Serah Farron

Serah Farron [sɛrə] is a supporting character in Final Fantasy XIII and the main protagonist in Final Fantasy XIII-2. She is Lightning's younger sister by three years, and Snow Villiers's fiancée. Lightning accuses Snow of failing to protect Serah and does not initially approve of their relationship.

In Final Fantasy XIII, Serah is the first Pulse l'Cie in Cocoon and her destiny is one of the game's central plot points. In Final Fantasy XIII-2, Serah sets off on a journey with Noel to find Lightning when all others believe her to be dead.

Final Fantasy XIII


Serah is an 18-year-old girl with the same pink tint of hair Lightning has. She ties her hair into a ponytail on the left side of her head, much like how Lightning's hair is draped over her left shoulder. Serah has blue eyes like her sister, although Serah's are a darker shade.

She wears cat-shaped earrings representing NORA, a black armband on her right bicep like Lightning, red plaid pleated skirt lined with black lace, a white sleeveless dress shirt, a semi-transparent pink sweeper, an extra matching hair tie on her left wrist, black thigh-high stockings, ivory ankle boots, and a bandage on her left bicep, which she uses to cover her l'Cie brand. She eventually wears the engagement pendant she receives from Snow. Yoshinori Kitase describes Serah as "the cutest girl" in the game.

According to Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-, Serah is a straight-A student and one of her favorite subjects is history. Serah is mature and wise, and cares deeply for those around her. Despite the grave circumstances, she stays positive and believes in a better future as long as she has her friends by her side.

Final Fantasy XIII-2


Now 21 years old, Serah wears a revealing, form-fitting dress of white, reddish-pink, and gold. Her dress consists of a white top, pink sections on the front and back connecting the top to the skirt over black shorts, cut-out sides at the waist, criss-crossing pink straps on the sides of her torso, two straps that go over her shoulders into a cross-back shape, a storage pack on her right hip that hangs from her waist, pink and black thigh-high leggings, and purple ankle boots.

Serah retains her earrings and engagement necklace, and also wears a pink choker, short pink sleeves under gray gloves, and two gold armbands, one on each arm, one in the shape of a bird that rests on her left bicep, where her l'Cie brand used to be. Similar to Lightning's use of a gunblade that can switch between gun and sword, Serah wields a bowsword, though its true form is that of her new moogle companion, Mog. The symbol on the front of Serah's dress is also on Lightning's shield. In addition, Etro script is written on both symbols, the blades of Serah's weapon, the back of her dress under the symbol of Etro's throne, and her storage pack. The script on Serah's outfit translates to: Witness to Times Forgotten -- Restorer of Lines Disjointed.

In the three years that have passed, Serah retains her strong and caring personality. Serah is now a grade school teacher, and according to her students, she is strict and has a short temper; she does not tolerate tardiness or misbehavior, and can be scary when angered, which earned her the nickname "Meanie Miss Farron."

Serah shows she can hold her own in battle, with or without Noel, despite not having much prior experience in combat.

Downloadable Content Outfits
Serah has several alternate outfits released as part of downloadable content. "Summoner's Garb" was released on January 10th, 2012 in Japan and came as pre-order content in some countries and on March 16th, 2012 appeared as fully downloadable content; "Beachwear" was released on February 21st, 2012, in Asia and on February 28th, 2012, it was available worldwide; "N7 Armor", costume based on 's armor appeared on the net on March 27th, 2012, in Asia and the US, and the next worldwide; "Style and Steel", which was designed by Yuko Oshima, was downloadable from April 10th, 2012. "Style and Steel" is the only free DLC for Final Fantasy XIII-2. A White Mage costume was released on May 15th, 2012.

Early Life
Serah was born three years after her elder sister, Lightning, and looks up to her as she has been her guardian ever since their parents died when the sisters were young.

Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-


Serah was planning to attend the university in Eden when she fell in love with Snow during her summer vacation, much to her sister's dismay. Serah was interested in studying history, and the local landmark, the Bodhum Vestige, caught her attention. One day, Serah finds a door leading inside the Vestige and ventures into the ruins, where she is chosen by the Pulse fal'Cie, Anima, that was entombed inside the Vestige.

Serah is branded a l'Cie and has a dream of transforming into Ragnarok and destroying Cocoon, but does not realize that it's her Focus. Waking up outside the Vestige, Serah notices her brand and tries to wipe it off, but her distress causes it to advance and she runs off. Four days later, Serah tells Snow she had been branded a Pulse l'Cie and tries to break up with him, but Snow refuses to abandon her and offers to aid her in figuring out her Focus.

Two days later, Serah comes to the aid of a girl named Vanille when she scrapes her leg on the beach, and the two become friends. Listening to Vanille's problem, Serah advises her to face it later and look at it from a distance to find a way to overcome it. She tells Vanille about her nightmare of destroying the world and how she tied to run from it, but now knows she will get through with her friends' help. Since it was her fault Serah was made a l'Cie, Vanille apologizes but Serah, not knowing of Vanille's involvement, does not understand. The next day, Serah goes out with Snow to find a birthday present for Lightning. The night after, they attend the fireworks festival, where Snow proposes to her and she accepts.

On Lightning's birthday the following day, Serah and Snow tell Lightning about her becoming a l'Cie, and their engagement, but Lightning believes Serah is lying as an excuse to marry Snow. Serah and Snow attempt to seek the council of the fal'Cie in the Bodhum Vestige, but since PSICOM discovered the fal'Cie the night before, the town has been quarantined and the Vestige is off-limits. While escaping PSICOM on an airbike, Serah jumps onto a ledge on the Vestige and becomes trapped by a silver liquid substance that pulls her into the Vestige as the fal'Cie's prisoner.

Final Fantasy XIII


During the Purge, both Lightning and Snow make their way through the Hanging Edge to the Vestige to save Serah. Serah tells Lightning to save Cocoon and crystallizes, leaving behind a crystal tear for Snow. Snow believes Serah will awaken, but Lightning believes her to be dead.

After the party is turned into l'Cie the Vestige falls into Lake Bresha, crystallizing it on impact. When the others find her, Serah has become part of the crystallized lake. Lightning, Vanille, Hope and Sazh abandon Snow, who stays behind to try and free Serah. She is brought aboard the Lindblum along with Snow when he is captured by Fang and Cid Raines's troops.

On the Palamecia, Barthandelus tells the group Serah's Focus was to "assemble the tools for Cocoon's destruction", or lure them inside the Vestige to be branded l'Cie. This cripples Snow, who until that point had believed their Focus was to save Cocoon just as Serah asked.

After defeating Cid Raines in the Fifth Ark and observing him entering crystal stasis despite going against his Focus, Snow's spirits rise and he vows to follow Serah's wish to save Cocoon. In the Sulyya Springs on Gran Pulse, Vanille reveals to Snow that Serah saw the same dream of Ragnarok they did - meaning Barthandelus must have lied to the group about Serah's Focus - and reasons that Serah beat her Focus.

In Oerba, Barthandelus uses Serah's guise to try and trick the party into turning into Ragnarok, but they see through the illusion. As the party goes through Eden, Barthandelus tells them he is holding Serah and Sazh's son Dajh hostage. In Orphan's Cradle, Barthandelus destroys an illusion of the crystallized Serah to unnerve Snow and Lightning.

After Orphan is destroyed and Vanille and Fang sacrifice themselves to keep Cocoon from crashing into Gran Pulse, Serah wakes up from her crystal sleep and reunites with Snow and Lightning. Serah forgives Lightning for not believing her, and Snow begins to plan for their wedding, with Lightning congratulating the pair.

