Gone with the Will is the 15th episode of the second season and the 33rd overall.
When most people lose a parent, they inherit sorrow, loss, and a closet full of outdated clothes. But on the Upper East Side, death's sad chapter comes with a silver lining. Or a gold one, if your relatives invested wisely in precious metals.
-Gossip Girl
Summary[]
With the reading of Bart Bass' will, Chuck, Jack, and Blair learn the fate of the Bass empire. Meanwhile, Rufus and Lily's relationship becomes strained as Rufus seeks details about the child he never knew he had. Noticing that his father is acting strange, Dan does some investigating of his own and becomes unsure of what to do with his findings.
Recap[]
Blair, Chuck, Jack, and Nate gather at The Palace Hotel for the reading of Bart's will. Jack again tries to remind Blair what transpired between them on New Year's but she isn't interested. At the loft, Jenny asks if he thinks Lily and Rufus are hooking up on their trip. Dan says no and that he doesn't want to talk about it. Jenny takes it as Dan doesn't want his dad falling in love with his girlfriend's mother and she leaves. On the way out, Dan gets a call from Serena, which he ignores. Back at The Palace, Blair and Nate wait outside the room where the will is being read. Inside, Jack and Chuck are told that Lily's interests are being represented by her counsel. The executor names Jack as Chuck's official guardian and informs them that Bart's assets are being placed in a trust that Chuck can access when he turns 18. Jack asks about Bass Industries and is told that 29% of the company is left to the board, 20% is left to Lily, and Bart left a letter for Chuck to read. Chuck decides he doesn't want to read it and leaves. Jack follows and encourages Chuck to read the letter, as do Blair and Nate. Blair takes the letter and begins to read it out loud:
Dear Son,
I know I've always been hard on you. But my goal was to always prepare you for this day, to help you go from being a boy to a man. Sadly, there is nothing like the passing of a father to aide in this rite of passage for his son. Ultimately, I do feel that I did my job and you're prepared for this next chapter of your life. Therefore, I am bequeathing to you the majority share of Bass Industries.
Chuck asks if it's a mistake but both Blair and Nate assure him it's not. Angry, Chuck says that Bart can't be one way his whole life and then completely change tunes once he's dead. He offers the company to Jack and leaves. Elsewhere, Serena and Eric walk to school. Eric vents that he's planned a date with Jonathan three times that week but Jenny crashes and interrupts every time. Serena tells him to give her time to make new friends but then remarks that she can't get any alone time with Dan. Eric reasons that he's avoiding her because he thinks their parents are dating and she says he needs to stop being paranoid. They arrive at school and Jenny shares that she and Jonathan planned a film festival for all three of them that night. Eric feigns excitement and agrees to go. In the courtyard, Serena assures Dan that nothing romantic between Rufus and Lily is going on. Dan says that that's a relief and Serena asks if they're good. He says they are and she kisses him before going to class. In Boston, Rufus gets a call from Dan; who says he doesn't want to hide anything from Serena anymore. Rufus tells him again that Lily wants to tell her kids herself but Dan argues that she has the right to know what's going on. At Constance, Penelope, Isabel, and Nelly overhear Dan's side of the conversation and they decide to take action to figure out what Dan's lying about. Outside The Palace, Blair encourages Chuck to give Bart's offer a chance because he really did believe in him. She gives him the letter so he can read the rest and they leave as Jack watches from inside the hotel. At St. Jude's, everyone receives a Gossip Girl blast telling them to help her find who Dan is cheating with.
Later at The Palace, Chuck goes to see Jack and tells him that he read Bart's letter and has decided to take over Bass Industries. Jack tells him that they can discuss that when he turns 18, but Chuck says he wants to at least start learning the job now. Jack tells him that running the company isn't an after school job and that he has no experience. Chuck responds by saying that if he wants to stay in New York, he'll find him a place in the company but that he's ready to take over now. Angry, Jack leaves the room, leaving Chuck alone in Bart's office. Back at Constance/St. Jude's, Dan goes to his locker to find all his stuff on the floor. Blair walks by and answers a call from Jack, who tells her that his reaction that morning was bad and he wants to make it up to Chuck. He suggests throwing Chuck a party to show him that everyone supports him but Blair retorts by saying she has a dinner date with Chuck planned so he knows she supports him. Jack reminds her how rough things have been for him lately and says again that he wants to make it up to Chuck. He tells her that he'll bring Chuck if she rounds up his friends and keeps the whole thing a surprise. She thinks about it and says that they'll have brunch at The Palace the next day. Back in Boston, Rufus and Lily are told that the adoptive family was able to be tracked down via CeCe's lawyer but that's as far as it can be taken. Rufus is unhappy with this and yells that he has rights to his son and that he's going to find his own lawyer. The man they're talking to offers to get in touch with the adoptive parents to see what happens. Both Lily and Rufus agree to his suggestion. At Constance, Blair tells Serena about the brunch and her dinner plans that night. They also discuss Gossip Girl wanting to find what Dan's hiding and they realize the minions sent the tips in. Elsewhere, Dan and Vanessa go to a candy store so she can get Nate a two month anniversary present. Unbeknownst to them, Nelly is in the same shop and eavesdrops on their conversation. While Vanessa picks out candy, Dan tells her about Rufus and Lily's lovechild. Shocked, Vanessa drops her candy and Dan leans down to help her pick it up. While he's distracted, Nelly sneaks up and steals his phone.
