just thinking about Ford possibly needing a pacemaker implanted after Bill's electrical torture severely damaged his heart's ability to maintain a healthy rhythm and Stan just feeling so, so awful about it on the day of the surgery because of how reluctant he was to save Ford from said torture, don't mind me.

Because @skyscartoons brought it up and I'm such a sucker for Gravity Falls and Imagine Dragons, I thought I would psychoanalyze the song "I Bet My Life" to see exactly how well it fits with Stan Pines and his story by going lyric to lyric (skipping repeat lines cuz repetitive). Buckle up cuz this might get long winded.

---

First off, the speaker would most likely be Stan the whole way through. Obviously I feel like there's some nuance, like a few lines feel like Ford could be saying them too, but this is about Stan. If a line also feels like Ford could be saying it, I'll mention it but I'll try to mainly keep it Stan singing. Don't ask me why I'm being so strict with the rules here, cuz I don't know. but anyway...

I know I took the path that you would never want for me

I know I let you down, didn't I?

This could allude to how Stan had accidentally broke Ford's project and 'let him down' by betraying his trust and taking the wrong path by not speaking clearly to Ford about his insecurities before everything happened.

So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me

Ford was waiting for Stan to arrive at his house, and, since there was a risk of being possessed if he fell asleep, had many sleepless nights as a result.

Well I'm just a slave unto the night

Stan worked on the portal every night, essentially slaving away to save Ford from it for thirty long years. Could also allude to his homelessness on the streets but the portal was the more glaring interpretation under this lens.

Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me

Remember when I broke you down to tears

Now, I usually see this as Ford talking to Stan about the mission he gave him that would mean Stan probably wouldn't see him again, which is valid and probably the more obvious of the interpretations that I can think of, but since I am trying to see the whole song as Stan singing and not Ford, I got another one.

Stan's whole "I don't need you, I don't need anyone! I can make it on my own!" or however he says it, after Ford closed the curtains could be one interpretation, plus Ford looked like he was about to cry when he closed them. Idk, is my first interpretation better?

I know I took the path that you would never want for me

I gave you hell through all the years

Stan pushed Ford into the portal, sending him in the nightmare realm and several dimensions for thirty years. That could be considered a hell for Ford, imho. Could also be Ford saying that to Stan about not standing up for him to get kicked out and stuff.

So I, I bet my life, I bet my life

I bet my life for you

I, I bet my life, I bet my life

I bet my life for you

Stan spent much of his life working to get Ford out of the portal. He didn't know if he could actually ever get him back, but still he tried, betting his life on the small possibility that Ford was still alive at that point and that the portal could still bring him back.

I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams

Would I come running home to you

Going back to when Ford called for him, Stan had spent much of his life running around the world (North America at the least), never once believing he would see Ford again, so the post card was shocking to him.

I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth

Stan spent so much of his life playing the deceit card, pretending he was Ford and everything that came with that, lying to family and friends, and everyone he associated with in Gravity Falls. His one truth...

There's you in everything I do

...was that it was all for Ford. He lied to make sure he didn't get put under scrutiny by people who would wonder why Ford disappeared and his twin left in his place. All so he could bring his brother back.

(skipping the second chorus and moving on to the bridge)

Don't tell me that I'm wrong

Ford, instead of being grateful like he had hoped, had been angry he had opened the portal. Here, Stan isn't just gonna let him say he was wrong for saving him.

I've walked that road before

And left you on your own

Same song and dance as before the portal incident, Ford had accused him of purposefully sabotaging the project and Stan had to leave the house because of it, essentially feeling like Ford was saying he was in the wrong back then too, thus, walking the same road again.

And please believe them when they say

That it's left for yesterday

And the records that I've played

'Them' could be the others in the house, like Dipper and Mabel. Like how Mabel had begged them to 'hug it out!' and all. Like maybe Stan wants Ford to see Dipper and Mabel and see how he should let go of his major grudge. Or something like that, these lines are difficult lol.

Please forgive me for all I've done

At the end of the day, Stan just wants to be forgiven and also accepted by Ford, not pushed away and forgotten in the heat of trying to stop Bill.

Welp, I just spent an hour writing this all out. I hope y'all enjoy my ramblings. Feel free to add on to this with your own interpretations of the lyrics in the light of it being related to Stan. Cuz some caused me headache trying to think of how to interpret it lol.

First two chapters of my long awaited fic are up! Warning, it's really angsty! Will post the next chapter late tomorrow I think.

HUGE thanks to @mother-ofthe-universe for helping me with this entire fic. Without their help with where to go with it, I don't think I could've written it at all. So yeah, check them out.