| Mabel Pines | |
|---|---|
| Gravity Falls character | |
| First appearance | "Tourist Trapped" (2012) |
| Created by | Alex Hirsch |
| Voiced by | Kristen Schaal |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Part-time employee at the Mystery Shack. |
| Family | Dipper Pines (twin brother) |
| Relatives | Stan Pines (great uncle) |
| Nationality | American |
Mabel Pines is the protagonist of the Disney Channel animated series Gravity Falls, created by Alex Hirsch. The character is voiced by Kristin Schaal [1] and is loosely based on Alex's sister, Ariel [2]
Mabel and her twin brother Dipper are sent to spend the summer with their eccentric Great Uncle Stan and work in his tourist trap (called The Mystery Shack).[3] They soon start noticing strange things going on in Gravity Falls, after finding a mysterious, dusty book which suggests that Gravity Falls might be inhabited by strange critters. [4]
During their holiday with her uncle, Mabel works together with her brother and Soos (another employee at the mystery shack) to uncover the town's secrets and also seeks out an epic summer romance, which often leads her to some of the mysterious characters of Gravity Falls.[5]
Mabel Pines is a buoyant and energetic optimist who skips through life with a braces-filled smile and an assortment of extremely colorful knit sweaters. It is her outgoing personality and fearless curiosity that comes in handy when Dipper needs help solving a mystery, even if she isn't always aware of it. Mabel lives in a world of pre-teen novels, and her fixation on finding her one true love occasionally lands her in sticky situations which ultimately require her brother's help. Still, despite the weirdness in Gravity Falls, Mabel is always a "glass half full" kind of girl.[6]
Role in Gravity Falls
editLittle is known about Mabel and Dipper's life before their arrival at Gravity Falls, including information about their parents.[5] Once at Gravity Falls, Mabel sets out to find an 'epic summer romance' and starts going out with Norman, whom Dipper believes to be a zombie, but actually turns out to be five gnomes standing on top of each other.[7] Her next romantic endeavor involves Gideon Gleeful, one of the main antagonists in the show, who asks Mabel out on a few dates and who she has trouble saying no to. After Dipper volunteers to break up with him on Mabel's behalf, he believes that Dipper stands between them and tries to kill him.[8]
Mabel's two best friends are Grenda and Candy Chui (voiced by Niki Yang from Adventure Time), whom she meets at a party (another one of Grunkle Stan's money making schemes) and who are also branded as 'weird' by the townspeople. She also meets Pacifica Nortwest, granddaughter of townfounder Nathaniel Nortwest and popular girl of Gravity Falls, at this party and she becomes Mable's arch nemesis.[9] Her nemesis-relationship with Pacifica intensifies in the episode "Irrational Treasure" when Pacifica publicly makes fun of Mabel's silliness, leading Mabel to briefly attempt to become more serious. [10]
Mabel has a pet pig called Waddles, whom she wins at Grunkle Stan's Mystery Fair and loses to Pacifica, but gets back with the use of time travel.[11] Grunkle Stan later causes Waddles to be adbucted by a pterodactyl, but helps get him back for Mabel.[12]
Throughout the show, Mabel works part-time at the Mystery Shack, but because of a wager with Grunkle Stan in "Boss Mabel" she ends up briefly managing the Mystery Shack while Stan goes on vacation.[13] In "The Deep End" Mabel falls in love with Mermando (who turns out to be a mermaid) at the public swimming pool. Although she makes advances at Mermando at first, she later realizes that he is miserable and longs to return to the ocean. After helping him return to the ocean, she gets her first kiss ever from Mermando.[14]
Mabel is also a big fan of the boy band 'Sev'ral Timez' and saves them from their overlord producer in the episode 'Boyz Crazy' after finding out that they are cloned and lab grown to be the perfect boy band. As the title suggests, Mabel becomes 'Boy Crazy', keeping the boy band locked in her room instead of setting them free, but after they sing her a heartwarming song, she realizes her error and lets them go free.[15]
Inspiration
editThe idea for Mabel's character was inspired by creator Alex Hirsch's sister Ariel, including her silliness, love for sweaters and for boy bands (Hirsch claims his sister was obsessed with N'Sync when she was Mabel's age), although the character was also adapted because of Kristen Schaal's involvement. Hirsch also claims he wanted to move away from the stereotypical portrayal of siblings always fighting and competing and instead wanted to create a twin characters that have a sincere relationship.[16]
Mabel's Guide to Life
editMabel's Guide to Life is a short series that aired between Season 1 and Season 2 of Gravity Falls (along with Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained)[17]
| No in. series |
No. in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "Mabel's Guide to Dating" | February 3, 2014 | |
|
Mabel tests her dating quiz on Grunkle Stan, Dipper, and Soos.[18] | ||||
| 8 | 2 | "Mabel's Guide to Stickers" | February 4, 2014 | |
|
Mabel gives her perspective on the history of stickers.[18] | ||||
| 9 | 3 | "Mabel's Guide to Fashion" | February 5, 2014 | |
|
Mabel reveals her fashion secrets, including "flash makeovers"![18] | ||||
| 10 | 4 | "Mabel's Guide to Colors" | February 6, 2014 | |
|
Mabel learns Grunkle Stan has never seen a rainbow and declares a color emergency.[18] | ||||
| 11 | 5 | "Mabel's Guide to Art" | February 7, 2014 | |
|
Mabel's gift of art has driven her to create of her own art movement: the "Caticature."[18] | ||||
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Annie Award | Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production[19] | Kristen Schaal | Won |
References
edit- ^ Lowry, Brian. "Review: 'Gravity Falls'". Variety. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ Zalben, Alex. "Interview: Alex Hirsch Returns To His Weird, Monster-Filled Childhood In Disney's 'Gravity Falls'". MTV Geek!. Retrieved 12 March 2014..
- ^ Radish, Christina. "Creator Alex Hirsch Talks GRAVITY FALLS, How He Ended Up Making a Show for the Disney Channel, His Love for TV Animation and More". Collider. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ Hinckley, David. "New animated Disney series 'Gravity Falls' rises to an endearing level of tween cool". Daily News. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ a b Sims, Chris. "Alex Hirsch On 'Gravity Falls,' Mabel's Sweater Collection And TV's Fear Of Sincerity [Interview] Read More: Alex Hirsch On 'Gravity Falls,' Mabel's Sweater Collection And TV's Fear Of Sincerity [Interview] | http://comicsalliance.com/alex-hirsch-gravity-falls-interview/?trackback=tsmclip". Retrieved 3 April 2014.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ "Gravity Falls". Disney Channel. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Tourist Trapped"/"The Legend Of The Gobblewonker"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Headhunters"/"The Hand That Rocks The Mabel"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Double Dipper"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Irrational Treasure"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "The Time Traveler's Pig"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Land Before Swine"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Boss Mabel"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "The Deep End"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. "Gravity Falls: "Boyz Crazy"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Adams, Erik. "Comedy Showrunners Week: Alex Hirsch on the real in the unreal of Gravity Falls". A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ "List of Gravity Falls Episodes". Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "February 2014 Programming Highlights" (PDF). Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Beck, Jerry (2 February 2013). "Annie Award Winners". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 5 December 2013.