But the other thing that can be happening is that you are admitting that you fucked up the character so bad that you need a hard reset -- or that you've lost your gumption and decided that this latter thing is true even if it's not. I think that's what this is about, and I hate it, but how's this for an apology and redemption checklist:

"I'm not here to apologize about what happened tonight, [but] everything else. I'm sorry for losing my temper the night you told me Louis proposed to you. I'm sorry for not waiting longer at the Empire State Building. I'm sorry for treating you like property. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I loved you when I knew I did. But most of all, I'm sorry that I gave up on us when you never did."

To her -- and the show's -- credit, she just thanks him with a sweet, sad smile. It's a fairly transformative moment whether you buy it or not. So he tells her she's going to be an amazing mom, and that after tonight he's going to focus on himself and making himself awesome, and she wishes him luck, and until next week I guess that's true.

DUMBO

Rufus: "Sadly, you are not going to be on next week's bestseller list. But I told the guy about Aaron Sorkin, and they said you can still win!"
Dan: "I have a story to tell you. It involves Serena. Surely you can see where I'm going with this."

SPECTATOR

Diana: "You know, Charlie, you're becoming more trouble than you're worth."
Ivy: "I know, I'm sorry. I was trying to do a good job for you by getting into the wedding party. I had no way of knowing that you and Nate were together. But now that I know, it's perfectly clear. Sorry, I'm really embarrassed."
Diana: "Nate's mine. Do I make myself clear?"
Ivy: "No yeah, like I just said that I get that."
Diana: "Because I'd hate to have to run a story tomorrow about a poor girl from Florida who Clark Rockefeller'ed the Upper East Side."
Ivy: "No, I said I get it."
Diana: "I mean, I would hate to have you murdered."
Ivy: "Yeah, we're on the same page."
Diana: "I am going to fuck your life in the eyesockets if you don't acknowledge that Nate is mine."
Ivy: "...Okay. Fine, whatever."