>>50127267I'd like to add how interesting Serena started off before her arc even began moving. Before choosing to try showcases, Serena was almost an aimless drifter, trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, trying a bunch of different things. This is unlike basically all the other girls who started off with pretty clear cut motivations during or soon after their introduction episode.
Serena's original character situation is a startling adult one for the series. Most often in children's media, characters are shown with clear cut motivations, life aspiration, or careers, simple concepts that prepare kids for the adult world, but Serena was a departure form this because she presented the idea of not knowing exactly what you wanted to do. Think of all the 20 something post High School/university adults, who grew up on Pokemon and might've unironically wanted to be a pokemon master like Ash, now without much aim in life, wondering how their friends have found passions and careers while they're still figuring something out. Serena is basically a 1-to-1 metaphor for that exact emotional conundrum. And her growth then provides hope that you can find that direction and drive to achieve something. While I don't want to say Serena is the best character, she's certainly up there.
