Board Thread:Site Problems and Appearance/@comment-26072045-20150527192205

One thing we've been having a lot of trouble with is allusions. People keep putting down on pages that this is an allusion or that is an allusion when it actually isn't or people are debating whether or not it is. So I'm making a little discussion about this and sorry if there already was one. Also I understand if you comment "tl;dr."

Also, try and avoid using the words "obviously" and "clearly." If it's an obvious/clear references you don't needd to say it. We'll know.

Admins if I get anything wrong don't hesitate to correct me.

What is an allusion:
 * A reference to a song, another show, a book, etc. This can be in the form of a picture, an object, something a chracter says, etc.
 * A reference/subtle hint to a real life event or something of that sort

Where it belongs:
 * If you have an allusion you want to add do NOT put it on the episode page. For instance if you saw a reference in "Not What He Seems" instead of adding it to the page "Not What He Seems" add it to "List of allusions/Season 2" under the section "Not What He Seems." Allusions should never be put on the episode page.

When it's not a reference:

Avoid adding incidental, broad, general, or tangential similarities.
 * Quotes:
 * Example: Rumble's catchphrase "Winners don't lose" is likely a reference to the slogan "Winners Don't Use Drugs."
 * What's wrong: There are a lot of quotes that start similiarly to that: "winners don't cheat," "winners don't make excuses," "winners dont wait for chance," "Winners Don't Come Easy," "winners don't complain" and so on. Way too many similar quotes to say that's a reference. Even iff this were correct you'd have to put down what the slogan is for.


 * TV/book/video game/film references:
 * Example: During the Episode ("Not What He Seems"), Mabel wears a sweater with a key on it. This is a reference to the anime Attack on Titan, as that key in Attack on Titan is the key to the basement, and all the answers. In the Gravity Falls Episode, Mabel and Dipper find out all the answers in Grunkle Stan's Basement.
 * What's wrong: For one thing we don't know if Alex Hirsch or any of the writers even having any knowledge or interest in the show. Also this is a person's personal interpretation. There has never been a reference to the series before. This is an extremely vague reference. It's like saying Mabel was wearing silver shoes and wanted to go home so it's a reference to the book The Wizard of Oz.
 * Example: "Soos and the Real Girl" is partly based off of FNAF.
 * What's wrong: This is like the Mabel and Dee Dee thing though some people might argue that their are more similarities. All I really know about that game is that you're a security guard for five nights at a place with animatronics that come to life at night and try to kill you. Well for one thing (and this is the big one): FNAF came out AFTER the episode was written. Also the animatronics are for Giffany to get Soos back. They're not really violent for no reason whatsoever. No one's a security guard or anything. The only similarity I see here (and again I haven't played the game) is that animatronics are trying to kill people. That's not enough of a reference. Even if FNAF DID come out before the episode was written we still wouldn't have enough information because it's too vague. And though I'm not 100% sure I'm pretty sure a writer denied this. That's a big thing two. If a writer says that it wasn't meant to be a reference, then no matter HOW similar to two things seem alike, one is NOT a reference to the other.


 * Character/real people similarities:
 * NOTE:  Similarities between main/regular characters should NEVER be mentioned because all characters are ORIGINAL. See "TV/book/video game/film references" for exceptions.
 * Example: There are many similarities between Mabel and Dee Dee from Dexter's Lab. They are both older than their brothers, they both have high pitched voices, they are both energetic and curious and they both get on their brothers' nerves.
 * What's wrong: For one thing this isn't even a reference. You're just saying that Mabel and Dee Dee have similarities. Also Mabel and Dee Dee are both ORIGINAL characters. They are not meant to be based off of other characters.
 * Example: While performing "Don't Start Un-Believing", Mabel twirls the mic around by its cord, a trademark of Roger Daltrey from The Who.
 * What's wrong: Though it's not saying Mabel is based off of Roger Daltrey it is saying what she did is. This is an extremely general thing that is not exclusive to Daltrey. I know The Who and I know Indiana Jones. When Dipper wore those clothes my mind and anyone else who knows the series immediately went to Indiana Jones. Not everyone's went to Daltrey with the mic thing. Inf act I highly doubt many did.


 * Internet references:
 * Example: When Mabel says she likes turtles, it's an allusion to the "I like turtles" viral video.
 * What's wrong: Honestly I have no clue how this has even been able to stay up this long. This is extremely broad. In that video a young boy was interviewed, panicked and said the first thing that came to mind: he likes turtles. Not only was Mabel not panicking when she talked to this guy, but he actually HAD a turtle.