Final Fantasy XIII -Episode i-
Serah and Snow talk about rebuilding on Gran Pulse and saving Vanille and Fang. Serah asks Vanille what she is dreaming about within the crystal pillar, revealing she knows about Snow staying with her at Lake Bresha since he carried her crystal tear, enabling her to hear him and see what he saw. Serah theorizes the dreams people have in crystal stasis vary since Dajh told her about his dream of playing with chocobos.

Serah decides to become a school teacher and educate children on why Cocoon fell. She wants to tell them their side of the story, and help them grow up into adults who can think for themselves. Shortly after, she discovers Lightning is nowhere to be seen.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments Before


Due to the timeline being corrupted, Lightning is removed from history and only Serah remembers the original course of events. In the two years after Lightning's disappearance, Bodhum's former residents build the Pulsian village of New Bodhum and some learn to use magic, including Snow and Serah. Having yet to marry, Serah and Snow are living together.

As everyone else adjusts to living on Gran Pulse and rebuilds their lives, Serah feels unable to move forward. Though she helps out Lebreau in the NORA House and looks after the resident children during several occasions, Serah still misses Lightning, haunted by her memory of the day she vanished without a trace and troubled by how everyone else doubts her claims. Serah continues to feel that her uneasiness and insecurities are her punishment for being made a l'Cie, believing the Purge wouldn't have happened otherwise.

With her friends' support, Serah manages to reach her goal of becoming a teacher like Lightning was to her; teaching the children how to protect themselves and think for themselves, pointing out the flaws in their former life under the Sanctum and fal'Cie in Cocoon. One day, Snow tells Serah that he finally believes her about Lightning still being alive and leaves to search for her, but a year goes by and Serah never hears back from him.

Final Fantasy XIII-2


One night, Serah has a dream about Lightning fighting a mysterious man within a strange world. A crystal meteor crashes outside of New Bodhum and she awakens finding herself in new clothes. The town is ravaged by monsters and Serah is saved by Noel Kreiss, the boy she saw in her dream. He gives her a moogle that can transform into a weapon and says Mog is a gift from Lightning, who now resides in Valhalla, and that she has asked him to bring Serah there. The meteorite is actually a Time Gate and the next day, Serah and Noel search the town for an artefact to activate it. Serah learns that Noel is the last human left from the end of the world, and after praying to create a brighter future, Lightning gave him the chance.

After deciding to put her trust in Noel and saying her good-byes to NORA, Serah, Mog, and Noel enter the Time Gate and travel through the Historia Crux, the crossroads of the time continuum. They come out in the Bresha Ruins in Cocoon in 5 AF. The ruins are affected by a paradox that causes a giant monster known as Atlas to appear in the area. With the help of an Academy scientist, Alyssa Zaidelle, Serah and Noel solve the paradox by defeating Atlas and the Bresha Ruins are restored. After learning that Alyssa was a victim of the Purge and emotionally scarred by it, Serah is wracked with guilt. While activating another gate in the area, Serah has a vision of Ragnarok crystallizing Cocoon but hides this from Noel.

Their next destination, the Yaschas Massif in 10 AF, is darkened by a solar eclipse due to a paradox. They meet an adult Hope Estheim, who tells them a tribe of Farseers ruled by a seeress named Yeul used to live in the ruins. He says the seeress had the ability to see the future and foretold the nation's destruction, which ultimately caused its downfall. Hope shows them the Oracle Drive, which shows grainy images of Lightning in Valhalla. Hope believes the paradox affecting the area is also affecting the Oracle Drive, and gives Serah and Noel an artefact to help them resolve the problem.

After taking a gate to Oerba 200 AF, Serah, Mog and Noel find the place being sucked into a void. By resolving the multiple paradoxes affecting the area, they restore Oerba. At the old schoolhouse, they find another Oracle Drive that projects various images of Serah's reunion with Lightning. They are interrupted by Caius Ballad and Yeul, with Serah recognizing Caius as the man she saw battling Lightning in her dream. After Caius battles Noel and Serah, Yeul stops Caius from killing them, and warns them that changing the future also changes the past.

