Dan Humphrey and Serena van der Woodsen were one of the on-again-off-again couples in Gossip Girl. Some thought they were perfect for each other all along as Dan proved himself to be the perfect man by her side. Others thought she should have ended up with a different man at the end of the series, as there were plenty for her to choose from.
It can become a heated debate as Dan is pitted against the other suitors, but he does make a great case for himself. He put in the work, although, it doesn't mean he couldn't have taken some pointers from her other suitors. Keep reading to learn why Dan was the perfect guy for Serena, as well as the methods of a few other men she could have chosen!
Perfect: They Desired True Love
The biggest reason that was staring fans in the face about this couple is that they both had a desire to find true love. Even when they were apart, they still jumped from relationship to relationship in search of their perfect other half. This is a big reason why Dan was always meant to end up with Serena in the end as their goal to achieve this in life was something that both parties desired.
Other Option: Aaron Rose
Aaron Rose was an artist who had some history with Serena back from their summer camp days. The pair had matching personalities, but the relationship grew rocky after she realized he liked to date more than one girl at a time. He also reveals that he lives a sober lifestyle, which would have made a positive impact on Selena, but she chose to lie about her own sobriety instead.
Perfect: He Travels To The Hamptons To See Her
The episode called 'Summer Kind of Wonderful' has Dan taking a trip to the Hamptons to win back Serena after he realized how much he missed having her in his life. He even talks with her grandmother, who he disliked, and she helps prepare him for the party that Serena will be attending. He confesses his feelings for her, which is something very few men would have the courage to do, then whisks her off to the beach like the perfect guy fans knew he was meant to be.
Other Option: Nate Archibald
Nate Archibald and Serena had plenty of history, as their story began before she even left for boarding school. He continually tried to win her affection when she came back, despite still being in a relationship with Blair.
There was love between them, and Nate himself was ambitious and took great lengths to win those he had feelings for. He ultimately decided in the end that Serena was not the one for him, but it still didn't stop fans from dreaming of this couple ending up together.
Perfect: He Bailed Her Out Of Jail
Serena's own mother had her arrested, and Dan was the one who freed her from her cell. He even went the extra mile and made sure she was ready for prom that evening by supplying a dress for her to wear. It involved quick thinking on Dan's part and it was one of the qualities that made him the perfect man for Serena.
Other Option: Carter Baizen
Carter Baizen's relationship with Serena started off fairly rocky as she used him to help her find her father, and it slowly led to a more romantic relationship. He leads a fairly mysterious life that seems to reside outside of the bounds of the law, and their relationship ends when he reveals the truth about his gambling debts to Serena. He was good to her as she brought out a better side of him, but his past had a play in the end of their time together.
Perfect: Dan Believes Serena's Drug Story
The episode called "Gaslit" shows Serena waking up in a room surrounded by alcohol and pills, and she has no recollection of anything. No one believes that she wasn't responsible for what happened, except for Dan.
He sees that something else is going on because he knows her and what she is capable of doing. It is this true understanding of Serena that makes him the perfect man to be by her side for eternity.
Other Option: Tripp van der Bilt
Tripp van der Bilt is Nate Archibald's cousin and also a married man who fell hard for Serena. He works as a politician, and their relationship was a scandal that the papers would have given anything to have. His kind and caring attitude might have made him a winner, had it not been for the time he put Serena in the driver's seat at an accident to avoid any backlash on himself.
Perfect: He Fights For Her To Stay In Manhattan
The series finale was unpredictable, but it was also Dan's last effort to keep Serena from leaving Manhattan for Los Angeles forever. He revealed his biggest secret to date which was the fact that he was the voice of Gossip Girl and the piece he wrote on it showed Serena what a great man he was for her. She realized that she wanted her life to be with him, and it was one risk that paid off for Dan and had fans shipping this couple all over again.
Other Option: Colin Forrester
Colin Forrester was a professor at Columbia University that was both Serena's neighbor and the teacher of one of her classes. He had the looks and the brains, but he was forced to hide their relationship by going to extreme lengths in order to prevent jeopardizing his career. The two mutually agree to part ways, although, this is one hunk that fans wish Serena had ended up with.