- Knowing what you want is half the battle. The trick is to stay tenacious and not let any minor setback derail your vision
- —Gale to Dawson[src]
Gale Leery (née ?) is a recurring character on Dawson's Creek. She is portrayed by Mary-Margaret Humes.
Character[]
Gale is the mother of Dawson and Lilly Leery. She is also the wife of Mitch Leery until his death. They married twice (once before the series and the second time in season 3). Gale and Mitch were college sweethearts. They tried for three years to get pregnant with Dawson. In the sixth season she remarries to an unnamed man.
Story[]
In Season 1, Gale is working as an anchorwoman for the local Capeside news. It is learned that she is having an affair with one of her coworkers. The first to discover this is Joey. Joey has strong feelings about this and tells Gale. Dawson finds out later and unsuccessfully tried to tell his father. During a hurricane while everyone is stranded in the Leery household, Gale tells Mitch her her affair. She claims she has no good reason for the affair and because of this Mitch says he no longer loves her. At the end of the season it appears the two have reconciled.
In Season 2, Mitch and Gale attempt marriage counseling to repair their marriage. With advice from a friend, Mitch suggests an open marriage. Gale agrees because she feels guilty about the affair. Once Dawson realizes the arrangement his parents have made they decide that it is no longer working. Mitch has Gale served with divorce papers. Gale is offered a job in Philadelphia and only agrees to take it if there is no chance with Mitch. She sees him with another woman and decides to take the job. Just before Gale is leaving for her job Mitch asks her to stay but she leaves saying it is the best thing for them right now.
With her job not going as planned in Philadelphia, Gale returns to Capeside. She tries to be friends with Mitch with the Potter B&B opened and they end up acting like a married couple, this confuses Dawson. Gale then proceeds with opening up a fish restaurant. With the opening coming quickly, and Gale in over her head Dawson called Mitch for help. Gale was not thrilled at first with Mitch's help but agreed to have him there as a partner. Eventually Mitch and Gale become close and reconcile. They remarry at the end of the season.
Shortly into the 4th season Gale discovers she is pregnant. At first Gale considers having an abortion, but eventually decides to have the baby. Eventually Gale gives birth to a baby girl named Lily in honor of Joey's mother. At the end of the season Gale says goodbye to her son Dawson as he leaves for college at USC. In season 5 Gale copes with the loss of Mitch. She is left to care for Lily and the restaurant. At first she has help from Dawson but he eventually goes back to school at Gale's request. Towards the end of the season we see Gale has befriended a man named Nathan who appears to be a single father. In the series finale Gale marries an unnamed man in a ceremony that everyone returns to Capeside for.
Quotes[]
- The decision to break up... it isn't made in one sitting. It's cumulative. You have to re-decide over and over, each day
- —Gale to Dawson[src]