AlthoughGravity Fallsended after just two seasons,The Book of Billtie-in project reveals more about both the strange titular town and the mysterious Bill Cipher. Penned byGravity Fallscreator Alex Hirsch, who also voices Bill in the TV series,The Book of Billalso serves as a solid continuation of theTwin Peaks-inspired horror-comedy show. Well before Bill Cipher is formally introduced, the show follows twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal), who arrive in the strange town of Gravity Falls to spend the summer with their great uncle, Grunkle Stan (Hirsch).
A grifter of sorts, Grunkle Stan runs a tourist trap called the Mystery Shack, which capitalizes on the Oregon town’s string of supposedly paranormal happenings. While Stan is billed as a classic skeptic who’s set on swindling people,Dipper wants to believe in the supernatural goings-on, especially after he finds a mysterious journalin the forest. That journal, which chronicles the supernatural beings and phenomena occurring in or near the small town, is one of a set of three, which only deepens the show’s central mystery. Plus,every episode ofGravity Fallsfeatures hints about the overarching villain: Bill.
The main antagonist ofGravity Falls, Bill Cipher is a bizarre interdimensional demon. Once summoned, the one-eyed, top hat-wearing triangle can take over a person’s mind.Two seasons intoGravity Falls, Dipper and Mabel discover that Grunkle Stan knows a lot more about the paranormal activities than he’s letting on. In fact, Stan’s estranged twin brother,Stanford “Ford” Pines (J.K. Simmons), is revealed to be the author of the mysterious journals. Although Ford spends most of the series stranded between dimensions, he returns ahead of theGravity Fallsseries finale, “Weirdmageddon.”
Gravity Falls' series finale, “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls,” was an hour-long special.
While Grunkle Stan’s paranormal investigator brother has some connections to Bill Cipher,Gravity Fallsdoesn’t have the time to delve too deeply into the characters' shared history. AfterGravity Fallswas unceremoniously canceled, Hirsch continued the story in other mediums, includingJournal 3, a replica of the object from the show, and the graphic novelGravity Falls: Lost Legends. The most recent addition to theGravity Fallscanon isThe Book of Bill,a humorous and fourth wall-breaking installment that allows Bill Cipher to tell his version of the story, all while revealing more fascinating takeaways about the show.
6The Book Of Bill Reveals Bill’s Fate After Gravity Falls' Ending
Bill Survives Gravity Falls' Weirdmageddon
Perhaps the biggest reveal inThe Book of Billis that Bill Cipher survivesGravity Falls' Weirdmageddon. Although aGravity Fallsrevival could ruin the perfect endingof the show,The Book of Billproves that Dipper and Mabel don’t need to be the series' starring characters for it to work — or that’s what Bill, in his tongue-in-cheek way, wants his mere mortal readers to believe. In the opening pages,Ford warns readers not to believe a word of what Bill tells them. Regardless, the paranormal investigator is also concerned that Bill has survived.
The big takeaway from Bill’s stint in the Theraprism is that the demon has no desire to change…
According toThe Book of Bill, the terrifying demon has been sent to a “Neutral Zone” in Dimension 5150, which is referred to as the Theraprism. Located outside of time and space, the Theraprism rehabilitates the deceased, prepping them for reincarnation. Needless to say, Bill Ciper’s deal with the Axolotl, a powerful extra-dimensional creature, means thatStan Pines didn’treallykill the pesky triangle in the show’s finale. Tasked with attending therapy sessions, Bill makes a book — the very book the readers are holding — during an arts and crafts session.
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The big takeaway from Bill’s stint in the Theraprism is that the demon has no desire to change his malevolent ways. In fact, he had no plans to take his rehabilitation seriously, which is why he createdThe Book of Bill. Ultimately, he hopes one of the book’s readers will strike a deal and break him out of the Neutral Zone. After Bill reiterates thatsomeonewill let him out,The Book of Billends with the reveal that deep in the strange woods surrounding the town of Gravity Falls,Bill’s statue has started to glow.
5The Gravity Falls Book Explains Bill Cipher’s Origins
Bill Tells His Story In His Own Words
The Book of Billnot only delves into where Bill has landed post-Gravity Falls' finale, but into the demon’s origin story too. In a section aptly titled “My Story,” Bill discusses how his rare mutation allowed him to “see the third dimension.” Eager to show others, Bill made a grave mistake, andit’s implied that he not only killed everyone in his home dimension, but destroyed that thread of time-space. For a while, the evil, dimension-hopping entity found a new dimension to lord over, but, after some time, that one began to crumble too.
One of many people terrorized by Bill, Thurburt M. Waxstaff the 3rd founded the Anti-Cipher Society in 1901 and tried to get the US government to enclose the nation in an anti-Bill dome.
After a run-in with Time Baby, a tyrannical time-manipulating child,Bill lands in Dipper and Mabel’s dimension — though centuries before the Pines children are born. Although a Shaman initially builds a portal for Bill, he ultimately banishes the demon from Gravity Falls. Eager to dimension hop once more, Bill enlists the help of many civilizations over the centuries, from the Egyptians to the Aztecs. After years of failed attempts, Bill returns to the United States. From collectible figurines to music to nuclear testing, Bill tries everything to trick the American masses into constructing his portal, but fails.
