I have to say a thing because I’ve been thinking and talking about it for like two whole days now with Jersey and its sort of relevant.
I’ve seen a lot of fan art of the twins letting go of each other, where Dipper is the first to break away and Mabel is the one trying to hang on to him. I’m guessing that’s because Dipper wants to grow up too fast and Mabel doesn’t, or that he’s gonna be upset after NWHS, but tbh I’ve always seen it being the opposite for them regardless.
I’ve always seen Dipper being the one clinging to Mabel and Mabel going off and doing her own thing. I mean all you ever witness in canon is her branching off of Dipper to make friends and fall in love and have fun, meanwhile Dip’s like ‘Mabel, come do this thing with me. Mabel, I wanna spend time with just you. Mabel, your friends are weird and annoying. Mabel, I don’t trust that guy. Mabel, where are you going? Mabel, you’re supposed to only trust me! Mabel, wait…please don’t leave me behind.’
Hell, Dipper even admits to this in Carpet Diem! He tells Mabel that he feels like she's abandoning him for her friends a lot. Its not that she’s more independent than he is, but Mabel’s less likely to put Dipper first. She less likely to choose him. She's not as attached and that’s not a bad way to be; it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love him as much as he loves her. Its actually better. Its healthier and in some ways its more mature. Mabel is always thinking about everyone as a whole, like in the Love God. She’s always trying to do what’s best for everyone, whereas Dipper’s only trying to do what’s best for Mabel.
Dipper always puts Mabel first. He is constantly worrying about her and taking her into consideration and putting himself in front of her in dangerous situations to protect her, and Mabel instinctively moves behind him because she knows no matter what Dipper is going to take care of her and keep her safe. He’s completely willing to lay down his life for her and he’s only twelve. Granted, Dip has a hero complex. He wants to save and help the people he loves, but he’s insecure enough to believe he can’t do it on his own. Its probably something that stems from his innate paranoia because he fears losing the people he cares about, but for all Dipper thinks of his family and friends, he thinks of Mabel twice as much.
After Dipper lets go of Wendy in the Time Traveler’s Pig, he promises Mabel that he’ll never break her heart. When asked why the journals matter to him so much in Gideon rises, Dipper tells Mabel its because they let him protect her–his other friends and family too, but primarily her. Now I’m not saying protecting Mabel is the only reason–in fact a big conflict in this show is Dipper’s personal loyalty clashing with his desire to achieve his goals–but its his original motive. It’s the most important reason, and that is just so profound, to recognize how much you love a person, unconditionally, above even your crush, at the age of 12. It kind of hits you that Dipper’s love for Mabel is something that’s really deep and powerful; instead of a river, it’s an ocean. He would do anything for her, and the show goes to a lot of lengths to highlight that.
In some ways that kind of selflessness makes Dipper mature for his age, but in others it makes him immature because he’s so wrapped up in never letting Mabel go that he views going out and doing your own thing and having your own friends as some kind of betrayal, when its a completely healthy and normal part of life, of growing up. He always chooses her so he just expects that Mabel will always choose him in return, and when she doesn’t, when she starts to let him go and trust in others, like in Sock Opera and NWHS, it really hurts him.
Dipper struggles with the idea that Mabel doesn’t love him, not as much, but the same way he loves her. Dipper’s way is absolutely infallible and a constant thing; he’s always worried about Mabel, he’s always thinking about Mabel. But Mabel is always thinking about everyone together as a whole. Mabel’s the only one Dipper’s never stayed mad at or held a grudge against. I honestly cannot think of a single instance where Dipper would ever want to leave Mabel, unless leaving her was the only way to ensure she’d survive, but even then that would be so hard for him. He still wouldn’t want to.
Even once they’re college-aged and pursuing different universities, you know Dipper’s gonna be the one checking in all the time to see how Mabel’s doing and what she’s up to, like a worried parent or older sibling might. He’s gonna be the one that insists on calling every day to say good morning and goodnight and pretend the distance isn’t that far between them. Mabel’s not like that. She doesn’t worry a lot and she's quick to adapt; its not hard for her to make friends and see the good in a place even if she’s missing her bro bro a whole lot.
I guess what I’m getting at is that Dipper is never going to care for anyone or anything more than he does for Mabel. If he ever loses that, you’d know he’s not himself anymore. If he ever loses his moral compass, it’s because he’s lost Mabel. That’s intense and not exactly a healthy way to be either.
But I suppose I just find it interesting that the boy who wants to grow up too fast has the most desperate hold around his sister.
