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Rachel Virginia Gatina (formerly Scott) is a former student of Tree Hill High School who joined at the start of her senior year. Initially an antagonist to Brooke Davis, she posed a threat with her captainship of the cheerleading team and her relentless flirtations with Lucas. However, the two eventually formed a close friendship in the second half of senior year. Rachel also had a close friendship with Mouth and Bevin. Rachel was partially to blame for Jimmy's's death since she released out the time capsule which caused Jimmy to bring the gun to School. After graduating high school, however, Rachel worked for Clothes Over Bros as a model but was eventually let go due to her drug problem. She attempted to repair her life with Brooke and Peyton but eventually fled Tree Hill when Victoria told her she wouldn't amount to anything. Two years later, a sober Rachel seemingly reformed her manipulative and promiscuous life, marrying Dan Scott. Her reformation proved ineffective as Rachel returned to her devious ways soon enough and her marriage to Dan eventually ended when it became apparent that she didn't love him and was with him for his money. He then petitioned for divorce, but gave up his wealth, leaving Rachel with nothing.

Background[]

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Rachel before having plastic surgery to improve herself. ("I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me")

Similar to Brooke, Rachel was born to a wealthy, yet absentee parents who were never strict on her and let her make her own decisions. When younger, Rachel grew up as a obese girl, but she grew tired of the girl who she was as she wasn't happy with the girl she was, she decided to make a change and started by having her stomach stapled and "starving herself" and then treated herself with various other surgeries. Rachel effectively became a new person and said goodbye to the old her, referring to herself as a different person altogether. ("I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me")

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The boxes of memories Rachel collected from each high school. ("Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers")

She reinvented herself as one of the popular and the elite, something which came easily given her new attractive looks. She, however, had to reinvent herself several times in many different schools due to the fact that she never stayed in one school for long before either moving or being expelled. She was expelled from four different high schools before arriving attending Tree Hill High School; John Adams High School, Pembroke High School, La Salle Senior High School and finally Grant High School. For each high school she attended she would put all of her memories of her time there such as photographs and letters into a small box, something she would do for the final time towards the end of her senior year at THHS. At the start of her senior year Rachel and her family moved to Tree Hill. ("Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers")

Character arc[]

Season 3[]

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Rachel and Lucas dance at the Masquerade Party. ("An Attempt to Tip the Scales")

Having arrived in Tree Hill, Rachel chose to attend the upcoming Masquerade party dressed as Pamela Anderson. At the same time, Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott were dating non-exclusively and Brooke had manipulated Lucas into dressing as Tommy Lee as a test in one of the many games the two were playing because Brooke was ready to open her heart to Lucas. Her plan backfired, however, as Rachel approached Lucas and asked him to dance unless he was seeing someone. As part the rules of their non-exclusivity, Lucas said he wasn't making Brooke feel jealous. The two spend the majority of the party together. Despite Lucas still wanting to prove his love for Brooke. ("An Attempt to Tip the Scales") 

The following day at school Brooke and Peyton held cheerleading tryouts and, after a series of terrible auditions Rachel arrived. Still bitter about her flirtation with Lucas, Brooke was initially dismissive of Rachel and her sexy routine. Since she arrived late Brooke decided that Rachel couldn't join the squad. Brooke's rivalry with Rachel developed even further when she attempted to pick a girl at Tree Hill High School for Lucas to date, and he inadvertently believed she had selected Rachel. Also, as Bevin and the other cheerleaders started befriending her, Brooke started to worry that Rachel was stealing her life due to her dating Lucas and the cheerleading squad developing a "girl crush" on her. In a bid to force Rachel out, Brooke asked Haley to take her place on the cheerleading squad. Rachel became aware of the fact that her pseudo-relationship with Lucas was just a bid to make Brooke jealous but she agreed nonetheless and planned a date with him for that night.

On their date Rachel and Lucas visited Suburban Filth and Rachel continued to taunt Brooke. As Midnight Madness, the start of the basketball season, approached Rachel infuriated Brooke by taking the squad for a pre-show beverage forcing Brooke to assert that it is "her" squad. When Haley arrived, having agreed to be a cheerleader, Brooke fired Rachel but Bevin and the others rebelled wanting her to be part of the team.

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Rachel and Brooke face off at Midnight Madness. ("A Multitude of Casualties")

Eventually both Haley and Rachel became part of the team. During the routine at Midnight Madness, Brooke and Rachel battled for the spotlight and ended up exchanging verbal blows. When Nathan and Lucas started fighting, the feuding girls followed suit eventually involving the entire cheerleading squad in the physical fight. After the game, Rachel copied Brooke's signature move of having sex in the back of Lucas' car and, after finding them, Brooke punched Rachel in the face. ("A Multitude of Casualties") When the fighting between the cheerleaders became problematic Brooke organized a Fantasy Boy Draft, which also served to stop Rachel and Lucas from being together. However, Rachel manipulated the draft so it would go in her favor, and not Brooke's. She had Brooke believe she wanted to pick Chris Keller, so Brooke planned to steal Chris and have Haley pick Lucas so Rachel could not. However, Rachel swapped with Bevin so she picked earlier than Haley, leaving Brooke stuck with Chris and Lucas with Rachel. Following the draft Rachel and Lucas had to go on a date, where she continued to seduce him by taking off her clothes while playing strip basketball. However, Lucas remained persistent that he loved Brooke despite what happened between them previously. Despite this, she continued to playfully flirt with Lucas to irritate Brooke, for instance when the cheerleaders decorated the team's lockers on the day of the first game, it was Rachel who decorated Lucas' locker and not Brooke. After Brooke slept with Chris, Rachel told Lucas to move on to whatever made him happy, but decided she didn't want to be part of his plan to make Brooke jealous anymore. ("Locked Hearts and Hand Grenades") ("Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends") ("The Worst Day Since Yesterday")

