The Bill Cipher Zodiac
"Many years ago, I found ten symbols in a cave. Some I recognized then, some I only recognize now. The native people of Gravity Falls prophesied that these symbols could create a force strong enough to vanquish Bill. With Bill defeated, his weirdness would be reversed and the town could be saved. This whole time I thought it was just superstition, but seeing you all here now, I finally understand that it's destiny."
—Ford Pines, Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls
The zodiac[1][2] is a symbol associated with Bill Cipher and the symbols surrounding him. It is later revealed that this wheel is a prophecy that can be used to defeat him.
History[]
The zodiac is swiftly displayed at the end of the theme song. As it appears, a rapid whisper provides the code needed to decipher the cryptogram displayed at the episode’s conclusion.
In Journal 2, Gideon Gleeful attempts to decipher the summoning ritual for Bill Cipher. The page in the Journal featuring the zodiac differs from the one in the theme song. While some content remains the same, others are altered. This page contains information about Bill Cipher and the zodiac. The author mentions having been dreaming of Bill and the symbol for weeks, prompting him to question its significance.
In "Dreamscaperers," Bill briefly appears encircled by the zodiac before exiting Stan Pines' mind.
In "The Stanchurian Candidate," Gideon draws the zodiac on the wall of his prison cell to summon Bill. He intends to make a deal with the entity.
In "The Last Mabelcorn," a variant of the zodiac is depicted.
In "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls," Ford reveals that he discovered these symbols passed down from the natives of Gravity Falls. When each person corresponding to a symbol stands in a drawn version of the zodiac and holds hands, they possess enough power to defeat Bill Cipher. However, the resistance's attempt to invoke the zodiac's power is thwarted by Stan and Ford's animosity, preventing them from completing the ritual before Bill finds them.
Appearance[]
The image at the end of the theme song appears to be drawn on a page from one of the journals. The page contains various symbols, writing, and other content, including a phrase decipherable using a Caesar cipher that reads, "STAN IS NOT WHAT HE SEEMS."
When Bill summons the zodiac, it appears as a bright, glowing blue. A blue light flickers around the wheel, briefly highlighting each symbol.
Surrounding the circle are ten small images. Each image, its placement, and the person or object it represents is as follows:
- A question mark: Soos Ramirez, represented by his t-shirt.
- A bag of ice: Wendy Corduroy, who embodies the ability to remain calm under pressure, making her the one to stand on the symbol in the finale. However, it's noted that there’s no specific carrier.
- A crescent-shaped symbol later depicted as an oyster: Stan Pines, represented by his fez.
- A pine tree: Dipper Pines, represented by his hat.
- A pentagram with an eye in the center: Gideon Gleeful, representing the Tent of Telepathy.
- A hand with six fingers: Ford Pines, who has polydactyly, giving him six fingers on each hand. This symbol is also used as the insignia of the journals.
- A llama: Pacifica Northwest, although this symbol also lacks a specific carrier, she's given one of Mabel's sweaters with this exact symbol in the finale, making her the one to stand on it.
- A shooting star: Mabel Pines, represented by one of Mabel's sweaters. It's also the symbol on Mabel's prison bubble.
- A heart with a stitch in the middle: Robbie Valentino, represented by his "destiny hoodie."
- A pair of spectacles: Old Man McGucket, representing a scholar, making him the one to stand on the symbol in the finale. This symbol, like some others, is also stated to have no specific carrier.
Sightings[]
- Intro: "Gravity Falls Main Title Theme"
Season 1
- 119. "Dreamscaperers"
Season 2
- 214. "The Stanchurian Candidate"
- 220-221. "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls"
Games
Trivia[]
- Originally, the image that was going to appear in the opening was the six fingered hand, but Alex Hirsch decided to replace it because he discovered the TV show Fringe also had a six fingered hand. The idea for the Zodiac was created by Alex in a meeting with Ian Worrel when he was running late for another meeting in an attempt to replace it. The symbols on the wheel were just random symbols from the seven episodes they'd already made by that point, and when the Zodiac became such a phenomenon in the fandom Alex realized he had to write it into the story somehow.[3]
- In Journal 2, on the page with the cipher, the journal has three exclamation points and an arrow pointing to the glasses symbols.
- Stan's symbol was originally crescent shaped, but was changed to a shape resembling Pac-Man in "Bottomless Pit!." However, the symbol on the zodiac as seen in the theme song remains the same.
- Soos', Robbie's, Mabel’s, and Dipper's symbols have all been seen elsewhere. As they are all on articles of clothing, there are other articles of clothing with the same symbols on them.[4][5][6]
- Gideon's symbol bears resemblance to an Elder Sign, an icon in the Cthulhu Mythos described as a form of protection against evil forces.
