Journal 3

Journal #3 is a mysterious journal owned by Dipper Pines. It is the third and presumably final installment in a series of books preceded by both Journal 1 (formerly owned by Stan Pines, currently owned by the Author) and Journal 2 (formerly owned by Gideon Gleeful, currently owned by Stan). It contains an encyclopedic collection of information on the variety of paranormal and supernatural creatures living in Gravity Falls.

History
Over thirty years prior to Dipper and Mabel's arrival in Gravity Falls, the mysterious and unknown author of the journals recorded and compilied a list of all the creatures and paranormal entities inhabiting the town, following his completion of Journal 2 and Journal 1. Fearful he was being watched by malevolent forces, the author hid his three books in separate and elaborate locations around Gravity Falls, hoping to keep the knowledge needed to activate the Universe portal away from the forces of evil. Designing a security mechanism hidden above his bunker, the author kept Journal 3 hidden for years until his strange disappearance.



The journal is found by Dipper in "Tourist Trapped," when he unknowingly locates the author's artificial metal tree in the forest. Activating a switch that revealed its hiding chamber, he immediately relocates to the Mystery Shack, and uses Journal 3's information to believe that Mabel's newfound boyfriend "Norman" is in fact a zombie. During his investigation, he discovers that Norman is actually a disguise fabricated by a group of gnomes, to which the journal has no knowledge of defeating. Following their defeat, he uses the blank pages of Journal 3 to document his own adventures with the town, learning to trust some of the town's residents.

Journal 3 continues to assist Dipper in his encounters with the supernatural, including guiding him into a cave behind a waterfall in "The Legend of the Gobblewonker," during which he, Mabel and Soos flee from Old Man McGucket's Gobblewonker.

In "Headhunters," Dipper flips through a few pages at the scene of Wax Stan's murder, and is seen reading it at the living room table after Mabel returns from her first date with Gideon Gleeful in "The Hand That Rocks the Mabel." Dipper shows the page on ghosts to Mabel in the gift shop in "The Inconveniencing," and later to Wendy Corduroy and her friends.

Journal 3 returns in "Irrational Treasure," the twins read about the town law stating it is legal to marry woodpeckers, and later, after Pacifica Northwest teases Mabel, read about and investigate the possibility of Nathaniel Northwest, alleged town founder and great-great grandfather of Pacifica, being a fraud.

Dipper reads about height-altering crystals in "Little Dipper," wishing to use them to make himself taller, and checks on its position in his vest pocket as Gideon Gleeful interrogates him about how he came upon the crystals. Later, Dipper uses the journal to help him catch a Gremloblin in Boss Mabel.

In "Bottomless Pit!," Mabel, who reads it for the first time in the series, uses the journal to uncover the Truth Telling Teeth. Dipper is seen reading the floating eyeballs and giant vampire bats pages of the journal in Land Before Swine, and uses it to follow Bill Cipher into Stan's mindscape in Dreamscaperers.

Journal 3 plays a key role in Dipper and Mabel's plan to reclaim the Mystery Shack's deed in "Gideon Rises," eventually agreeing to ally with the gnomes. When the plot fails, Journal 3 falls into Gideon's hands, who believes he has found Journal 1, but quickly learns of the presence of a third journal, and hunts the twins with the Gideon-bot. After a fight, the robot is explodes, and Dipper relocates Journal 3 in the rubble. Back in the shack, the twins agree to reveal the journal to Stan, who feigns disbelief in the book's contents, and confiscates it to create new attractions. In reality, Stan hides the journal within his laboratory alongside Journal 2 and Journal 1, having collected all three. Now in possession of the knowledge he requires, Stan activates the Universe portal, hidden deep within the catacombs of the Mystery Shack.

Following the portal's activation, Stan photocopies Journal 3 's contents before returning it to his nephew, allowing him to continue to explore its secrets in " Scary-oke." After the arrival of Agent Powers and Trigger, Dipper attempts to reveal the paranormal information of Journal 3, much to Stan's chagrin. Despite their disbelief, a curse from the journal is accidentally invoked, and a horde of zombies is raised that crash the Mystery Shack is Back party. During the attack, the Pines learn that some of the journal has been written in invisible ink revealed by blacklight, allowing them to learn the weakness of zombies.