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Rachel reveals to Brooke that Rogue Vogue and the Classic are on the same weekend. ("I've Got Dreams to Remember")

After conceding defeat to Brooke over Lucas after the two formed a relationship, Rachel then set her sights on Mouth and introduced herself to him giving Brooke another reason to feel irritated at Rachel, who she believed was now trying to steal her friend. While befriending Mouth, Rachel also began her plan to take captainship of the cheer squad by submitting Brooke's designs to Rogue Vogue, a fashion show for up and coming designers. Brooke saw Rachel's act as a sign of friendship but remained unaware that it was all part of her scheme. Later at school, Rachel started to take control of the squad by creating the routine for the Classic Tournament. When Brooke, once more, stated that it was her team Rachel told her that the Classic and Rogue Vogue were the same weekend meaning she wouldn't be able to captain the team. Nonetheless, Brooke decided to try and do both, but she still felt worried about Mouth and Rachel's friendship. ("Brave New World") ("Return of the Future") ("I've Got Dreams to Remember")

Rachel's relationship with Mouth grew even more when they spend the night together in her room during a torrential rain storm. While watching the movie, Mouth tried to kiss Rachel having misinterpreted her invitation to watch a movie in the blackout as something more. Mouth then apologized to her but she brushed it off and tried to get him to be more confident by playing mind games with girls. At the end of the night, Rachel tried to kiss Mouth but he turned her down saying that when the lights come on they'll just go back to who they are and they won't be together. He told her that if the day came that she woke up and had to kiss him, and then he would kiss her. He then left her house leaving Rachel alone. The following day at school the two seemed closer than ever but it seemed Rachel really was using Mouth to get to Brooke. ("The Wind That Blew My Heart Away")

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Rachel leaves the stage at the Classic. ("All Tomorrow's Parties")

The weekend of the Classic soon arrived and with Brooke, Peyton and Haley at Rogue Vogue, Rachel took control of the cheerleading squad but soon Bevin and the others grew tired of her leadership. She became determined to win and forced the cheerleaders to practice non stop until the tournament and the cheerleaders started wanting Brooke, who stayed in New York when she was forced to choose between the tournament and the fashion show, to take control of the squad. With Peyton struggling with the death of her birth mother, Rachel reached out to Peyton. In another bid to hurt Brooke she manipulated her fellow students into switching rooms - a scheme which resulted in Lucas and Peyton sharing a room. Rachel and Peyton's night resulted in Rachel getting Peyton drunk so the morning of the tournament with Brooke in New York and Peyton suffering Rachel prepared to take center stage during the routine. However, Brooke arrived at the Classic and opposed Rachel, telling the girls to "have fun". During the routine a hung-over Peyton tripped another cheerleader and, with the routine in pieces, Brooke decided to have fun and dance. When the other cheerleaders followed her, Rachel refused leaving the stage having learned she could never take the squad from Brooke. ("All Tomorrow's Parties")

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Rachel confesses to Mouth that she released the time capsule. ("Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them")

Having been dejected by the cheerleading squad, Rachel decided to shake things up among the THHS students by releasing the time capsule the students made at the end of their junior year releasing it around the school and on the internet.  While the students remained unaware that it was her who released the videos which caused tension for fellow students — most notably Brooke, Nathan, Haley and Jimmy Edwards who slandered his classmates on his message. Her decision turned deadly however when a beaten and out casted Jimmy brought a handgun to school. After he fired a shot in the hallway, Rachel found herself in the tutor center with Haley, Abby, Marcus, Mouth, Skills and Jimmy Edwards who kept his identity as the shooter a secret. When Nathan and Mouth arrived Jimmy pulled the gun on the students revealing himself to be the shooter. Rachel was quick to demonize Jimmy after he put the blame on Mouth for changing and becoming just like the rest of them. The shooting resulted in the deaths of both Jimmy Edwards and Keith Scott, both of which died due to the implications of Rachel's actions. While dealing with the guilt Rachel and Brooke banded together to organize a party in the school - with everyone invited so everyone could heal together, in their own way. During the party, Rachel revealed to Mouth that she released the time capsule and that he should stop blaming himself for Jimmy's death, because she is to blame. Hurt, Mouth immediately left the party and abandoned his friendship with Rachel. ("Just Watch the Fireworks") ("With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept") ("Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them")

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Mouth discovers Rachel is dating Cooper. ("I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me")

As people started to heal from the fallout of the shooting Rachel decided to help them by inviting the gang to her parent's cabin in the woods for a getaway. However Mouth quickly, and correctly, assessed that the trip was simply Rachel trying to alleviate her guilt for releasing the time capsule. Rachel tried to use the weekend to build bridges with Mouth but failed as he told her that he was only at the cabin to support his friends, especially Lucas who was still recovering from Keith's death. As the weekend drew to a close Mouth and Rachel finally repaired their friendship when they actually talked about it and Rachel decided to tell everyone she was responsible. Mouth, however, tells her not to so people can continue healing. Also during the weekend, Brooke's rivalry with Rachel came back to the forefront when she caught Brooke, as Rachel quoted it, "Brooking" herself. During a game of 'I Never' Rachel revealed to the group the predicament she caught Brooke the day previously, forcing Brooke to try and get even. Rachel prevented her friends from assessing a cabinet which she said was private, but before leaving Brooke broke into the cabinet and found the pictures of Rachel before the surgery, revealing who she used to be. ("When It Isn't Like It Should Be")

