The characters of Gossip Girl went through many ups and downs throughout six seasons, and though most of them got proper endings, the identity reveal of Gossip Girl made the series finale a controversial one. Based on the series of novels of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar, Gossip Girl followed a group of wealthy teenagers from a prestigious high school on the Upper East Side of New York City. Leading them were on/off best friends Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), accompanied by fellow rich teens Chuck Bass (Ed Westwock) and Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford).

ing them was Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), a scholarship student and outcast who became part of Serena’s circle. In addition to the drama between them and their families, Serena and company had their personal lives exposed by a mysterious blogger known as “Gossip Girl”, who they constantly tried to bring down. The group never defeated Gossip Girl, but in the series finale, she revealed her identity to the world: Dan Humphrey, and this had surprising consequences in his relationship with Serena, Blair, Chuck, and Nate.

Why Dan Created Gossip Girl Explained

Gossip Girl Was A Very Elaborate Plan By Dan

As mentioned above, Dan was the outcast of the group, as he had a scholarship because he wasn’t wealthy like the rest. Still, Dan and his sister, Jenny (Taylor Momsen), became part of the circle of Serena, Blair, Chuck, and Nate – Dan got a date with Serena when he returned her phone to her and she wanted to avoid going to Blair’s Kiss on The Lips Party, which Jenny attended. Dan and Serena were the biggest on/off couple in Gossip Girl, but he also got together with Blair.

Dan and Blair broke up at the end of Gossip Girl season 5 and after Serena seduced him and recorded them having sex, he left for Italy with Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) to write the sequel to his book, Inside. The goal was for this book to be the ultimate exposé, but they couldn’t find a publisher, as they wanted them to omit names to not compromise their integrity. Dan made a deal with Nate to publish the first installment of the Inside Out serial on The Spectator.

Dan gave the final chapter to Nate to save The Spectator, and in it, he revealed he was Gossip Girl.

After releasing the chapter about Serena, she was about to move to Los Angeles when Dan stopped her at the airport. Dan told her she was the love of his life and had something to prove he never meant to hurt her, slipping an envelope into her bag. The envelope had the “nice” version of the chapter about her, so Serena stayed in New York. With Bart Bass dead and thus Dan no longer indebted to him, he gave the final chapter to Nate to save The Spectator, and in it, he revealed he was Gossip Girl.

Dan realized that the only way he could get Serena was to write himself into the Upper East Side elite and the drama in it.

Dan revealed to Serena that their first meeting at a party was the moment he fell in love with her, but he was aware that she was way out of his league for many reasons. However, Dan wasn’t going to let it go, and realized that the only way he could get Serena was to write himself into the Upper East Side elite and the drama in it – and what better than through a blog, which would, in turn, create a legend by the name of “Gossip Girl”.

To make it even more shocking and confusing, he also revealed Jenny had always known he was Gossip Girl. Dan eventually got what he wanted though not without causing a lot of damage for years to everyone, including his loved ones, which is why everyone’s reactions to the big reveal were so shocking and nonsensical.

Why Serena Chose To Stay With Dan (Despite What He Did)

Serena & Dan Eventually Got Married

Serena and Dan’s relationship was very problematic in Gossip Girl’s final seasons, and yet, after learning about what Dan did, Serena still chose to stay with him. Serena forgave Dan when she read the “nice” chapter he wrote about her, even though he published the “mean” one. Blair even questioned Serena for staying with Dan after what he wrote about her, even telling her he was not right for her and would never fit into their world.

Serena defended Dan saying he had his reasons for doing what he did, and she continued to defend him when the chapter revealing Gossip Girl’s identity was published. Serena told her friends that they did all the things Gossip Girl reported, and Dan was simply the messenger. Serena also told them she saw what Dan did as a “love letter” to them, and that, ultimately, the whole Gossip Girl drama made her realize that New York was her home and she didn’t want to leave. The Gossip Girl finale included a time jump of five years, reuniting the group for Dan and Serena’s wedding.

What Happened To Blair & Chuck In Gossip Girl?

