Quentin Trembley III is the forgotten founder of Gravity Falls, Oregon and the 8½th President of the United States of America, whose silliness has prompted his erasure from history.
History[]
Early Life[]
When he was young, he met George Washington, who, according to Trembley, "chased [him] around and spanked [him] with a paddle for three hours."[3]
Decades later, he won the 1837 presidential election due to an actual landslide that killed all the other candidates, hence becoming the 8½ President of the United States.[3]
During his administration, he issued the "Depantsipation Proclamation." His logic behind this was that "pants are about restrictions," which goes against America’s values of freedom.[4] Trembley also waged war on pancakes and appointed six babies to the Supreme Court. While he was president, he learned that one should never arm wrestle with a hammerhead shark, but should appoint them Secretary of Defense (as, apparently, he did)[4]. His State of the Union speech featured the quote: "The only thing we have to fear is gigantic, man-eating spiders!". During his presidency, he apparently had a hobby of chasing ducks in the Oval Office, a task which distracted him from noticing Bill Cipher when the dream demon appeared before him as a hallucination, attempting to recruit him for a jug band, as he mistook him for one of his regular hallucinations.
After trying to eat the White House, Trembley was driven from office.[4] His departure from the White House consisted of him eating a salamander and then jumping out of a window.[3]
After he was kicked out of office, he escaped to the Gravity Falls valley by plummeting off a cliff on a horse at high speed[3], probably because he rode horses backwards so that he could see where he had been[4]. Trembley then founded the town of Gravity Falls and wrote the town charter while suffering from the resulting concussion[4]. Because of him, the charter contains many odd rules[7].
Some time later, Trembley encased himself in a block of solid peanut brittle, believing it to have life-sustaining properties (which it actually did), in an attempt to achieve immortality. He left a trail of clues throughout the town that led to a secret chamber under Gravity Falls cemetery, where he and many historical artifacts were stored. His body was lost until the events of "Irrational Treasure."[3]
All references to Trembley's time in office were erased from the historical records, save for one film reel. Instead, a local idiot named Nathaniel Northwest was credited as founder of Gravity Falls, and William Henry Harrison was credited as the Ninth President of The United States of America.[3]
Approximately 30 years before the beginning of the series, Ford Pines became aware that Nathaniel Northwest was not the true founder of Gravity Falls, and attempted to discover the true founder's identity. Like previous investigators, Ford was not sufficiently silly to decipher Trembley's trail of clues, although he did discover the first; a cryptic manuscript which he placed in Journal 3. His grandniece Mabel would eventually discover that the manuscript became a map if folded into a hat.
Season 1[]
In the summer of 2012, Dipper and Mabel Pines set out to find the true founder of Gravity Falls, and they eventually find out that Quentin Trembley was the founder. Sheriff Blubs shows them a short video detailing the actions of the embarrassing eighth-and-a-half president. It is then revealed that he encased himself in peanut brittle to survive until somebody finds him. Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland then load him, the twins, and all evidence of the president into a crate on a train to be taken to Washington, D.C.
Blaming herself for being captured, Mabel breaks off a piece of the peanut brittle casing, freeing Trembley from his self-proclaimed "delicious tomb". He promptly announces himself to the twins and then rips off his pants. He notices his surroundings and unsuccessfully attempts to break out of the crate using his President's Key, to no avail. Eventually, he and Mabel attract the attention of a woodpecker, which breaks down the crate. They're chased by the Sheriff and his Deputy, but when it's revealed that Trembley never legally resigned as the President of the United States, Dipper realizes that, technically speaking, Trembley was still the president. Quentin then orders Blubs and Durland to cease chasing them, and go on a vacation. After they escape, he makes Mabel an official congresswoman and gives Dipper the President's Key, which can open any lock in America.
In "The Time Traveler's Pig," he is referenced in Grady Mecc's exclamation that Fertilia has given birth to two more children.
Season 2[]
In "Scary-oke," a photo of him appears on Dipper's bulletin board.
In "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls," Trembley is seen during the end credits sitting on a horse backwards, the same way he found Gravity Falls.
Personality[]
Quentin Trembley, who is legally insane[7], could be described as a silly but enigmatic man.[7] He revels in the odd; as it was displayed during his presidential term, when he carried out several absurd and crazy policies. When he wrote Gravity Falls first laws, he continued this trend leading to Gravity Falls' strange laws. He could be quite intelligent, as he designed an elaborate albeit silly series of clues to lead to his body. Also, his idea that a solid peanut brittle encasing could sustain life in suspended animation was correct.
Appearance[]
Trembley, despite his personality, does not look out of place for his time period (except for his lack of pants). He has a very tall, thin head, with a long and pointed nose, and keeps his light brown hair in a relatively simple haircut; his sideburns flowing into his very distinct almost mutton chop-like facial hair. An extremely small pair of spectacles rest atop his nose, although he may not need them to see, as they don't seem to cover his eyes.
