The Book of Bill—a new Gravity Falls book “written” by Bill Cipher—will grace this dimension on July 23. An adult book aimed to tell Bill’s “side” of the story, The Book of Bill will hopefully serve as the perfect add-on for older fans who grew up while the series aired.
In preparation for the infamous, one-eyed demonic triangle’s return, here’s a recap of his top 5 moments from the series.
#5 – “Well, well, well, well, wellwellwellwell, WELL WELL WELL”
A classic Bill moment in S2E15 “The Last Mabelcorn,” his eleven wells make the list for the sheer fun of quoting them. That, coupled with the audience learning more about Ford’s relationship with Bill, makes this moment one of the demon’s best. Not to mention, it is an overly intimidating way to start an episode of a “kid’s show” on Disney Channel.
In this moment, we see Bill show up in one of Ford’s dreams, effectively warning him about the imminent danger that lies ahead. While he warns Ford, he also inadvertently warns the audience of what chaos is to come. So while his entrance is an iconic moment that plays on the stereotypical “Well, well, well…” villain trope, his words foreshadow an even more eerie meaning: that he always comes back.
#4 – Blendin Blandin possession
No list of Bill’s best moments is complete without a mention of the plot twist of the century, seen in S2E17 “Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future”—the direct manifestation of Ford’s dream. Bill’s possession of Blendin Blandin in order to ignite the start of Weirdmageddon will certainly go down in television history as one of the most jaw-dropping moments ever. It certainly had fourteen-year-old me in a chokehold.
Before this moment, the audience clearly knew of Bill’s villainous nature and his plans to take over this dimension. However, he still could have been passed off as relatively silly and unserious. Or, at least, as not having too much of a fighting chance against the Pines family. However, tricking Mabel, the most trusting character of the show, into handing over the rift just scraped the surface of the lengths he was willing to go to secure what he wanted.
#3 – Bipper
S2E4 “Sock Opera” has too many good Bill moments, so this rank is grouped into the category of Bipper. In this episode, we get to see a fuller range of Bill’s personality. We see what humors him (“Pain is hilarious!”) as well as a brief insight into his past antics and demonic abilities (“It’s been so long since I’ve inhabited a body!”). We also see the genie-like loopholes that Bill’s deals can withstand. For instance, he chooses Dipper as a puppet when only Mabel’s sock puppets were up for grabs. Not only that, but viewers additionally get to sit through Bill’s attempts to pass himself off as Dipper in a not-so-convincing way while learning about the telltale sign of when a human is possessed by Bill (their pupils).
An important aspect of this episode is that it highlights Bill’s insistence on possessing Journal 3, something that audience members did not yet know the full significance of. His lack of subtly in his obsession creates further suspension surrounding the Journals and the power that they hold. Overall, his motives, methods, and maddening commentary make for a captivating turning point in Bill’s relevance to the series.
#2 – “I’ve got some children I need to make into corpses!”
One of Bill’s scariest moments comes in S2E20 “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls” when he chases after Dipper and Mabel in a horrifying form. This truly took the series from moderately serious to downright shocking as a child. After all, the threat of one of the characters dying was on the line. Not only does this quote solidify the intense juxtaposition between the twins growing up and the very real dangers they faced as children, but it also emphasizes that the show itself never pandered toward younger audiences.
One of the most charming aspects of Gravity Falls is its ability to stay unwaveringly true to itself. While this line could have been toned down tenfold and still packed a punch, it wouldn’t have been true to Bill’s sadistic behavior. Thus, while this quote serves as the height of Bill’s villainous intentions, it also encompasses the darkness that Gravity Falls never shied away from as a kid’s television series. A solid number two rank.
#1 – “We’ll Meet Again”
Coming in at first place is Bill’s iconic musical moment, again in S2E20 “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls.” While it undoubtedly shows his skill at piano, this moment also underscores the true, pure insanity that is Bill Cipher. The world is quite literally ending around him, yet he takes the time to serenade Ford in what is an “I won” moment. In other words, chaos is Bill’s calm. Why wouldn’t he take the time to sing a little song when this is his definition of a “sunny day”?
Additionally, the song plays into the theme and variation of Bill always coming back. Whenever one thinks he’s gone, he shows back up in the way one may least expect. And isn’t it true, with The Book of Bill release impending upon us, almost ten years after his “death”?
While no one yet knows what exactly The Book of Bill will entail, it’s assumed that it’ll be nothing short of gruesome, chaotic, and merciless in all the best ways possible.
