GG Redux Part 2: Damn that motherchucker!

I couldn't possibly blog about the latest episode of Gossip Girl and only talk about Lufus (see below), so here I am again. With something even more important than the trials and tribulations and watersports-related accidents of a secret love child.

I posted the following on a Gossip Girl forum where I came across several comments saying that Blair wasn't sympathetic in this episode and some even saying that she was annoying. I completely disagree. I love my Chuck Bass as much as the next person, but when Blair told him she was done, I was actually glad to see her stand up for herself. She keeps putting herself out there, totally exposing her feelings, and standing by him through his toughest times, and she keeps getting clobbered for it.

Honestly, considering the things he's done, and more searingly, the things he's said to her over the past few weeks, my hat goes off to Blair for standing by him as long as she did. She got him through his darkest hours and he still spat all over her. Every time he broke her heart and then said he was sorry, she accepted it, because he needed her so badly and he was too broken to act otherwise. When he ditched dinner with Blair to go hook up with floozies (that's right, I'm going old school) and get high, however, he was on the rebound and had the presence of mind to make a non-destructive choice, but did it anyway. I think that's where the difference lies. When he came to Blair with a bouquet of peonies (which I guess he gets points for knowing that was her favorite flower, but still), it wasn't the emotionally distraught Charlie Trout in the elevator, honestly needing her forgiveness, it was someone else entirely.

I'm confident that Chuck knew he was in the wrong for doing what he did and saying what he said, but he knew that before he did or said any of it. He made a conscious choice to hurt her and then thought he could just pawn his actions off on being duped by his uncle. Jack may have set up the circumstances, but Chuck is the one who bailed on Blair, hooked up with random sluts, and got wasted, all in time for his board members to see. He made a choice, and even though he realized later it was the wrong choice, I think his remorse had more to do with getting caught than genuine regret for his actions.

The real kicker, as far as I'm concerned, is that he essentially the same thing to Blair less than a year earlier, and for very similar reasons. The whole situation reminded me of Chuck abandoning Blair in Italy because his father said how nice it was to see him settling down and becoming and adult. Jack's speech to Chuck about how he shouldn't be tied down and should live it up as a single playboy was coming from the opposite angle, but had the exact same effect. Chuck ditched Blair, again, not because he didn't want to be with her, but because he'd rather maintain his reputation (a facade that he just can't seem to let got of). After he abandoned her in Italy, he told her he immediately knew it was a huge mistake, but here we are again, Blair being stood up and stomped on because Chuck won't do the right thing, even if he wants to.

The crux of the matter is that I have to applaud Blair for not buying into his charade (again). I have no doubt that Chuck really does regret his actions toward Blair (which are pretty damn numerous at this point), but until he can actively modify his behavior, it doesn't matter how much he loves her (or she loves him), he'll just keep letting her down or more likely, completely smashing her to pieces. Blair has been allowing herself to be demolished at every turn because she loves him, but at some point, enough is enough.

Besides, as I see it, Chuck could only truly love a girl who can stand up for herself and put him in his place. The Blair of the past few weeks has played the role of loving mother, understanding girlfriend, and stalwart friend, because that's what Chuck needed to survive, but the Blair he fell in love with wears a very different mask. The Blair we all know and love is the Blair who doesn't take shit from anyone and wages war on those who've wronged her (in utterly fabulous ways). Which, incidentally, is very similar to the Chuck we all know and love. I'll be very pleased to see the two of them get their confidence back and be able to go toe-to-toe in a fair fight again. In order to take down Jack, I think they'll have to.