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Serena as a traveling companion

Honestly, Serena is alright as a character but is a bit bland in my opinion. I know she has lots of interesting traits, like being an aspiring Pokemon performer and having a crush on Ash, but they're not really big enough things to build a character around. I can't really see that much personality in her. She just seems to be a bit protective of Ash, and likes to spend time with Bonnie but has no real interaction with Clemont other than the fact that they both cook the XY group's meals.

The scene in episode 60 (A Showcase Debut!) was something I'd been wanting to see for a while (even if that crying was horrendously voiced. I actually didn't like the animation either.). It really was the first time where Serena actually properly showed her emotions other than looking sad or looking happy or whatever. I would like to see more like this and eventually build up character until the end of the series, when she's practically a new person.

Also, I love the little Amourshipping hints that are placed in the series. I'm guessing that we all found out that Serena and Ash was a thing for the future in the first few episodes, and since then, we've got a few hints placed here and there, like that little scene in the end of the Diancie movie credits and episode 59.
 
For me, serena is the most relatable and likeable female companion. To be honest serena is actually the first female companion that i actually liked, Misty, may and dawn were all annoying and iris was too much for me too handle. Serena is the first one i've liked and her crush on ash is something new in itself and is one of her important character traits. I really want the writers to ditch the tradition and have her travel with ash in the next region or end ash's and serena's story together in a good way(aka amour being canon).
 
The writers are beginning to bug me again with regards to Serena, they spend so long making her interesting & finally won me over, but since 064, she's been pushed to the back again. The last two episodes have been billed as Serena episodes - she was a large part of the 072 promo & was even on the 073 title card - 072 was a Bonnie episode & 073 was far more about Shota. It also doesn't look as if she's going to get a look in until the next season, unless Noibat becomes hers, which I doubt.
 
As a character, Serena felt tacked on for the first 40 or so episodes; it took her 5 episodes to join up with Ash, she only did something productive in about 6 of those episodes, and she only had one Pokémon. It certainly didn't help that five of those 40 episodes were solely focused on Korrina's journey. Prior to her discovering a dream of her own, Serena was only noteworthy for being the first female traveling companion to have a canonical crush on Ash.

But when Serena finally found her path, the writers didn't waste any time to bring her into the spotlight. In XY047, Serena attended her first Pokémon Showcase and caught her first wild Pokémon. In XY050, Serena began to train as a performer. In XY053, Serena raced against her mother to gain the latter's permission to perform. In XY056, Serena and Bonnie fought against Team Rocket to protect Goomy. In XY059, Serena received a dress from Grace and a ribbon from Ash. In XY060, Serena competed in her first Showcase. In XY064, Serena met and battled with Aria, and her Fennekin evolved. As a main protagonist, Serena ranks close to the top of having the most focus episodes in a 20-episode window.

Even though Serena hasn't really received any focus episodes as of late (with the Lumiose and Laverre Gym Battles, Goomy's storyline being resolved, and Scottie being formally introduced), I am confident that the writers will keep making Serena relevant as time goes on.
 
Honestly Serena is a ok character but her goal is boring to me

To me Serena, may and Dawn are the best, However me like you don't think her goal handled right - I wrote before in what do you think of xy thread about this point so please look to what I wrote;-

To me, their is unfair to let the fans choose the winner of kalos queen. Look to the serena's episode when she lose. She didn't do anything but because ash, clemont (citron), and his sister are serena's friend they chose her but next time i feel she will her best and i hope that for her and for Jessie too.
 
I appreciate they have a pool of writers, like most shows, so there will be inconsistencies. But, this is the first time there's been two long-term female travelling companions & frankly, I don't think a lot of them know how to handle that & they just fall back on the "default settings" for Serena & Bonnie -
Bonnie's enthusiastic & likes cute things, or she does her standard "embarrass Clemont" gag
Serena's the navigator, or she bakes something, or acts like a junior member of the 'Sex & The City' cast
 
The writers are beginning to bug me again with regards to Serena, they spend so long making her interesting & finally won me over, but since 064, she's been pushed to the back again. The last two episodes have been billed as Serena episodes - she was a large part of the 072 promo & was even on the 073 title card - 072 was a Bonnie episode & 073 was far more about Shota. It also doesn't look as if she's going to get a look in until the next season, unless Noibat becomes hers, which I doubt.

