Should Dipper Have Become Ford's Apprentice? (Gravity Falls Video Essay)

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[dracoangelrojo]

Another important thing that no one mentions in here is how Dipper's "resolution" with his conflict with Mabel implies that, since it's a reflection of Stan and Ford's relationship, that the problem with Stan and Ford wasn't Stan being unable to cope with not being 24/7 with his twin and breaking the project, it was Ford wanting to go to college in the first place and the "solution" was him giving it up to make Stan happy. That is SO messed up in SO many ways I don't even know where to start: dreams and family are NOT opposite things and wanting to follow your carreer does NOT make you selfish, and the fact that the narrative of the show implies this is concerning to say the least.

[StudioBallora]

Wish the show acknowledged this wasn't a binary choice. Dipper could have been an apprentice during the summers at least, but the show didn't bother with that, they just made it an either-or situation. The lack of compromise at all, just Dipper completely rejecting the apprenticeship, was frustrating to watch. The show at minimum could have had Ford offer the apprenticeship during the summer if Dipper wanted before the twins got on the bus.

[ViewerOnline]

Should he have become Ford's apprentice? Well, perhaps, but not right away. Enjoy his childhood, graduate from school, THEN he could become Ford's apprentice as an alternative to college.

[elenanojkovic]

For me, not at the time. Not necessarily even because Dipper wasn't ready, but because Ford wasn't in the right place to be a mentor, especially not to a young kid such as Dipper. Ford is paranoid, traumatized, and no, nobody can blame him after what he'd been trough, but he needs time to get to a better place mentally and emotionally before he would be able to take not only mentoring, but essentially raising a kid as well. Ford is not exactly in the best place to fulfil the emotional needs of a young teen.

If Dipper lived in GF with his parents and went to school there and this was like an after school/weekend activity thing, than sure. But in this situation? No.
Keep in mind, Dipper is 12. Ford and Stan are not THAT old, they will live for a while longer, certainly. Dipper can always take the apprenticeship during high school, or before/duirng college or something like that.

[scarysara]

Apprenticeship or not I really wish that BOTH of the twins had stayed in Gravity Falls and had gone to the school there instead of going back to their home town; the show's final episode gave me the impression that Dipper and Mable didn't really have any friends back in California and only kept each other company, untill they came to Oregon and met Soos, Wendy, Grenda and Candy plus Pacifica just to name some and not to mention practiclly became the town's heros. I of course don't know for a fact that they have no friends back in Piedmont we don't even know what their parents look like; but from what I saw in those 2 flash backs while in "Mable Land" they appeared to be outcast who were bullied and laughed at by their peers, especially poor Dipper who got 0 Valentines while his sister got probably like a dozen so CLEARLY some people like her.

[dracoangelrojo]

My first instinct is say yes, because as we had seen through the series, Dipper was a brilliant child that felt completely unnappreciated back home since in his own words, no one took him seriously or listened to him, nothing interesting happened at Piedmont, and the poor kid was being bullied and outcasted at school for being himself, which lead him to be insecure and only having his sister for a friend. In Gravity Falls however, he found, as he himself admitted, everything he ever wanted: friends and mysteries, and Gravity Falls was his own enviroment where he felt confident and could be himself. If we add to the equation that he would be tutored by his hero and the only relative that trully valued his interests and his worth as a person, supporting him instead of teasing him and belittle him, then that was an even better offer. He even proclaimed how his first mission with Ford was the best day of his life. Staying in Gravity Falls would have been Dipper's reward for all his growth through the series and helped him to finally mature and finally stablish that confidence he struggled so much to get.
I know many people say "but what about Mabel and their parents? They wouldn't leave their son alone taken away", but that's...a bit ridiculous: the child is just 8 hours away by bus, he is not kidnapped and taken away at the other end of the world, and having Ford as a tutor would have given him much more freedom of schedule than any regular school, the boy could have visited his home once a week if he pleased, and videochat daily. Besides, these are the same parents who were totally okay with sending both of their kids away for over 3 months to a relative they barely knew anything about. Do we honestly think they would have refused if said grunkle offered their kid free advanced education and that the kid wanted to take? Plus, it's not like there weren't other options to take the apprenticeship without Dipper having to stay: let's do the apprenticeships during the summers, or pospose it until he finishes highschool, that way the boy doesn't lose anything and he still stays with his family, problem solved. And about Mabel...I'm sorry, but Dipper's future of what he wants to do with his life is his own decision, not hers, and the fact that the show portrays Mabel as being totally in the right for guilting him, accusing him of abandoning her and blackmailing him in the middle of the end of the world so that he does what she wants him to do is messed up.

[shadowcat]

Honestly I wish dipper had agreed to take it, but in a few years time. There’s always the next school holiday for him to visit and get some learning in until then. Just a quick discussion about that being an option, that’s all I wanted.

My hatred of him turning it down comes from how after the show spent it’s entire time coddling mabel and acting like she could do no wrong and then she got what she wanted *again*. It didn’t feel like he was turning it down because that’s what he wanted, but because the show needed an excuse to keep him with her.

