I love how they handled Wendy's reaction, how gently and maturely she let down Dipper, and that they can still be friends. I'm also glad they didn't wait until the end of the series.
I don't blame Dipper for having a crush on her; Wendy is a fantastic character and liking her is kinda just natural. Doesn't mean his crush was healthy, but still. He recognized an amazing person when he saw one and fell for her. Wendy's arc through the series is a subtle one, but one I appreciate. A journey of self-discovery that helps Dipper learn more about himself as well; fitting for Wendy's attitude about helping others. I am so glad they handled this the way they did; too many series cave in to this romanticized idea, and inadvertently make a relationship toxic (Star vs.) or prolong the will-they-won't-they for so long it becomes bothersome (Ladybug and Cat Noir). Shows like Gravity Falls show that not all relationships need to succeed, and friendships can blossom from them. And shows like the Owl House demonstrate how a healthy relationship dynamic isn't your only defining feature, but accepting yourself and being honest can lead to great things. Both shows encourage kids to just be honest with their feelings, because repressing them only ever causes trouble. It's a good, solid message.
I love the way the show handled Wendy's reaction to Dipper. Of course she knew, but it doesn't have to be weird. Dipper is still a fun kid to hang with!
Btw the little "my mouth is sealed" gesture Wendy does in this episode is also something she does a lot in previous episodes. So it's something her and Dipper have shared for a while
I legitimately love how this episode handles the Wendy-Dipper plotline. As a concept, it's classic kid show biz. Kid crushing on the cool, badass older kid. But, as a concept, Dipper getting Wendy is an a purely unattainable goal. They're simply on two different (and too different) stages in development for it to work out. But I love, love, LOVE, how Wendy handles it. Not belittling or insulting Dipper, respecting the place where the crush comes from, and clearly telling him *why* it wouldn't work. But most importantly, she keeps the whole thing casual and chill. She makes sure to take Dipper, who's in a very vulnerable place and give the moment the time and respect it deserves. Making SURE to let him know that just because she doesn't reciprocate romantically, doesn't mean she doesn't still want to hang out platonically. It's one of the best written parts of this show and is the first sign of JUST how great this second season is.
I think this is the gentlest Wendy had ever let anyone down ever, which says something on just how much she likes dipper as a friend. My dude isn't getting anywhere with his crush but he's made a bro for life.
I remember something about her being partially inspired by Lauren Faust. Given the similarities with Frankie Foster (who was confirmed to be partly based on her), I can believe it.
Yeah, I don't like how repetitive conflict resolution with shapeshifters has become. It’s always about picking the personality trait and that’s it. When you erase that plot solution, it becomes more terrifying. But it's just a children's show and a 20-minute plotline, it has to be easy to digest too
I guess in a way, Body Swap and Shapeshifters are opposites. One is about "Walk a mile in the other guy's shoes", it's about mutual understandings and learning the things you didn't know about someone, it comes down to building up empathy. Shapeshifters on the other hand, are as you said, building up Paranoia. Not being able to trust those around you, asking yourself "Do I know enough about him to tell which is real"
It's probably too late to tell you thing, but season 2, episode 16 "Roadside Attraction" was *supposed* to run after this one, but Disney moved it later in the season for...reasons. It makes much more sense here than where it *did* run.
To be blunt, this was probably the best outcome for Dipper and Wendy without making it weird (not just because of the age gap, but also because she views Dipper as a brother. He was pretty much friendzone'd since Day 1.)
Fun fact that sing of Wendy zipping her lips is also a callback to when Dipper did the lamby dance in the haunted convenience store episode. Wendy saw it, but made an excuse in front of everyone as to not ruin his reputation in front of her friends since he saved everyone. Also yeah, Wendy is a badass, so can you even blame Dipper for having a crush on her :D Also one of the creators biggest regrets is the fact that he never had the chance to do a Wendy focused episode. The reason probably being because he originally planned this show to be 3 seasons, but Disney only said they could do one more so he had to condense the story of two seasons into one. That's why you also feel like the story is progressing faster in season two.
@@anitaremenarova6662 for real dude. I could not see myself AT ALL ever dating a 12yo at 15. That's just insane to me. "3 years is not that big of an age gap! My parents..." YOUR PARENTS ARE ADULTS. A 3yo difference in ur 20s or more is completely fine. But it's such a big difference in teen years
@@Insanebehaviordude Exactly, I used to attend summer camp until my teens and have firsthand experience of a girl I saw as my younger sister having an obvious crush on me, it was the most awkward shlt ever. All the actors in the show are adults and both Dipper and Wendy are written to act way more mature than kids their age would so I can see how some people would not understand however in reality they should not get together, it's night and day difference in mental development.
That’s true. [Spoilers] That said, I think the joke later on when they meet 5 year old Wendy doesn’t really work when bringing it up themselves. Like the joke was trying to make a comment on that age gap when Mabel mentions how the dynamic is basically the same, but a 2-3 year gap between a 7th grader and a 9th-10th grader (I don’t remember if it’s stated) doesn’t really compare to a 7 year gap between a 7th grader and kindergartner.
7:15 Okay, but take a moment to recognize that while TNT lasts a lot longer than civilian grade dynamite, it's shelf life is only 37 years, even under controlled temperature and moisture levels. That rust cabinet full of old boxes are probably leaking nitroglycerin, and just waiting for the wrong jostle to blow the whole bunker to China.
The age gap isn’t that big for *adults* but there’s a huge difference between 12 and 15. Wendy’s also an amazing character and I really like how they wrapped up the crush plotline. With everyone being cool.
@@ShinigamiRyan they grew up together though. That age gap’s “size” changes as you get older. I never said it would *never* work for Wendy and Dipper necessarily, but at the current points in their lives they’re in separate age brackets.
I forgot how cool and terrifying is the way the shapeshifter faked fighting himself at the start lol. And the scene of Wendy realizing it is as cool and terrifying
Season 2 is great for many reasons. But one of its standouts is how it develops/redeems Wendy’s character. She’s no longer a side-character or prize for Dipper to win or part of some dumb love triangle, she finally feels like she’s part of the gang now. Shows us how awesome Wendy truly is both as a person and a lumberjack in training 😂
I believe the creator did say that one of his regrets with season 1 was having more Wendy episodes than mystery episodes. But hey, they wrapped up that plot line pretty quick in this one. I wonder how much later it would’ve been if they’d had the full 3 seasons like they wanted.
