[5] At the beginning of the show, Stan, known as Stanford Pines, is portrayed as a relatively simple character, with his shady past being used primarily as a joke until later in the series.

His primary source of income is the Mystery Shack, a tourist attraction he manages, often employing humorous and cunning tactics to boost its profitability.

[8] Although Stan exhibits avaricious tendencies, he displays a sincere protective instinct towards his great-nephew Dipper and great-niece Mabel, whom he supervises over the summer at their parents' request.

Stan feigns ignorance regarding the paranormal occurrences in Gravity Falls and is antagonistic towards Gideon Gleeful, a malevolent child entrepreneur who runs the "Tent of Telepathy" and aspires to take over the Mystery Shack.

The sons of Filbrick and Caryn Pines, the brothers grew up in Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey; and their relationship became strained when Stan inadvertently ruined Ford's chances of being accepted into a prestigious university.

In the present day, the brothers face challenges in reconciling their relationship while preparing for the impending "Weirdmageddon," an apocalyptic event foretold to be instigated by Bill Cipher, a demon and the series' main antagonist.

An alternative version of the character, named Mr. Ponds, appears in the episode "Wax Museum" of the animated series Amphibia, with Alex Hirsch reprising his role.