Will You have a point my friend but the good think in serena that she still find a way to connect with pokemon and all this for Ash : Serena mada sagashite hoitsu no yume to mirai desu, soshite mitsukete wa hoitsu no yume to mirai desu ( which mean Serena still try find a way for her dream and her future, and Finally found it her dream and her future

I appreciate they have a pool of writers, like most shows, so there will be inconsistencies. But, this is the first time there's been two long-term female travelling companions & frankly, I don't think a lot of them know how to handle that & they just fall back on the "default settings" for Serena & Bonnie -
Bonnie's enthusiastic & likes cute things, or she does her standard "embarrass Clemont" gag
Serena's the navigator, or she bakes something, or acts like a junior member of the 'Sex & The City' cast

Will citron and cilan are good but cilan is better
Bonnie like max but this time girl not boy, but i am agree with you
Serena sure she like member of the "Sex" but she is so beautiful and so cheerful too. she want to like pokemon for ash, as I said : "Serena mada sagashite hoitsu no yume to mirai desu, soshite mitsukete wa hoitsu no yume to mirai desu ( which mean Serena still try find a way for her dream and her future, and Finally found it her dream and her future"
 
At the beginning, I was excited for Serena. I had high hopes they'll do something great with her, like they did with May and Dawn. Unfortunately, I was disheartened upon seeing Serena being a very passive, background character doing very little in the show.

I don't dislike passive characters, nor do I have a problem with Serena not knowing what to do. In fact, I very much like that Serena started out as someone who didn't have a goal and didn't know what she wants to do in life. It's nice to have a bit of variety among traveling companions. However, as much as I love what the writers intended to do with Serena, I'm still disappointed at how she was handled until the Summer Camp Arc. They had the opportunity to have Serena try a multitude of things, including possible game features (bonus: game advertising). The main point of Serena's development thus far has been her changing from a passive to an active character. Her development would have been better seeing her try out various activities, slowly becoming an active character. In the meantime she could have caught a Pokemon or two, participate in a couple of battles other than against Team Rocket, and possibly gain some experience in other fields relating to Pokemon that could, in turn, help Ash with his own battles. Remember how Ash used some of Dawn's Contest strategies in his own Gym Battles?

Then, once Serena would have supposedly went through a number of activities, she could have discovered the Performances. I think her loss would have been even more emotional in a setting in which Serena has gained a lot of experience from her travels and activities, giving her a confidence boost believing that she'll do great in her Performance debut, and then have her embarrassing loss leading up to her haircut and such.

Alternatively, I would have liked her participating in Contests with a few new additions and different types of Appeal rounds (like the dressing up we saw in Serena's Performance). This is actually what I was expecting to see in XY, after the ORAS games were announced. It would have been perfect! Serena discovering the Contests around the time the games get released so then they can advertise the games and have a cool goal for Serena. It's not that the Performances aren't cool. I believe they are, it's just that we've seen very little of them and the potential they have.

Overall, I do think Serena was and is a wasted potential. However, despite all this I still like her a lot as a character. I enjoy her personality, her older sister-like relationship with Bonnie, her design (I prefer the short hairstyle, yes!) and so on. Although the XY series is far from over, Serena is very well on her way to occupying the second place. The first one is being held by May, and while I do like Dawn a lot, I like Serena as a character a lot more so now it's a matter of how they'll continue writing Serena.
 
Honestly, I think Serena's my favorite out of all of Ash's female traveling companions. I don't remember May or Dawn too much, and Misty and Iris spent too much time yelling at Ash over everything. Even as a kid, I never liked Misty for that very reason! I always wished Ash would meet a female friend who was just genuinely nice and didn't freak out at him over his mistakes every two seconds. Thankfully, the creators gave me that in Serena. Although, when I was a kid, I hated anything related to stereotypical girliness, like characters who loved fashion, boys, baking, and clothes. They always came off as shallow to me, not helping that certain cartoons executed them in a shallow manner either. I have since gotten rid of the notion that girliness is automatically bad, and Serena really won me over in that she's pretty much a girly girl but ISN'T ANNOYING OR A STRAIGHT UP B****! It helps that the creators actually gave Serena actual character, obstacles to overcome, and doesn't paint Serena's girliness as being a bad thing. Yeah, I was worried that the creators would make her totally obsessed with Ash, but I was pleasantly surprised in that it's just a little crush, and that she's still living life for herself. She can hold her own when given the chance, is spunky, independent when she can, and is just a nice girl, though not without flaws, and those flaws actually make her human! Why couldn't she have been Ash's Kanto-Johto companion instead of Misty?!
 