It’s less that there were more Wendy episodes than mystery episodes (every episode had a mystery or at least supernatural element to it) but more that a good number of the episodes involved Dipper’s crush on Wendy, and viewers were getting tired of it being used as the driving force behind most of Dipper’s actions (to compare, episodes 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, and 17 are all Wendy crush episodes whereas Mabel’s crush of the week episodes are 1, 4, 15, and 17. Nearly double Mabel’s crush episodes and not as spaced out either. Granted, production order may have better spaced out the Wendy crush episodes, but what matters is airing order).
@@PrixtoTNT Maybe initially, but the team realized how much work this was taking during season 1 production to the point that one of the original team members peaced out when season 2 was confirmed internally because he couldn’t handle the stress and pressure of the industry. Gravity Falls was mostly run by then relative greenhorns who didn’t really have the showrunning know-how that veterans did (which thank gods they had at least one on the team to nudge them in the right directions), so as Season 1 went on and Season 2 was getting closer goals and expectations were better tempered. It may have started at three seasons, but Alex and his team felt that two (plus some comics, books, commentary, ARG apparently, etc.) was enough to tell the entire story they wanted, which even surprised corporate though they respected and accepted Alex’s decision to not pursue a third despite their expectations of a third.
The show referencing things it’s target audience wouldn’t get, remember or be allowed to see is one of the best things about it. Case in point, this episode was inspired by The Thing movie from 1982.
This is not just any ordinary Shapeshifter. Literally the strongest of them all. He not only copies the appearance, but also the abilities. If Dipper hadn't taken the diary from him, he could literally have copied Bill Cipher's abilities. Imagine two of the strongest demons this world could be easily destroyed
I'm not sure the shapeshifter can copy all abilities, maybe just the physical attributes of whatever it has seen. Also, I don't think just reading the journal would count, I think it would have to actually summon Bill to be able to copy him.
@@Mr_acorn_exeI have the journal right now and none of these pages ever state that the shapeshifter can also copy a monster’s ability. Only its physical form and maybe its strength
23:15 On paper, three years isn’t much, and for adults, I think that’s perfectly acceptable (ideally, or at least as I’ve heard it, it’s best if it’s a heterosexual relationship for the woman to be a year older than the man). However the mental age and maturity difference between 12 and 15 is significantly greater than three physical years. “Wait until you’re older/more grown up” isn’t a put down, it’s protection and caution, that despite not wanting to admit it to themselves, most kids, tweens, and even young teens are not ready to enter romantic relationships since not only are their perceptions of romance based on what media has shown them which is heavily romanticized but also they haven’t completely figured out who they are yet.
I always felt the fans who were annoyed by Dipper's crush were people who had crushes on someone older as kids themselves and can't handle cringing at themselves. I for one love remembering the bittersweet feeling. It was a part of growing up for me, realizing the feelings were valid even if the relationship was not. The scene after she rejects him but they are still friends, and he sits there for a moment and just exists with the aftermath with the music and the nature and the....maaaaaaaaaan hits a nice place. But that's one old guy's opinion.
Nope. I’m annoyed about his crush because Dipper already has few things to do in the series. They don’t focus much on the main story in season 1. Dipper then has barely anything to do. It’s why I’m happy they nipped this in the beginning of season 2. Now he can focus on more interesting storylines.
I think most older people who say "its not that weird" forget what it was like to be 12 or 15 where even single year of different felt massive(older kids felt like so much older and mature and then year later kids in same grade as you previously felt like such immature brats). That said I think it doesn't help the confusion that while to lot of people 12 with 15 year sounds really weird, to lot of people its hard to wrap head around "so its okay if 25 and 29 year old meet and date, but its wrong if 18 and 22 year old meet and date?". Like people in different stages of life will have different experiences, but people are kinda taught to think "so once you are adult, everything is fine and dandy" even though its not that simple either. People want easy math formula or easy rules they can use to make snap judgements instead of taking the nuance of difference in situations in account.
The zip their mouth was also something Dipper did when Wendy showed him her stop on the roof of the shack. Also the journals each have a six fingered hand on the covers.
A neat bit to me is that Wendy says, "SHE is too old for Dipper" instead of him being too young for her. Reduces the possibility of him taking it as him lacking a trait. Otherwise he could double down on trying to mature too quickly for his crush.
Haha it is a funny line out of context, but I think she was referencing all the creepy stuff he looks up cause he likes mysteries. Probably murder mysteries as well. Which makes Dipper a true crime doc girlie before it was cool :D
I love all the confessions in this season, both Gruncle Stan and Wendy "we always knew". Dipper might be mystery smart but he's people stupid, i love him
Speaking of telling people how we feel I asked out friend of mine back in high school. She turned me down and I respected her wishes and we are still friends to this day.
The forest mimic, everyone's favorite inconsistent cryptid (naturally, everyone just has their own theories and version they prefer) from its just copies voices and sounds it hears to lure prey deeper into the woods for an ambush (which does fit some actual real life predators) *Aggressive mimicry*, although in this case this cryptid is imitating human voices, sometimes phone calls, sometimes a mom calling her kids, like it studies them and learns which sounds draw people to them *like a predator imitating the sounds of a mother deer to draw the young out of hiding* only doing this for humans, or imitating saying someone's name as it had watched other people "make that sound" and the person follow it. To the more supernatural versions that can be anything from like a land dwelling cephalopod to a full on shapeshifter taking on the forms of other animals, people, rocks, piles of leaves, accompanied with the vocal mimicry to lure its prey in deeper into the woods away from others before pouncing. (Which is based on a very wide range of folklore around the world of this or that monster taking on the forms of loved ones, someone's wife, voices or whispers leading people astray, and various shapeshifting "witch" monsters in the wilderness).
Hardcore religious family to the point I couldn't read fiction books. Said they're a bad influence, while other kids read Potter, star wars, and twilight I got to read dictionaries and bibles until I was about 16. I am pretty much raised boring.
Body swap: a deep view into each others lives giving light to their struggles and their differences forming empathy and understanding for eachother. Shapeshifter: Amogus
I like how Gravity Falls used the Shapeshifter Plotline to explore the characters and their connection with each other, while the earlier bodyswap episode helps people know each other better. It's a shame they didn't quite string them together narratively.