He wears a fairly normal suit with a mustard yellow bowtie, popped collar, and bronze button, but no pants, due to his dislike of them, opting instead to simply only wear a pair of pale beige drawers. The only other article of clothing he wears is a pair of pointed, black spats, along with a pair of dark grey socks.
In Journal 3, he describes himself as being "14 stacking-turtles in height and forty-bleven trembley-quarts in diameter. Dipper admits as to having no idea what he means by this.
Sightings[]
Season 1
- 108. "Irrational Treasure"
- 109. "The Time Traveler's Pig" (mentioned)
Season 2
- 201. "Scary-oke" (pictured)
- 220-221. "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls" (no lines)
Quotes[]
"The only thing we have to fear is gigantic, man-eating spiders!" |
"This is going to take the silliest plan ever conceived." |
"I ate a salamander and jumped out the window." |
"...And then he chased me around and spanked me with a paddle for like three hours! Bottom line, George Washington was a jerk." |
"Well, we didn't fit through the hole. Let's rebuild the box and try again!" |
Trivia[]
- Quentin Trembley is based upon Teddy Roosevelt in one of Alex Hirsch's student films at CalArts, entitled Teddy Roosevelt: You So Crazy.
- He is Alex Hirsch's favorite character to voice act.[8]
- The likeness of his head is on the -12 dollar bill, which is said to be "less than worthless." The "this is worthless" and "less than worthless" is a popular meme template.[3]
- Trembley's appointment of six babies to the Supreme Court is actually theoretically possible. There are no constitutionally mandated requirements of any sort to be a Supreme Court Justice, even legal qualifications, age or competency. Appointing babies was completely within Trembley's constitutional authority. However, the U.S. Senate would have to confirm his appointments, which would be unlikely.
- The quote from his State of the Union speech ("the only thing we have to fear is gigantic, man-eating spiders!") is a reference to Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous quote from his first inauguration speech, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
- Trembley won the 1837 election, but there was no presidential election in 1837 according to official history. The records say that a presidential election took place in 1836, when Martin Van Buren was elected, and the next one in 1840, when William Henry Harrison was elected.
- Trembley's term would've started in 1838, and it's likely that it finished on the alleged day of William Henry Harrison's death, in April 4, 1841. It would've lasted a little more than 3 years. This would mean that official history also lies in regard to Van Buren's term, which would've finished earlier.
- According to official history, President William Henry Harrison took office on March 4, 1841, and died only 31 days into his term, leaving the office of President of the United States vacant for the first time in history, which prompted a constitutional crisis on his succession. Apparently, what really caused this crisis was Trembley being kicked out of office.
- In the end, William Henry Harrison's successor as President was his Vice President, John Tyler. In reality, Tyler would've actually been Trembley's successor.
- His favorite food is waffles, and his favorite color is "triangles."[4]
- Despite not having officially resigned from his position, Trembley would still no longer be president in real life simply due to his term having ended.
- At the 2014 Gravity Falls San Diego Comic Con Panel, Alex Hirsch said that "Trembley will return when America needs him most."[9]
- Trembley clearly violated the Constitution by appointing Mabel Pines as a congresswoman without her being elected, as stated in Article 1, Section 2, "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature." Therefore, Trembley has broken his oath to protect the Constitution by violating it.
- A provision of Article 1, Section 3 of the United States Constitution, known as the Title of Nobility or Emoluments clause, states that "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state." Either Trembley has violated the emoluments clause by using the titles 'Sir' and 'Lord' in his name (titles of nobility not used in America and illegal for any United States official, let alone the president himself), or he has accepted those titles from a foreign monarch with the consent of the Congress, which would be unlikely, or already had that title before taking office.
- The abbreviated suffix "Esq." means "Esquire," which, in North America, is "a title appended to the surname of a lawyer," and, in Britain, "a polite title appended to a man's name when no other title is used, typically in the address of a letter or other documents."[10]
- In "Irrational Treasure", he attempts to box a bald eagle.
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References[]
- ↑ In order to have met George Washington, he should have been alive in 1799 (the year of Washington's death). After being freed no earlier than 2013, he would be at least 214.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qXkT2Civm0&t=8774s&pp=ygUbaGFuYSBncmF2aXR5IGZhbGxzIHRpbWVsaW5l
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Irrational Treasure." Tim McKeon, David Slack, Alex Hirsch (writers) & John Aoshima (director). Gravity Falls. Disney Channel. August 17, 2012. No. 8, season 1.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Dipper's and Mabel's Guide to Mystery and Nonstop Fun! by Disney Book Group. October 7, 2014. Published by Disney Press. ISBN: 978-1484710807.
- ↑ Survived plummeting off a cliff at high speed and only gave a momentary cry of pain after a serious blow to the head
- ↑ Able to leap backwards from standing onto a horse several feet away
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 I am Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls. Ask me anything!. Reddit (August 16, 2013).
- ↑ I am Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls. Ask me anything!. Reddit (August 18, 2013).
- ↑ Gravity Falls 2014 Comic Con. YouTube. Squirrel On A Wire (Jul 31, 2014).
- ↑ Definition of esquire in English. Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved on June 21, 2017.