I like Serena. I think she's had about as much character development as any other traveling companion Ash has had. I don't understand why some people complain about her. To me she has about the same personality as May or Misty but sweeter (even May has been known to do the Japanese eye-lid pull flip off).
 
I actually like Serena and she's pretty refreshing after putting up with Iris for three years. While she didn't do much at the start, things began to turn around after she finally got into Pokemon Showcases and caught Pancham. Her goal isn't the most exciting side story, but I still like seeing her compete. It could be nice though to see her participate in some more battles and actually win. Maybe we can have a small 3-4 episode tournament arc and let Serena compete. Overall, Serena has been pretty good and much more tolerable than Iris was.
 
Serena is dreadfully stale, generic and definitely the most boring character to ever have joined the main cast, according to me.

There's literally nothing about her that I think is just slightly interesting. I like her interactions with Bonnie 'cause cjjjjjute, but other than that, I barely even notice her. That's how bland she is.
To think that I had so high hopes for her in the very beginning with Rhyhorn racing and all... Ugh.
 
Serena is dreadfully stale, generic and definitely the most boring character to ever have joined the main cast, according to me.

There's literally nothing about her that I think is just slightly interesting. I like her interactions with Bonnie 'cause cjjjjjute, but other than that, I barely even notice her. That's how bland she is.
To think that I had so high hopes for her in the very beginning with Rhyhorn racing and all... Ugh.

Yeah that basically sums up why I stopped watching X and Y, and it sucks to because Clemont and Bonnie are cool characters but Serena character is uninteresting and while I liked the fact she didn't know what she wanted to do, I hated how they just made her another girly girly and when they did give her a goal it was because the same thing has Pokemon contests which I didn't enjoy either.

Also the whole childhood friends with Ash is the most forced thing I ever seen, it makes you wonder if any of the writers are Jedi. (LOL)
 
In the end, it doesn't really matter what the writers do.

Serena's a re-hash of May/Dawn's girlishness (Showcases are similar to what Contests should be in the anime version like in the games; in the end you have to win a battle in order to win the ribbon like in a gym battle) which gets on my nerves sometimes, while Iris was a re-hash of Misty albeit a worse version in my opinion. Her game counterpart was awesome, but I just don't like Iris in the anime. Though there are some episodes I like about her in but always in the end...eh.

I like Serena but I'm also not impressed by her. Like, her bland typical girlishness annoyed me in the beginning plus she didn't do anything much. It took her the longest time to get a goal and even longer for her to catch a Pokemon. I guess I do like her Showcase dream anyway, it gave her something to do as well as filler for episodes not involving gym battles.

I also just really like Pancham and Eevee a lot. Braixen as Fennekin didn't really impact me and I don't really have anything to say about her now.

As for Iris, I'm kind of upset that her goal to being a "Dragon Master" wasn't explored enough. I completely forgot about it while watching a couple episodes until I'm reminded by it when whoever says, I don't know I didn't stick around for BW and only watched a few episodes out of boredom.

I'm not sorry to say I generally disliked BW's female companion, maybe if they explored her goal more I would've stuck around.

But that's me.

I hope for the next female companion to come they'll give her something else other than non serious goals or Contest spoofs...
 
Serena has been getting excellent character development lately imo. It would be pretty interesting to see how she will handle a loss if she loses in her next Showcase, which I'm expecting to happen because of Eevee's shyness if Serena uses her.
 
I dislike Serena the moment they brought in the crush thing in the anime. Ash is 10 years old and has no concept of crushes, dating, etc. The worst thing of all is that she hasn't figure it out that he is not interested in her and still keeps at it. She is just as bad Iris and I wish neither of those female companions came into the anime. I like the game counterparts more the anime version of Serena (and Iris).
 
