A proper lady should only have her name mentioned in print three times in her life: when she is married, when she dies and when she is presented to society (um, that doesn't include online blogs, right?). This week was the annual New York City Debutante Ball. Blair Waldorf had been counting down until this special day for years. When the time finally came, Blair was ready. She had the perfect dress, the perfect presentation statement and the perfect date. Nate and Chuck were out of the picture. Rather, Blair was being escorted by a real life Prince. His name was Theodore and he was hot. Serena, on the other hand, was not going to the ball. She thought it was an old fashioned tradition and kind of demeaning. But her feelings changed as soon as her grandmother, CeCe, came into town. CeCe was once head of the Debutante Ball committee and all she wanted was for her granddaughter to be presented. CeCe didn't have the chance for her own daughter, Lily, to be a Deb because Lily was off screwing rock stars and hanging out in the backs of tour buses. Turns out, CeCe was dying and her last request was for her favorite granddaughter to be presented at the cotillion. Of course, Serena obliged to her grandmother's wishes. And no one was more upset than Dan. He already hated everything UES so a Debutante Ball was the last thing he ever wanted to participate in. Well, good thing for him then because the cotillion just so happened to be the same night as his mother's art show. Serena was going to need an escort ASAP. But where does one find a date on such short notice? Thank god for Grandma CeCe.Blair was doing her best forbidden love act with resident bad boy, Chuck Bass. The two were enjoying a quiet affair that no one could ever find out about. In the midst of a hot and steamy makeout session, the two were interrupted by Nate. He was waiting in Blair's foyer to speak with her. Looked like Nate was having a change of heart. Ever since Blair and him broke up she had been acting differently. She seemed happier and lighter and just so unlike typical Blair. Blair took a break from Chuck and left him in her room where he was not allowed to come out. Or else. Nate stood in the foyer with his puppy dog eyes wearing the green sweater Blair had once bought him. Blair had sewn a little gold heart on the inside sleeve and gave it to him as a gift a couple years back. She put it there so her heart would always be on his sleeve (precious, really). Nate told Blair he thought they should go to the cotillion together. For old time's sake. But just as friends, of course. Blair couldn't resist. Those eyes! That hair! The sweater! Blair agreed they would go as friends. The Prince was out and Nate was in. And unfortunately for Chuck, he heard the whole thing. Chuck looked, gasp, crushed and for a moment Gossip Girl actually felt sorry for him.
All the while, little Jenny Humphrey was having a major crisis. Jenny desperately wanted to attend the ball. It was everything she loved in life: beautiful dresses, extremely rich people, and the epitome of UES high society. Lily even got her a volunteer position at the ball. Too bad it coincided with her mother's art show. Jenny was devastated. This was her big chance to be part of a real NYC upper crust event and now it was ruined by her mom's show in Brooklyn. For the art show, Jenny's mom, Alison, had bought her a new (well, if you call thrift store finds new) pair of shoes. Jenny complained. Um, hello, her schoolmates shopped at Saks and Bendels. She couldn't walk around town in other people's hand me downs. Alison was saddened. What happened to her little Jenny? Jenny went to Saks with Lily and wouldn't you know they ran into Alison at the register in the shoe department. Alison was not only shocked to see Jenny at Saks but with Lily nonetheless. She quickly rushed off and Jenny noticed her mother was going to purchase a brand new pair of trendy shoes. In the same size shoe Jenny wore. Oops. At home, Jenny tried on her brand new expensive dress and shows that Lily ended up buying for her at Saks. Alison walked in on her. Jenny promised her mother she would return everything the next day. But Alison wasn't having any of it. Jenny was grounded. She could come to the art show but everything else was off limits. Meaning absolutely no Debutante Ball. Jenny pleaded with her but Alison would not budge. Life was so unfair!
