‘Gossip Girl’: Who is the real Chuck Bass?

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Last night’s episode of ‘Gossip Girl’ begged to ask the question: Who is the real Chuck? Is he the scheming ‘guy you love to hate’ who can be found sipping scotch in a smoking jacket in the middle of the afternoon? Or is he the insecure, attention-seeking son whose goal in life is to be anything other than a disappointment to his father? Could he really be the unscrupulous charmer who flaunts his wealth for favors or is he actually the undercover loveaholic who craves passion and intensity so long as it’s real and genuine?

It seems Chuck Bass is all of these things, and that’s what makes him so great. He’s definitely got the ‘bad boy’ flair. As Blair’s immoral counterpart, he’s the guy with whom she can live out plots from ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ (or its more modern day rendition, ‘Cruel Intentions’). He doesn’t flinch at a challenge, much less a bet, and it seems he’s willing to do whatever it takes as long as the benefits outweigh the risks. Last night the bet was to ‘seduce and destroy’ Vanessa by taking on her latest cause in exchange for a night with Blair. It seemed like a tall order considering Vanessa is a tough cookie who’s smart enough to know better than to trust Chuck. But when presented with Vanessa’s cause--the preservation of Brooklyn’s oldest speakeasy--Chuck meets a kindred spirit...in the speakeasy, that is. Like him, it had a mischievous history that gave it character and all it needed was someone to believe in its worth.

Unfortunately, the people whom Chuck cares for the most have yet to see his true self. His father (surprise!) hates the idea of purchasing the bar and his disapproval is a blow to Chuck’s credibility. Nothing he does will ever win Bart Bass’ respect and love, so another thought that crossed my mind was the possibility of Bart’s death. A funeral is in the show’s not-so-distant future, so it would make sense to kill the most unmoving, rigid character. It would open up a slew of issues for Chuck, not to mention for Lily, and Bart’s surely got secrets (hidden bank accounts? illegitimate children?) that, if revealed, would result in long-lasting consequences.

After the speakeasy setback, one would think Chuck would let off some steam by accepting Blair’s ‘surrender.’ Instead, he flips the script and emerges with dignity after she refuses to say the three words she once demanded from him. The fact that he wouldn’t settle made me love him even more.

On a lighter note, I’m thoroughly enjoying the bromance between Dan and Nate. Watching Dan awkwardly navigate through the world of sports and guy-speak is hilarious and Jenny calling him out on not having male friends was too cute. The impending triangle between Nate, Jenny and Vanessa now makes sense after the Humphreys invite poor, parentless Nate to stay with them. In next week’s previews, Jenny looks to shake things up, so why not start with the hot guy sleeping on her couch?

So, fair readers, who do you think is more likely to win Nate’s heart, Jenny or Vanessa? Will rejection make Blair’s heart grow fonder or the opposite? And who do you think is the real Chuck Bass?

xoxo

-- Enid Portuguez