Stanley Pines (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
renametoken) wrote2020-07-30 07:05 am
renametoken) wrote2020-07-30 07:05 am
( ryslig ) application
OOC INFORMATION
Name: Kei
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
begleiter
Are You Over 18?: Yes
Other Characters: N/A
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Stanley Pines
Age: Early 60s
Canon: Gravity Falls
Canon Point: Post-Canon
Character Information: Stan @ Gravity Falls Wiki
Personality: Stan Pines is a man of many, many flaws. Described as a 'professional conman' by his own nephew, Stan is a constant (and perhaps outright pathological) liar, cheat, and thief. He's greedy, selfish, and self-serving, highly motivated by his own wants and rarely willing to contribute to something that disinterests him. If he doesn't 'get' something he makes little to no effort to understand or sympathize, and it usually takes steep consequences before he finally does. These are traits he's exhibited all his life, though his much more innocent childhood motivations have given way to greedy practicality. If he doesn't con others, they'll just con him.
Still, 'cynic' isn't really the right word for him. Stan is a realist, it's just that his realism is based on a reality that's been remarkably unkind to him. He was kicked out of his home at 17 and spent the next 10ish years broke, homeless, living in his car, making enemies, owing people money, and getting arrested in and banned from multiple states and countries. Along the way he refined his natural inclination to lie, cheat, steal, and scam to ensure his survival. Even when he finally landed himself in a stable living situation he used those same tactics to maintain it. Old habits die hard, so naturally he has a tendency to try to lie his way out of trouble to this day, not to mention the fact that he's cheap to the point of being miserly.
So when he refuses to compromise on being a little more polite, doubles down on his anger when he's hurt, or says things like, "Please" never made me any money. it's not hard to see how his experiences have informed his worldview. He doesn't believe in the charity and good intentions of other people, and he doesn't believe anyone but the naive or easily fleeced would believe in the same from him. Being vulnerable will get you hurt, and being charitable will get you taken advantage of. Even when offered something by people he does trust and care for, he's shown to react with confusion, suspicion, and at times outright hostility. When good things come his way with seemingly no strings attached he's on high alert, though he has a noticeable blind spot when he thinks it's the result of having outwitted or charmed his 'opponent'.
Another reason that 'cynic' doesn't really suit him is because he's got this weird, persistent optimistic streak in his mindset, though Stan would call it an opportunistic streak. He has the ability to see the bright side or a way forward in nearly any situation. Sometimes it's naive, sometimes it's practical, sometimes it's sheer stubbornness, but whatever the motivation the habit rears its head again and again. He's quick to insist he's fine when things get him down and he has the mental fortitude to relentlessly pursue a seemingly hopeless task for decades on end.
Stan considers himself unintelligent and even outright says that his brain isn't good for anything. And to be fair, compared to his brother Ford most people look pretty dumb, and Stan's atrocious performance in school didn't do him any favors. 'Street smart' definitely applies to him, however, and one could even say 'emotionally intelligent' if they were feeling generous. He knows how to tell what someone wants and how to convince them they want it from him. He knows his employees' strengths and, more critically, their weaknesses. He knows how to lie and how to spot a liar. He's a shyster, a conman, and charlatan, but he's also an incredibly shrewd businessman that's managed to turn significant profits running a cryptid-themed tourist trap (dubbed the Mystery Shack) for 30 years. And even though his book smarts leave a lot to be desired, he's not actually bad in that area either. Just extremely unmotivated. When he is motivated, it's a different story. He managed to teach himself enough about theoretical physics to make significant repairs to Ford's incredibly advanced dimensional portal with only a 3rd of the encrypted instructions. Said repairs were so extensive that once he did have all of the instructions the portal was running within a matter of days.