At some point, Rachel met Nathan's Uncle Cooper Lee and the two formed a relationship, with Rachel lying about her age saying she was a 26-year-old-model. Rachel posted pictures on the internet and Cooper replied and, when the two met, Rachel decided to lie about who she was. ("I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me") ("I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness")

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A drunken Rachel reveals that she slept with Cooper. ("The Show Must Go On")

Rachel, however, faced more pressing matters when the pictures from the cabinet revealing Rachel before she had surgery were displayed around the town on posters teasing that the identity of the girl would soon be revealed. Clearly disturbed, Rachel told Mouth it was someone she once knew, who was now gone. Mouth discovered it was Rachel in the photos and returned them to her and then told him about her surgeries. After starting to feel that he and Rachel were more alike, Mouth started to feel as if he and Rachel could have a relationship and decided to tell her how he felt, but Cooper and Rachel answered the door, leaving Mouth heartbroken. Mouth and Brooke then teamed up to take Rachel down for leading him on. The two then discovered that Rachel lied to Cooper about her age they planned to reveal the truth to him. Mouth eventually stopped the plan, telling Cooper to take care of Rachel. However, at the following basketball game Cooper learned the truth when he saw Rachel in as part of the cheerleading squad. Rachel later visited Cooper and he demanded to know the truth and, despite him protesting that they cannot be together, they slept together again. ("I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me") ("Everyday Is a Sunday Evening")

After Cooper left her, Rachel tried to get back into his life leaving many messages and started punishing herself for letting him go. Being rejected by Cooper forced all of Rachel's insecurities to rise to the forefront once again which caused her to smash a mirror in a clothes store with her fist. Brooke found her and soon saw the insecure person behind her confidence nemesis when she told her "I need him to like me". Brooke covered for Rachel and, later, at Nathan and Haley's rehearsal dinner Rachel confided in Brooke and the two seemed to put their animosity aside. ("Over the Hills and Far Away")

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Rachel and Cooper's lives hang in the balance in the submerged wedding limo. ("The Show Must Go On")

On the day of Nathan and Haley's wedding Cooper approached Rachel and said that sleeping with her was a mistake and that they would never be together. Feeling more and more jealous of Cooper talking to other women, Rachel tried to mask her pain by drowning her sorrows, resorting to stealing a bottle of champagne from the bar after seeing Cooper and Peyton dancing, eventually becoming increasingly inebriated. After the best men, Lucas and Cooper, and maid of honor, Brooke, made their speeches a drunken Rachel decided to toast the newlyweds in a speech directed to Cooper. Addressing Cooper's toast about love, she questioned what Nathan and Haley could know about love since they were only 17 then reveal that she slept with him. She toasts to "sex with Cooper" before running out with Cooper in toe. Rachel then steals the wedding limo and Cooper is forced to get inside to stop her from doing something stupid. Cooper managed to get Rachel to drive back to the reception after he admitted he did like her, but never wanted anything serious. While driving back an emotional Rachel revealed she had something to tell Cooper, and lied and said she was pregnant. Cooper refused to believe her and she tried to grab the steering wheel to pull the car over. The two struggled for control as the approached the Molina Bridge where they nearly collided with Nathan and Haley in Lucas' car. Swerving to dodge them, Cooper lost control of the car causing it to break through the barriers and fall into the water with Rachel and Cooper inside placing Rachel's fate in question. ("The Show Must Go On")

Season 4[]

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Rachel lies with an unconscious Cooper after the accident. ("The Same Deep Water as You")

Nathan jumped into the river to try and save Rachel and Cooper, but became trapped himself leaving all three underwater. Lucas eventually jumped in himself but found the car empty and, after Lucas found Cooper, Nathan and Rachel were missing.  Lucas, however, found both of them on the side of the River and all three of them were rushed to Tree Hill Hospital. Rachel eventually woke to a frosty reception from her fellow students, especially Haley who openly blamed her for the disaster. However, she did find Brooke at her bedside. While the two resumed their bitchy relationship they seemed to start a genuine friendship, something Brooke needed after cutting all ties to Peyton. Rachel then visited a comatose Cooper and apologized when she ran into sheriff who hinted that she could be prosecuted as it was well known she was driving while drunk. Rachel was present in Cooper's room when he flat lined and, traumatized, she watched as the doctors brought him back. While dealing with her guilt, Rachel and Brooke grew closer and Rachel asked Brooke to move into her house with her. ("The Same Deep Water as You")

Cooper eventually awoke and took the blame for the crash, protecting Rachel but only because he thought she was pregnant. She then confessed to Cooper that she wasn't pregnant, and she just wanted to say something so he wouldn't leave her. He effectively ended their romance once and for all. Cooper then left Tree Hill for good, leaving Rachel devastated. Trying to move past her break up with Cooper, Rachel helped Brooke celebrate her 18th birthday and, as usual, left Brooke to have a one night stand with someone she met in the bar. However, her feelings for Cooper interfered and she found herself leaving his house, ashamed. She returned home to Brooke, they discussed the boys in Tree Hill where Rachel stated that they were all boring compared to Cooper. When Brooke asked if she could ever fall for someone their age she looked at a picture of Nathan — replying "maybe". ("Things I Forgot at Birth")

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Haley watches Rachel flirting with Nathan. ("Good News for People Who Love Bad News")

