Some of the imagery in this episode alone puts the ENTIRE Invader Zim series to shame. Also hilariously enough, I was thinking Wendy was going to pull some Mad Max shit even before the trailer showing her doing some Mad Max shit, because obviously she's Queen of the Apocalypse. Spoiler Also Bill's cryptogram at the end holy shit: WHICH PINES SURVIVES?
@Neurogabu you might wanna spoiler that? idk. Spoiler: Spoipers! Which of the two, or which of the four? Pardon me, my problematic crush from hell is a backscratcher and I'll be very surprised if we don't see some "unexpected" heroics from Stan eventually. Also Mabel's symbol is a famous Angelic Pretty purse design which had me cracking up in the middle of everything. Clearly I need to see Mad Max. I don't usually do post-apocalypse if it's not rated PG13 or below because of the likelihood of rape scenes but I have heard good things about Fury Road. I want to be Wendy when I grow up which is hilarious since she is less than half my age.
As I watched the ep I texted my friend who had seen the ep already. A few of my relevant texts were: -Wendy "I'M A FLIPPIN'" Corduroy!!! -Weirdmageddon: Fury Road
So, now that I've calmed down a little... Spoiler -I can't believe the JOURNALS are fucking dead. Ford's ENTIRE LIFE WORK is now nothing. Like, right in the feels! Do you think it would be possible that the Journals could be rewritten in some fashion? Or that maybe Ford finally learns the value of family? -And speaking of Ford! Oh God, he's been Han Solo'd! -Is it just me, or are Dipper, Soos and Wendy (and I guess Gideon too) falling right into Bill's hands entering Mabel's bubble prison? We have radio silence on every other major character/character that can be signified by Bill's wheel; maybe those four are the ones he needs left for the next stage of his plan. -Speaking of plan I guess giant frat party is his phase 1, complete with demon booze, if Bill's statements when the Time Police showed up means anything. -DID SOOS'S GRANDMA BASICALLY ASK SOOS TO SIT ON HER FACE?! I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. -ANIME IS REAL (and also Rule 63)!
Spoiler "How about I shuffle the functions of all the holes in your face!" Just when I thought Bill's aesthetic sensibilities couldn't get more horrifying... actually on that note any Mieville fans around here? I had a Thought
The reference is a Bas-Lag specific one, damn :( (Basically there's this weird interdimensional spider-thing called the Weaver whose sense of morality is based entirely on what it thinks will make the world look nicer. Talks in slightly-understandable word salad, usually does nasty things to you if you ask it for help without the correct gift given first. Being reminded a tad of Bill)
Spoiler: carbonite! The journals, that killed me a little bit too. I hope they can be recovered/recreated. Although it's clear that there's some experiments and other items Ford created that may still be lying around. In Ford's defence, his parents only cared about him as a means to future wealth and his beloved brother betrayed him in a way that probably looked to him as though he were trying to keep him trapped in their shitty little town so he wouldn't be alone. For all that it wasn't intentional, and for all that Stan does love him, when exactly was he supposed to have learned "the value of family" before now? Stan is trustworthy but doesn't often seem that way and Ford's just now getting to know the kids, and how much the value of family is worth depends upon the people who make up the family. Sorry, it's a sore point for me. "The value of family" is a phrase that really irritates me since I loved my dad but he was often unhelpful, my mother is a narcissist and my brother is a sociopath, and when people tell me I need to understand the value of family I want to hit them. It is funny to me that his name is Ford and Harrison Ford played Han Solo. I share your worries about the bubble prison. I did love the anime and Rule 63 bits. Rule 63 Gideon looks a lot like Dolores Umbridge y/y? The one thing that I've been wondering about though...when will Dipper, and possibly Mabel, realise that since the normal rules of physics and reality don't apply any more, they might be able to manipulate reality in their favour? Because I really don't think Wendy or anyone else could have driven across a gap that far except by sheer force of will and the fact that physics is a little out of whack right now.
Spoiler: Welcome, one and all, to SPOILERMAGEDDON! Preston's fate was horrifying, but the lines leading up to it were hilarious. Bill should've accepted him, he'd make a fine horseman of the apocalypse. Bill is an interdimensional gang leader. And he really is treating this whole situation like a party. Dipper follows Ford and carries out a plan to solve the overall crisis rather than running off on his own to search for Mabel. A wise decision imo, perhaps surprising to some, and sure to be controversial. That scene with Bill and Ford was honestly painful. I'm too emotionally attached to Ford for how briefly he's been here. I really hope he's recoverable. The destruction of the journals, which have been such an integral part of the show since day one, really brought it home for me that this is the apocalypse and anything can happen. Blind Ivan? Is that you? The giant head monster was very funny. Wendy is flippin' amazing. I'm surprised they let her break a dude's arm onscreen. Perhaps it's less horrifying than what happened to Preston, but it is something that's actually physically possible. I feel like realistic violence ought to be a bigger deal than fantastical violence. That's a digression though. The point is that Wendy is a huge badass and I love her. I have a feeling this is not the end of the Time Baby. Time travel = infinite do-overs! Soos' line about folk songs immediately made me think of the Jayne song from Firefly. Dipper successfully convincing Gideon to pull a heel-face turn is probably the most surprising thing in this episode for me. I hope we see more of him. I also hope he doesn't backslide when it inevitably turns out that doing the right thing for once doesn't automatically make Mabel fall in love with him.