But when Stan doesn't care, he's as subtle as a brick to the face, with a personality that's about as charming. He'll blurt out his (often incendiary) opinions without a second thought, make fun of and laugh at the misfortune of others, pick fights for petty reasons, and generally just be an enormous, bossy jerk. Even with people Stan cares deeply about he's grumpy, rude, and impatient, and takes great (if often unsuccessful) measures to hide any signs affection behind a gruff exterior. It's no surprise that he's unpopular with the people of Gravity Falls.
... And yet, he's not the most unpopular person in town, and few people seem to genuinely hate him. He's overall tolerated by the populace, and he even has a peaceable, though rarely amicable, relationship with several of them. Mystery Shack tourists even seem to outright like him, and he's shown to easily and repeatedly charm and connect with them using jokes and quick wit, and then use that connection to convince them to empty their wallets in his gift shop. He has an innate sort of charisma and a natural showman's flair. No one that really knows Stan would ever describe him as endearing, but there's something about him that's hard to genuinely hate.
But despite his cleverness and charm, Stan is plenty dumb in other ways. Most particularly, he's short-sighted and hot-headed in a way that's gotten him into frequent trouble his whole life. It's rare that Stan ever stops and really thinks a particular course of action through, whether it's something more spontaneous (like taking his frustration out on a table, accidentally breaking the experiment it's supporting, and completely derailing both he and Ford's futures as a result) or something more calculated (like selling dodgy products and getting himself run out of town). Letting his temper get the better of him has gotten him into countless problems, ruined his relationship with his brother, and almost ruined his relationship with his niece and nephew, and he's still never really learned. This is especially evident when he's upset. He lashes out and pushes people away when he's hurt, embarrassed, or angry, and has declared that he would be fine on his own and didn't need anyone else multiple times.
It was a lie every single time. Losing his family is Stan's biggest fear, and disappointing or being rejected by them is shown genuinely upset him on multiple occasions. Whether it's a childish (if deserved) threat from Mabel to never speak to him again, Dipper and Mabel ditching him on a family fishing trip, or Ford calling for his help only to tell him to leave again ten minutes later, Stan has reacted with genuine distress each time - which, naturally, fed into that short-tempered, short-sighted anger of his. As a result, when it comes to his family he can be unbelievably petty, but also forgiving to the point of being a pushover. He was ready to risk the end of the world because he didn't want to hold Ford's hand without getting a thank you for rescuing him first, and Ford nettling him about his grammar immediately afterwards was enough for Stan to give up on their world-saving hand-holding in favor of trying to hit him. On the other hand, when Ford later asked Stan to finally join him in their childhood dream of sailing around the world Stan accepted without hesitation or so much as a word said about past wrongs. He even goes as far as to say that he knows his father, Filbrick, actually cared about him... even though Filbrick was never impressed by Stan, was the one to kick him out before he'd even graduated high school, and is strongly implied to have once expressed a desire to just 'get rid' of Stan.
In short, Stan is a hard person to like once you get to know him. And yet, there are people who do like Stan. People he didn't even have to trick! Because despite everything else, Stan is fiercely loyal to the people he cares about, and much of his 'selfish' behavior is motivated by the desire to help his loved ones. Even his miserly, greedy ways started when he was kicked out and told he wouldn't be allowed to return home until he was wealthy. Saying that he's willing to do anything to protect his family is kind of an understatement. For someone that considers himself selfish he throws himself under the bus for people he cares about often. Sometimes it's in big ways, like dedicating 30 years of his life trying to save his twin brother. Sometimes it's in petty ways, like intentionally embarrassing himself at prom so that said twin brother wouldn't feel alone in his embarrassment. Sometimes it's really big, like allowing his memory to be erased to defeat a world-threatening dream demon - and then rather than being fearful or remorseful, simply being happy he was, in his own words, 'good for something after all'.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Protective
Loyal
Stubborn
Crafty
Dishonest
Blunt/rude
Natural showman
Charismatic
Greedy
Short tempered/sighted
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, EITHER, or opt for 100% RANDOMIZATION? Fits
Opt-Outs: Goblin, Lich, Arachne, Naga, Slime, Troll
Roleplay Sample: TDM thread
Name: Kei
Contact:
Are You Over 18?: Yes
Other Characters: N/A
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Stanley Pines
Age: Early 60s
Canon: Gravity Falls
Canon Point: Post-Canon
Character Information: Stan @ Gravity Falls Wiki
Personality: Stan Pines is a man of many, many flaws. Described as a 'professional conman' by his own nephew, Stan is a constant (and perhaps outright pathological) liar, cheat, and thief. He's greedy, selfish, and self-serving, highly motivated by his own wants and rarely willing to contribute to something that disinterests him. If he doesn't 'get' something he makes little to no effort to understand or sympathize, and it usually takes steep consequences before he finally does. These are traits he's exhibited all his life, though his much more innocent childhood motivations have given way to greedy practicality. If he doesn't con others, they'll just con him.