I like her. She just beats Dawn on my favorites list by a little. Her crush on Ash makes her more interesting and it's nice she knew Ash before the journey.
She really needs to lose again though. If she gets her third key without losing another Showcase........ we all know she won't win Masterclass, but come on May and Dawn didn't sweep Contests that's why we loved them. We need to see how Serena will deal with another loss, to show development. And maybe Eevee blame itself for losing
 
I'm going to put this in here, as I don't want to derail any of the episode threads.

Warning :- long stream of consciousness post
Firstly, let's establish things, we're talking about a universe where 10-year-olds are given command of potentially lethal creatures, wander around the country completely unsupervised and battle criminal organisations. Therefore, my points are made with regard to that and not to real life.

Secondly, a quick synopsis of the characters, they all knew what they wanted from the word go (I realise these are rather simplified, but if I go into too much detail, this is probably going to be even more ridiculously long than it already is).
Misty was always going to be a Water type master and run the Cerulean City Gym (this is why I personally don't want her to come back, in my mind, she's HGSS Misty and has become the strong, self-confident women she deserved to be, but that's a different subject)
Although May knew nothing about Pokemon, she wanted to travel and used going on her Pokemon journey as a means to that end.
Dawn started her journey with the sole intention of becoming Top Coordinator like Johanna before her.
Iris left the Village of Dragons to train Axew into a Haxorus and become a Dragon master.
Then there are all the others, eg., Ash, Kenny, Paul, Zoey, Georgia, Kelly. Who are all 10 as well, on the whole. From this, it can be concluded that children in the Pokemon universe know what they want out of life from about the time they're able to walk.

With that, I'll move on to the actual point of my post, my problem with how Serena in general and the whole Performance mini-arc in particular has been handled.
Until she discovered Showcases, Serena wandered around with all the focus and single-minded determination of a kitten with ADHD (I reiterate, while this is more consistent with real life, it is anachronistic in regard to this reality and in complete contrast to all other characters. Let's not forget, she's travelling around with a scientific genius and his approximately six-year-old sister).
We're expected to believe that while she knew about Aria and her Pokevision videos, Serena had no idea about Pokemon Performances, is Vaniville Town without television, libraries or internet access? Then we come to my main bugbear and why I said that Serena was heading dangerously towards Mary Sue territory (that's all I said, I didn't go as far as calling her a Mary Sue). She's a complete newcomer to Showcases and is immediately the greatest Performer of her generation. This is in total contrast to the other characters such as Shauna and Miette (you can imagine them practising Performances with their Pokemon dolls when they were little, while Serena was avoiding Rhyhorn riding, for example). Serena's heading towards the top with little to no effort. If she'd put some work into things, I wouldn't be so annoyed (eg., May practising with Skitty to perfect Blizzard, Dawn learning how to work with Togekiss, etc.). But no, she's encountered two Pokemon who already like performing/dancing, so had a team virtually handed to her and any problem she encounters is solved quickly and conveniently. Such as the most recent example in the Frey City Showcase, instead of something like Serena uses a secret Rhyhorn training technique Grace taught her, she just wins because the Rhyhorn are all inexplicably in love with her. Also, we now know that she's getting an easy ride through the Master Class final because episode 112 is Serena vs. Aria.

I feel now that a lot of people here are right, this saga is coming to an end and the writers are trying to wrap everything up as soon as possible.
 
I love Serena, but it's really sad how poorly her goal was handled.

I agree, she didn't seem to struggle with the Showcases. Her rivals were never threatening or presented in a way that makes you think they pose an obstacle Serena has to overcome. Her second loss didn't seem to affect her the way losses affected May or Dawn. We didn't see much training from her (up to the point I watched anyway). Her team already consisted of Pokemon that seemed to have a talent for perfoming. She didn't seem to learn anything from the rivals or Showcases, except that one encounter with Aria.

Lastly, Serena's performance episodes resorted to drama like Eevee running away in fear or her dress being damaged. Those aren't even related to the actual competition, making the Showcases underwhelming.

I wonder if the writers had planned to give her more Showcase episodes, but then had to rush things because of the upcoming games.
 
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at first I quite liked her with her sassiness around her mum and her more quiet moments as well as her relationship with the others but then they did nothing with her for a while and she started to become bland which even iris got on my nerves at times she was generally interesting to watch
 
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