Rachel's infatuation with Nathan grew and she searched for a way to get closer to him and used the car accident as a way in as Nathan needed to talk to someone who was also trying to make sense of what happened. At the following basketball game, Nathan was awarded for his bravery and Rachel kissed him, giving him a "proper thank you", something which infuriated Haley who told her to stay away from Nathan. Rachel later overheard Nathan and Peyton talking where he told her that he thought Keith saved him and she later approached him, and lied saying that she saw Keith as well. Brooke then confronted Rachel about trying to seduce Nathan but Rachel turned the tables and revealed that she knew Brooke was pregnant. Incorrectly believing Brooke to be pregnant, Rachel tried to persuade her to have an abortion and not "ruin her life". At the same time, Rachel participated in a Hometown Hotties photo shoot for Maxim while still trying to seduce Nathan. While at Tric watching Lupe Fiasco perform live, Rachel, in a bid to connect with Nathan, lied and said she also saw Keith in the water the night of the car accident. ("Good News for People Who Love Bad News") ("Can't Stop This Thing We Started")

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Nathan tells Rachel about Haley's pregnancy. ("I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness")

Rachel's attempts to seduce Nathan, however, came to an abrupt end when Haley revealed she was pregnant, not Brooke. Rachel invited Nathan over to her house, saying she wanted to talk about the accident. Nathan however revealed Haley's pregnancy and Rachel instantly backed off and admitted that she didn't see Keith. When she asked if she would ever had a chance, Nathan told her "not for a second." Having lost both Cooper and Nathan, Rachel turned her attention to Brooke's love life and set her up with Nick Chavez who agreed to date her under the impression she was 23 years old. When they discovered Nick to be their new English teacher, Rachel told Brooke it was her mess to get out of. Rachel's Maxim photo shoot eventually made the front page, causing chaos in Tree Hill High restoring Rachel's confidence to the way it was. Brooke and Rachel's friendship, however, faced a tumulus future when Rachel made a move on Nick, Brooke's boyfriend and then lied to Brooke saying that Nick tried to kiss her saying he was a "bad guy". Brooke eventually discovered the truth and confronted Rachel, saying that she was "just starting to think she was a real person". However, when Brooke found Nick cheating on her with a model, Rachel comforted her and they restored their friendship. ("I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness") ("Where Did You Sleep Last Night?") ("All These Things That I've Done")

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Rachel and the cheerleaders celebrate the Ravens' victory. ("Some You Give Away")

Rachel, however, proved her loyalty to Brooke as a friend when she discovered that Brooke was failing calculus and she didn't tell her. Instead Rachel asked the guidance councilor what failing calculus this late in the year would mean and discovered that Brooke wouldn't graduate if she failed. Having devised a plan to help Brooke pass, Rachel approached Haley and asked her to tutor her in calculus. Haley refused saying that "she can't stand Rachel." Brooke, however, approached Haley and asked her to give Rachel a second chance and Haley agreed to tutor Rachel. The following day on the day of the State Championship Rachel started to be tutored by Haley but the two maintained their bitchy and antagonistic relationship. During the tutoring session Rachel noticed that Haley had a key to the cabinet in which all the tests were kept. She joked that Haley should give her the test in exchange for payment but Haley didn't find the joke funny, telling Rachel that she is trusted by the school to keep them confidential. However, when Haley's pregnancy took a turn for the worst  after the girls headed for the state championship, Rachel, like Peyton, Brooke and Bevin were there to support her when they rushed her to the hospital. Despite missing the first half of the game, the cheerleaders with Haley returned to the game to see the Ravens win the championship. After the game, Haley noticed that Rachel aced the quiz she had her sit and Rachel then revealed to Brooke that she could pass calculus in her sleep and it was Brooke who has failing calculus. She then revealed that she had stolen Haley's key to the cabinet so she and Brooke could steal the test. ("Nothing Left to Say But Goodbye") ("Some You Give Away")

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Shelley outs Rachel as an impostor among the Clean Teens. ("Resolve")

Returning to school after the State Championship, Rachel prepared to steal the calculus test despite Brooke's initial reluctance especially given that they were betraying Haley. Brooke revealed that she spent the whole night studying for the test and they wouldn't need to steal it but when she failed the test she turned to Rachel who had made a copy of the cabinet key. That night they broke into the school and managed to get the calculus test from the cabinet, passing a Clean Teens meeting on the way. However, while leaving the school they ran into Principal Turner and Rachel was forced to say they were in school for the Clean Teen meeting. Shelley Simon then induced them into the Clean Teens. Rachel's time as a clean teen, however, was short lived when Shelley received a video of her stripping at a college party. She was banished from Clean Teens, but Brooke chose to stay because of the latest member Chase. Brooke, however, then learned that the school had become aware of the test theft and the principal affirmed that the student responsible would be expelled. ("Everything in Its Right Place") ("Resolve")

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Haley confronts Rachel at the pre-prom party. ("Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers")

During a class assignment, the seniors of Tree Hill High were challenged to face the way others see them, and the way in which they want to be scene. The students were paired up randomly, and Rachel was put with Bevin, and they were supposed to really get to know each other, moving past the stereotypical views they had of each other. While Bevin was enthusiastic to take the class seriously, Rachel preferred to slack off. Rachel thought the class to be pointless but Bevin stood up to her saying that she will have a chance to reinvent herself after graduation, but Rachel has built herself up to be something special in high school and she will soon learn that the real world doesn't care who you were in high school. ("Pictures of You")