With the paradox in Oerba solved, Serah, Noel and Mog return to the Yaschas Massif in 1X AF, an alternate reality in which the eclipse never occurred and Hope never met them. Yeul appears and gives Serah a cryptic message, saying they are the same in how they can 'show others the way.' Serah and Noel repeat their introduction to Hope, who shows the now clear images of Lightning in Valhalla with the Oracle Drive. The Oracle Drive shows images of Cocoon falling at Caius's hand, and Noel says Cocoon fell centuries before his birth, and the world fell into ruin. Serah says they must change the future and Hope decides to help them with everything he and the Academy do in the present time. Serah and Noel use the gate in the Pass of Paddra and emerge in the Void Beyond. As Serah begins to doubt of them ever finding Lightning, Noel reassures they are one step closer to Lightning with each Time Gate they pass through.

Traveling to the Sunleth Waterscape 300 AF, Serah clutches her head in pain and recites Yeul's prophecy about Cocoon's fall as though possessed. She has a vision of Snow about to be killed by a giant flan. Serah runs off and finds Snow half-conscious before Noel comes to their aid, and they fight off the flan together. As the monstrous flan reforms itself after its defeat, Serah pulls a resistant Snow to safety. She introduces Noel and Snow to each other before explaining to the latter why they are there. Snow says Lightning appeared to him in a dream telling him to protect Cocoon's crystal pillar from the giant flan and Serah and Noel decide to help him by resolving the paradox that makes the flan grow.

Traveling to the Coliseum, Noel, Serah and Mog encounter the Arbiter of Time, who demands them to leave and gives them a fragment in return for doing so. Noel criticizes Snow for being the type of person who charges into danger thinking self-sacrifice will save everyone, but ultimately gets people killed anyway. Serah expresses her concern for Noel since he has helped her many times himself. Noel however says that unlike Snow, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality and asks Serah not to compare him to Snow, believing that he didn't care about taking off and leaving her alone for so long.

After Noel and Serah defeat the Faeryl in the Archylte Steppe in ??? AF and stop Royal Ripeness from growing, they return to the Sunleth Waterscape and find Snow nowhere in sight despite his promise to wait for them. They find him struggling in front of the giant flan and after defeating it for good, Noel yells at Snow for being reckless. After Snow entrusts Serah's safety to Noel, he disappears as the paradox affecting the area has been resolved, and Serah notices a Pulse l'Cie brand on his arm before he fades away. Noel theorizes Snow asked to become a l'Cie for the power to protect people but Serah says no one can be foolish enough to become a l'Cie willingly. Noel says that Snow is the type of person who only cares about the people he protects and would be willing to doom himself for their sake by doing such a thing. Serah decides it is her turn to save Snow and make sure they meet again someday.

Back in the Void Beyond, Noel asks if Serah has had any more dreams and explains the Farseer tribes had a girl with the same appearance and power who is always called Yeul. In Academia 400 AF, Serah, Noel and Mog witness numerous citizens transform into Cie'th. They are confronted by what appears to be Caius, who threatens to kill them for tampering with the timeline. Caius says they were killed as a result of learning a forbidden history sealed within a tower two hundred years in the past and have now appeared before him alive, a paradox in itself. Serah and Noel find Yeul under attack by Cie'th. After dispatching the Cie'th, Noel holds Yeul in his arms and Serah despairs, because her and Noel's actions have determined the fallen Yeul's fate. Yeul dies and leaves behind an artefact that enables Noel, Serah, and Mog to use a nearby Time Gate. Yeul said Caius wasn't in the city, leading Serah to wonder if she and Noel met an imposter.