The problem with shapeshift is it's always comparable with murder mysteries where the bad guy is using their shapeshifting ability to conceal evil intentions. The problem with that is where in murder mysteries they plan out an elaborate method with clues to follow and it's not always the same method, where as with shapeshifting it's always " Okay act do something related to the other person and I'll figure it out if you are acting weird".
Im the opposite, i hate bodyswap but like shapeshifter. The secondhand embarrassment of watching a character act out of character or sabotage relationships of the actual persons is always uncomfortable for me to sit through. Its why I couldn’t watch CW Flash after season 3, and why i can’t watch talent show episodes of almost anything
^This. 100%. Plus I think I just tend to find the really good shape-shifter stories (the thing, darkness below, Yobanashi Decieve, etc.) Side note, I think Yobanashi Deceive is one of the most creative takes on a shapeshifter plot because instead of someone else going "how do I tell them apart", it's the shapeshifter going "all I know is how to be other people, but who am I?"
Interesting I love body swap especially more adult oriented (as in grown up mindset not bedroom activities adult). To me it's putting someone outside their normal world and having them grow and change as a result. The thing is when I think about it the ones I've liked best are the ones with shapeshifting usually (the first one I recall was a book about a boy turned into a stray cat). When it's a bodyswap usually they're either very childish in how they handle it or its one person getting what they want at the expense of someone else. So I can see your point of view and may actually share it. Though there have been some good bodyswap stories theres one who's title I can't recall (think it was an Italian film, foreign at any rate as it was subtitled) about two people swapped I think in a lightning struck swimming pool at full moon when they both grew as people before swapping back.
First of all, after this episode we have room for the REAL ship of the show, second, I really love how Wendy not just deals with the whole thing really maturely, but also just does legitimately enjoy spending time with Dipper and Mabel, she's not the typical teenager who doesn't want anything to do with "little kids." She's cool. Also I love that she just carries an axe around
This is easily one of the scariest episodes of Gravity Falls but despite that the episodes moving forward definitely have their very disturbing moments and imagery
@@anitaremenarova6662 Oh absolutely that scene with all the dead animal heads that start to bleed out of their eyes and mouths was DEFINITELY pushing it when it came to Disney and honestly I wish we get more rated R Gravity Falls content in the future because Alex and his team can definitely come up with some messed up, horrifying shit
@@ReeceConnor. I was trying to be vague to avoid spoilers but here we go lol, is he making any other shows? I know he's been helping out with other people's projects but that's about it.
@@anitaremenarova6662 Oh shit sorry about that lol and also recently Alex released the book of Bill plus a secret website which has seriously probably some of the most disgusting imagery in the show’s entire history plus some really dark facts about the characters and their personal lives
The ceiling for shapeshifter plotlines is astronomical though. The Thing! Just look at The Thing! And as with so many horror plots, empathy is a key theme there too.
I THINK people meant “3 years isn’t a big age gap” in GENERAL, but for a 12 and 15 year old, they’re not mentally able to properly consent yet. Wait til’ Dip is AT LEAST 18 (Wendy would be 21) or personally I feel 20 (Wendy would be 23) would be a suitable age for that kind of relationship (IF they were both consenting adults)
I hope since you already finished Owl House and are going to finish Gravity Falls soons, that you check out the other sister show, "Amphibia"! This aired alongside Owl House for three seasons, and is an AMAZING show to react to blindly!
I love it when they introduce characters who illicit an initial reaction like "Ugh, it's this trope" and then they turn out to be one of the coolest characters ever.
I really didn't mind the shapeshifter in this show, being voiced by Mark Hamill definitely helps but all the horrifying transformations also make it memorable.
Shape-shifter powers are cool. the way people use shape-shifters in stories isn't. it's always a "who is the shape shifter" or "the shape shifter is basically the same as the masks from Mission: Impossible" That's why I'm writing a novel about a shape-shifter that doesn't do any of those tropes once
When I was in highschool, there was one dude in my grade when we were in grade 11 and 12 who only dated 9th graders, and even though it's "only 3 or 4 years" difference, we were kids and at that age that's a HUGE difference, so basically everyone thought he was a creep.
This is one of the many episodes that reminds me of the fact that Wendy's character concept was created by "Everyone in the writing room threw the coolest person they knew into a big bowl and eventually Wendy emerged from it."
I'll just say, the age _gap_ isn't that bad, but Dipper's age is. I always say, Wendy had the right answer, but I'd have phrased it that he's too young for her. If they were 20 and 23, who cares. Even 18 and 21, not really an issue. But because he's twelve, he's too young to date anyone more than a year apart, really. Through your pre-teen and teen years, you're changing so much physically and mentally, that even 1 year can make a drastic difference in your emotional, mental, and even physical maturity, that looking really anywhere outside that, most people will have completely different wants and needs. Needs that someone younger may not be nearly ready to provide, and not just in regards to intimacy, but in support and understanding, as well. Honestly, even into the mid-20's you'll generally still be changing in some ways, but it's generally slowed enough by then that having a serious relationship is a feasible option. All that to say, she's not too old for him. Because the issue isn't her age, it's his. The counter-part to that is, if they stay as good of friends as they are at this point until they're both a bit over 5 years older, there's probably a 50/50 chance that a romantic relationship could still develop. Or they could just remain close friends, which is fine by me. Platonic, non-romantic love is just as beautiful as romance, but it gets ignored so often for the spicier types of love.
23:05 okay. Age gap in 3 yrs? Not bad if you both adults! if you both already adults and can make actually thought through decisions, 3 yrs difference is not bad. But she’s 15 he’s 12, in that age it is huge!
I think too many people focus on the age gap of 3 years but forget in what stage of their lives they are. True it's not much, but for that age group it definitely is.
I think the only female friend Wendy has is the eternally texting Tamry. She takes her break up consolation friend where she can, even if they happen to be a twelve year old boy with a crush on her.
I feel like there's a simple distinction. Both shapeshifting and body swap help develop characters but body swap does that more and often leads to more interesting plots. Shapeshifting plots are usually more basic but it makes up for it in horror. I think most people are desensitized to it by now and we just don't think about how absolutely horrifying seeing a perfect copy of yourself try to replace you would be
Ah, Grunkle Stan's wife does live in another dimension, but they got divorced an hour after their Vegas wedding... 'Cause he used to be married to Eda the Owl Lady, which ironically was something already confirmed in the Owl House after hints in the DVDs, books etc. (not really a spoiler as they don't really mention in within GF itself, just post-release stuff).
