The CW's Gossip Girl continues to hold a cult-like status for fans of the show, after almost a decade of the finale airing. People loved to see Blair Waldorf's plotting, Serena's perennial search for love, Dan's literary pursuits, and Chuck's attempts to win Blair back, but the dialogues of the show are an underappreciated facet of the show.
Each character had some cracking lines, especially Blair. They could get sassy, witty, romantic, or bitter in a second, and some of the quotes uttered by the characters are still quite iconic. Their distinctive personalities shine through these quotes which people remember till date.
Blair Waldorf
“I’m not a stop along the way, I’m a destination.”
Nobody loved Blair Waldorf like Blair Waldorf, and she made it pretty clear how highly she thought of herself. Her privilege certainly gave her an edge over most other people in the world, let alone the borough that was the Upper East Side, of which Blair was the Queen B, but her ambition was admirable too.
Blair used to have self-esteem issues which gave her an eating disorder and made her fight with Serena for the spotlight, but she never stopped working hard to achieve her dreams, whether that meant getting into the Hamilton House in Columbia or getting magazine internships to boost her career. Even in love, she was quite reserved and only dated those who were in it for the long run, because she was no temporary stop along the way.
Serena Van Der Woodsen
“I like the way I feel when he looks at me. Like I wanna believe in myself.”
Serena was a lot more mellow and much calmer than her best friend, but most of her journey on Gossip Girl centered around her struggle with substances and a "bad girl" reputation that she was working hard to get rid of. Finding love was one thing that made her feel seen, and she chased it a fair bit in the series.
Serena had many boyfriends through the series, but nobody made her feel the way sweet Dan did from Brooklyn. Not too many people believed her when she was framed by Juliet, and Blair and Lily always kept reminding her of her sordid past. Only Dan was in her corner, and that made her feel safe and worthy, which was what her character really wanted.
Chuck Bass
“The next time you forget you’re Blair Waldorf, remember I’m Chuck Bass. And I love you.”
Chuck began his series arc as an entitled, disrespectful, and misogynistic teenage boy, who soon redeemed himself and became Blair's biggest love interest. He, too, had several plotline around Bass Industries and the Empire Hotel, but Blair was the one thing that kept Chuck grounded and sane in a dog-eat-dog world.
His "I'm Chuck Bass" line is iconic, but when coupled with his love for Blair it really sums up his character well, because without her, Chuck was nothing. She was his true soulmate and when she was feeling down and out, he reminded her who she was and consoled her like a good boyfriend should.
Nate Archibald
“If You Can’t Do The Right Thing Then I Can’t Respect You.”
The Golden Boy of the Upper East Side may not have been the brightest in the room, but his moral compass was quite robust and it stayed that way through the show. Nate didn't like it that his friends sent out blasts to Gossip Girl, because he could never betray his own friends that way.
Similarly, he couldn't bear that his father, the Captain, was caught for fraud and embezzling, and was continuing down a path of crime. He made it clear that he would respect him a lot more if he chose to do the difficult but right thing, because Nate was actually wise and very righteous throughout the show.
Dan Humphrey
“You're completely unaware of your affect on me. You've also completely unaware that you laugh like a four-year-old. And I love you because you can be with someone like me and still be best friends with someone like Blair.”
Every action of Dan Humphrey's on the show was motivated by a single thing: his deep love for Serena. Granted, Dan becoming Gossip Girl and stalking Serena and her friends was not the most prudent decision to make, but he couldn't get the It Girl out of his mind.
When he finally did get the chance to date her and profess his affection for her, he described to her every little thing about her that he appreciated about her, which few other people did. This quote sums up his devotion to her and how everything started because he met her once at a 9th grade party.
Georgina Sparks
"Oh, I can tell you’re up to something. Please, let me in on it. I haven’t been this bored since I believed in Jesus."
The lovable villain of Gossip Girl was used to chaos, and she definitely loved causing it. Since the time she stepped into Manhattan to torture Serena and spike her drinks, she was a certified troublemaker who initially plotted against the gang but then started helping them when she felt like it.
Her deviousness went on hiatus for a bit when she discovered Jesus and amended her ways, but when Blair and Chuck got her back from camp to catch Poppy Lifton as she scammed people for money, they brought back the real Georgina — the one who would shrivel from boredom if she wasn't causing mischief.
Jenny Humphrey
“I lied. And I stole and I lost the respect for my family. For what, so I can be like you? You asked me before if it was all worth it. And my answer is, it’s not.”
Little J was a sweet, young girl who just wanted to be included in the wealthy circles of Constance Billard, but her need to belong became something sinister. She changed from a happy teenager to a jaded, cynical one who played the same twisted games that Blair did, often getting her in trouble with Rufus and making her steal clothes from her own friends.
She got caught up in the politics of the place, which led her to get banished by Blair from the city. In the end, she realized that her quest for popularity and success transformed her into someone unlikable, so she decided to stay away for good.
Vanessa Abrams
"You didn't need to have your cousin make me look like a crazy, jealous b*tch to Dan."
Another case of a Brooklynite gone bad, Vanessa in the show was very different from her character in the books. In season 1, she was a hipster who liked filming documentaries and clicking photos, and she definitely didn't want to be a part of the rich crowd.
However, she hung out with Dan, and by default Serena, Blair, Chuck, Nate, Juliet, and Jenny just a bit too much and got entangled in their messes. She fell for Dan very hard, but also started scheming against Blair and Serena which was uncharacteristic of her. Eventually, she had to leave because everyone thought quite lowly of her, and she somehow thought that Serena had it out for her, which she didn't.
Rufus Humphrey
"You're scared because you're in love with me like you've never been in love with any of your husbands. Because unlike a Bart Bass someone like me can actually break your heart."
It's no surprise that the other Humphrey man in the show was also a diehard romantic, and that everything he did (up to a certain extent with Rufus) was a result of his feelings for Lily. They may have split up in the end, but their love was one for the books, and he chased her till she gave in and married him.
He knew that Lily chose rich men for her creature comforts, but her heart belonged to Rufus. Rufus was a caring father and loving partner, and this quote reflects the latter trait perfectly when he said it to Lily before she married Bart.