At the pre-cotillion tea honoring CeCe at Blair's penthouse, Dan felt totally out of place. And to top it off, Serena's escort to the ball was there. He was some random guy CeCe had found for Serena. Little did Dan know this random guy was Carter Baizen. Oh yeah, that Carter Baizen. Seemed like the guy we heard about a few months ago, who played Nate during that shady card game, was trying to improve his ways. As everyone sat around talking about Carter's wild travels across the world, Dan was completely lost. Everything he said during the conversation was wrong. And CeCe witnessed the entire thing. Damn. Not only was this Carter guy extremely good looking but he was also cultured and mature. Dan might have some competition on his hands... When Dan was exiting a bathroom, he was confronted by CeCe. She gave him some disparaging words and told him that the feeling he was having of not belonging never goes away. No matter how hard he was to try. He might as well just give up now. Dan was shocked and insulted. So he did what any boy from Brooklyn would do. He accepted the challenge and told Grandma they wouldn't be needing Carter Baizen's services anymore. Dan would be Serena's escort to the cotillion instead. It was so on.
Not only was the Debutante Ball going to be amazing and spectacular and the best night of Blair's life but Blair was also going to be featured in the "Night Out" piece in The New York Times. Every socialite's dream! As she was being interviewed, Chuck Bass stopped by her penthouse. Blair was going on and on to the journalist about how Nate was the best date she could ever ask for. Chuck stepped in and started to talk about how Nate ruined Blair's 17th Birthday, among other things. Blair quickly covered. When the journalist left, Blair chided Chuck for making her look bad in front of the Times. Chuck told her to get over it. Nate sucked. He was boring and he treated Blair like crap. Blair told Chuck Nate was a gentleman and would never pull a charade like the one Chuck just pulled. Blair demanded Chuck leave. Carter Baizen was on his way to the penthouse to pick up his jacket that he had left there after the tea. And that's when the wheels in Chuck's head started to turn. Chuck, acting like a jealous boyfriend, waited outside and took a picture of Carter leaving Blair's place holding his jacket. Then, he sent it to yours truly and I put it right up on the site. Blair Waldorf's new beau? Baizen back and better than ever. Hey, inquiring minds have the right to know.
Dan apologized to his dad that he needed to miss his mom's art show. He had to accompany Serena to the Debutante Ball. Rufus understood. He admitted that CeCe had actually visited him earlier that day at the gallery. She wanted to buy every piece of art in the gallery in exchange for Dan not escorting Serena. Rufus told her he couldn't be bought. CeCe assured him that her granddaughter could be, just like her mother, Lily, had been all those years ago. It just so happened that back in the Rufus/Lily heyday, CeCe asked Lily to choose between Rufus and her inheritance. And we all know what she chose. What a conniving, old lady that CeCe was! This could definitely not be the same sweet woman Serena always spoke so highly about. Dan went to Serena's suite and told her he didn't think her grandmother was who she thought she was. Serena was offended. No one dissed her grandmother like that and got away with it. Dan told her to call him when CeCe left the city. And once again, Serena was dateless. Going stag to cotillion was definitely not trendy and totally unacceptable.
At the ball, the girls started to line up in formation. All our likely suspects were there; including Carter, who was now Serena's official date, and little Jenny Humphrey. She showed up without her mother's consent. Bad girl, J! Jenny approached Serena with a question about her presentation statement. As Serena read it, she was shocked. It wasn't what she had written. This statement talked about how she wanted to live on the Upper East Side for the rest of her life and devote her life to having kids and being a wife. It was so not Serena. This gave Carter an idea.
As the ball began, the Mistress of Ceremonies announced the girls by reading their presentation statements. When it was Serena's turn, her statement had been a bit edited. In fact, it had been a lot edited. Instead of being about becoming a mother and wife, it was about bedding and marrying as many millionaires as her mother. CeCe and Lily were aghast and horrified. But Serena and Carter just smiled.