Despite the outcome i hate Mabel for pulling that forcing Dipper to confess in a room that monster could've been on them any quicker and she'd have made herself an only and hated child
23:13 ok... I admit, that really is pretty sad that so many do not understand what consent is. That makes me upset that people just dont know or dont care.
I agree. You gotta respect Disney for maturely and accurately handling Dipper's crush on Wendy. It's not even just the age-gap. Wendy clearly views Dipper as a little brother figure. Once you come to view someone in a sibling-like light, it's EXTREMELY unlikely that you'll ever come to view them romantically down the line, even once the age-gap is no longer an issue. Plus, Alex Hirsch said that Dipper's crush on Wendy would have never worked out because he puts her on a pedestal views her as a prize to be won.
Grunkle's stan wife is indeed in a different dimension but she's not stuck considering she has a portal to the human realm, Eda could come and see Stan whenever she wants, she just chooses not to xD
I think (or at least hope) people are thinking of the actual 3 year gap. For a 12 and 15 year old it is huge. But for a 22 and 25 year old and anything older, 3 years is barely noticeable. Sometimes, it's easy to forget what it's like to be that young.
@@Lazyguy143 Ye I also assumed they JUST meant a 3 year gap, once you're an adult its kinda.... you know, shit is basically a guideline more faded and transparent than a ghost.
@@de606returns6Honestly it's until recently that i realized 3 years gap was a big thing, since almost all of my relatives have like 5 to 8 years gap with their SO 😅
@@darkerrex1442 Honestly when you're an adult, 3 years isn't Usually a big deal since even 3 years apart in adulthood, you're usually in the same mindset and maturity (of course this obviously applies to more people in their 30's and beyond, maybe late 20's could be argued) but as Alicia said, 12 vs 15 is highly significant in terms of the maturity for both parties since neither are really mature yet, not to mention the significant differences in the experiences between 12 year olds and 15 year olds
I haven't read any of them myself, but I believe it's fairly common for fanfics to have wendy and dipper get together after reuniting 5-10 years after the events of the show, which is probably part of the reason people rush to defend the age gap.
To be fair that's probably the best thing to do IF they really wanna chase that plotline but i don't know why but i can't see it not because i see Dipper with "Someone" I just can't see it happening 😕
![TEEDEE TADA - DIAMOND NARAKORN X LEGO LYKN [Special Dance Performance]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QgtZedFeumA/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how they handled Wendy's reaction, how gently and maturely she let down Dipper, and that they can still be friends. I'm also glad they didn't wait until the end of the series.
The handled the whole thing perfectly.
One of the best moments in the series, honestly.
The writing for this show is just perfect. They really understand Wendy's character.
I don't blame Dipper for having a crush on her; Wendy is a fantastic character and liking her is kinda just natural. Doesn't mean his crush was healthy, but still. He recognized an amazing person when he saw one and fell for her. Wendy's arc through the series is a subtle one, but one I appreciate. A journey of self-discovery that helps Dipper learn more about himself as well; fitting for Wendy's attitude about helping others.
I am so glad they handled this the way they did; too many series cave in to this romanticized idea, and inadvertently make a relationship toxic (Star vs.) or prolong the will-they-won't-they for so long it becomes bothersome (Ladybug and Cat Noir). Shows like Gravity Falls show that not all relationships need to succeed, and friendships can blossom from them. And shows like the Owl House demonstrate how a healthy relationship dynamic isn't your only defining feature, but accepting yourself and being honest can lead to great things. Both shows encourage kids to just be honest with their feelings, because repressing them only ever causes trouble. It's a good, solid message.
Aha there you are!
Fun fact: the bullet point for this episode in question on a whiteboard during the development phases of the second season was "kill the crush"
😂
I love the way the show handled Wendy's reaction to Dipper. Of course she knew, but it doesn't have to be weird. Dipper is still a fun kid to hang with!
“What if the author is Grunkle Stan’s Wife?!”
No she’s in the boiling isles
Ex-wife, still missing him, but her aim is getting better
@@Rexaura888BUT HER AIM IS GETTING BETTER!!
Yeah when she said this whole bit I was like, you swung the bat, hit the ball, and then knocked out the make a wish kid in the stands with it.
Well to be fair Alicia is partly right she is in a different dimension.
Yeah
16:36 i dont think Alicia noticed that the cover of the journals literally has a six-fingered palm imprint on it, she only noticed the gloves, LMAO
Btw the little "my mouth is sealed" gesture Wendy does in this episode is also something she does a lot in previous episodes. So it's something her and Dipper have shared for a while
iirc, it first appeared in the convenience store episode
Fun fact: the shapeshifter was voiced by Mark Hamil
Omg!!
@@gmaxaurastorm I love mark
I legitimately love how this episode handles the Wendy-Dipper plotline. As a concept, it's classic kid show biz. Kid crushing on the cool, badass older kid. But, as a concept, Dipper getting Wendy is an a purely unattainable goal. They're simply on two different (and too different) stages in development for it to work out.
But I love, love, LOVE, how Wendy handles it. Not belittling or insulting Dipper, respecting the place where the crush comes from, and clearly telling him *why* it wouldn't work.
But most importantly, she keeps the whole thing casual and chill. She makes sure to take Dipper, who's in a very vulnerable place and give the moment the time and respect it deserves. Making SURE to let him know that just because she doesn't reciprocate romantically, doesn't mean she doesn't still want to hang out platonically.
It's one of the best written parts of this show and is the first sign of JUST how great this second season is.
Unattainable? They just need to wait. That's not unattainable. XD
Just wish Mabel didn't have to be so callous to get it to this point.
@@BigFry9591 The show takes place over a single summer, so yes for the purposes of the runtime it just won't happen.
@@Happymasksof course it’s bad, but it is understandable considering her age
@@henrysurev6908 Where in my statement did I say differently?
You can really tell that the show’s been moved from Disney Channel to Disney XD with the freedom to be so much more creepy. I love it
Yeah, S2 is a lot more memorable due to this. Can't wait until we get to Northwest Mansion episode.
Imagine a timeline where they didnt move it and had less freedom 😨
@@anitaremenarova6662 I still can't believe the stuff they got away with in that episode. And it was better because of it.
@@YungandRekless545Don’t worry it was tooootally just ketchup
I think this is the gentlest Wendy had ever let anyone down ever, which says something on just how much she likes dipper as a friend. My dude isn't getting anywhere with his crush but he's made a bro for life.
