Hide Behind

This page is for the mysterious cryptid. For the short, see The Hide-Behind.

Hide Behind
Background information
First episode	The Hide-Behind
Latest episode	Weirdmageddon 2: Escape From Reality (pictured)
Inspiration	Hidebehind
Creature information
Abilities	Flexibility, size alteration, makes a 'tsk' sound after stepping
Environment	Gravity Falls Forest
Goal	Unknown
Home	Gravity Falls, Oregon
Quote	"Hide Behind? Oh, he's real alright. REAL AS MY BEARD!" - Manly Dan
[Source]

The Hide Behind is a very mysterious creature that inhabits the Gravity Falls Forest.

History

Background

At some point before the events of the series, Ford came across and studied the creature, recording its abilities in Journal 3, but would have almost certainly struggled because it has "never been seen." His only source was an old signpost made by a lumberjack.

Shorts

In "The Hide-Behind," Dipper sets out to find the elusive creature in order to prove it exists. As Dipper concludes the interview with his great-uncle, the Hide-Behind makes its rattling noise and runs out from behind the Mystery Shack into the forest. After a number of hours chasing it, Dipper corners it behind a thin tree, which emits the rattling noise. After Dipper mistakes an owl with a maraca as it, he states that the Hide-Behind must be a legend and nothing more, as he walks off deeper into the forest. However, the Hide-Behind appears from behind the thin tree, and makes its rattling cry, as Dipper turns around, it hides behind larger trees, with Dipper unaware of its presence as it continues to stalk the young adventurer.

Season 2

The Shape Shifter briefly taking on the Hide Behind's form.

In "Into the Bunker," the Shape Shifter somehow transformed into a Hide Behind after getting Journal 3, despite having no clear actual photo of it.

In "Weirdmageddon 2: Escape From Reality," the page for the Hide Behind in Journal 3 is shown when Bill's eye flashes through the journal's pages.

Origins

As said in other parts of the article this creature comes from Native American folklore (possibly the Kiowa tribe), similar to the Salvic version Leshy. The origin of it in Oregon mainly comes from lumberjacks and other people from the tree chopping group, whenever a tree branch would injure someone they thought this was a part of the Hide-Behind's doing.

Appearance

Its journal entry.

The creature is very tall, gangly, flexible, slender, and black, with small glowing yellow eyes. Its structure is humanoid but nearly skeletal and somewhat resembles a tree. Its limbs are incredibly long, with large hands and long fingers each ending with sharp fingernails/claws.

Abilities

The Hide Behind is flexible enough to effectively match the forestry it is hiding behind. It has the ability to somehow change size from the height of a tree to the size of a rock. The creature also displays an incredibly fast reaction time, able to quickly hide behind whatever is closest to it before someone can properly see it.

Sightings

Shorts

• 6. "The Hide-Behind"

Season 2

• 201. "Scary-oke" ^(pictured)
• 202. "Into the Bunker" ^(likeness)
• 207. "Society of the Blind Eye" ^(pictured)
• 219. "Weirdmageddon 2: Escape From Reality" ^(pictured)

Trivia

What the Hidebehind traditionally looks like.

• This creature is based on the real life Hidebehind, a creature from North American folklore.
• The Hide Behind first appeared on the top left of the Gravity Falls Season 2 poster.
• In "The Hide-Behind," Dipper's camera captured film of the Hide Behind. It is unknown if Dipper left the camera in the forest by accident, or if he eventually recovered it.
• In "Into the Bunker," the Shape Shifter transformed into the Hide Behind, despite the journal having no clear photo of it. This may imply that the Shape Shifter has either seen the Hide Behind before or Dipper did recover the film capturing the Hide Behind and catalogued it within the journal. Despite this, the real life version of Journal 3 doesn't have the photo evidence either, implying that it didn't get restored after Weirdmageddon.
• The creature possesses an uncanny resemblance to Groot, one of the characters featured in Marvel's Guardians of The Galaxy.
  • The Hide Behind is also very similar in appear to the Beast from Over The Garden Wall, with the exception of his horns
• Ford believes it is either a magical creature or a malnourished Peeping Tom afraid of eye-contact.
• The Hide Behind is a poker buddy with Mr. What's-His-Face.

Gallery

Click here to view this page's gallery.