At The Palace, Chuck enters his suite to find Jack waiting for him. Jack apologizes for his reactions earlier and asks to take him out to celebrate. Chuck says he can't because he has plans with Blair and he owes her for being a good friend to him. A knock comes at the door and Jack opens it, telling Chuck that he invited several girls to go with them but he's now going to have to entertain them on his own. At the gallery, Serena goes to see Vanessa. She asks what's going on with Dan but Vanessa says she has no idea what it could be. Vanessa assures her that Dan isn't one for secrets so whatever it is, he'll tell her soon. Disappointed with the results, Serena leaves the gallery. Once she's gone, Vanessa texts Dan that Serena has to know about the lovechild soon. At a club, Penelope, Hazel, and Isabel are pleased with Nelly stealing Dan's phone. They receive the text from Vanessa and quickly figure out about Rufus and Lily. At the Waldorf's, Blair prepares for her dinner with Chuck but receives a text that he's working late and won't be able to make it. Meanwhile, Chuck rides in his limo with Jack and the other girls while they drink and have a good time.
In Boston the next day, Lily wonders how long they'll have to wait for the adoptive parents. Rufus then gets a call informing him that the adoptive parents don't want them to contact them ever. Disappointed, Rufus goes to pack to go home. At The Palace, everyone waits on Chuck to arrive at the brunch. Blair tells Serena about Chuck cancelling on her but assures her that he is taking his new job seriously. Jack then texts Blair saying he's pulling up to the hotel with Chuck. Meanwhile, Dan and Jenny arrive at the brunch. She goes off to find Eric and Jonathan while Dan goes to talk to Serena. They have an awkward conversation before Jack enters the room without Chuck. He lets it slip to Blair that he and Chuck partied the night before and then the minions interrupt to ask Blair if they can release the information they have on Dan. Uninterested, Blair gives her blessing for them to do it and they do. Members from the Board of Bass Industries walk up to Jack and asks where Chuck is. He explains that Chuck is in his office and asks Blair to show them the way. Elsewhere, Jenny asks Eric what they're doing with Jonathan that night. Eric calmly says that he and Jonathan want to hang out alone and Jenny gets offended. She informs Eric that he makes it a big deal that he has a boyfriend and he calls her annoying after she calls him conceited. She leaves the table. At the buffet, Serena tells Dan that she's so happy he came. At that moment, a Gossip Girl blast comes in revealing Rufus and Lily's lovechild secret. In the office, Blair brings members of the board in to find Chuck doing cocaine with several prostitutes around him. He demands to know who they are and they introduce themselves as members of the board. They then leave the room while Chuck stares at them, shocked.
Back at the brunch, Serena asks Dan if it's true. He says nothing and she walks away, angry that he knew all along. Blair comes back in, followed by Chuck, who is surprised to see everyone there. He tells the board that he didn't know they were going to be there. Pete Holmberg, a member of the board, says that they were aware of his reputation and hoped that Bart knew something they didn't when he left Chuck the company but they were wrong. Blair comes over and Chuck asks if she threw the party. She says that she did throw the brunch but did so to try and be supportive. He tells her that he doesn't need her help and that she needs to stop trying to be the wife. Outside, Dan follows Serena and explains how Rufus told him not to say anything. He apologizes for everything and says they should tell their parents that it's out. Serena asks if that's why they're in Boston and Dan says yes. Eric and Jenny come outside then and ask if it's true. Serena confirms it and then asks to be alone before leaving. Back in Boston, Rufus asks for another day just in case the adoptive parents change their mind. He engages in an argument with Lily, which ends with her saying she's scared Rufus will hate her forever when she's still in love with him. He then envelopes her in a passionate kiss. They have sex and then reminisce on their past. While in bed, Rufus gets a call from the adoptive father; who says that he'll meet with them but he doesn't want his wife to know.