Still, 'cynic' isn't really the right word for him. Stan is a realist, it's just that his realism is based on a reality that's been remarkably unkind to him. He was kicked out of his home at 17 and spent the next 10ish years broke, homeless, living in his car, making enemies, owing people money, and getting arrested in and banned from multiple states and countries. Along the way he refined his natural inclination to lie, cheat, steal, and scam to ensure his survival. Even when he finally landed himself in a stable living situation he used those same tactics to maintain it. Old habits die hard, so naturally he has a tendency to try to lie his way out of trouble to this day, not to mention the fact that he's cheap to the point of being miserly.
So when he refuses to compromise on being a little more polite, doubles down on his anger when he's hurt, or says things like, "Please" never made me any money. it's not hard to see how his experiences have informed his worldview. He doesn't believe in the charity and good intentions of other people, and he doesn't believe anyone but the naive or easily fleeced would believe in the same from him. Being vulnerable will get you hurt, and being charitable will get you taken advantage of. Even when offered something by people he does trust and care for, he's shown to react with confusion, suspicion, and at times outright hostility. When good things come his way with seemingly no strings attached he's on high alert, though he has a noticeable blind spot when he thinks it's the result of having outwitted or charmed his 'opponent'.
Another reason that 'cynic' doesn't really suit him is because he's got this weird, persistent optimistic streak in his mindset, though Stan would call it an opportunistic streak. He has the ability to see the bright side or a way forward in nearly any situation. Sometimes it's naive, sometimes it's practical, sometimes it's sheer stubbornness, but whatever the motivation the habit rears its head again and again. He's quick to insist he's fine when things get him down and he has the mental fortitude to relentlessly pursue a seemingly hopeless task for decades on end.
Stan considers himself unintelligent and even outright says that his brain isn't good for anything. And to be fair, compared to his brother Ford most people look pretty dumb, and Stan's atrocious performance in school didn't do him any favors. 'Street smart' definitely applies to him, however, and one could even say 'emotionally intelligent' if they were feeling generous. He knows how to tell what someone wants and how to convince them they want it from him. He knows his employees' strengths and, more critically, their weaknesses. He knows how to lie and how to spot a liar. He's a shyster, a conman, and charlatan, but he's also an incredibly shrewd businessman that's managed to turn significant profits running a cryptid-themed tourist trap (dubbed the Mystery Shack) for 30 years. And even though his book smarts leave a lot to be desired, he's not actually bad in that area either. Just extremely unmotivated. When he is motivated, it's a different story. He managed to teach himself enough about theoretical physics to make significant repairs to Ford's incredibly advanced dimensional portal with only a 3rd of the encrypted instructions. Said repairs were so extensive that once he did have all of the instructions the portal was running within a matter of days.
But when Stan doesn't care, he's as subtle as a brick to the face, with a personality that's about as charming. He'll blurt out his (often incendiary) opinions without a second thought, make fun of and laugh at the misfortune of others, pick fights for petty reasons, and generally just be an enormous, bossy jerk. Even with people Stan cares deeply about he's grumpy, rude, and impatient, and takes great (if often unsuccessful) measures to hide any signs affection behind a gruff exterior. It's no surprise that he's unpopular with the people of Gravity Falls.