I belive the character notes for Wendy was to "make her the coolest teenager every" so yeah she gonna be bad ass.
Yeah, watching this show as a teen it was the first time I actually understood someone else's crush lol
I remember something about her being partially inspired by Lauren Faust.
Given the similarities with Frankie Foster (who was confirmed to be partly based on her), I can believe it.
Shapeshifter stories are mainly good for paranoia horror, like The Thing. Like, that's the whole deal with Among Us, even.
Yeah, I don't like how repetitive conflict resolution with shapeshifters has become. It’s always about picking the personality trait and that’s it. When you erase that plot solution, it becomes more terrifying. But it's just a children's show and a 20-minute plotline, it has to be easy to digest too
I guess in a way, Body Swap and Shapeshifters are opposites. One is about "Walk a mile in the other guy's shoes", it's about mutual understandings and learning the things you didn't know about someone, it comes down to building up empathy. Shapeshifters on the other hand, are as you said, building up Paranoia. Not being able to trust those around you, asking yourself "Do I know enough about him to tell which is real"
The Thing is the absolute PEAK of shapeshifter horror.
i love how much you understand and appreciate mabel
It is refreshing
5:02 it was actually confirmed that Eda was Stan's wife at one point, and she took what she could and ran off
Ya when she went by Evelyn
Wait, really? What source?
@@pondbrothers806 mostly theory based off the name eda used in the human world being the same as stans exwifes name
@@edroia4123Marilyn
@@pondbrothers806gravity falls the complete series
23:00 it's not about the number of years. It's about the percentage of your life. 3 years is a whole quarter of a 12yr old's life.
It's probably too late to tell you thing, but season 2, episode 16 "Roadside Attraction" was *supposed* to run after this one, but Disney moved it later in the season for...reasons. It makes much more sense here than where it *did* run.
Watch Nimona and you might change your mind about shapeshifters :v
Based recommendation. 👍
To be blunt, this was probably the best outcome for Dipper and Wendy without making it weird (not just because of the age gap, but also because she views Dipper as a brother. He was pretty much friendzone'd since Day 1.)
Fun fact that sing of Wendy zipping her lips is also a callback to when Dipper did the lamby dance in the haunted convenience store episode. Wendy saw it, but made an excuse in front of everyone as to not ruin his reputation in front of her friends since he saved everyone. Also yeah, Wendy is a badass, so can you even blame Dipper for having a crush on her :D Also one of the creators biggest regrets is the fact that he never had the chance to do a Wendy focused episode. The reason probably being because he originally planned this show to be 3 seasons, but Disney only said they could do one more so he had to condense the story of two seasons into one. That's why you also feel like the story is progressing faster in season two.
The fact that they got THE Mark Hamill to play the shapeshifter is insane
Well, at least the shapeshifter’s human form.
It’s incredible that Alicia still hasn’t notice that the hand print on the journals has six digits.
'When you're 12, you have other sh*t to worry about'
According to Alex Hirsch, absolutely... Specifically, Pokemon and Poptarts. :)
21:52 - *“Oh, that's a… hardcore thing to do.”*
That's a pretty memorable death pose, there. Maybe you should remember that, for later… 😉
This was the first episode of GF I ever watched when it just came up randomly on TV. Fell in love with the show
Exactly. A 3 year gap is HUGE during the teen years
Yeah, people saying uninformed bs have not been in Wendy's shoes and it shows.
@@anitaremenarova6662 for real dude. I could not see myself AT ALL ever dating a 12yo at 15. That's just insane to me. "3 years is not that big of an age gap! My parents..." YOUR PARENTS ARE ADULTS. A 3yo difference in ur 20s or more is completely fine. But it's such a big difference in teen years
@@Insanebehaviordude Exactly, I used to attend summer camp until my teens and have firsthand experience of a girl I saw as my younger sister having an obvious crush on me, it was the most awkward shlt ever.
All the actors in the show are adults and both Dipper and Wendy are written to act way more mature than kids their age would so I can see how some people would not understand however in reality they should not get together, it's night and day difference in mental development.
12 to 15 is, like, 25% on top of their lifespan. They're a quarter of their life older! It's crazy when you think about it.
That’s true.
[Spoilers]
That said, I think the joke later on when they meet 5 year old Wendy doesn’t really work when bringing it up themselves.
Like the joke was trying to make a comment on that age gap when Mabel mentions how the dynamic is basically the same, but a 2-3 year gap between a 7th grader and a 9th-10th grader (I don’t remember if it’s stated) doesn’t really compare to a 7 year gap between a 7th grader and kindergartner.
This one has a bunch of ciphers:
End credits: "WHAT KIND OF DISASTER INDEED"
End Page: "IMPROPER USE OF MACHINERY COULD"
"LEAD TO UTTER CATASTROPHE"
Your little backstory is the reason the majority of 90's lesbian stories are set in all female environments - like boarding schools or convents.
I agree. Bodyswapping episodes are more interesting than shapeshifting ones. But this one was really good!
7:15 Okay, but take a moment to recognize that while TNT lasts a lot longer than civilian grade dynamite, it's shelf life is only 37 years, even under controlled temperature and moisture levels. That rust cabinet full of old boxes are probably leaking nitroglycerin, and just waiting for the wrong jostle to blow the whole bunker to China.
The age gap isn’t that big for *adults* but there’s a huge difference between 12 and 15.
Wendy’s also an amazing character and I really like how they wrapped up the crush plotline. With everyone being cool.
That's like saying Aang and Katara couldn't end up together. Its such a dumb take.
@@ShinigamiRyan they grew up together though. That age gap’s “size” changes as you get older. I never said it would *never* work for Wendy and Dipper necessarily, but at the current points in their lives they’re in separate age brackets.
I forgot how cool and terrifying is the way the shapeshifter faked fighting himself at the start lol.
And the scene of Wendy realizing it is as cool and terrifying
And if you look closely. The shadows of the “author” and the monster were always connected.
@@JohnBrown-tw2qi omg yeah! That's so cool
Season 2 is great for many reasons. But one of its standouts is how it develops/redeems Wendy’s character. She’s no longer a side-character or prize for Dipper to win or part of some dumb love triangle, she finally feels like she’s part of the gang now.
Shows us how awesome Wendy truly is both as a person and a lumberjack in training 😂
I believe the creator did say that one of his regrets with season 1 was having more Wendy episodes than mystery episodes. But hey, they wrapped up that plot line pretty quick in this one. I wonder how much later it would’ve been if they’d had the full 3 seasons like they wanted.