 * Product/company/website references:
 * Example: Ballway Games, the pinball table's maker, is an allusion to Bally-Midway, a pinball manufacturer.
 * What's wrong: Bally-Midway manufactured pinball machines but it also manufactured other things. Not only this but the company logos aren't similar, the company names aren't similar and Bally-Midway was based in Chicago, Illinois, not Redmond, Washington.


 * Anytime you consider using the following words/phrases:
 * Example: possibly, maybe, could be, might be, is similar to, resembles (The hidden door behind the wallpaper is potentially a reference to the Neil Gaiman novel Coraline.)
 * What's wrong: If you're not sure then it's probably not a reference,

When it is a reference:

Allusions should be references "to works of fiction, people, places, events, and other cultural touchstones" and "should be specific, detailed, unique, or identifying."


 * Quotes:
 * Example: Soos says "It's the final countdown! Just like they sang about!" This is a reference to the song The Final Countdown.
 * Ok because: Now if Soos just said "it's the final countdown" this probably wouldn't be enough to be a reference. Though it would usually be associated with the song it's also a pretty general saying. The fact that Soos says "just like they sang about" lets us know for a fact that he's talking about some sort of song. What song? Obviously the famous song "The Final Countrdown."
 * Example: When decoded, the cryptogram in the end credits reads "HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE FEZ." This is a reference William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2, in which King Henry says the famous line, "uneasy lies the head that wears the crown," which is often misquoted as "heavy is the head that wears the crown (Act III, Scene i)."
 * Ok because: This is not only specific but it's an EXTREMELY famous quote.


 * TV/book/video game/film references:
 * Example: "The Time Traveler's Pig" = The Time Traveler's Wife
 * Ok because: When the titles are similar and I mean EXTREMELY similar.
 * Example: During Dipper's fantasy, his outfit is based off of the outfit worn by Indiana Jones in the film franchise of the same name.
 * Ok because: This (unlike the Mabel and Dee Dee thing) has a legit argument. If Dipper was wearing a blue teeshirt and khakis and another famous character wears that then it's not a reference. With this it is because this isn't an outfit Indi happens to wear. It's his SIGNATURE outfit that is basically associated with the series. It's like if you saw a character wearing Dipper's hat. It's a trademark and has to be a reference.
 * Character/real people similarities:
 * See "Anything that was confirmed"


 * Internet references:
 * Example: At the end of the episode, the pictures of Waddles with humorous captions are a reference to lolcat memes.
 * Ok because: Lolcat memes basically invented that kind of post so yeah it's a reference.


 * Product/company/website references:
 * NOTE:  This is like with the previous section. If the titles are nearly exactly the same. However in addition to this the products should also be similar.
 * Example: Picturegram = Instagram
 * Ok because: Almost identical names and both are social media websites where you can share your pictures with friends. Even though there's a website called Picturgram the Instagram and Picturegram websites have more in common and Instagram is better known. The logo fonts are also the same.
 * Example: Smile Dip = Fun Dip
 * Ok because: Almost identical names and both are candy, specifically bags of sugar with a stick of solid sugar that you lick, dip and then suck on


 * Real events:
 * Example: When lamenting Wax Lincoln's death, Stan references the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth.
 * Ok because: Again, this is a REAL event, and both parties were mentioned and he accused Booth of killing Lincoln. This is a reference.


 * Cultural references:
 * Example: "The Hand That Rocks the Mabel" is a reference to "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle."
 * Ok because: It's ok to put exxpressions down. It might not reference media but it's still a reference to "cultural touchstones" which is what counts as an allusion according to the page. This wouldn't be a reference to the movie because it's also a saying.
 * Example: Soos' saying, "Bros before dinos" is a take off of a popular phrase.
 * Ok because: It's a wellknown cultural thing and very similar.
 * Example: The Gobblewonker is an obvious allusion to the Loch Ness Monster.
 * Ok because: Well if you remove the word "obvious" then it wilil be fine.


 * Anything that was confirmed:
 * NOTE: Always be sure to cite the source. If there's more than one use both.
 * Example: The picture of Mabel and Dipper as cats on Halloween is based off of matching Halloween outfits Alex and Ariel Hirsch wore when they were children.
 * Ok because: Ariel Hirsch confirmed it.
 * Example: The Summerween Trickster is an homage to Spirited Away's No Face.
 * Ok because: Chris Houghton confirmed it. (NOTE: With the exception of characters seen for a second, the comment about character similarities still stands. The exception here is that his APPEARANCE is based off of No Face and not his actual character) 