In the Augusta Tower, 200 years before the events at Academia, Noel and Serah learn Hope had created a Proto fal'Cie to keep Cocoon airborne without its pillar. They meet an artificial duplicate of Alyssa and learn that Hope, Alyssa, and other scientists were killed in the tower 187 years ago at 13 AF, and duplicates of them were created to hide the truth. On the tower's top level they find Yeul, who gives them an artefact and implores them to protect time. She reveals Caius is an immortal Guardian and retains memory of all timeline events and says Lightning disappeared because the future had changed and if Serah and Noel solve the paradoxes the past will return to how Serah remembers it. Yeul tells them the Caius from Academia was a deception made by a sentient machine within the tower, then implores they show her a new future.

Noel, Mog and Serah enter a battle against the Proto fal'Cie Adam, who keeps reviving itself whenever defeated. Serah charges Adam while shouting at Hope about his machines "driving her nuts," and just before she impales Adam's crystal, the fal'Cie disappears into thin air. Serah has another vision of the future and blacks out, but Noel is able to bring her back. Through the next Time Gate, they emerge into an alternate Academia in 4XX AF, where the city is peaceful and the Proto fal'Cie was never created. They meet Hope and Alyssa and learn Hope scrapped the idea for the Proto fal'Cie after seeing Serah yelling at him through the Oracle Drive. Hope had devised the New Cocoon Project before he and Alyssa went into the future in a time capsule he invented.

Hope explains his man-made Cocoon will be made airborne through the use of Graviton Cores. After bringing Hope the cores needed, Alyssa gives Serah and Noel an artefact to open a new gate in the city. Promising to meet Hope and Alyssa again in the future, Serah, Noel and Mog enter the Historia Crux but get separated. Manipulated by Caius, Alyssa gave a booby-trapped artefact to Noel and Serah, betraying them to save herself from disappearing due to being a paradox herself.

Caius uses the Time Gate to separate Serah from Noel into different areas of the Void Beyond, with Mog's soul removed from his body. Finding several apparitions of Yeul, Serah learns she is a seeress chosen by Etro and how on the Day of Ragnarok the goddess released her and the others from crystal stasis. The last Yeul warns Serah that she brings herself closer to death the more she changes the timeline before transforming into Caius, who reveals it was the miracle Etro gave to Serah and the others that condemned Yeul. He says that he plans to send everything back to Valhalla, thus freeing Yeul from her curse for all eternity. Caius stabs Serah through her back, spilling chaos from her body.

Serah awakens in New Bodhum wearing her old clothes, surrounded by NORA. When she finds Snow, he claims Lightning never disappeared and has been living with them ever since they got married. Serah finds Lightning on the pier who says that Serah changed history, making it possible for her to come back. Serah almost believes her but remembers the real Lightning is fighting in Valhalla and needs her help, and that she can't abandon Noel and her friends. Serah refuses to comply and Lightning is engulfed in chaos. Vanille and Fang contact Serah as they are all dreaming, and help Serah escape her dream world by opening a portal that Serah can use to find Noel and save him.

Serah emerges in a desolate world under a red sky and finds him, but he does not acknowledge her. Realizing she is in Noel's dream, Serah follows him as he interacts with Caius and Yeul along the way, and witnesses a duel between Noel and Caius where the latter emerges the victor, and sees Yeul die in Noel's arms, leaving him all alone. As he is being pulled off the ground towards a light in the sky, Serah grabs hold of his arm and calls out to him and he remembers her.

Noel tells Serah if they change history in a big way it will cost Serah her life, but Serah chooses to continue onwards as it is what Lightning wants, and if they fix the timeline quick enough she won't have to see the future for long. Mog's soul is freed from the Void Beyond and he brings new information from Lightning about Caius. Caius used to be a Pulse l'Cie tasked with the Focus of protecting Yeul and was saved by Etro and made immortal, watching over the seeresses for centuries, and is using his knowledge of their visions to warp the timeline as he pleases.

They come out of a spacetime distortion into New Bodhum at 700 AF that is now a wasteland. Serah opens a portal on the beach, and Lightning emerges before them, saying they are in a future she failed to save. After Lightning explains everything to them, Serah theorizes Caius's plan is to turn the world into a timeless world like Valhalla. Lightning says they will need to go to the year 500 AF where Caius plans to destroy both the old and new Cocoons. She has Mog reveal a new Time Gate and as Lightning leaves, Serah asks if they will be together once everything is over, but Lightning only says, "One thing at a time, Serah."