It’s less that there were more Wendy episodes than mystery episodes (every episode had a mystery or at least supernatural element to it) but more that a good number of the episodes involved Dipper’s crush on Wendy, and viewers were getting tired of it being used as the driving force behind most of Dipper’s actions (to compare, episodes 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, and 17 are all Wendy crush episodes whereas Mabel’s crush of the week episodes are 1, 4, 15, and 17. Nearly double Mabel’s crush episodes and not as spaced out either. Granted, production order may have better spaced out the Wendy crush episodes, but what matters is airing order).
They wanted 3 seasons? Damn
@@PrixtoTNT Maybe initially, but the team realized how much work this was taking during season 1 production to the point that one of the original team members peaced out when season 2 was confirmed internally because he couldn’t handle the stress and pressure of the industry. Gravity Falls was mostly run by then relative greenhorns who didn’t really have the showrunning know-how that veterans did (which thank gods they had at least one on the team to nudge them in the right directions), so as Season 1 went on and Season 2 was getting closer goals and expectations were better tempered. It may have started at three seasons, but Alex and his team felt that two (plus some comics, books, commentary, ARG apparently, etc.) was enough to tell the entire story they wanted, which even surprised corporate though they respected and accepted Alex’s decision to not pursue a third despite their expectations of a third.
@@Rexaura888 Oh I see. That's pretty interesting. Thank you for the detailed explanation
The show referencing things it’s target audience wouldn’t get, remember or be allowed to see is one of the best things about it. Case in point, this episode was inspired by The Thing movie from 1982.
This is not just any ordinary Shapeshifter. Literally the strongest of them all.
He not only copies the appearance, but also the abilities.
If Dipper hadn't taken the diary from him, he could literally have copied Bill Cipher's abilities. Imagine two of the strongest demons this world could be easily destroyed
I'm not sure the shapeshifter can copy all abilities, maybe just the physical attributes of whatever it has seen. Also, I don't think just reading the journal would count, I think it would have to actually summon Bill to be able to copy him.
@@nezzaUwU
You need to buy a official diary
Wait WHAT
WHEN DID THEY SAY HE COULD PERFECT COPY BILL
@@theinimitablejora522
I've already written about copying abilities. I'm not going to write 10 times
@@Mr_acorn_exeI have the journal right now and none of these pages ever state that the shapeshifter can also copy a monster’s ability. Only its physical form and maybe its strength
23:15 On paper, three years isn’t much, and for adults, I think that’s perfectly acceptable (ideally, or at least as I’ve heard it, it’s best if it’s a heterosexual relationship for the woman to be a year older than the man). However the mental age and maturity difference between 12 and 15 is significantly greater than three physical years. “Wait until you’re older/more grown up” isn’t a put down, it’s protection and caution, that despite not wanting to admit it to themselves, most kids, tweens, and even young teens are not ready to enter romantic relationships since not only are their perceptions of romance based on what media has shown them which is heavily romanticized but also they haven’t completely figured out who they are yet.
I always felt the fans who were annoyed by Dipper's crush were people who had crushes on someone older as kids themselves and can't handle cringing at themselves.
I for one love remembering the bittersweet feeling. It was a part of growing up for me, realizing the feelings were valid even if the relationship was not.
The scene after she rejects him but they are still friends, and he sits there for a moment and just exists with the aftermath with the music and the nature and the....maaaaaaaaaan hits a nice place. But that's one old guy's opinion.
And Mabel yet again ruins the moment there lol
Nope. I’m annoyed about his crush because Dipper already has few things to do in the series. They don’t focus much on the main story in season 1. Dipper then has barely anything to do. It’s why I’m happy they nipped this in the beginning of season 2. Now he can focus on more interesting storylines.
I think most older people who say "its not that weird" forget what it was like to be 12 or 15 where even single year of different felt massive(older kids felt like so much older and mature and then year later kids in same grade as you previously felt like such immature brats). That said I think it doesn't help the confusion that while to lot of people 12 with 15 year sounds really weird, to lot of people its hard to wrap head around "so its okay if 25 and 29 year old meet and date, but its wrong if 18 and 22 year old meet and date?". Like people in different stages of life will have different experiences, but people are kinda taught to think "so once you are adult, everything is fine and dandy" even though its not that simple either. People want easy math formula or easy rules they can use to make snap judgements instead of taking the nuance of difference in situations in account.
The zip their mouth was also something Dipper did when Wendy showed him her stop on the roof of the shack.
Also the journals each have a six fingered hand on the covers.
No spoilers, but alicia surprises me with her thinking for this show
A neat bit to me is that Wendy says, "SHE is too old for Dipper" instead of him being too young for her. Reduces the possibility of him taking it as him lacking a trait.
Otherwise he could double down on trying to mature too quickly for his crush.
or find some weird timey bullshit in the book and obsess over it
Definitely the creepiest episode thus far. It's only gonna get better as we go.
Wendy also did that sign back in episode 5
8:01 That really came out of nowhere lmao, I'm surprised she had no reaction
Haha it is a funny line out of context, but I think she was referencing all the creepy stuff he looks up cause he likes mysteries. Probably murder mysteries as well. Which makes Dipper a true crime doc girlie before it was cool :D
"Good luck sleeping tonight!"
Soos, you are a gem~
I love all the confessions in this season, both Gruncle Stan and Wendy "we always knew". Dipper might be mystery smart but he's people stupid, i love him
Season 1 is when they are mainly cool episodic moments with bits of plot. Season 2 is when they go mainly plot with bits of episodic.
Damn, that was mad unfortunate. Getting the eyelash stuck while doing the sponsor read.
Speaking of telling people how we feel I asked out friend of mine back in high school. She turned me down and I respected her wishes and we are still friends to this day.
The forest mimic, everyone's favorite inconsistent cryptid (naturally, everyone just has their own theories and version they prefer) from its just copies voices and sounds it hears to lure prey deeper into the woods for an ambush (which does fit some actual real life predators) *Aggressive mimicry*, although in this case this cryptid is imitating human voices, sometimes phone calls, sometimes a mom calling her kids, like it studies them and learns which sounds draw people to them *like a predator imitating the sounds of a mother deer to draw the young out of hiding* only doing this for humans, or imitating saying someone's name as it had watched other people "make that sound" and the person follow it. To the more supernatural versions that can be anything from like a land dwelling cephalopod to a full on shapeshifter taking on the forms of other animals, people, rocks, piles of leaves, accompanied with the vocal mimicry to lure its prey in deeper into the woods away from others before pouncing. (Which is based on a very wide range of folklore around the world of this or that monster taking on the forms of loved ones, someone's wife, voices or whispers leading people astray, and various shapeshifting "witch" monsters in the wilderness).