In "Into the Bunker," Dipper uses his black light to uncover the location of the Bunker in 3. It also helps him and his friends to get by the Bunker's defenses. The Shape Shifter (posing as the Author) tries to trick Dipper into giving him the Journal, desiring to increase it's repertoire of forms.

In "Sock Opera," Mabel uses the Journal as a prop for her sock puppet show. Bill Cipher (possessing Dipper's body) tries to find and destroy it, but is stopped by Mabel.

In "Society of the Blind Eye," Dipper (believing Old Man McGucket to be the Author) shows him some of the Journal's pages, leading to their discovery of the Blind Eye Society.

In "Little Gift Shop of Horrors," Dipper uses his black light to learn of the Percepshrooms and their intelligence-enhancing properties.

In "Northwest Mansion Mystery," Dipper uses it to look up Ghost categories. Learning that the Ghost of Northwest Manor is a category 10, he checks the entry, using the black light to uncover the best way to deal with them. The entry tells him to "pray for mercy."

In "Not What He Seems," Dipper uncovers a warning against using the Universe portal (written in invisible ink) by joining the blueprints of Journal 3 with those on 1 and 2.

Introductory pages
Left page:

Right page:

Barf Fairy
While looking for ideas to defeat Gideon in the journal, Dipper mentions a page describing a "barf fairy."

Bill Cipher


Right page:

Following page:

Alchemic symbols: fire of circulation

The Blind Eye
There are two known pages about the Blind Eye Society, though the text just calls it "The Blind Eye". The page page on the left includes a sketch of one of a robed society member, including the text "there it is again!" with an arrow pointing to the symbol on the member's hood.

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: reduction, composition, pulverise, digestion, fusion

Codes
This page in the book has various, unknown symbols. It says "caesar", "atbash", and "A1Z26", and unnder a black light, the cipher sequences are written out. The left page is not yet known, but contains the alchemy symbol: fire of circulation.

Creature Control Apparatus
The book has details outlining how the author build the cryogenic freezing chamber he used to contain the shape Shifter. The left page details how the apparatus pumps the liquid nitrogen. The right page contains a cross section of the chamber itself, labeling the nitrogen core and insulation. There is a cipher on the right page (written in the author's symbol substitution cipher) that decodes to "Ice Ice Baby".

Right page:

Cryogenic Tube
Figure A is a sketch of the Shape Shifter hatching from an egg, with an arrow pointing to it saying:

Figure B is a sketch of the cryogenic tube created to contain the creature. The author drew "Form #6" of the Shape Shifter, which closely resembles the creature Dipper and Wendy encountered, though the left "bicep" is smaller in the drawing.

Left page:

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: purification, solution, terra/earth

Cursed Doors
Left page:

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: solution, extraction of dryness, fusion, fire of circulation

Dipper's Pages
The left page has a few words cut off and a drawing of a Mystery Shack bumper sticker:

Right page:

Floating Eyeballs
Left page:

Right page:

Under black light further information is revealed in invisible ink. Over the word 'EYEBALLS' they author wrote 'NONSENSE.' They also crossed out the eyeball doodle in the corner of the page.

Ghosts


Alchemic symbols: composition, digestion, fusion, pulverise

Ghosts: Category 1


The left page details the categorization of ghosts, beginning with category 1. The image depicted on the right page resembles Casper with a helicopter hat, with several floating dishes around it and an arrow pointing to it saying "Kinda Cute".

Ghosts: Category 9
The image on the left page is of a ghost resembling Freddy Krueger, albeit wearing an eyepatch, a horizontal zigzag sweater, pants and shoes. On the ghost's right hand is a glove with various utensils attach to each finger being a bottle cap opener, a knife, a spoon and a fork. There is also an arrow pointing to it saying "Dream Hipster". The page also has a message by the lower left corner of the page reading:

Ghosts: Category 10
The left page details the dangers of this category.

The image on the right page is of a spectre with a skeleton-like face, tattered robes, and a scythe.

Giant Vampire Bats
In invisible ink it is revealed that the Vampire Bats are actually fruit bats. Over the word 'VAMPIRE' the author wrote 'FRUIT.' They sketched out a pear and grapes on either side of the bat illustration. And crossed out the eyes of the bat head drawing. Over the detailed notes they wrote a new message which is underlined.