In Academia 500 AF, they see the city is now a labyrinth of chaos. As Serah, Mog and Noel make their way through the city, they hear Yeul's disembodied voice warning them not to kill Caius and Etro. Approaching Academy Headquarters, Caius turns into Chaos Bahamut and attacks. Hope saves them and they board an airship piloted by Sazh with Dajh, and battle Chaos Bahamut. Caius warns Serah that even if she saves the future, she will not survive to see it. Serah tells Caius she knows each change in the timeline threatens her life but she doesn't care. After fighting Caius, a wormhole tears open the sky and Caius flies into it as Chaos Bahamut, with Serah, Noel and Mog following close behind.

They fall out into Valhalla and engage Caius on the beach. After Noel strikes him down, Caius transforms into Jet Bahamut and fires an attack upon them and they are sent falling into an abyss of light under Valhalla's waves of chaos. Lightning saves them by pulling them towards the surface for the final battle. Afterward, Noel repeatedly refuses to obey Caius's demands to kill him. Caius stabs himself with Noel's blade and as Caius's body fades away, Serah believes he had always wanted to return to Valhalla to die so he could end Yeul's cycle of rebirth. A series of gates appear throughout Valhalla and Mog says the final paradox has been resolved and he doesn't sense Lightning anywhere in Valhalla. Serah worries Caius had really killed her, but Noel reassures Lightning will be with the others since they fixed the timeline. Serah, Noel and Mog return to Gran Pulse in 500 AF, where they see the new Cocoon named Bhunivelze afloat in the sky and the gate to Valhalla close. With their journey now over, Serah thanks Noel but has another vision of the future and dies in his embrace.

After her death, Serah's spirit is bound by chaos before Etro's throne in Valhalla as Lightning helplessly watches. Disembodied spirits of Yeul tell Lightning that Serah will remain with them until the end of time and fade into darkness. While Lightning mourns her sister's death, Serah's spirit appears to her on Etro's throne. Serah explains she was aware of her eventual death yet continued on her journey because she made a promise to herself she would not stop until they were together and has no regrets. Within a void full of light, Serah embraces Lightning. As she fades away, Serah asks Lightning not to forget her, and promises they will see each other again.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
In an interview with Famitsu magazine, Motomu Toriyama commented saying that while Lightning's journey is to save the world in thirteen days, Serah went on a journey to "save all". Lightning also meets a mysterious girl named Lumina, who bears a strong physical resemblance to Serah. During a game preview held at a Play Community Event in Tokyo, it was revealed that Lightning's role as the Savior may enable her to rescue Serah's soul and enable her to be reborn in the new world: if Lightning fails, Serah's soul will vanish forever.

In Battle


Serah starts with the Commando, Ravager, and Sentinel roles and majors in Ravager and Saboteur, but is also a good Medic, even if she can't learn Cura and Curaja, due to her high Magic stat and faster casting speed than Noel. Serah is not a proficient Synergist as she learns only a few spells for that role.

While her stats can be customized in the Crystarium, Serah's natural stat growth emphasizes high Magic.

Serah has an agile fighting style, jumping while firing her bow and performing backflips, demonstrating a fighting style similar to Lightning's. Serah's Full ATB Skill is Ultima Arrow, a Ravager skill that quickly fills the target's chain gauge with a barrage of attacks.

Despite not being a traditional summoner, the abilities acquired by Serah during the ending of Final Fantasy XIII, allow her to summon and command monsters via the Paradigm Pack system, but she first needs to defeat them, bar few ones obtained through improved Moogle Throw.