Hardcore religious family to the point I couldn't read fiction books. Said they're a bad influence, while other kids read Potter, star wars, and twilight I got to read dictionaries and bibles until I was about 16. I am pretty much raised boring.
Love how this kids show has a John Carpenter's The Thing creature and it still managed to have it take some fucked up shapes.
Body swap: a deep view into each others lives giving light to their struggles and their differences forming empathy and understanding for eachother.
Shapeshifter: Amogus
Shapeshifting is a very complex thing. If the plot does not explore it deeply (like with The Thing) then it ends up very oversimplified amogus.
Most people's first crush was someone who was older than them. I just love how the show handled that really awkward first crush.
I like how Gravity Falls used the Shapeshifter Plotline to explore the characters and their connection with each other, while the earlier bodyswap episode helps people know each other better. It's a shame they didn't quite string them together narratively.
The problem with shapeshift is it's always comparable with murder mysteries where the bad guy is using their shapeshifting ability to conceal evil intentions. The problem with that is where in murder mysteries they plan out an elaborate method with clues to follow and it's not always the same method, where as with shapeshifting it's always " Okay act do something related to the other person and I'll figure it out if you are acting weird".
Im the opposite, i hate bodyswap but like shapeshifter. The secondhand embarrassment of watching a character act out of character or sabotage relationships of the actual persons is always uncomfortable for me to sit through. Its why I couldn’t watch CW Flash after season 3, and why i can’t watch talent show episodes of almost anything
^This. 100%. Plus I think I just tend to find the really good shape-shifter stories (the thing, darkness below, Yobanashi Decieve, etc.)
Side note, I think Yobanashi Deceive is one of the most creative takes on a shapeshifter plot because instead of someone else going "how do I tell them apart", it's the shapeshifter going "all I know is how to be other people, but who am I?"
Interesting I love body swap especially more adult oriented (as in grown up mindset not bedroom activities adult). To me it's putting someone outside their normal world and having them grow and change as a result. The thing is when I think about it the ones I've liked best are the ones with shapeshifting usually (the first one I recall was a book about a boy turned into a stray cat). When it's a bodyswap usually they're either very childish in how they handle it or its one person getting what they want at the expense of someone else. So I can see your point of view and may actually share it. Though there have been some good bodyswap stories theres one who's title I can't recall (think it was an Italian film, foreign at any rate as it was subtitled) about two people swapped I think in a lightning struck swimming pool at full moon when they both grew as people before swapping back.
First of all, after this episode we have room for the REAL ship of the show, second, I really love how Wendy not just deals with the whole thing really maturely, but also just does legitimately enjoy spending time with Dipper and Mabel, she's not the typical teenager who doesn't want anything to do with "little kids." She's cool. Also I love that she just carries an axe around
@14:28 what, you don't like The Thing (1982)?!...ok Yeah, they kinda did it (near) peak and almost everyone has just been referencing it since then...
This is easily one of the scariest episodes of Gravity Falls but despite that the episodes moving forward definitely have their very disturbing moments and imagery
Idk, Northwest Mansion and *REDACTED* are definitely up there as well.
@@anitaremenarova6662 Oh absolutely that scene with all the dead animal heads that start to bleed out of their eyes and mouths was DEFINITELY pushing it when it came to Disney and honestly I wish we get more rated R Gravity Falls content in the future because Alex and his team can definitely come up with some messed up, horrifying shit
@@ReeceConnor. I was trying to be vague to avoid spoilers but here we go lol, is he making any other shows? I know he's been helping out with other people's projects but that's about it.
@@anitaremenarova6662 Oh shit sorry about that lol and also recently Alex released the book of Bill plus a secret website which has seriously probably some of the most disgusting imagery in the show’s entire history plus some really dark facts about the characters and their personal lives
The ceiling for shapeshifter plotlines is astronomical though. The Thing! Just look at The Thing! And as with so many horror plots, empathy is a key theme there too.
I THINK people meant “3 years isn’t a big age gap” in GENERAL, but for a 12 and 15 year old, they’re not mentally able to properly consent yet. Wait til’ Dip is AT LEAST 18 (Wendy would be 21) or personally I feel 20 (Wendy would be 23) would be a suitable age for that kind of relationship (IF they were both consenting adults)
a shapeshifter episode without a single "amogus." what a time we live in.
I wonder if this episode was among the inspirations for that game. Among us came oit in 2018 after all.
I hope since you already finished Owl House and are going to finish Gravity Falls soons, that you check out the other sister show, "Amphibia"! This aired alongside Owl House for three seasons, and is an AMAZING show to react to blindly!
9:30 im not crazy right? I heard “yeah, it was a grill”😂
Yeah, grill is just a memey way of saying girl. You probably just haven't seen memes about it to recognize it
I love it when they introduce characters who illicit an initial reaction like "Ugh, it's this trope" and then they turn out to be one of the coolest characters ever.
I really didn't mind the shapeshifter in this show, being voiced by Mark Hamill definitely helps but all the horrifying transformations also make it memorable.
@@anitaremenarova6662 I was talking about Wendy, but you make a good point too
@@Mayeur000Donz Huh? Wendy was cool from the start idk how you could get that impression from her.
@@anitaremenarova6662 The "object of childhood crush" was the intial vibe I got, which I didn't feel she often escaped. But she got cooler and cooler.
Shape-shifter powers are cool. the way people use shape-shifters in stories isn't. it's always a "who is the shape shifter" or "the shape shifter is basically the same as the masks from Mission: Impossible"
That's why I'm writing a novel about a shape-shifter that doesn't do any of those tropes once
2:01 Dipper listen to me, you are swinging for the fences...and right now, you are NOT a power hitter.
She's 15? When I was watching Gravity Falls I always thought she was 17 or 18. She acts like she is.
When I was in highschool, there was one dude in my grade when we were in grade 11 and 12 who only dated 9th graders, and even though it's "only 3 or 4 years" difference, we were kids and at that age that's a HUGE difference, so basically everyone thought he was a creep.