Thoughts as I go: Spoiler: Liveblog time! Pinally happening?? Oh gods all what. SHOOTING STAR. Aw Manly Dan instantly goes to protect his kids Silhouette Bill is... creepy Interdimensional criminals? Boys? So does gender exist for these guys? "we don't like out of towners" Grenda. Grenda your best friend is from California. Or maybe this is because by this point they've basically accepted her as part of the town. Preston YOU HAVE A TAPESTRY OF HIM IN YOUR HOUSE Also is that a 'I welcome our new [x] overlords' reference i spy OH HOLY FUCKSHIT WHAT IS THAT So does the... rest of the world know about this I'm surprised they didn't do a BIllified theme song AND THERE IT IS. DIPPER SKELETON WHY... though he has the hat still there... created by Bill Cipher I hope all those monsters are ok, most of them are cool. So why is Soos safe. Abuelita is so chill, it's great. Stan did you. Not notice the apocalypse happening. Also... so maybe the people on Bill's wheel are automatically immune to madness waves? Oh hey it's Ghost Eyes again. Is that Cthulhu... Gideon Gideon do you think that Bill did all of this To break you out of jail Oh you poor deluded horrorshow. OH GOD IT HAD FLESH INSIDE. Oh god the Bill<3<Ford feelings are strong. Oh god Dipper, no Nonononono PUNCH HIM IN THE EYE DO IT Aww, well. The thing is that's not what Ford would do, that's what Stan would do. There sure is a lot of papers being blown away by the wind... Wendy I love you so much. ...Was she planning on killing him if it wasn't someone she knew Oh god Dipper needs a hug. The narrative gods can't resist an opening like that, can they... So is that Bill's giant glowing 'LOL COME AT ME BRO' sign for Stan and Dipper, or is she... incubating? in there? Because if that's a giant monster cocoon I think I'm here for that. The Time Police, huh? OH GOD TIME BABY IS HERE TOO. HOLY FUCK. Oh, so they have a Plan for Mabel, huh. I'm betting body horror monster cocoon. MAD MAX: OREGON ROAD So you're one of Bill's minions, huh. Gideon you're being tricked RIDICULOUSLY obviously. I love you Wendy. Please marry me. Also doesn't Dipper still have the President's key, that'd probably help in the apocalypse. SHIT LET'S BE MAD MAX. So why do they revert when no one else did... Are those the VAs? Is so, great. Soos! THIS IS GREAT BUT DON'T STOP NOW THERE IS STUFF THAT NEEDS DOING. Is that a shofar... Where did they get a shofar in apocalypse oregon. Did he loot it from a synagogue? Dipper I'm not sure this'll work. ...Well that was... actually rather narratively satisfying Oh god Oh god i'm so scared. This is where Gideon grabbed her in his robot too SHE'S GONNA BE A MONSTER. I JUST KNOW IT.
Spoiler: Observation re: journals Stan already copied them tho. Using the magic copier, so it might have even gotten the invisible ink. Can't wait for Grunkle Badass to come through.
Spoiler: bill wheel jabber We still don't know what the Cipher Wheel means, and Bill's inconsistent treatment of the Wheel people isn't helping. Mabel (Shooting Star): Imprisoned in an unknown environment inside a bubble, alive and physically unharmed. Seems like Bill might still need her for something? Or maybe she's just bait. Dipper (Pine Tree): Bill actually tried to have Dipper killed by his henchbeings. Does this mean that Bill doesn't need all the Wheel people alive? Would he collect Dipper's soul or something if he died? Ford (Six Fingered Hand): Bill asked Ford to join him (although I kind of think that was more of a taunt than a serious offer) and, upon his refusal, turned him to gold and kept him as a trophy. I also note that Bill did not seek Ford out to capture or recruit him; he only did anything after Ford attacked him directly. Gideon (Five-Pointed Star): Recruited by Bill as a henchman. Bill told him that Mabel is destined to be his lover, which must be a lie. Gideon also said he has "eternity to wait" for Mabel to love him; did Bill offer him immortality? In any case, he has betrayed Bill. Wendy (Ice Bag, probably): Escaped from a roving eyeball that was petrifying people. Bill has not specifically approached or targeted her as far as we know. Stan (fish symbol from his hat, presumably): Bill has not specifically approached or targeted him as far as we know. Robbie (stitched heart): Turned to stone by a roving eyeball. Bill has not specifically approached or targeted him as far as we know. Pacifica (llama?): Bill has not specifically approached or targeted her as far as we know, despite the fact that she was standing right there when he first started terrorizing the townspeople. McGucket (glasses?): Bill has not specifically approached or targeted him as far as we know. Toby (another suggested candidate for the glasses): Bill has not specifically approached or targeted him as far as we know. Blendin (A bunch of people on tumblr think he's the ice bag for some reason): Possessed and left for dead. ?????
@KarrinBlue That was TOTALLY a shofar. But it also looked like a really big one. Which makes me wonder what kind of horn it was once.
