The ending of Gossip Girl happened nearly a decade ago in 2012. After six seasons, fans said goodbye to Dan, Serena, Chuck, Blair, and Nate. The final farewell was more than 100 episodes and many romantic interludes in the making. Fast forward, and a lot has changed for the cast of the infamous CW drama.
In typical television fashion of late, Gossip Girl ending has not marked the final chapter in the franchise. Its legacy is set to continue in the form of a reboot heading to HBO Max. Let the teen drama commence! For now, though, let’s focus on how Gossip Girl concluded for each of its main players.
Dan Got Unmasked Without Much Fallout
In Gossip Girl’s series finale, it is revealed that Dan was “Gossip Girl” all along. He created the site, curated tips for publication, and ultimately wrote himself into the web of the Upper East Side’s elaborate story. The reveal of Gossip Girl’s true identity hangs heavy over the show’s ending. Does it prevent Dan from getting a happy one?
No. After a montage, Serena and the gang worked through any potential angst that viewers may have thought would have arisen with such a revelation. Blair is talked down from the ledge by Chuck, and Dan gives himself a massive pat on the back.
In other words, Penn Badgley played a stalker-of-sorts on Gossip Girl before he made his debut as Joe on Netflix’s runaway hit, You. Dan ends up making peace with all of his enemies-turned-friends without seeking a whole lot of forgiveness when confronted. It did not keep him from getting a happy ending, as you will see below.
Serena Got Married And Found Happiness
Five years lapsed after learning that Dan was the title character of Gossip Girl and henceforth the person responsible for some of her worst moments (and not her brother). When Gossip Girl picks up, it is a lot of water under the bridge. The show jumps forward to reveal that Serena is getting married to Dan. Yes, Dan finally wins the woman of his dreams.
Played by Blake Lively (instead of Jennifer Lawrence), Serena and Dan’s wedding comprises the busy final minutes of the show. Serena wears a golden-topped frock for the occasion. Viewers do not actually get to see the couple say, “I do.” They are surrounded by their loved ones and get to go out to the sounds of Florence and the Machine’s “You’ve Got the Love.”
A happily ever after for Serena after years of aimlessness. It is unclear what exactly happened for Serena outside of her relationship with Dan during the five years that preceded Gossip Girl’s final ending. I would imagine she is living her best life.
Chuck Bass Finally Got A Family
The whole tension throughout the early portion of Gossip Girl’s ending is whether Chuck will be a free man. His father, Bart Bass, had tried to kill him, failed, and gotten confronted by Chuck. In the penultimate episode, the two men fought, and eventually, Bart toppled over the side of the building. He managed to hold on long enough to ask Chuck to save him in front of Blair.
The pair did nothing, feeling that Bart was a threat that needed to be gone for good. To protect Chuck, his Uncle Jack suggests Blair and Chuck get married. They oblige, finally bringing their rollercoaster romance to a welcome crescendo. In true Chuck Bass fashion, he also finds out who the titular Gossip Girl was, and lets it go with equal finesse.
Chuck is free, and in the five-years-later portion of Gossip Girl’s ending, he appears happy. He and Blair have a young son named Henry. Chuck seems to be quite pleased and satisfied. He finally has the family fans watched him desperately need for six seasons.
Blair Found Happily Ever After
Yes, Blair marries the love of her life in Chuck, and had a baby by the time Gossip Girl concluded, and that is not all. The show briefly gifts us Leighton Meester’s character being the boss that she always dreamed of being, professionally. After requesting some samples arrive by a specific due date, she says she has to attend to Dan and Serena’s wedding guests.
Fans get to see Blair fixing Chuck’s outfit. Blair’s stepfather Cyrus (the scene-stealer of Gossip Girl’s later seasons) does the same for Henry Bass. Everyone takes their place on nearby couches to watch Dan and Serena’s wedding. Blair and Chuck seem to be at peace finally.
Blair is a contented wife, presumably happy mother, and a successful businesswoman. Her life is pretty complete. Blair joyfully takes in her best friend’s wedding alongside her husband. Was Blair and Chuck’s ending worth the wait? This fan wishes it had happened well before Gossip Girl’s finale. Better late than never, though.
Nate Archibald: Future Mayor?
Five years after Chuck got married to Blair and the truth about Gossip Girl’s titular inspiration got unmasked, Nate is doing well. Okay, he is better than well. The flashforward starts off with Mr. Archibald as comes off of The NY Spectator’s private jet. Nate’s not-so-thinly-veiled allusions to JFK Jr. remain intact until the very end.
Nate appears single and ready to mingle. One of the few singletons among his friend group. No wives or kids in sight. Nate’s search for love gave Gossip Girl a lot of stories. The show’s ending did not force him into any strict pairing. Nat gets off his jet with a thriving career and no romance in mind.
Nate is leading in the polls to be the Mayor of New York before ever announcing his candidacy. It is unclear if Nate is going to run or not, but his “we’ll talk tomorrow” response to the reporter indicates he is planning to wade into politics. Why Nate?
If you ever wondered about how the storylines on Gossip Girl came together, Blake Lively has shed light on it. In a piece taking a walk down memory lane after Gossip Girl celebrated ten years since it premiered in 2007, Lively provided crucial insight, telling Vanity Fair:
We were creating three episodes at once sometimes, we were given our lines at the very last minute, we didn’t know where our characters were going; there was no planning or arc ... It almost felt like a sketch show. We were basically sort of reading off of cue cards. There were people taking pictures the whole time and paparazzi jumping in front of the cameras—it felt like we were part of a cultural experiment. There was something neat about that.
Interesting. Call me old fashioned, but whether planned long in advance or not, the best part of Gossip Girl’s ending is that Rufus and Lily did not get back together. She got back together with Serena and Eric’s father, William. So, Lily and Rufus’ children were able to get married without their parents also being married. I know confusing. Hence, my relief!
Did I also mention that fan-favorite Dorota’s Gossip Girl ending still saw her working closely with Blair and Chuck? Nirvana! Gossip Girl is currently streaming on Netflix, along with lots of new 2020 offerings. While you wait for the Gossip Girl reboot heading to HBO Max, check out this fall’s premieres to remain entertained.