4The Book Of Bill Delves Into Ford & Bill’s Connection
Ford & Bill Were (Actually) Close At One Point
When Stanford “Ford” Pines unknowingly reverses the Shaman’s curse, Bill Cipher is summoned back to Gravity Falls, but the pair’s history is much more complex than a one-off incident. When Ford discovers hieroglyphics in a cave near Gravity Falls, he makes the mistake of reading the Shaman’s incantation, which allows Bill into Ford’s mindscape. Bill claims to be a muse, offering Ford his limitless knowledge in exchange for taking up residence in Ford’s mind.When Ford agrees, Bill lets him in on a few secrets about parallel dimensionsand, most importantly, how to create an interdimensional portal.
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While most of that information can be gleaned from the TV series,The Book of Billgives a little more insight intoFord and Stan’s backstoryas well as Ford and Bill’s time together. For starters, even though Ford is Bill’s puppet, the paranormal investigator writes down pages in his journal only to tear them out — and that leadsThe Book of Billto delve into the content ofJournal 3’s missing pages.Bill encourages Ford to forget about his past, including his brother Stan, and lies about the identity of the “monster” that destroyed his home dimension.
3Bill Knows What The Pines Family & Their Friends Dream About
Gravity Falls' Other Characters Make Minor Appearances In The Book Of Bill
Although not as revelatory as the sections about Ford,Journal 3’s missing pages, or Bill’s origin story, a section inThe Book of Billtitled “Bill’s Guide to Everything” does provide some interesting insight into otherGravity Fallscharacters. Not only doesBill tell readers that “Reality is an Illusion,“but he spouts off his thoughts on love and dating. The section really is the demon’s guide toeverything. Although some portions shed light onGravity Falls' lore, such as Bill’s thoughts on morality or other dimensions, he also spends a page waxing on about silly straws.
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The takeaways from “Bill’s Guide to Everything” are all over the place. Even though a lot of the book’s humor comes from the strange section, it still provides some interesting tidbits about the world and characters of Hirsch’s show. At one point,Bill goes on about the dreams and mindscapes of the series' main characters, revealing that Grunkle Stan dreams about high school and his brother, while Mabel is plagued by nightmares in which she’s unable to save a dying pig. Dipper, meanwhile, grapples with a memory of his parents fighting. All of this deepens theGravity Fallsdreamers' characterization.
2The Gravity Falls Book Gives Answers About Journal 3: The Missing Pages
Ford Tore Out The Missing Pages While In Bill’s Thrall
InJournal 3’s missing pages, Bill also convinces Ford to be wary of his colleague, McGucket (Hirsch), reminding him to “trust no one.” However, somewhere deep in Ford’s mind, the older Pines twin knows something is deeply off about Bill. When a telling anagram appears in his dream — “I Grow Maddened” becomes “Weirdmageddon” —Ford considers destroying his journals. When he realizes that Bill has been trying to activate the portal, Ford tries to create a Bill-proof suit. Of course, that’s easier said than done as Ford is actively trying to fight something with access to his mind.
Although the moment has been shown before, it’s interesting to see it from yet another angle.
These torn-out pages eventually culminate in Ford calling his brother, Stan.When Grunkle Stan shows up, the brothers get into a heated argument, which results in Ford being stranded in another dimension for decades. Although the moment has been shown before, it’s interesting to see it from yet another angle. Not to mention, Ford’s struggles with Bill, who basically uses him as a puppet, lead to some ofGravity Falls' most terrifying episodesand moments, making theBook of Billsection a must-read for fans who want to lean into the series' darker elements.
1Bill’s Secret Facts Provide More Insight Into Cipher’s Twisted Mind
Bill Celebrates His Own Holidays
Exclusive to Barnes & Noble, the special edition ofThe Book of Billboasts “16 extra pages of Bill’s twisted life advice!” For the most part, the extra pages show off more of Bill’s colorful personality, butthere are still some fun reveals and takeaways to be gleaned from this exclusive editionof theGravity Fallstie-in book. Not only does Bill cover all the canonical ways that one can summon him — these range from spirit boards to payphones — he also reveals that a cult called Ciphertology cropped up around him during the 1950s.
The Book of Billwas published on August 04, 2025.
Bill digs into the Trolley problem, makes a case for possession being a good thing, and invites readers to give him access to their minds. If that wasn’t funny enough, Bill goes on to discuss his so-called secret facts. According to the dimension-hopping demon, Minnesota isn’t real and puppets were once a living species that humans drove to extinction.Bill then shares his favorite non-human holidays, including Weirdmaversary, Paradoxmas, and Hit Your Boss With A Car Day. Needless to say,The Book of Billcan get incredibly strange, even for the most well-versedGravity Fallsfans.
Gravity Falls
When Dipper and Mabel Pines are dropped off to spend the summer with their uncle in Gravity Falls, they discover that all is not as it seems in this small town. When Dipper discovers a strange journal in the forest, the twins team up to solve the town’s mysteries.
