History GravityFalls / TropesFToO

* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Bill Cipher is a demon that seems to exist only in the mindscape. A living representation of the Eye of Providence, Bill can be reached through a SummoningRitual that causes the world to become black and white. It's implied that any time a character has spoken directly with Bill, they were asleep; he cannot manifest in the physical world without inhabiting a body. His demonic powerset includes the standard DealWithTheDevil and invading a person's mind through their dreams...[[spoiler: unless he manages to get a physical form of his own, at which point all bets are off.]]

** Played straight ''and'' averted. On the surface, Mabel is a fun-loving free spirit opposite Dipper's responsible, logic-driven researcher, and [[spoiler: Stan is a con artist while Ford is phenomenally educated and accomplished.]] Later, though, we see [[spoiler: Grunkle Stan]] as to be the responsible one, urging everybody to seek shelter and stay hidden indefinitely rather than confront [[spoiler: all-powerful, infinitely dangerous Bill]] (possibly getting killed or worse), as contrasted with [[spoiler: Ford]]’s recklessness in charging headlong into danger and helping cause the whole mess [[spoiler: with his research]] in the first place.

%%* HeroesWantRedheads: Dipper's crush on Wendy.

* OminousOwl: Owls appear to be a reoccurring motif, as an owl or the image of one usually appears at least OnceAnEpisode. A FreezeFrameBonus in the "Stan's Tattoo" short gives us some text that reads "All secret societies worship a hyper-intelligent barn owl named Duane 'The Enforcer' Roosevelt. Most meetings consist of saying the secret oath, dressing in robes, hooting, gluing owl feathers to their skin, and devouring gophers whole in honor of their beloved barn owl overload. But not all secret societies worship barn owls, some of them worship western screeching owls. Also: Other owl-related jokes. In addition: Owls, owls, owls, owls, owls. And remember, when you don't know where else to turn just ask yourself: 'What would Duane Do?' Which is: Use your creepy heart-shaped face to see your prey, swoop down from a tree, eat an adult male vole, then cough up his bones into a disgusting ball that kids will later open in a high school biology class."

* GirlsAreReallyScaredOfHorrorMovies:
** [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] by Grunkle Stan in "Little Gift Shop of Horrors":
--->'''Stan''': Movies are great! You watch the movie, you scare the girl, the girl snuggles up next to you, next thing you know you gotta raise a kid. Your life falls apart. Forget that last part.
** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with Wendy Corduroy; she beams with delight while watching a zombie movie with Dipper in "Into the Bunker," and a zombie poster can be seen on her bedroom wall.

* NotTheNessie: In the Episode "The Legend of the Gobblewonker", the titular lake monster turns out to be a robot controlled by local kook/MadScientist Old Man [=McGucket=] who builds it to get attention from his son who works at the lake. Though the end reveals that there actually is a [[StockNessMonster Lock Ness style monster]] [[RealAfterAll living in the lake.]]

* FlashbackToCatchphrase: Tyler the Cute Biker shows up many times throughout the series. His only line of dialogue is usually his CatchPhrase, "Get 'im! Get 'im!" typically egging on someone to fight. In "[[OriginsEpisode Tale of Two Stans]]", Tyler is seen as a kid riding his bike next to his mother as they pass the building that would become the Mystery Shack. As bright lights and loud noises flash from the house, Tyler's mom urges him to peddle faster, shouting "Get out! Get out! Get out!"