- Several of the symbols on the zodiac can be seen on the infinity sided dice.[7]
- In the episodes "Dreamscaperers," "Sock Opera," "The Last Mabelcorn," and "Weirdmageddon Part 1," Bill calls Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Ford by their corresponding symbols on the zodiac (pine tree, shooting star, question mark, and six-fingers/"sixer" respectively).
- In the apocalypse version of the theme song, the image of Bill is ripped out of the page, referencing that Bill is now in the real world.
- Various symbols from the zodiac are on the flag made by the resistance as they plan to take back Gravity Falls, including the six-fingered hand, the shooting star, the pine tree, and the question mark.
- The order of the symbols differs depending on the sighting:
- In the opening and "Dreamscaperers," the order goes question mark, ice bag, crescent, pine tree, pentagram, six-fingered hand, llama, shooting star, heart, glasses.
- On the zodiac that Gideon drew in "The Stanchurian Candidate," the order goes heart, pentagram, question mark, journal, crescent, glasses, llama, ice bag, pine tree, shooting star.
- On the zodiac Ford draws and the order on the cave painting in "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls," the order goes crescent, question mark, ice bag, pine tree, glasses, llama, shooting star, pentagram, heart, six-fingered hand.
- On the zodiac Dipper drew in Journal 3, the order goes crescent, question mark, ice bag, pine tree, six-fingered hand, llama, shooting star, pentagram, heart, glasses.
- In this image from Dipper's and Mabel's Guide to Mystery and Nonstop Fun!, every symbol can be seen. (the stitched heart and llama are hard to see, but they're at the bottom of the page. Only the top half of the heart is visible.)
- Despite some of the symbols being metaphoric (e.g. ice bag and glasses), all of them have been physically seen throughout the series.
- The zodiac resembles the Manipura chakra, that is represented as a downward pointing triangle with ten petals.
- It is said that meditating on Manipura will attain the power to save, change or destroy the world.
- The symbols are repeatedly used by the characters:
- The question mark was used by Soos as a weapon in "Dreamscaperers," and as the basis of his "Questiony the Question Mark." It also seems to be the main symbol for the Mystery Shack, appearing on many of its merchandise as well as the weather vane and the Mystery Cart.
- Mabel used several shooting star stickers for her scrapbook and her sticktionary. She also used a shooting star shape to tell Stan she drenched his slippers in milk, drew one on Stan's speech, and has one on her prison bubble. It appears on the "Weirdmageddon 2" end card.
- The pine tree was mass produced and appears on the "Weirdmageddon 3" end card.
- Robbie has had his hoodie for ages.
- The pentagram is on the end card of "The Stanchurian Candidate" and most merchandise Gideon makes.
- The ice bag is seen in most romantic moments involving Wendy.
- The crescent is used on the Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel logo.
- The llama was foreshadowed by Wax Larry King. There was also a llama painting in the Northwest Mansion.
- The square glasses technically belong to Ford. McGucket did have square glasses in college.
- The six fingered hand is on each journal, and Ford has his own six fingered gloves.
Gallery
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References[]
- ↑ "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls." Shion Takeuchi, Mark Rizzo, Jeff Rowe, Josh Weinstein, Alex Hirsch (writers) & Stephen Sandoval (director). Gravity Falls. Disney XD. February 15, 2016. No. 20-21, season 2.
- ↑ Gravity Falls: Journal 3 by Disney Book Group. July 26, 2016. Published by Disney Press. Page(s) The Zodiac. ISBN: 978-1484746691.
- ↑ Alex Hirsch on the Origins of The Zodiac. YouTube. That GF FAN (August 24, 2020).
- ↑ "Tourist Trapped." Alex Hirsch (writer) & John Aoshima (director). Gravity Falls. Disney Channel. June 15, 2012. No. 1, season 1.
- ↑ "Scary-oke." Matt Chapman, Jeff Rowe, Alex Hirsch (writers) & Rob Renzetti (director). Gravity Falls. Disney Channel. August 1, 2014. No. 1, season 2.
- ↑ "Soos and the Real Girl." Mark Rizzo, Alex Hirsch (writers) & Matt Braly (director). Gravity Falls. Disney XD. September 22, 2014. No. 5, season 2.
- ↑ "Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons." Matt Chapman, Josh Weinstein, Alex Hirsch (writers) & Stephen Sandoval (director). Gravity Falls. Disney XD. August 3, 2015. No. 13, season 2.