Honestly, I’m only putting that here so I’m not tempted to put it in youtube’s comments. Because, Youtube. But I needed to put it somewhere:
First, there was zero sacrifice in the Time Traveler’s Pig episode. Absolutely zero. I already said that in the recap of the episode, but Dipper sacrificed nothing in this episode, and it should never be included in stuff he sacrifices for Mabel. In fact, that my litmus test for a reactor’s opinion, that episode.
Dipper cheated. Mabel won Waddle fair and square. Moreover, it’s her pet. Not something she picked up on the ground. Her pet. You don’t ask someone to give up their pet after they got it. Never. Even less for the selfish reason Dipper used.
Because yes, he’s the one selfish here. He cheated, using the time machine to manipulate events until he get Wendy. Who is a person who is free to make her own choice. And he did it again and again until he got what he wanted, and didn’t want to risk it, asking Mabel to sacrifice her pet instead of searching another plan so they both get what they wanted.
The sacrifice was asked from Mabel. Dipper didn’t sacrifice anything for her, he fixed the thing he messed up.
Second, Mermando. The narrative rewarded Dipper! Poor, poor Dipper. Yeah, I admit, this time, the whole family ruins his job. That he got to be with Wendy! He didn’t give a damn about the job, he gave a damn about spending the days with Wendy in a swimsuit. He wasn’t afraid to lose the salary, he was afraid to lose Wendy Time.
And what happen after he accept to put Mermando’s freedom above all? Which is the right thing to do, by the way. Like Mabel choosing to let him go. Because he’s a person. Mermaid. Man.
Anyway, what happen? Dipper is rewarded! Wendy is fired in the same time as him, therefore, he doesn’t need the job anymore. Dipper fired, Wendy working at the pool? The scenario he wanted to avoid. Dipper working at the pool, Wendy fired? He would have not like it either.
He didn’t care about the job. He care about Wendy Time, and he got it, while Mabel lost her boyfriend.
So yeah, that two points that always bother me when people used them to say Dipper always sacrifice everything for Mabel or that the narrative is not on his side.