As the Debs waltzed on the dance floor, Nate was livid Carter was there. He had seen what I had written on the site. Who the hell was Carter Baizen to not only steal his money but steal his girl too? And being the excellent schemer we all love, Chuck egged him on. Carter was smart: using Blair's best friend as his cover. Oh, that Carter and his plots. Nate couldn't keep his eyes off Carter. He looked like a vulture waiting for his prey. When the couples switched partners, Blair found herself dancing with Carter. Nate watched the whole thing with hate in his eyes. Chuck sashayed over to Nate and told him Carter was probably telling Blair what he was going to do to her later. This put Nate over the edge. He stormed over to Carter and punched him right in the face. Everyone gasped and stared. But really, what's an Upper East Side event without some physical contact?
When all the action died down, Serena confronted her mother about her presentation statement. How could she change her statement like that? Motherhood? Marriage? It wasn't who she was. Lily told her it was a society ball, Serena had to represent herself well. Serena didn't agree. How was she supposed to accept herself when her own mother didn't accept her? Serena told her mother that if she ever had those kids that were written about in her statement she would accept them for who they were. No matter who they dated or what they believed in. And then Lily did the most surprising thing ever. She headed to Rufus' gallery in Brooklyn to get Dan. Lily met him outside the art show and told how much he had done for her daughter in the short time they had been together. As well as how she would have been lucky to meet someone like him at her age. Well, she actually kind of did. As they got into the limo, Rufus came outside and asked Lily what she was doing. Lily told him she was doing what someone should have done for them all those years ago.
After having to help Blair with a ripped dress, Jenny finally made it back to Brooklyn way later than she had planned. She missed her mother's art show completely. Jenny felt awful but her mother was surprisingly not as mad as she thought she would be. Instead, Jenny's mother told her she needed to look at who she was and ask herself if she truly liked the person she was becoming. Deep stuff if you ask me!
As Serena iced Carter's face, he admitted CeCe had contacted him the previous week about taking Serena to the ball. Serena was confused. She wasn't even going to the ball as of last week. CeCe had told Carter Serena was going to change her mind. Serena couldn't believe it. Dan was right about her grandmother. Serena went to her grandmother and told her she had stood up for her. Serena asked her if she was even dying. CeCe admitted she wasn't. CeCe told Serena the reason she did all this was because a woman needed to earn the right to create her own rules. Serena said times have changed and her grandmother finally conceded. Maybe Serena was right.
Dan and Serena were so excited to be reunited at the ball. While Lily watched them, her phone rang. It was Rufus. He told her all about CeCe coming to see him. Lily admitted her mother had forced her to make that choice between Rufus and the money nearly twenty years ago. She wasn't as strong back then. Rufus admitted he never should have let Lily go in the first place. Lily was taken aback as she continued to eye her daughter, who looked happier than ever. And it reminded Lily of a love she once had too.
Blair came back to the dance floor and saw a gloating Chuck. All the pieces to the puzzle came together. Chuck had planned the whole thing and had sent in the picture of Carter to Gossip Girl. He ruined Blair's cotillion! Blair was irate. This was why the two of them could never be together. It was over. Chuck tried to go after her but it was too late. Blair had already found herself back in the arms of her ex-boyfriend, Nate. Chuck watched the two of them cuddle as they slipped into a hotel room. Chuck looked distraught. And with that the era of Waldass had ended. Say it wasn't so. Chuck packed his bags and headed to the entrance of The Palace where a driver was waiting for him. Chuck said to take him to the airport. And he was off. All the while, Blair and Nate were in a room at that very hotel finally, in the words of Chuck himself, "sealing the deal."
Wow. The Debutante Ball turned out to be a night full of reunions, heartbreaks and major drama; all the ingredients to a successful party if you ask me. We're glad to see Serena and Dan together looking as happy as can be. Those two are so cute it makes me kind of ill. But I love it. And it seems like Blair's night had a fairytale ending. For her whole life all she has ever wanted was to be presented at the cotillion and to have sex with Nate. Check, check. But what about Chuck? Looks like he lost something no one knew he had to begin with: his heart. Guess it must be nice to have your dad own a private jet and hotels all over the world so you can seek refuge from a broken heart. Just remember, C, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.
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