesake juice before the show, which has plastic dinosaurs. Stan describes it as if "coffee and nightmares had a baby."
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: By outright refusing to help Dipper with the laptop, Mabel is indirectly responsible for the laptop's destruction and Bill taking over her brother's body.

* SoundtrackDissonance: A opera melody is heard when Gabe looks on in horror at seeing the puppets destroyed in flame by Mabel.

* SkewedPriorities: Downplayed; Mabel doesn't seem to realize how serious her brother being possessed by Bill Cipher is at first, and is more interested in completing her puppet show. Fortunately, she opts to have Dipper finish the show while she tries to keep the journal out of Bill's hands.

* WeWillMeetAgain: Before Mabel shoos him off with her fireworks, Bill tells the Pine Twins that 'big things are coming' and they couldn't stop him.

* AllForNothing / ShootTheShaggyDog: Two episodes after it was introduced, the laptop reappears... only for Bill to smash it once after gaining control of Dipper's body.

* TheCameo: It was revealed on Tumblr that Puppet!Old Man [=McGucket=] was manipulated by [[HomestarRunner Matt Chapman]].

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* HerCodeNameWasMarySue: In the opening of the puppet show, all the characters are singing about how great Mabel is.

** Mabel's able to outrun a worn out "Bipper" on the stage thanks to the five shots of Mabel Juice that she had.

* SadisticChoice: Dipper's faced with one when he tries one too many wrong passwords and the laptop threatens to self-terminate with only one more attempt allowed. Cue Bill Cipher and his "offer" to help out. So either take a long-shot and risk deleting potential data you and your friends nearly got killed recovering, or take up the "deal" of a dream demon that's bound to backfire on you. Dipper's GenreSavvy enough to realize his position, but goes with Bill anyway because his next guess would've been a shot in the dark ''at best.''

Mabel tries to gain a boy's attention with a puppet show, while Dipper tries to unlock the secrets of the laptop they found in the old bunker.

* PasswordSlotMachine: Averted, the computer rejects incorrect passwords outright and goes into an automatic self-destruct once too many incorrect guesses are made, the programming correctly assuming someone is trying to brute-force their way in.

** As mentioned above, after Bill possessing Dipper's body and beginning to hurt himself, in both out of morbid curiosity and to spite him, finally caught up after being in a sleep deprived 12 year old boy's body.

* TooKinkyToTorture: When Bill Cipher possesses Dipper's body, he enjoys being in a physical body so much that he enjoys inflicting pain on himself, including slapping himself, falling backwards down the stairs, smashing his arm in a drawer and stabbing it with forks. When Dipper later gets his body back, it's revealed that Bill hurt his body so much that he [[AndIMustScream feels the need to go to a hospital.]]

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Gabe at first looks like an adult, but when we see him on the other side of the puppet show curtain he actually isn't much taller then Mabel, putting them at around the same age. [[{{Squick}} Hopefully.]]

** Later on subverted; in "Northwest Mansion Noir" [=McGucket=] reveals that he's fixed the laptop!