With Principal Turner closing in on the calculus test thief, and with Brooke the prime suspect, he issued another surprise test, panicking both Rachel and Brooke. As the tests were being collected, knowing Brooke would get caught; she switched their tests and subsequently received the blame for the stolen test. She, however, kept this a secret from Brooke and let he believe she aced the test herself. However, because Haley was tutoring Rachel she was fired from the tutor centre as the test was her responsibility. At Nathan's pre-prom party, Haley publicly confronted Rachel for stealing the test, throwing her drink over her and then slapping her for trying to sleep with Nathan after the car accident. Humiliated, Rachel was forced to leave the party and she was caught by Brooke. She then told Brooke that she switched the tests because Brooke was destined for greatness, while Rachel didn't think she would ever achieve anything. ("Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers")

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Mouth and Rachel leave the prom together. ("You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love")

 

The following day she was formally expelled from Tree Hill High, just as she had been from her previous schools. Rachel prepared to leave Tree Hill to join her parents on vacation, saying tearful goodbyes to Mouth and Brooke but she chose to avoid saying goodbye to the others, but felt animosity towards Rachel. At the airport, Rachel received a picture message of Mouth and Brooke at prom, which forced her to realize she'd miss Tree Hill more than her other schools. ("Prom Night at Hater High")

The picture text forced Rachel to decide she didn't want to leave Tree Hill just yet so she booked a later flight and headed back to crash the prom. Having been expelled, she was banned from school property and Principal Turner tried to reinforce that by banning her from entering. As she left, she invited everyone to join her in boycotting the prom and Mouth decided to join her wanting to spend one last night with his friend. While at the airport waiting for her flight, Mouth and Rachel held their own prom dancing together to celebrate her last night in Tree Hill. While saying their final goodbye, Rachel invited Mouth to come with her and to do something dangerous. He eventually agreed to join her and the two boarded the plane and prepare to head to New Orleans together. ("You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love")

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Rachel and Mouth reunite after graduation. ("All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone")

After leaving Tree Hill, Mouth and Rachel spent a week together during which they rented a car and drove during which they developed a pseudo-relationship. Their week came to an end when, while at a bar in Texas, but he soon realized there would always be someone else with her. Mouth told Rachel he was going home, and she left Honey Grove alone. Mouth ended up in a prison in Honey Grove, Texas having been arrested for sleeping in a park and the gang took a road trip to help him eventually all returning to Tree Hill without Rachel and most of them still felt animosity towards them, except for Brooke who still considered her to be a good friend. ("It Gets the Worst at Night")

Days before graduation, Brooke confessed to Principal Turner that she stole the calculus test, not Rachel, thus removing the blame from her friend. Brooke was allowed to graduate and, as a result of her confession, at the end of the graduation ceremony Principal Turner allowed Rachel to graduate in absentia, which meant that after being expelled from four different schools, Rachel finally received her GED. ("The Birth and Death of Day")

Two weeks after graduation, Rachel returned to Tree Hill to host the annual party to celebrate the school computers changing and the seniors officially being erased from the school. Rachel quickly resumed her friendships with Brooke and Mouth, as well as her antagonistic relationship with Haley, and she was accepted as part of the group as they prepared to say goodbye to high school. At the party, Brooke gave Rachel her high school diploma, which Principal Turner gave to her to pass on, leading her to tell Brooke of all the schools she was suspended from that she's glad she graduated from this one. After the party, Rachel and the gang headed to the River Court and wrote their names on the court floor and promised to return to Tree Hill in four years and Rachel then embarked onto adulthood without direction. ("All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone")

Missing years[]

After graduating high school, Rachel moved to New York and began working as a model for Brooke's company Clothes Over Bros. She was, however, introduced to the darker side of living in New York when she started doing drugs, developing a serious cocaine addiction. She started to use drugs and developed her addiction at first to help her escape the trials of her life and, as time progressed, just to make her feel something. Her modeling work started to suffer due to her addiction but Brooke kept her around because of their friendship. ("Running to a Stand Still")

Rachel also maintained her promiscuous ways after moving to New York and developed a reputation with many Clothes Over Bros employee's, such as Millicent who Rachel once had guard a women's bathroom door while she occupied the room with two men. Millicent started to see Rachel as self-centered and manipulative. ("You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side")

Season 5[]

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After she overdoses, Rachel returns to Tree Hill with Brooke. ("Running to a Stand Still")

Brooke was determined to keep Rachel in her employ, but taking a more tactical and business-like approach Victoria Davis demanded that she was fired from the company. Victoria surprises Brooke by revealing that they will have to fire the model, and Brooke will have to do it, despite their close friendship. That night, a tearful Brooke called Rachel and informed her that she wouldn't be needed at the next photo shoot, or any photo shoots after that. Sadly, she told Rachel that it wasn't personal and hung up. Hurt and devastated that her friend as let her go, Rachel's drug addiction worsened dramatically. ("4 Years, 6 Months, 2 Days")

When Brooke and Owen took a trip to New York in order for him to see that running Clothes Over Bros wasn't as easy as he imagined, they stopped by a New York loft owned by Brooke and found someone had been living in it. While walking through the trashed apartment, Owen found Rachel unconscious, having overdosed on heroin. Owen and Brooke then fought to save her, eventually succeeding and saving her life. Brooke asked Owen if she was okay, but he replied that Rachel wasn't going to die, but she wasn't okay. Brooke then revealed to Owen that she fired Rachel at Victoria's request and the two proceeded to get rid of Rachel's drug supply and the equipment she used. Rachel eventually awakened and Brooke was there to support her, all the while still telling her she was stupid not letting Brooke help her. Rachel, however, insisted that she didn't feel she could trust Brooke after she fired her. Owen suggested that Brooke should send Rachel to rehab to beat her addiction, but Rachel was reluctant to go, wanting only to not be alone. She asked Brooke if she could stay with her, asking her old friend to not to give up on her. Brooke eventually agreed after Rachel said she didn't want to be alone again and she brought her back to Tree Hill. ("Running to a Stand Still")

