What reason do you think Serena didn’t appear in SM?

[AshxSatoshi]

Technically Brock and Misty didn’t need two different appearances in SM. Especially when Eevee alone could of been promotion of Let’s Go and I’m sure the writers weren’t looking that far ahead when they promised Ash to return. When XY was airing people speculated Iris not appearing was due to unpopularity (now has been debunked) but apparently it was due to a continuity oversight why she didn’t. What do you think their excuse is for SM? As of Journeys she is the only Pokegirl to not return and I’m curious what you guys theories are.

 

[Zero1999]

Didn't she said she'll come back once she wanted to become better and mature the next time they met? Anyways, i suppose that in SM they just couldn't find a way to put her in at the end of that series. I probably would tell because of shipping reasons but then again, that wouldn't make sense to me.

Maybe they might cross paths in the Hoenn region but alas, Ash has been there that just seems like the earth just swallwed her leaving no trace lol, not even a single mention since the XY series, so in short, probably never thought what to do with her once XY was over

 

[Sham]

I think the main question is why? May came back because she and Dawn were both coordinators, Dawn came back because of a connection with Cynthia and Cynthia does have a villa in the games and now she’s coming back for game promotion, Misty and Brock came back due to the anniversary and Sampson ties to Pro Oak and Iris came back because she was in the PWC but it was already established she was a good battler so no shocker. I would of originally said to update us on her Contest journey but they’re bringing Contests back with Dawn so. The writers could make up any reason to bring anybody back but hopefully when she does they’ll make it good. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just to see Ash however.

 

[Leonhart]

Kasumi and Takeshi's returns felt very Kanto nostalgia-driven given that they happened around the time of the anime's 20th anniversary, and around the time of the Let's Go games' release a little while later. So I understood why they returned even if they didn't do anything of actual importance. I can't imagine what reason the writers would have to bring Serena back in SM, however. She wouldn't have had anything relevant to do.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

She wouldn't fit SM especially with the ending XY had for her. Plus it isn't a compulsion to bring old characters back, XY didn't do it either. SM only brought back Misty and Brock first for anniversary celebration then LGPE promotion. Serena wouldn't serve any purpose to the narrative

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

I don't think there was a need to, and there would have been no way to do it in a way that appeases the fans, especially the more hardcore shipping fanatics. She'd just come to Alola, have a bite to eat at Mallow's restaurant, maybe go shop with the girls, visit the pokémon school, and have a Team Rocket encounter, and it could all be somewhat endearing, but what would she actually add to SM that wasn't already there? I suppose the best they could have done was to have her be an aid to Mallow's development in her cooking skills. That wouldn't be awful, and it could probably be a little funny if Mallow would treat her the same way Mallow treats her brother every time she gets weird around Ash, but is that humour worth it if it just sets up hatred from the shipping fanatics towards Mallow? They probably just didn't want to deal with that whole backlash.

 

[Evstike]

KANTOOOO

 

[lolipiece]

Who knows. Maybe the writers just decided to drop the previous Poke-girls returning concept.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Different priorities. They were keen on trying to make SM be its own thing, independent from previous entries. The Kanto pandering two-parters seemed more like executive mandates than something they wanted to do. Serena was just a casualty

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Kanto and the lack of AG-XY continuity in general.

 

[Teravolt]

Different priorities. They were keen on trying to make SM be its own thing, independent from previous entries. The Kanto pandering two-parters seemed more like executive mandates than something they wanted to do. Serena was just a casualty

Poor Serena. One of the most popular characters should have gotten some screen time, especially since the Kanto crew appeared and returned in multiple series.
-Someone who doesn’t watch the anime

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

It's not exactly comparable. The way they ended Serena in XY comes with baggage for a potential return that complicates things. You can either pretend it didn't happen at all (which would probably be the best they could do tbh even if it still somewhat ruins the original ending) or address it in some way which can only turn into an awkward mess that nobody wants. Ash isn't the kind of character to be able to gently turn down a girl with some subtlety and empathy, and even if you go that route him turning her down on the episode she comes back for a reunion would be all kinds of upsetting and quickly make the reasons for her return look mean-spirited.

 

[AuraChannelerChris]

Two Ks:

Kanto-only references.

The (Non-Consensual) Kiss of Death because you can't just come back after pulling something like that without making it the huge focus.

 

[janejane6178]

The writers dont like her, I dont know why.
She's the only companion that got zero appearances after her departure. Dawn even comes back for the second time.. and Serena? Zero times.

 

[Leonhart]

The writers dont like her, I dont know why.
She's the only companion that got zero appearances after her departure. Dawn even comes back for the second time.. and Serena? Zero times.

Hikari is most likely returning a second time because of the Diamond/Pearl remakes, so I wouldn't compare her situation to Serena's. I don't think they have anything against Serena in general, rather I think they simply don't know what to do with her character. That pretty much explains how they handled her for the first year or so of XY.

 

[janejane6178]

Hikari is most likely returning a second time because of the Diamond/Pearl remakes, so I wouldn't compare her situation to Serena's. I don't think they have anything against Serena in general, rather I think they simply don't know what to do with her character. That pretty much explains how they handled her for the first year or so of XY.

They have tons of stuff they could have done with her. They could show her in a special, doing a contests, catching Pokemon in Hoenn etc....
Give it to Pokemon writers to come out with random ideas.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Only because of her crush and kiss on Ash. Look at SM Ash ugly. Look at XY Ash. Handsome. Also why the hell would she return in a series that is more aimed at kids than ever with stupid gags. Also the writers want to forget her existence because of kiss. And Yajima isn’t working on the anime anymore. And she’s the only one to have never met a previous traveling companion of Ash’s.

TLDR: Writers ignore her due to her crush on Ash.

 

[U.N. Owen]

Also why the hell would she return in a series that is more aimed at kids than ever with stupid gags.

The crush baggage, I can buy. What I can't buy is this. Pokemon is a kodomo which is where it stood. It just change genre.

 

[Zero1999]

Only because of her crush and kiss on Ash. Look at SM Ash ugly. Look at XY Ash. Handsome. Also why the hell would she return in a series that is more aimed at kids than ever with stupid gags. Also the writers want to forget her existence because of kiss. And Yajima isn’t working on the anime anymore. And she’s the only one to have never met a previous traveling companion of Ash’s.

TLDR: Writers ignore her due to her crush on Ash.

It's that or they plain know Amourshippers might be mad if they don't have any moments together.

When putting it in perspective, how are they going to use her in the new series if she comes back? Her goal was Ash, this was partially her reason for going in a journey, in the end she got what she wanted and the shippers too, the only chance i see is her appearing in an episode centered about contests but again referencing what i said above, just wouldn't be the best if their interactions weren't as they were in XY, things wouldn't be the same and the fans of the ship would not get happy.

 

[janejane6178]

Only because of her crush and kiss on Ash. Look at SM Ash ugly. Look at XY Ash. Handsome. Also why the hell would she return in a series that is more aimed at kids than ever with stupid gags. Also the writers want to forget her existence because of kiss. And Yajima isn’t working on the anime anymore. And she’s the only one to have never met a previous traveling companion of Ash’s.

TLDR: Writers ignore her due to her crush on Ash.

Finally some1 with a common sense here. Bless ur heart <3