... And yet, he's not the most unpopular person in town, and few people seem to genuinely hate him. He's overall tolerated by the populace, and he even has a peaceable, though rarely amicable, relationship with several of them. Mystery Shack tourists even seem to outright like him, and he's shown to easily and repeatedly charm and connect with them using jokes and quick wit, and then use that connection to convince them to empty their wallets in his gift shop. He has an innate sort of charisma and a natural showman's flair. No one that really knows Stan would ever describe him as endearing, but there's something about him that's hard to genuinely hate.
But despite his cleverness and charm, Stan is plenty dumb in other ways. Most particularly, he's short-sighted and hot-headed in a way that's gotten him into frequent trouble his whole life. It's rare that Stan ever stops and really thinks a particular course of action through, whether it's something more spontaneous (like taking his frustration out on a table, accidentally breaking the experiment it's supporting, and completely derailing both he and Ford's futures as a result) or something more calculated (like selling dodgy products and getting himself run out of town). Letting his temper get the better of him has gotten him into countless problems, ruined his relationship with his brother, and almost ruined his relationship with his niece and nephew, and he's still never really learned. This is especially evident when he's upset. He lashes out and pushes people away when he's hurt, embarrassed, or angry, and has declared that he would be fine on his own and didn't need anyone else multiple times.
It was a lie every single time. Losing his family is Stan's biggest fear, and disappointing or being rejected by them is shown genuinely upset him on multiple occasions. Whether it's a childish (if deserved) threat from Mabel to never speak to him again, Dipper and Mabel ditching him on a family fishing trip, or Ford calling for his help only to tell him to leave again ten minutes later, Stan has reacted with genuine distress each time - which, naturally, fed into that short-tempered, short-sighted anger of his. As a result, when it comes to his family he can be unbelievably petty, but also forgiving to the point of being a pushover. He was ready to risk the end of the world because he didn't want to hold Ford's hand without getting a thank you for rescuing him first, and Ford nettling him about his grammar immediately afterwards was enough for Stan to give up on their world-saving hand-holding in favor of trying to hit him. On the other hand, when Ford later asked Stan to finally join him in their childhood dream of sailing around the world Stan accepted without hesitation or so much as a word said about past wrongs. He even goes as far as to say that he knows his father, Filbrick, actually cared about him... even though Filbrick was never impressed by Stan, was the one to kick him out before he'd even graduated high school, and is strongly implied to have once expressed a desire to just 'get rid' of Stan.
In short, Stan is a hard person to like once you get to know him. And yet, there are people who do like Stan. People he didn't even have to trick! Because despite everything else, Stan is fiercely loyal to the people he cares about, and much of his 'selfish' behavior is motivated by the desire to help his loved ones. Even his miserly, greedy ways started when he was kicked out and told he wouldn't be allowed to return home until he was wealthy. Saying that he's willing to do anything to protect his family is kind of an understatement. For someone that considers himself selfish he throws himself under the bus for people he cares about often. Sometimes it's in big ways, like dedicating 30 years of his life trying to save his twin brother. Sometimes it's in petty ways, like intentionally embarrassing himself at prom so that said twin brother wouldn't feel alone in his embarrassment. Sometimes it's really big, like allowing his memory to be erased to defeat a world-threatening dream demon - and then rather than being fearful or remorseful, simply being happy he was, in his own words, 'good for something after all'.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Protective
Loyal
Stubborn
Crafty
Dishonest
Blunt/rude
Natural showman
Charismatic
Greedy
Short tempered/sighted
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, EITHER, or opt for 100% RANDOMIZATION? Fits
Opt-Outs: Goblin, Lich, Arachne, Naga, Slime, Troll
Roleplay Sample: TDM thread