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Victoria tells Rachel that she can't beat her addiction. ("You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side")

Rachel returned to Tree Hill looking for a fresh start and took the opportunity to reconnect with her old friends and she receives support from Brooke and Peyton in her recovery. After Brooke extending a helping hand, Rachel felt determined to beat her addiction and to prove to Brooke that she could beat the addiction. During her time in Brooke's care, she was offered a job at Clothes Over Bros by Brooke and, feeling ready to return, she asked Brooke if she could start to rebuild her life by returning to model for the company again. She was, however, disappointed to learn Brooke was offering her a job at the store because she didn't want to expose Rachel to that lifestyle. Rachel, however, brushed it off and prepared to make a baby steps in her rehabilitation. After lying low for a week she allowed Brooke to tell people she was there, including Mouth who was overjoyed to be reuniting with his old friend. However, Rachel made her intentions for inviting Mouth to Brooke's clear when she tried to seduce him looking for a "natural high", but Mouth turned her down because he was with Millicent at the time and because he knew Rachel was only doing it because she thought she wasn't good enough. He then told her that she was good enough, and she did matter, and she could beat her addiction before leaving. 

Rachel's determination to beat her addiction was questioned, however, when Victoria confronted her and told her that she hadn't changed and she would never beat her addiction and she was simply hurting Brooke and Peyton by pretending she could. With her confidence shattered, Rachel fled Tree Hill taking the money that Peyton had used to repay Brooke for funding Red Bedroom Records with her. However, when Brooke learned that her mother had confronted Rachel, she fired her. ("You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side")

In-between[]

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After returning to her sordid lifestyle, Rachel meets Dan Scott. ("Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered")

In the two years that followed after Rachel fled Tree Hill she managed to beat her addiction for some time she remained sober. However, she eventually relapsed after failing to get work, due to her actions with Clothes Over Bros placing her name under much scrutiny within the industry. That means she was blackballed, no fashion will want to hire her. Now abusing drugs, she returned to the sordid life she ran away from and she started working as a stripper and, upon request, a prostitute. One night, at the club, she discovered Nathan and Lucas's father Dan Scott, who at the time was a broken man awaiting death and that night Dan paid Rachel to spend the night with him. Dan said that he was rich, and dying, prompting Rachel to realize he had everything she was interested in. After sleeping together, Dan asked Rachel if she believed in redemption and if people could change and Rachel made it clear that she didn't - having herself tried to change and failed. ("Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered") ("Now You Lift Your Eyes To The Sun")

When Rachel noticed the vast amount of self help books in Dan's hotel room she questioned him about them and he said that people are afraid of dying without leaving their mark on the world, where as he left his mark and couldn't seem to die. After Dan stated that if people saw his life, they would feel a lot better about their own Rachel seemingly softened asking him if he wanted to leave, saying they could both get out of the dark lives they had fallen in to. Rachel stopped him from finishing the last of his bottle, saying that she needed him to turn her life around just like he needed her. ("Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered")

From this point onwards, Rachel and Dan both attempted to redeemed themselves putting their sordid pasts behind them. Rachel seemingly stopped abusing drink and drugs, gave up her life of prostitution and promiscuity and ended her manipulative ways. She grew romantically close to Dan and the two were eventually married. Despite maintaining that she loved Dan, Rachel married him because of the image they needed to portray on the show and because of the privileges Dan's money gave her. Rachel then tried to ensure that Dan would get a new heart and, in order to do so, she paid a family whose son was on life support $5,000 to pull the plug so Dan would get a new heart. This succeeded and Rachel was there when Dan awoke and they then started to plan the building of their empire. Rachel, however, never told Dan the story regarding how he got his new heart. ("I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight")

A now reformed Dan started to write his own self-help books and, with the help of Rachel, created a self-help television show called Scott Free Redemption and Rachel took the role of the producer of the series. Both on and off screen, the two played the part of the perfect couple, despite the fact that Rachel seemed more concerned with the show's financial success than actually helping people. ("What Are You Willing To Lose?") ("Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered")

Season 7[]

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Dan unveils Rachel as his new bride. ("What Are You Willing To Lose?")

Rachel was unveiled as Dan's new bride on his chat show Scott Free Redemption and the two played the part of a perfect couple on screen telling letting the world see how in love they were. However, Rachel's reformation was questioned when she made it clear that the success of the show was more important to her than helping people. When Dan talked to a homeless man on the street, Rachel was quick to take a picture of it on her camera phone and release it to the media, prompting articles about Dan Scott being the real deal to appear on the internet. During a show in which Dan talked about the truth always coming out, a man in the crowd told everyone that Dan is a murderer and the production team, panicked, asked Rachel is they should cut. Rachel, however, decided that they should keep rolling because he is a murderer. Dan, however, faced up to his crime and admitted he was a murderer but he and Rachel refused to hide from that. Later in the show, the two discussed the night they met — lying to the crowd about a romantic, old-fashioned and chaste courtship continuing to play the part of a perfect couple. After the show, Rachel revealed to Dan that she hired the man to expose him, because whenever they shine a light on his mistakes and he fights back it inspires people. She also revealed that she did it because it makes good TV, before walking away leaving Dan confused. ("What Are You Willing To Lose?") ("Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered")

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Rachel persuades Renee to speak out against Nathan on Scott Free Redemption. ("Deep Ocean Vast Sea")

