Toon Tunes: Mabel Pines

curated by Elyssa Pollio

I love cartoons. I mean, I really love cartoons. As a kid I would watch hours of cartoons, from the Powerpuff Girls to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Now that I’m older, I still watch cartoons as an escape from the pile of SAT prep and college stress. When given the chance to make a playlist for toon tunes I couldn’t make a decision on who I should pick. Was I to pick Lisa or Maggie from one of my favorite cartoons of all time? Or maybe I should pick Marceline because she’s basically the coolest? Eventually I came to the decision to do Mabel from Gravity Falls because I’ve really related to her lately. For those of you who are not as familiar with Gravity Falls, it’s a surrealist mystery-comedy about two twins visiting their uncle in Gravity Falls, an eccentric town somewhere in Oregon.

Mabel is one of those fun-loving characters who initially seems very one dimensional and vapid. The first few episodes I was not completely in love with her character, because I felt the series had failed to give me a “strong female character” for some reason. However, as the show progressed the series really gave Mabel the depth she deserves. She’s at a transitional period in her life where she’s afraid of growing up, yet doesn’t wanna seem like a kid. I, like Mabel, am in another transitional period of my life, the summer before my senior year of high-school. Everyone is constantly asking me where I would like to go to college and what I wanna study, but much like Mabel, I'd rather not think about it and just do things I enjoy. The future is scary and growing up is weird and awkward. Much like Mabel, I eventually have to accept the future is coming and I can’t just live in a bubble; I have to face that summer is ending.

I made a playlist of songs I felt reflective how Mabel changed in the series and songs that I felt were very her.

P.S. Her sweaters are also really great.