Weapons


Serah fights with a bowsword, and depending on what form she has it and the target's distance, she will use the appropriate model: the bow for ranged combat and the sword for melee. As a Commando, when the paradigm is set to 'Cross', Serah mainly uses her weapon as a sword. Serah's original weapon has an inscription in Etro's script that translates to: The light that pierces the enveloping gloom of time and illuminates the truth.

Serah has several weapons which can be downloaded as part of her bowsword weapon set. There is the Seraphic Wing which restores HP as it damages the monster, the Genji Bow which increased the ATB gauge by recharging its rate and the Azrael which is useful to increase chain bonuses.

Creation and Development
According to the Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega, Serah was originally planned as a playable character in Final Fantasy XIII, but issues during development led to the decision of turning her into a non-playable character. In Final Fantasy XIII-2, Serah's facial structure underwent some changes from the predecessor: her hair was made a darker shade of pink and her nose was made smaller.

In an interview in Famitsu, it was revealed Serah's clothing from Final Fantasy XIII-2 was designed by Yusuke Naora, based on plugsuits from , as requested by director Motomu Toriyama. Isamu Kamikokuryo, the art director of Final Fantasy XIII-2, has said the character designs are built from the scenario and setting and the new designs for Lightning and Serah are reflected within the environments they begin their journey. For Serah, he said she was cute and girly in Final Fantasy XIII, but that she is a little more tough and battle-ready in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Kamikokuryo has also said the balance between making a female character appealing for both genders of gamers was a challenge. The designers did not necessarily strive for a look that would appeal to both male and female gamers, but more of what design would end up the most memorable in players' eyes and mindset. With Serah being more active in Final Fantasy XIII-2, the designers wanted to maintain her feminine qualities, while still making sure she looks ready for a battle. According to issue 219 of Game Informer, Serah was given a bow able to transform into a sword to "preserve her femininity".

, member of AKB48 and leader of the JUDGE 13 test players, was asked to design two alternate costumes for Serah, one of which would become an official DLC by votes from fans in a contest starting on November 15th, 2011. The first DLC costume, called "Exposure and Defense", was designed when the AKB48 idol was wondering whether it is possible for Final Fantasy female characters to fight with so much showing. Oshima thought that by adding pointed shoes and a shield, Serah would be more ready to fight.

The second, unnamed option, was based on a concept of "Little Red Riding Hood". Oshima thought the idea of mixing red and white defines a character transitioning into an adult, as Serah seems to do in Final Fantasy XIII-2. On December 3, 2011 the voting closed with "Exposure and Defense" winning by a large margin. Oshima wore the costume at the Final Fantasy XIII-2 launch event.

Musical Themes
Serah is the first non-playable, and then playable character to have vocalized leitmotif. Main characters' themes from previous games generally draw their leitmotif's melody from the respective games' main themes, but "Serah's Theme" doesn't alter the melody of the main theme at all.

Final Fantasy XIII
In Final Fantasy XIII, "Serah's Theme" is a vocal version of the game's main theme, "The Promise", composed by Masashi Hamauzu with lyrics performed by Frances Maya. It often plays when Serah is featured or mentioned in the story, mainly during cutscenes that show flashbacks of her life before the Purge. "Serah's Theme" is played during the fireworks festival in English-translated versions, in place of "Eternal Love", which was played in the original Japanese version.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
In Final Fantasy XIII-2, "Serah's Theme ~Memories~" is a vocal piece played to the melody of "The Future", a variant of the game's main theme, "Wishes". The lyrics tell of how Noel's arrival and his strength give Serah hope towards the chance of reuniting with Lightning, and alludes to what happens to her at the end of the game. A non-lyrical orchestral version of her theme is heard during the "Closing Credits".

