i think soos is a super important character in gravity falls for a lot of reasons, but the one i'll be talking about now is his relationship with the Pine's vs with his dad.
i think having a character without a parent is important for representation, and i think that soos's choices are also very important. during soos's birthday episode, he's upset when mabel and dipper throw him a party, which is completely reasonable. but soos is never really dragged down by it otherwise, which i appreciate, because he proves that even though he doesn't have a dad, he's still just as capable as everyone else, and can still do things (like build and fix things) that people see as things a father might teach.
it shows that even though he might not have grown up with a dad, he still has the skills to make it in life. i also like how at the end of the episode, soos acknowledged that he shouldn't keep waiting for his father if he won't come, and that it's ok to let go. another thing i love is how soos's choices show that family isn't always blood, and that family built through emotional bonds is just as important (maybe even more important) as blood family.
