Initially, the group tries to be supportive, but as they actually read the book, the "fictionalized" portrayals prove to be devastatingly accurate and cruel:
Portrayed as a "selfish, narcissistic party animal," a characterization that costs her a major opportunity with a film director. [S5E4] Memoirs of an Invisible Dan
The episode centers on the release party for Dan's debut novel, Inside . After admitting to being the author, Dan gathers his friends—Serena, Blair, Nate, and Chuck—along with Rufus and Lily to reveal that they are the primary inspirations for his characters. Initially, the group tries to be supportive, but
Perhaps most cuttingly, Dan portrays his father as a "trophy husband" who married for money, deeply hurting Rufus, who feels he sacrificed his career to raise Dan. Key Themes and Development Gossip Girl Season 5 Episode 4 Recap - TV Fanatic Perhaps most cuttingly, Dan portrays his father as
His character is made gay and merged with Eric van der Woodsen into one "irrelevant" person, leaving Nate feeling jealous of his friends' more prominent roles.
His character commits suicide and dies alone, leading Chuck into a period of deep introspection.
Dan writes that he and Blair had sex, a revelation that nearly ruins her engagement to Prince Louis.