Screenshot of Dipper and Mabel from ‘Gravity Falls’ portrayed by Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal. Copyright goes to ‘Disney Television Animation’ and ‘Disney Channel’.

Dipper & Mabel

Even animated twins can influence society’s view of twins. The Disney Channel animated show Gravity Falls is about 12 year old twins Dipper and Mabel Pines around the eerie town of Gravity Falls, Oregon where they spend the Summer with their great-uncle. Being boy girl twins, they aren’t exactly alike and in fact don’t really have much in common other than the fact that they’re related. Mabel is a typical tween-age girl who loves all things vibrant, animals, happiness, and goes on wacky adventures while Dipper is more serious, type A, and on a mission to get to the bottom of the mysteries of the show. Their distinct personalities balance each other out and make them the perfect pair.

At times their expeditions overlap and they do get along but, as any twins do, they also bicker. They manage to embody the typical twin relationship. At the end of the day they’re each others best friend but that doesn’t mean they always see eye to eye. Their differences allow society to see twins not as doubles of each other, despite already being boy-girl twins. Their identities never really are merged since they are opposite genders but their personalities continue to divulge that. Even in the clothes they wear in the show, their personalities shown. Mabel is a bubbly person which is illustrated through her eclectic sweaters while Dipper’s serious personality is showcased through his dull colors and basic outfit. They really are opposite ends of the spectrum and never risk blending their identities.

Dipper and Mabel from the show Gravity Falls ultimately left a positive impact on society’s perception of twins, so much so that it almost went back to having a negative effect. While they do not portray the typical stereotype of twins being exactly identical and doing everything together, they exhibit the exact opposites of one another and have almost nothing in common. If it wasn’t for the fact that throughout the show they come together and have sweet sibling moments I’d say it was negative. I keep it as a positive impact because they display how even twins who have seemingly nothing in common, they still have an unbreakable bond to each other. Twins can be perceived as being complete opposites or identical by society when in reality even if they are opposites they’re more like Dipper and Mabel and have each other in common.

Screenshot of Dipper and Mabel from ‘Gravity Falls’ portrayed by Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal. Copyright goes to ‘Disney Television Animation’ and ‘Disney Channel’.