Gnomes
In "Gideon Rises," it's shown that Dipper has filled the weakness part with "leaf blowers" and scratched out the question mark at the end.

Right page:

Gremloblin
Also mentioned by Dipper: If you look into his eyes you can see your worst nightmares.

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: purification, solution, strong fire

Haunted Paintings & Image-based Spectres
According to this page, spectres can be trapped in a silver mirror. A sketch of a ghost stretches from the left page towards the right, showing a ghost coming out of a painting (left) and being trapped in a silver mirror (right).

Height Alteration
Left page:

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: reduction, fixation

Hiding spot
The page is an illustration of the tree Dipper originally found journal #3 nearby of. And the switch box that was inside the tree that opened the compartment in the ground. The corner of the page has the words "Hiding Spot?" but under blacklight more firmly states "My Hiding Spot." The blacklight reveals more to the illustration, showing a hidden staircase that winds around the tree, and a warning pointing down to a bunker under the tree's roots. A small eye has been doodled on the screen of the mechanism that opened  3' s compartment.

The accompanying page on the left has a binary code. Under blacklight it shows the symbol of the Blindeye Society. The symbol was first revealed when putting together all six page pieces from "Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained." The binary decodes to: "PUT ALL SIX PIECES TOGETHER!"

Alchemic symbols: composition, terre/earth, extraction of dryness, cementation

Invisible Ink
The left page is blank under normal lighting, but when placed under a black light reads:

In normal lighting, the right page has illegible text and drawings of an inkwell with the text "ways to hide" and a light bulb. Under a black light, an eye is drawn on top of the initial drawing of the coil of the light bulb. The word "invisible" is written on the label on the inkwell, where is previously read as "ink."

Island Head Beast
Left page:

Right page:

Leprecorn
When Dipper showed the government agents his journal, this page was seen but the two quickly dismiss Dipper’s claim. There are two Caesar cipher codes on its pages.

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: extraction of dryness, fusion, strong fire, purification, solution

Machine page

 * See also: Universe portal

Near the center of the book is a two page spread which is part of a larger schematic on the Universe portal. These pages are part of a larger algorithm needed to start the portal.

When placed together with the other two journals, it completes a warning written in invisible ink (the bold is the contents of Journal 3)

Nathaniel Northwest conspiracy


Attached to the page is a map, which Dipper noted to contain alchemic symbols (composition, terre/earth, extraction of dryness, cementation, fire).

Percepshrooms
Most of what has been seen of this page is what the author wrote in invisible ink, including the title of the page and several sketches done on top of previous sketches done in regular ink. The left page shows cross sections of the percepshrooms. There is a drawing of several slices of the percepshroom, with an arrow pointing to a drawing of a mortar and pestle. One cross section has a skull drawn over it in invisible ink and an arrow pointing to it saying:

The right page has drawings of the whole percepshroom, most of which have a brain drawn over the mushroom head. The largest drawing of the percepshroom has an arrow pointing towards it saying:

To the right of the main percepshroom, the author wrote:

There are two brains drawn in invisible ink, one smaller than the other. There is an arrow pointing from the smaller brain to the larger one and text written under each drawing (respectively):

The Portal
The left page has a drawing of three (human) figures, one going into an unknown location (possible portal), while attached by a rope to another figure. The third figure is standing by the second, arms outstretched with an arrow pointing from its arms to the first figure. Below it is a diagram of the portal, similar to the one seen in Grunkle Stan's hidden room underneath the Mystery Shack. The right page has a drawing labeled "Fuel Gauge", including dials drawn beneath the gauge.

Alchemic symbols: fire of circulation

Security Room
The Security Room is a room in the author's bunker which leads to the lab area. The walls slowly close in on the person who steps on the middle pad and the right symbols must be pressed in order for the lab door to appear. The journal shows the correct code under black light.

Spells
The Spells page includes a spell to awaken the dead, as noted on the accompanying left page. Although the book says "Daminium," Dipper reads it as "Domnius." The spell roughly translates to "Bodies rise, devil dominion, world change (or world master)."