Blair & Chuck Had The Family Both Wanted

The other main on/off couple in Gossip Girl were Blair and Chuck, who also earned a lot of criticism for how toxic their relationship was most of the time. Blair and Chuck got back together in Gossip Girl season 6, but they still had a couple more obstacles to overcome, mostly Chuck’s father, Bart. After an argument on the rooftop, Bart fell to his death, with Chuck and Blair as the only witnesses and Chuck immediately becoming a person of interest. Chuck and Blair fled the scene and Chuck’s uncle, Jack, tracked them down to a bed-and-breakfast away from the city.

Jack proposed that Chuck and Blair get married, as spousal privilege would mean Blair couldn’t be forced to testify against Chuck, and they agreed to do it. With the help of their friends and Blair’s family, Blair and Chuck got married, but the police arrived right after they said their vows and kissed. Blair and Chuck were taken to the police station, and there they read Dan’s final chapter. Blair and Chuck were released as there was no proof they were on the roof, and they reunited with the rest to discuss the Gossip Girl reveal.

Blair was revealed to have taken over as CEO of Waldorf Designs.

Blair, Chuck, and the rest quickly and easily forgave Dan and all decided to move on and grow up as Gossip Girl was finally “dead”. In the time jump, Blair and Chuck attended Serena and Dan’s wedding with Blair’s family and their son, Henry, and Blair was revealed to have taken over as CEO of Waldorf Designs.

What Happened To Nate Archibald (Did He Become Mayor)?

Nate Had A Different Fate From Those Of His Friends

In Gossip Girl season 6, Nate was still running The Spectator, but he came across some obstacles and problems, mostly Bart Bass. Nate doctored his earnings report and Bart used this to blackmail him into helping him get rid of Chuck, but Nate ended up being arrested for fraud. Nate was later released on bail and confronted Bart about dropping the charges, but he refused. However, after Bart’s death, Nate’s name was the only one left on the loan and the charges were dropped, and with the publishing of Dan’s final chapter, The Spectator was saved.

Unlike his friends, Nate appeared with no partner and no kids, but seeing how busy he was, it makes sense he remained single.

Just like the rest of his friends, Nate forgave Dan for all the Gossip Girl drama he put them through for years, and the time jump revealed The Spectator had become a huge success – so much so that Nate arrived on The Spectator’s private jet. Unlike his friends, Nate appeared with no partner and no kids, but seeing how busy he was, it makes sense he remained single.

Nate was approached by a reporter asking about the rumors of his candidacy for Mayor of New York and that he was leading the polls, but Nate simply replied that he had somewhere else to be and would answer those questions the following day. Nate’s future in politics is left unclear, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he announced his candidacy shortly after the Gossip Girl finale.

What Happened To Gossip Girl After Her Identity Was Revealed As Dan

Gossip Girl Wasn’t Entirely Over

With Dan’s big reveal, Gossip Girl was effectively over – but that was only Dan’s version of it. Gossip Girl ended with a tease about the title character living on through other people. At the end of Gossip Girl, the camera moved away from Serena and Dan’s wedding as soon as it started to show a new generation of teenagers from the same school, with Gossip Girl’s voiceover saying they got rid of Dan but not her, as there will always be someone from the outside wanting to get in.

Gossip Girl was revived by four teachers wanting to teach their students to respect each other and be better.

The camera showed an outcast boy very similar to Dan walking past the wealthy teens of the Upper East Side while Gossip Girl said “Who am I now? that’s a secret I’ll never tell.” Gossip Girl returned in the standalone series of the same name in 2021, which exists in the same universe as the original show. In it, Gossip Girl was revived by four teachers wanting to teach their students to respect each other and be better – of course, it didn’t go that way.

At the end of 2021’s Gossip Girl, the title character was planned to become an app in which teenagers could turn on each other. Gossip Girl (2021) was canceled after two seasons, leaving the future of the Gossip Girl identity and the potential app unknown, but proving that there will always be someone who will take advantage of what Dan started.