Rachel and Dan then learned of the accusations that a woman named Renee claimed that Nathan got her pregnant but when Dan tried to call his son, Rachel reminded him that his family would never forgive him for everything he did to them. Dan then preceded to contact Renee and he and Rachel invited her to the studio, making her a proposition. With interest in an interview in Renee through the roof, Rachel and Dan had to persuade her to tell her story on the show. Rachel assured Dan that giving Renee a voice was the right thing to do and he could trust her to get Renee to agree. Later, talking to Renee, she told her about Dan trying to reach out to Nathan and he shut him down and she told Renee that Dan was talking to her in order to spite Nathan not to help him. When Rachel told her that she could get more money from Nathan if she helped Dan "bury Nathan" he would have to pay her more money to dig himself out. With Rachel's persuasion, Renee agreed to do the show. ("Your Cheatin' Heart") ("Deep Ocean Vast Sea")

The day of the live show soon came and Dan and Renee exposed Renee as a liar and they cleared Nathan's name. After the show, which Rachel deemed to be a success, Rachel found Dan and asked how he knew that she was lying and Dan told her because Nathan is still his son, and he raised him. The two then said "I love you" to each other. ("I And Love And You")

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Rachel tells Dan the truth about how he got a new heart. ("I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight")

After the show with Renee, Scott Free Redemption's ratings soared and Rachel started to plan ahead for sweeps, but Dan became preoccupied with his concerns regarding his heart operation. When he told Rachel that he thought he saw a boy bleeding in the audience during a live broadcast, she assured him that he was seeing things and Rachel kept the true story regarding how he got his heart a secret. When he started to feel guilt about getting his new heart at someone else's expense, Dan suggested to Rachel that he should come clean and reveal he isn't living on borrowed time, as he had the viewing audience believe. She, however, reminded him that if he told the world the truth they wouldn't forgive him for it and everything they worked for will have been in vain. Dan, however, started to see the same boy who he thought he saw in the audience in his dreams and was forced to ask Rachel how she really got the heart. Rachel then revealed that he paid the boy's family to pull the plug but, given that it saved Dan's life, she asserted to her husband that she wasn't a murderer like him. Later that night, Dan suggested to Rachel that they take a vacation and return to Tree Hill because he wanted to go home. ("I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight")

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Rachel tries to repay Brooke resulting in a confrontation. ("Now You Lift Your Eyes To The Sun")

Returning to Tree Hill with Dan, Rachel was forced to face the life she ran away from before her apparent reformation. Unlike Dan who was overjoyed to return home and to have the chance to repair his relationship with Nathan, Rachel showed much disdain upon her return to Tree Hill much preferring her new life in L.A. Rachel was first forced to come face to face with Nathan, where Rachel met Jamie for the first time and reminisced about when he was "just a rumor in third period". Being only a seven year old child, Jamie didn't understand all the drama surrounding Rachel and Dan and said that he was glad they had each other, refering to her as "Grandma Rachel". While in Tree Hill, Rachel decided to visit Mouth but the strains of Rachel's recent actions on their friendship soon became apparent as he told her to talk to Brooke about what happened she was in Tree Hill, and Mouth openly sided with Brooke because Rachel betrayed Brooke. That night, Rachel attended Haley's return to the stage at Tric and she finally found the courage to talk to Brooke. She tried to repay Brooke, but her former friend told her that she took more than money and she wanted nothing to do with her. When Rachel told Brooke to accept her own role in what happened, after leaving money with a junkie, Brooke slapped Rachel and told her to stay away from her — making Rachel aware that their friendship was truly over. After the show, Dan forced Rachel to accept that she was running away from the mistakes they made, and they should both try and get redemption. ("Now You Lift Your Eyes To The Sun")

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Rachel tells Dan that his love will never be enough. ("You Know I Love You, Don't You")

Rachel continued to deal with the repercussions of her return to Tree Hill and, knowing that Mouth and Brooke were both at odds with her, she put all her efforts into Scott Free Redemption, and making it a success over sweeps. While visiting Tree Hill High School, Rachel pitched the idea to Dan that they should broadcast live from the corridor where Dan shot Keith, adding that her presence in the classroom that day will add an authenticity to it. Despite Dan's reluctance, she told him to think about it in spite of Dan believing it to be "insensitive". ("You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son")

Dan had serious reservations about the show as it went into production and confided in Rachel, who brushed him off and told him that it was a good idea. After Dan was confronted by Jimmy Edwards's mother, Dan's reservations increased and he told Rachel that he didn't want to do the show, before asking her how much money it will take to make her happy because he wanted to stop and just live his life, and that they could grow old together. Rachel responded that his love would never be enough, and some of his money wouldn't be enough either because, as his wife, she will be entitled to all of his money after his death. ("You Know I Love You, Don't You")

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Dan serves Rachel with divorce papers. ("Some Roads Lead Nowhere")

The day of the planned broadcast from Tree Hill High School soon arrived and Rachel pressured Dan to move forward with the show, telling him that it would be a success. Dan's faith in their relationship had feigned however and he started to realize that Rachel doesn't love him, and never did. The show then went lives from the hallway were Dan killed Keith but Rachel, like the audience, was stunned when Dan said that the show was wrong and cruel and incentive to both Keith and Jimmy. He then revealed to Rachel, and his audience, that it was his final show leaving his wife stunned. While speaking to the audience, Dan made it clear that his view on Rachel had changed and he then revealed to her that he was giving away all his money — because neither of them deserved it. With production of Scott Free Redemption closed, Rachel was left without a job and soon acknowledged that her marriage to Dan was over as well. She then met with her lawyer and discovered that all of their money had been given away, and all Dan left for her before leaving Tree Hill was divorce papers. Desperate to find some way to make her relationship with Dan worthwhile, Rachel told her lawyer that if Dan wanted a divorce then it was going to cost him. However, Rachel soon realized she had been backed into a corner when her lawyer reminded her that there wasn't any money left. Rachel then realized that she was left with nothing.  ("Some Roads Lead Nowhere")

Season 9[]

Rachel did not actually make a physical appearance in Season 9, but she was mentioned by Dan once when he was naming his long list of enemies.