At The Palace, Chuck confronts Jack about the day. He asks how he could do that to him but Jack says he did it to himself. Chuck reiterates that the company was left to him, but Jack explains that Bart left a clause saying that if he in any way acted out, the board would have the option to replace him with his legal guardian. He reminds Chuck that he is his legal guardian, so he is now technically in charge. In Boston, Rufus and Lily meet with Chris Rosson, the adoptive father, at a restaurant. At the VDW's, Eric sits with Serena and they talk about everything. They realize that everything they're going through, Dan and Jenny are also going through. Eric encourages her to not push Dan away. At the gallery, Dan runs into Nate, who is waiting for Vanessa. Nate says he saw the blast and that he knows what it's like to have his personal business go public. Dan admits that it blows but Nate says that going through that, he learned who his real friends were; alluding to their friendship. Nate apologizes for the thing with Jenny and Dan accepts his apology before leaving. Back in Boston, Chris shares that their son, Andrew, got caught in a riptide while boating with his friends and that he died. He admits that his wife still struggles with the death and that it would have been too painful for her to see them. He also shares a newspaper article on Andrew's passing. Lily asks if he was happy, and Chris says that he was and that he always had a smile on his face. At the Waldorf's, Chuck brings Blair flowers to apologize. She says she stood by him through everything, but she can't watch him self-destruct any longer. He tries to explain that Jack set him up but she says that he did it to himself. She says she's sorry but she's done before throwing the flowers back in the elevator with him. At the Waldorf's, Serena and Eric arrive to hang with Dan and Jenny. Dan and Serena talk in his room and they decide that they can try and make their relationship work despite everything. In the kitchen, Eric and Jenny also makeup and decide to be friends again with some space between them as well. Back in Boston, Chris' wife arrives after Rufus and Lily are gone and asks if it's over. Chris promises that they won't be back and that he had to do what he did because they wouldn't have stopped unless they got some sort of answer. He assures his wife that they lost one son and aren't risking losing the other. Back at the loft, Rufus and Lily arrive home. She comments that maybe they weren't ever meant to be a family but stops talking as soon as they enter the loft to find their children all inside together.
Starring[]
Main Cast[]
- Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen
- Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
- Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey
- Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald
- Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass
- Jessica Szohr as Vanessa Abrams
- Taylor Momsen as Jenny Humphrey
- Kelly Rutherford as Lily van der Woodsen
- Matthew Settle as Rufus Humphrey
Recurring/Guest Cast[]
- Desmond Harrington as Jack Bass
- Connor Paolo as Eric van der Woodsen
- Amanda Setton as Penelope Shafai
- Dreama Walker as Hazel Williams
- Yin Chang as Nelly Yuki
- Nicole Fiscella as Isabel Coates
- Matt Doyle as Jonathan Whitney
Soundtrack[]
- Mirror Error by The Faint
- No You Girls by Franz Ferdinand
- Watchman, What Is Left of the Night? by Greycoats
- At Least by Dan Crew Trio
Memorable Quotes[]
Blair: I wouldn't have come to this party if I knew I wasn't VIP.
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Executor: Now, Charles, your uncle Jack Bass is your closest living relative and as such has been named your legal guardian. Are you comfortable with this?
Chuck: Curfew?
Jack: None.
Chuck: Girls sleeping over?
Jack: Yes please.
Chuck: I'll allow it.
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Chuck (on what's in Bart's letter): I think I can guess. "You're a disappointment of a son, I'd die of embarrassment if I wasn't already, why do you wear so much purple."
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Blair (to Serena): Spare me those expressive eyebrows. I can't wait till you get Botox.
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Dan (on seeing people's reaction to the GG blast): What now people, it's not like I brought a tuna sandwich.
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Chuck (to Blair): I don't need your help, stop trying to play the wife.
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Lily (to Rufus): I don't want to spend another day, yet another minute trapped inside this hotel room scared that you're gonna hate me forever... when I'm still in love with you.
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Jack: My dear brother literally placed me on the other side of the world. I did everything right. I ran that place without complaint and it thrived under my watch. And this is how he repays me. By giving the company to a teenager that can't keep his pecker in his pants for twenty four hours.
Chuck: At least I can keep mine in service for longer than five minutes.
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Trivia[]
- The episode title is based off the movie Gone with the Wind.
- Chuck mentions how Bart disapproved of him wearing so much purple, but this contradicts with him saying later (in The Sixteen Year Old Virgin) that he wears purple so much because it was Bart's favorite color.
- The newspaper article falsely states that Andrew was the only son of the Rosson's.
- While in the hotel room with Rufus, Lily mentions a past trip to Paris and spending time in Marais. A woman like Lily would know the Paris neighborhood is referred to as the Marais (le Marais).