[hearteyedracoon]

I'm not sure. Especially since he's so young, it might lead him to become a sort of hermit and his relationship with Mabel might have become just as strained as Stan and Ford's. But it's just as possible that he would have been fine, we'll never know since unfortunately Dipper didn't have the opportunity to really think about it

[dracoangelrojo]

To be honest, the problem isn't really about Dipper accepting Ford's offer or not, and had the show given the child a chance to decide by himself without anyone's influence, pressure, guilting or blackmailing, it would have been perfectly fine whatever he chose because it would have been HIS own choice, staying or not staying, or even just posposing it to the summers only or after he finished highschool. The REAL issue the apprenticeship has is that Dipper is NEVER given a chance to think things through and choose by himself, all because of Mabel, because she refuses to hear him out or even find a way to make it work: Dipper could have stayed and go visit her weekly and videochat daily, or he could have just left the apprenticeship as a summer thing so that he could still go with Mabel back home but doing it during the summers he came to visit, or doing it after highschool, or Mabel could have stayed with Dipper, there was a MILLION ways Dipper could have taken the apprenticeship and still make things work, but Mabel openly refuses and closes that door shut because "I don't want it to work! It's a horrible opportunity for ME! You're the only person I could have counted on and you're leaving me too?!" and goes and decides to trap the entire town to keep Dipper from making his own choice in life. It doesn't get better when later in Escape from Reality she not only spits all over his unconditional love and support in his face by creating Dippyfresh and claiming he isn't supportive enough, she openly blames him for her state of mind, openly ignores the apocalypse she caused and sends Dipper to a trial where she threats him that if he doesn't convince her to go back home with her (aka giving up the apprenticeship), she will stay in there forever and kick him out in the end of the world and replace him for good. She is litterally blackmailing him in the middle of the apocalypse she created and forcing him to choose between his future and her, to the point that Dipper outright LIES about the apprenticeship so that she listens to what she wants to hear, and Mabel only accepts once Dipper does what she wants him to do. The fact that the show portrays Mabel's behaviour in this episode as being totally in the right and placing Dipper in the wrong for wanting to fullfill his dreams and carreer is beyond flippant, and considering this is a reflection of Ford's and Stan's relationship, it implies that Ford was in the wrong for wanting to go to college, which is beyond ridiculous: following your dreams does NOT make you selfish, and family should support you, not hold you back.

[darkflame]

I agree. Dipper is a kid, and as well intentioned as Ford is, he is not ready to be a child's full time guardian. Hell, he isn't even ready for social interaction with other adults yet. The guy was a socially awkward before going into the portal. He's probably WAY worse now.

On top of that Dipper is in some very important years developmentally. He needs to go experience normal life before making this decision. He can go hang out with Ford during the summer or something.

[ms.marvelous]

If Dipper were a college student, I’d agree that he should join the apprenticeship but I’m not sure 13-year-old Dipper should spend full years learning under Stanford. A summer study program would make more sense until he graduates high school.

[leoanimefan]

I believe he should, he shown to be capable long before meeting Ford, when the journal was all the information he could use and managed to succeed in many supernatural conflicts. Besides Dipper and Mabel both seem to prefer being around Gravity Falls then home anyway, Mabel not being join him might be the only conflict he may have if he stays.

[malachitehawk]

I agree with most of your points except the money one. I’m pretty sure most colleges or agencies would be throwing money at inter dimensional travel. Especially since he still has the machine

[smilesrobotlover]

I absolutely adore Dipper and Ford but I totally agree. Dipper shouldn’t have accepted. Not only is it bad for a child like you said, but also him not accepting the apprenticeship caused a lot of good things to happen. The Stan twins were able to go adventuring together instead like they always dreamed of. Soos became the man of mystery. Dipper and Mabel were able to grow up normally. And I feel like it might’ve humbled Ford a bit. Ford has some flaws that should be addressed (doesn’t stop him from being one of my favorite characters.) unfortunately though, the way this was handled wasn’t the smartest since Dipper literally hasn’t gotten a single thing he wanted this entire show. He always sacrificed something for Mabel or for others. But regardless, this is something that I do agree with.

[troperhghar]

I remember hearing from alex Hirsh that there was going to be a scene showing mabel happy in school in her late teens when dipper rolls up in a car wrapped in bandages, the other kids make fun of him saying he looks like a mummy mabel dosnt get the chance to talk to dipper as he drives away
Now the implication is that dipper would only get more socially inept and would not *REALLY* be happy which is why I think 99.999% of fanfics say dipper would still go to Gravity Falls High and be Ford's apprentice after school

My take dipper needs all the training he can get if he wants to be a SCP Foundation scientist for a spinoff

[majormccoy]

I think Dipper should have taken the apprenticeship when his a little older and has a little more worldly experience and social skills.

But in all honesty the writing for the decision really felt rushed and again makes Dipper sacrifice something for Mabel. Dipper was being fairly reasonable about the apprenticeship and promised to stay in contact with Mabel, but she just guilts him and kida harasses him about it. It really puts Mabel in an unpleasant light with the whole 'Well it's a horrible opportunity for me!' line really rubs me the wrong way. Look I get Mabel was having a bad day, but she was being rather selfish to her brother. In the end she should have encouraged Dipper to take the apprenticeship and say she was happy and support him.

[TrickyTalon]

YES. He absolutely should’ve. He had so much more potential.

[bladehunter]

I'm not against Dipper saying No, if it felt more like him reflecting and less trying to appease Mable to go back to reality.

Personally I think Dipper should have taken the apprenticeship, but only for like a year, heck even just a few months. Kids taking semesters off isnt that rare, especially to help their "Family business" so to speak.

[TFoxhound]

I'd say yes. It'd be HIS choice to accept. So many choices Dipper could pick but gets influenced to choose what the influencer's want.

[JonathonWilder]

My question was always, "There is a High School in Gravity Falls, why couldn't Mabel just go to school there while Dipper has his apprenticeship with Ford?" They didn't have to be seperated.