Right page:

Alchemic symbols: cementation, composition, terre/earth

Squash with a Human Face and Emotions
While looking for ideas to defeat Gideon, Dipper calls this page "Butternut squash with a human face and emotions" instead of just "squash."

Stomach-Faced Duck
When Dipper showed the government agents his journal, this page was seen but the two quickly dismiss Dipper’s claim.

Alchemic symbols: fire of rotation, calcination

Trust No One and Wheel page
Left page:

Right page:

In invisible ink it is revealed the wheel is some kind of puzzle the author was trying to figure out. Sections of the wheel are filled in. And the author drew a frowny face in the middle. They makes a note underneath that is underlined several times. On the left page the words 'TRUST NO ONE' has been circled.

In "Not What He Seems" the right page was tore during the activation of the Universe portal.

Alchemic symbols: preparation, reduction, reverberation

Truth Telling Teeth


On the right page is a map of where the tree is.

The Undead


The book has details regarding "the undead" (aka zombies). Including how to identify them, spells to resurrect them (see spells for more), and a cure for zombification; the only details of which Dipper describes as involving lots of formaldehyde and cinnamon.

Right page:

In invisible ink it is revealed how to defeat them.

Unknown Pages: Photocopied Pages
In "Scary-oke," Stan can be seen photocopying two previously unseen pages.

The left page contains drawings, possibly schematics of the universe portal. The right page has a topographic map and something similar to a masonic symbol.

Alchemic symbols: composition, pulverize, digestion, fusion

Various Symbols
This entry has minimal written text, but contains symbols from various unknown sources/alphabets. One discernible symbol system is alchemy, which includes: composition, pulverise, digestion, fusion, and coagulation.

Miscellaneous information
These are snippets gathered from the book, but a page hasn't been specified.


 * There is a cave behind the waterfall in Lake Gravity Falls.


 * In Gravity Falls it used to be legal to marry woodpeckers.

Appearance
Journal #3 has the main color of burgundy and has various rips and tears on the cover due to age, it has two gold lines on its spine and all four of its corners are gold. In the middle of the book there is a gold hand with six fingers and the number 3 in the middle. On the back, it shows various alchemist symbols.

Eyepiece
Just inside the front cover, the book has an eyepiece (possibly a monocle) attached to the journal via a cord. Its purpose is unknown and it has been used as a bookmark by Dipper as seen in "Irrational Treasure." In the "Scary-oke" episode, an eyepiece is seen attached to Journal 1 as well.

Trivia

 * In an early promo that aired on Disney Channel, the gnome page had a creepier but fairly more accurate drawing of a gnome.
 * This version of the gnome drawing is used in the replica journal that came with the Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales DVD.
 * The hand on the cover has alternated from six to five fingers.
 * Random alchemist symbols of "fusion," "pulverize," "solution," "dryness," "extraction," "composition," "digestion," "coagulation," "reverberation," and "reduction" appear throughout the pages.
 * Together, "composition," "pulverize," "digestion," and "fusion" is the code Stan uses to enter his secret laboratory.
 * The back cover of the journal contains the symbols for: fire of rotation, strong fire, and smoke stream
 * Dipper's handwritten pages are the only revealed page to have lines on it.
 * There's an animation error with Dipper´s page; early in the first episode, when Dipper is showing Journal 3 to Mabel, Dipper's page can be seen, even though he hadn't written that page yet.
 * Both Journal 2 and Journal 3 have pages on zombies as seen and heard in "Tourist Trapped" and "Little Dipper," respectively.
 * In addition, they both have pages on Bill Cipher.
 * Journal 3 shows signs of neglect that show of its storage underground. When it was first seen, it was layered with dust, and 2 has small tears on the cover, while 1 is in a worse state, as it has larger tears.
 * The machine page in "Little Dipper" and "Gideon Rises" has different symbols in it. This was done to hide the code, until it was ready to be revealed.
 * In "Gideon Rises," the end credits shows some pages of Journal 3. The last has an error: The "Trust No One" page is on the right while it should be on the left; the left page is the Introductory page while it should be on the right. Also, the page on the right of "Trust No One" page is the Wheel page, not the Introductory page.

Diario 3pt-br:3