Merchandise
Action figures of Serah have been released as part of the Play Arts KAI series. Serah's pendant has been sold as official merchandise in Square Enix's online shop, although it differs slightly from the pendant seen in the games, as it has a blue crystal in the middle.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy


Serah appears in the iOS version as a purchasable character. She is the sole character representing Final Fantasy XIII-2, and appears in her attire from the game.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade


Serah appears as a summonable Legend in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade. She is depicted in her default Final Fantasy XIII-2 outfit. Her abilities are Thundaga, Wound, Woundga, and Ultima Arrow. She is first introduced in the event, Final Fantasy XIII-2 Incursion from Valhalla, in which her abilities and weapons are made usable to successfully combat Atlas and Chaos Bahamut.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Serah appears in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game depicted in her Final Fantasy XIII official render. She also appears in her Final Fantasy XIII-2 attire and her DLC White Mage outfit.

Kingdom Hearts
Serah does not make an actual appearance in the Kingdom Hearts series, but she is available for the Avatars in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.

Serah is also a collectible Kingdom Hearts mascot cellphone strap appearing alongside the other characters of Final Fantasy XIII.

Etymology
Serah is a variation of "Sarah". The Italian word Sera means "evening". The name "Sera" in Latin means "Heavenly" or "Winged Angel". In Biblical terms, the Seraphim are the highest order of angels.

There is also a tradition of naming princess characters "Sarah" in Final Fantasy. This is because the name comes from Hebrew word for "princess".

The surname "Farron" comes from the Gaelic language, meaning "thunder".

Trivia

 * Serah's engagement pendant resembles Final Fantasy XIII ' s [[Media:Final Fantasy XIII Logo.jpg|logo]]. A matching pendant is worn by Snow Villiers.
 * Her crystal is in the shape of a tear drop that Snow holds onto for most of the story in Final Fantasy XIII.
 * Serah's Crystal Tear is used as the icon for the Ultimate Hero Trophy in Final Fantasy XIII and the Master of Time Achievement/Trophy in Final Fantasy XIII-2 - the final Achievement/Trophy which, in the PlayStation 3 release, makes the game Platinum and awards the player with a Lightning theme.
 * Serah, Dajh, and Cid Raines are the only l'Cie that do not show their summons, and it is unknown if they have any. In the case of Serah and Dajh, this could be because they complete their respective Foci in such a short period of time, giving them little opportunity to reach the state of despair that calls forth the intervention of an Eidolon.
 * Serah is a better cook than Lightning, who in turn is better at home-improvement work, as mentioned in Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-.
 * In Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-, it is revealed Serah bought Snow's NORA pendant.
 * Serah shares her English voice actress, Laura Bailey, with the Cloud of Darkness in Dissidia Final Fantasy, and Belle in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.
 * Art director Isamu Kamikokuryo consistently draws Serah and Lightning with blonde hair in concept art, despite their more "official" appearance. Additionally, Kamikokuryo's Serah concept art for Final Fantasy XIII-2 looks noticeably older and less skinny than her in-game appearance, and a few details on her outfit are different (such as a different choker).
 * Serah appears on the 500th cover of Dengeki Playstation magazine with Lightning, Noel, Noctis, Machina, and Rem.
 * In her CG render for Final Fantasy XIII-2, Serah's ponytail is held by a pink band matching her outfit, but in-game, she retains the black band she wore in Final Fantasy XIII.
 * A model for Serah in crystal stasis exists as dummied content in Final Fantasy XIII-2. It is unknown why this model exists.
 * Serah's first bowsword model, the Starseeker, is the name of a recurring Keyblade in the Kingdom Hearts series.
 * Serah's initial Paradigm roles in Final Fantasy XIII-2 are the same as Snow's initial roles in Final Fantasy XIII: Commando, Ravager, and Sentinel. Arcus Chronica, one of her ultimate weapons, also emits white feathers upon hitting enemies like Snow's Save the Queen did in Final Fantasy XIII.
 * Unlike Noel, Serah's official render isn't used in the menu screen in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and instead an alternate render - seen in her official artwork with Lightning - is used.
 * During one scene in Valhalla's shadow, Serah and Caius are seen back to back, similar to a moment with him and Lightning in Valhalla.
 * Serah's Starseeker is one of the special weapons pack in Final Fantasy XIV.