Post-departure[]

Following the end of the series, creator Mark Schwahn said this about Rachel: "Rachel's obviously fine, She's always going to be fine. She's very crafty, and yet, she has a good heart and she's in great shape." 

"I think if Dan had lived, Rachel would've come back and revealed that she never signed the divorce papers," "He would have said, 'You have to understand, I'm poor now!' and she would have said, 'Do you think I wasn't embezzling from you all these years? I have a bunch of your money saved up. We'll be fine.' That's how I think of Rachel. She's wily, she's wonderful, she's fine."

Relationships[]

Romances[]

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Rachel's relationship with Mouth grew complex when he discovered the real Rachel.

Rachel's relationships with men have often been inconsequential and never serious. After she got plastic surgery she embraced the life that came with her new appearance and started acting promiscuously and flirtatiously. During her time in Tree Hill she developed attractions for Lucas, Nathan and Mouth but it would be her relationship with Mouth that would become the most complex. Mouth was the only person to see the real Rachel, a vulnerable and insecure girl, and it was this girl who he fell in love with despite Rachel breaking his heart many times. Rachel's first relationship itself was based on a lie, when she started dating Cooper Lee who believed she was a 26-year old model. The relationship eventually ended after, in a desperate bid to keep him, Rachel lied about being pregnant.

Rachel's latest relationship was with Dan Scott to whom she is married to despite her complex histories with both his son's and his former brother-in-law. Their relationship isn't based on love on Rachel's behalf but more to portray the image of the perfect couple for the TV series but Rachel also isn't shy to admit she appreciates the privileges marrying Dan Scott provides her. After Dan tried to cancel a show broadcast live for Tree Hill High School, Rachel told Dan that his love would never be enough for her, making it clear to Dan that Rachel didn't share the affection that he had for her. After Rachel pushed Dan too far in pushing him to do the live broadcast, Dan soon realized that his marriage to Rachel was a sham and she didn't love him and Dan tried to pay Rachel out of their marriage after she laughed off his suggestion of them growing old together and Rachel then made it clear to Dan that she only married him for his wealth, and that his love would never be enough and so she refused to leave. After giving up his wealth and ceasing production of Scott Free Redemption, Dan left Tree Hill and asked Rachel for a divorce — something she was powerless to stop.

Career[]

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After being fired from Clothes Over Bros, Rachel works as a stripper.

Rachel frequented many high schools and was expelled from five schools in total. She often showed little regard for the academic side of school, caring more for upholding her social standing as one of the popular and elite. She also rarely appreciated the rules of school, openly admitting to drug taking and cheating on tests during her senior year (she also hinted to Brooke that she had slept with teachers at her previous schools). Rachel's disregard for her own success aided Brooke as Rachel took the fall for a stolen calculus test that she and Brooke stole which resulted in her being expelled from Tree Hill High School. However, Brooke came clean about her involvement and Rachel was graduated in absentia. She was awarded her high school diploma by Brooke, and showed much surprise that she actually managed to earn it.

Rachel worked as a model for Clothes Over Bros after graduation and, despite battling a drug addiction, stayed in their employ due to her relationship with Brooke. However, Victoria eventually forced Brooke to fire her and which effectively put a black mark against her name in the industry. Unable to work Rachel started to work as a stripper until she met Dan Scott and turned her life around — eventually becoming the producer of his television series. Rachel has conveyed her ruthless attitude to the TV industry often making controversial and unexpected decisions (such as outing Dan as a murder and proposing that they broadcast live from the corridor where Dan shot Keith) in the name of good TV. However, Dan eventually decided to stop making the show after returning home forced him to accept that he was prospering from Keith's death. He decided to give up his wealth and ask Rachel for a divorce — effectively ending both their marriage and her employment as his producer.

Trivia[]

  • Despite her surname being spelt as Gatina on the series, the CW website and other sources spells her last name as Gattina.
  • Rachel's birthday is January 17th, 1988.
  • It's presumed she came from wealthy family similar to Brooke, however, unlike Brooke, Rachel's parents cut her off as soon as she turned 21.
  • Rachel has met every main character except Keith, KarenClay, QuinnJulian and Alex.
    • Despite having never met Keith, she did attend his funeral.
  • Rachel is one of the only 4 main characters to not appear in the ninth and final season. The others are Karen, Whitey and Peyton. She is the only one who was not introduced in the first two seasons.
  • Rachel has appeared in 47 episodes.
  • Although appearing in Seasons 3-7 and being mentioned in 9, Rachel was only a series regular for one season. She was not credited for Season 6 and 8.
  • She is one of the only 'bad' girls in the cheerleading squad.
  • In Season 4 she was labeled the evil Brooke Davis.
  • Rachel was the main antagonist of Season 3.
  • She is the second main character whose parents didn't appear on the show. The first one is Mouth.
  • She has been to five high schools: Grant High School, La Salle Senior High, Pembrooke High School, John Adams High, and finally, Tree Hill High School.
  • It is unknown what happened after Dan filed for divorce against Rachel.

Gallery[]

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