Gravity Falls is a show full of heroes, adventurers, and sometimes characters who have had the bad luck of being dragged into the weirdness of the town. But whether the show is focused on a willing adventurer, such as Dipper and Mabel, or an unfortunate bystander like Pacifica, each character bravely forges their way through their respective journeys.
There are very few characters on the show who could be called cowardly, especially since the entire town was forced to face Weirdmageddon with no prior preparation for the events caused by the demon Bill Cipher. Gravity Falls is truly a town for the brave.
10 Bill Cipher Had Nothing To Fear
While it could be argued that Bill feared nothing, it is forging ahead despite being afraid that marks true courage. Bill Cipher was incapable of being brave since he never had anything to fear in the millennia that he had lived and didn't perceive pain in the same manner that mortal beings did. Despite lacking general fear throughout his long life, Bill Cipher finally revealed that he was indeed a coward when faced with his own demise at which point he begged for his life, desperately trying to strike a deal with Stan before his memory and being was destroyed by Fiddleford's memory gun.
9 Gideon Defied Bill To Save Mabel
When faced with conflict in the past, Gideon always hedged his bets and relied on backup plans to win. When that didn't work, Gideon made sure to side with the winning team, striking a deal with Bill that would let him remain free during Weirdmageddon. Throughout the series, Gideon was a vengeful antagonist who turned cowardly when faced with the consequences of his actions. However, during the show's finale, Gideon defied Bill. He risked his life to tell the Pines family how to rescue the townsfolk from Bill's petrification, earning everyone's respect. It was only when Gideon hit the lowest point of his life that he was able to show true courage.
8 Wendy Admitted Her Bravery Was A Front
When an adventure called for a fearless champion, Wendy proved her mettle time and time again. Trained by her father for the Lumberjack games, the cool-headed teen showed off her skills, navigating her way through most situations. However, despite scenarios like the first lonely days of Weirdmageddon, in the episode "Society of the Blind Eye," Wendy revealed to Mabel that she was stressed almost all the time. In doing so, the viewers learned that Wendy's bravery had been a front. Nevertheless, instead of running away from her problems, Wendy confronted them every time and came out victorious.
7 Soos Faced Every Challenge Head-On
Throughout the series, there was very little that Soos feared. Even when he was scared, he thought about the people who mattered most to him and his loyalty to his friends and family saw him through his toughest battles. The series made it clear that Soos saw Stan as a replacement father figure for his own absent father. Soos' biggest challenge was when he was forced to confront Stan in order to protect Dipper and Mabel, choosing them over a man he worshipped and adored. No matter what circumstances Soos found himself in, he would do anything for his found family.
6 Fiddleford McGucket Fought To Reclaim His Memories
Initially, Fiddleford couldn't cope with the dark things he had seen through the portal he helped build. As a coping mechanism, he built the memory gun, removing his unwanted memories and destroying his sanity in the process. While running from himself was somewhat cowardly, Fiddleford was eventually given the option to recover his memories and learn who he had been in the past. Having developed a desire to make amends for his past, Fiddleford made the hardest decision he had ever had to make: facing the fear of the unknown. Though he was scared to find out why he had removed the memories in the first place, he chose not to run from his past a second time, becoming one of the show's heroes in the process.
5 Ford Mastered His Fears
Dipper and Ford are very similar in many ways, but when faced with a dangerous situation, the two differ immensely. Where Dipper has a tendency to doubt himself, Ford is fearless, trusting his analytical mind, honed reflexes, and research to help guide him. Ford never doubted his abilities, which helped him to survive his time in the multiverse. If Ford's courage ever wavered, he wouldn't have survived his many years researching anomalies.
After coming across alien robotic defenses during his time in Gravity Falls, Ford managed to master his fears and keep calm under pressure. Even when faced with being tortured by Bill Cipher, Ford managed to stay calm despite how scared he was.
4 Stan Sacrificed Himself To Save Dipper And Mabel
When looking into Stan's backstory, it became clear that he was a selfish con artist who acted mostly out of self-preservation, valuing himself above everyone else. However, when given charge of Dipper and Mabel, Stan began to change until finally, he reached a point wherein he would do anything to protect them, even risk his own life. Although Stan had been protecting Dipper and Mabel all summer, the first time it was really shown was in the episode 'Scary-oke' during which, Stan fought off a horde of zombies to save them.
The ultimate test of Stan's character came later, during Weirdmageddon, at which point, Stan offered up his consciousness to trap Bill and burn away his memory. While this did ultimately save Gravity Falls and the known universe, Stan didn't do it for that purpose; the only reason Stan made the ultimate sacrifice was to save the people he loved most, Mabel and Dipper.
3 Dipper Was Anxious All The Time
Throughout their adventures, Mabel was always the brave twin, rushing headfirst into scenarios without thinking of the consequences. Dipper, on the other hand, seemed to think about nothing but the consequences of his actions. Overthinking every possible outcome, Dipper was anxious almost all the time. However, Dipper's thirst for knowledge outweighed his fears. Instead of letting his anxieties control him, he overcame them, thinking of what he could gain from his adventures. While Dipper was initially the most fearful of the characters, he never let that stop him and managed to persevere every time.
2 Mabel Sacrificed Her Dreams To Save Gravity Falls
In her adventures, Mabel was usually more excited than afraid. However, she was still subject to her fears and one thing scared her above all else: that she and Dipper would be separated and lose the close bond they shared. Mabel was so frightened by the prospect of losing her brother that Bill was able to come up with the perfect prison for her, a land of dreams where she would never have to lose Dipper.
Although Mabel was perfectly happy in her prison, as soon as she saw that Gravity Falls was in danger and that the real Dipper needed her, she gave up her perfect world, choosing him over anything she could imagine. Mabel sacrificed her dreams to defeat Bill, demonstrating a special kind of courage.
1 Pacifica Had Emotionally Abusive Parents
Of all the characters in Gravity Falls, Pacifica was among the bravest, for she faced one of the most real threats in the show. While other characters were off braving monsters and oddities, Pacifica was faced with emotionally abusive parents. While the viewers initially assumed that Pacifica was just a stereotypical bully, they soon realized that she was so much more than that after seeing her parents in action.
During the ball at Northwest manor when Pacifica dared to ask for something as simple as a dress that she liked, her parents abashed and humiliated her, even ringing a bell when Pacifica didn't immediately conform to their standards. Pacifica's reaction to the bell suggests that she was conditioned to respond to it through fear tactics and manipulation. Despite the fear Pacifica held towards her parents, she still stood up to them when it mattered, knowing that there would likely be consequences for her actions.