‘Gossip Girl’: Season finale breakups and shake-ups

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With every end comes a beginning, and last night’s ‘Gossip Girl’ season finale brought the show full circle. As usual, the episode was as busy as Vanessa’s outfit at Lily’s wedding, so let’s start one OMG moment at a time.

The first occurred five minutes into the show: Lily and Rufus in bed together on the day of her wedding. There wasn’t much time to entertain fantasies of these two finally getting together -- Rufus is awakened by a call notifying him that Lincoln Hawk has been asked to tour with another forgotten ‘90s band, the Breeders. Would Lily give up a cushy life with a billionaire to once again be a groupie on a tour bus all in the name of love? I don’t think so. She meets Bart at the first building he ever owned, which he conveniently uses as a metaphor for his bride-to-be’s pre-wedding nostalgia. He wants her to let the past go, but that can be a little difficult when your past is tall, dark and dreamy.

Meanwhile, Serena finally spills her secret to Dan, but not before a run-in with Georgina at his loft. Finally, S shows some rage and lunges to scratch G’s face off. Unfortunately, no blood was spilled -- but tears certainly did. Thinking that a full disclosure of her past would mend the rift between her and Dan, Serena is instead met with doubt and uncertainty. He had every right to be confused and hurt, but you couldn’t knock her for trying to salvage things. Serena’s eyes were filled with too much hope for Dan to cut her off at the knees right then (he waits for an even more appropriate time: her mom’s wedding). Before she leaves, S divulges that she persuaded Lily to give up a future with Rufus because she was confident she and Dan were ‘forever.’ Forever ends when you let lies build, S, and sometimes sorry just isn’t enough.

So what about Georgina? Because Dan couldn’t possibly bring G down by himself, he forms an unlikely yet very fitting alliance with Blair. Game recognizes game, right? Dan facilitates an ambush involving Georgina’s parents and Blair, who delivers the best line of the night: ‘Haven’t you heard? I’m the crazy bitch around here.’ Turns out G had escaped from rehab in Utah (hey, at least she lasted longer than Lohan!) and is promptly sent to a boot camp for troubled girls. Is that the best they can do? That girl belongs in Rikers! We know she won’t be gone for long, and boy, will she have an even bigger chip on her shoulder.

And then there was the wedding. Rufus sneaks in to see Lily before her walk down the aisle, ready to whisk her off to their dingy tour bus of happiness. Lily, thankfully, is sensible. He’s not ready to get married again, but she is, plain and simple. Either they achieved complete closure in those short minutes or they signed a pact to reunite after his tour and Lily’s honeymoon period because the two emerge surprisingly cheerful.

The same thing could not be said about Dan and Serena. Great TV loves, while self-indulgent and deeply satisfying, are doomed from the beginning -- ask Dylan and Brenda, Ryan and Marissa, Dawson and Joey. Breaking the golden couple up is necessary for a teen drama’s survival. One can build entire seasons around their subsequent tension, awkwardness and their inevitable on-again, off-again status. Plus, why stop there when there are other characters in the circle you can hook them up with. The CW’s OMG ads were definitely a foreshadow of things to come. Looks like Serena’s going to get cozy with Nate in the Hamptons next season while Vanessa helps Dan reconnect with his plebeian origins (and win his love?).

Of course, I can’t end this post without talking about Chuck and Blair. I have been waiting for these two to reunite, and the moments they shared the screen were among my faves of the night. Those seconds of sweetness, however, were fleeting. Despite Chuck’s heartfelt exhibitions, it’s going to take a lot more than love for him to change his ways. Will Lydia Hearst, whose cameo as interior decorator Amelia appears at the end, be a recurring guest star? Will Chuck ditch Blair altogether or have his cake and eat it too? Join me for a chat today at noon, and we can discuss these questions and many more.

xoxo

-- Enid Portuguez