This is one of the many episodes that reminds me of the fact that Wendy's character concept was created by "Everyone in the writing room threw the coolest person they knew into a big bowl and eventually Wendy emerged from it."
I'll just say, the age _gap_ isn't that bad, but Dipper's age is. I always say, Wendy had the right answer, but I'd have phrased it that he's too young for her. If they were 20 and 23, who cares. Even 18 and 21, not really an issue. But because he's twelve, he's too young to date anyone more than a year apart, really. Through your pre-teen and teen years, you're changing so much physically and mentally, that even 1 year can make a drastic difference in your emotional, mental, and even physical maturity, that looking really anywhere outside that, most people will have completely different wants and needs. Needs that someone younger may not be nearly ready to provide, and not just in regards to intimacy, but in support and understanding, as well. Honestly, even into the mid-20's you'll generally still be changing in some ways, but it's generally slowed enough by then that having a serious relationship is a feasible option.
All that to say, she's not too old for him. Because the issue isn't her age, it's his.
The counter-part to that is, if they stay as good of friends as they are at this point until they're both a bit over 5 years older, there's probably a 50/50 chance that a romantic relationship could still develop. Or they could just remain close friends, which is fine by me. Platonic, non-romantic love is just as beautiful as romance, but it gets ignored so often for the spicier types of love.
I just finished the last episode then this dropped, another exciting watch baby!
The irony of having a female crush because of Muslim beliefs is genuinely fucking hilarious
21:54 keep this scene in mind
There will be a callback to it
It's funny how wrong he was
@@vikhyath. Episode 10 of season 2
@@nicktechnubyte1184 what?
@@vikhyath. Nothing to say?! Did you watch the link or not?!
@@nicktechnubyte1184 What do you mean? The shapeshifter was wrong
23:05 okay. Age gap in 3 yrs? Not bad if you both adults! if you both already adults and can make actually thought through decisions, 3 yrs difference is not bad. But she’s 15 he’s 12, in that age it is huge!
This is a very good episode. Love Wendy’s reaction to his crush. And more importantly, this storyline is finally over. It only gets better from here
I think too many people focus on the age gap of 3 years but forget in what stage of their lives they are. True it's not much, but for that age group it definitely is.
Star performance by Mark Hamil as the shapeshifter
He stuck down there with the BEANS wat da fak
I think the only female friend Wendy has is the eternally texting Tamry. She takes her break up consolation friend where she can, even if they happen to be a twelve year old boy with a crush on her.
I feel like there's a simple distinction. Both shapeshifting and body swap help develop characters but body swap does that more and often leads to more interesting plots. Shapeshifting plots are usually more basic but it makes up for it in horror. I think most people are desensitized to it by now and we just don't think about how absolutely horrifying seeing a perfect copy of yourself try to replace you would be
8:00 OMG I can't believe you know about the Cube, it's one of my favorite movies that more people need to watch, I'm so happy right now
21:55 i love these foreshadowings
they are sooo goood
One of the best and creepiest Gravity Falls episodes!
22:57: RIGHT!? She's so cool!
"I'm already working on a list of potential rebound crushes."
*laughs in S2E10*
jesus. at 5:15 she was so close to the truth it's scary.
Ah, Grunkle Stan's wife does live in another dimension, but they got divorced an hour after their Vegas wedding... 'Cause he used to be married to Eda the Owl Lady, which ironically was something already confirmed in the Owl House after hints in the DVDs, books etc. (not really a spoiler as they don't really mention in within GF itself, just post-release stuff).
Despite the outcome i hate Mabel for pulling that forcing Dipper to confess in a room that monster could've been on them any quicker and she'd have made herself an only and hated child
23:13 ok... I admit, that really is pretty sad that so many do not understand what consent is. That makes me upset that people just dont know or dont care.
Who else heard Macarena for the longest time until they read "Mech Arena"
This episode specifically gave me nightmares for a week after it was first aired
I agree. You gotta respect Disney for maturely and accurately handling Dipper's crush on Wendy. It's not even just the age-gap. Wendy clearly views Dipper as a little brother figure. Once you come to view someone in a sibling-like light, it's EXTREMELY unlikely that you'll ever come to view them romantically down the line, even once the age-gap is no longer an issue. Plus, Alex Hirsch said that Dipper's crush on Wendy would have never worked out because he puts her on a pedestal views her as a prize to be won.
Grunkle's stan wife is indeed in a different dimension but she's not stuck considering she has a portal to the human realm, Eda could come and see Stan whenever she wants, she just chooses not to xD
And not one Among Us was heard from Alicia during this episode.
There's a reason Wendy's name begins with a W
Wait people have actually said 12-15 years old is a normal age difference, like unironically? For real?
I think (or at least hope) people are thinking of the actual 3 year gap. For a 12 and 15 year old it is huge. But for a 22 and 25 year old and anything older, 3 years is barely noticeable.
Sometimes, it's easy to forget what it's like to be that young.
@@Lazyguy143 Well I figured that, but the argument isn't very reasonable in that context either way, But I guess I'm not surprised
@@Lazyguy143 Ye I also assumed they JUST meant a 3 year gap, once you're an adult its kinda.... you know, shit is basically a guideline more faded and transparent than a ghost.
@@de606returns6Honestly it's until recently that i realized 3 years gap was a big thing, since almost all of my relatives have like 5 to 8 years gap with their SO 😅
@@darkerrex1442 Honestly when you're an adult, 3 years isn't Usually a big deal since even 3 years apart in adulthood, you're usually in the same mindset and maturity (of course this obviously applies to more people in their 30's and beyond, maybe late 20's could be argued) but as Alicia said, 12 vs 15 is highly significant in terms of the maturity for both parties since neither are really mature yet, not to mention the significant differences in the experiences between 12 year olds and 15 year olds
Yeeeeah, I also went to music school. Turns out, violin kills a lot of social activities
I haven't read any of them myself, but I believe it's fairly common for fanfics to have wendy and dipper get together after reuniting 5-10 years after the events of the show, which is probably part of the reason people rush to defend the age gap.
To be fair that's probably the best thing to do IF they really wanna chase that plotline but i don't know why but i can't see it not because i see Dipper with "Someone" I just can't see it happening 😕
Thanks for this.
Bendy!
(There's actually a lot of old shapeshifter lore where it's more like possession than imitation. Stealing some's shape.)