Dipper Pines is a smart, curious, and adventurous 12-year-old boy and is the protagonist of the series. Alongside his sister Mabel, he spends the summer of 2012 with his Great Uncle Stan in Gravity Falls, Oregon, where he and his sister constantly encounter the town's paranormal tendencies. Armed with Journal 3 that he found in a hidden place in a tree in the Gravity Falls Forest, he is the overall main protagonist of Gravity Falls, seeking to uncover the town's mysterious secrets. Dipper is intelligent, compassionate, self-conscious and rational, and sometimes, overly judgmental, and can't wait to grow up. An adventurer at heart, Dipper can't sit still and is always looking for the next riddle or mystery to solve. His scrupulous attention to detail is useful when he is attempting to solve mysteries but sometimes his over-zealousness can leave others questioning his credibility. He is wise and intelligent beyond his years, and his refusal to sit still when there are puzzles to be solved often leaves him restless in everyday situations. He also gets very irritated when people think he's “cute” or “adorable”, as he wants to be taken seriously as a grown-up by people around him as at most times Dipper is more mature than others. When Dipper and Mabel (and Soos at times) are on their adventures Dipper is the one to act as the leader mostly because he is shown to be very brave and smart. He is somewhat protective of his sister, whenever she is in danger he is always there to help and will do anything to get her free. He can sometimes be selfish and is not above using Gravity Falls' mysterious elements to his advantage. Despite his brave and serious personality, living with Mabel Pines his whole life (who is famous for her silly and fun-loving attitude) has caused him to indulge in childish activities with her.