What is the purpose behind the character Sera?

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

Sera's purpose: To come looking for missing big brother Akai, run into scar Akai, think scar Akai is the real Akai, and then get rescued by Okiya and Conan thus ending the Bourbon arc.

Edit: As 4869 reminded me to say, Sera will also drive the Ran's suspicion's plot so Conan had to fend off Ran while going after Bourbon.



She looks like she is going to be a greater nuisance than Eisuke ever was, although a significantly cooler nuisance. I have also dumped all of my Sera speculations into this document.

[User 4869]

You forgot the Ran's suspicion incident.

[Dus]

Makes sense. Almost.
Couple things bug me about this:
She definitely knew about Conan prior to coming to Japan. How she could have fount out the he and Shuichi were in cahoots is bevond me.
She interrogated the kids for info about Ai, who she researched prior to that. So she probably knows or strongly suspects that she is Sherry.
She spent several files carefully observing Conan after knowing enough to find out his identity when he first posed as Shinichi.
All of this suggest that she has done her homework and that she is very meticulous. I don't think it is likely that she would jump into Scar-Akai's arms the moment she sets eyes on him. It would be ooc.
Also: When Okiya noticed her, it prompted him to a) follow Ai to the shopping centre and b) to listen in to the DB's and Agasa's conversation. This shows that he is concerned but not about Sera.
There was another o´point but I forgot what it was so I'm gonna post a few emoticons instead.

[Sherry86]

If Sera is looking for Akai, why she try to get info about Ai?
It's weird.

[User 4869]

Maybe she focus her investigation around Conan and interest people around him in general.
Or she know something about Akemi and her sister.

[Memesu]

I really hope she´s not Akai´s sister...

But anyway, if she is, James atleast should know her, right?
As Akai`s boss, wouldn´t he be responsible to inform his relatives that he has passed away. Unless of course he didn´t know that he had sister...
(To me that doesn´t make sense. Even if they are only half-related, Akai would tell his sister that he works in FBI, but not tell his boss that he has a sister?)
Well, it could be that that Akai never told her were he worked, only that he was in Japan. And she would come to check
her brother (?)whom she  hadn´t heard a long time.  Or he is alive and contacted her and told her come to Japan, reason yet unknown. (Still doesn´t explain why he never told his boss about Sera. Or that he is in fact alive. I´m sure James could keep that as a secret. Unless he (Akai) knows about the spy in FBI that was mentioned in that "shiranpuri" case or something.)


Personally I think (and hope) that she is someone who knows Shiho when she in was in America .

[Dus]

Well, it is fairly obvious that James does know Sera. And it would make sense to inform her of her brother's death.

[Memesu]

Well, it is fairly obvious that James does know Sera. And it would make sense to inform her of her brother's death.

And he couldn´t just say that to Camel because..?
Plus, Sera said she was in America. But it seems that between the time of Akai´s "death" and this, James and everyone else have not once leaved Japan.  (Or so it seems)

[Dus]

Plus, Sera said she was in America. But it seems that between the time of Akai´s "death" and this, James and everyone else have not once leaved Japan.  (Or so it seems)

True, and you can't telephone or send e-mails abroad from Japan or so I've heard.

The details are still fuzzy but I think that James sent for her because he suspects that there is a mole in the FBI. It explains why he didn't tell his subordinates and why Sera smirked condescendingly when she heard that Camel was an FBI agent.

[Memesu]

That makes sense.

But why can´t you sent e-mail abroad from Japan?

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

If Sera is looking for Akai, why she try to get info about Ai?
It's weird.

My suspicion is she got ahold on those photos Akai's buddies took of the Detective boys as they were going into the film studio. This one. Ai features fairly prominently so it would encourage Sera to go after her because she was probably Akai's POI, but Conan is the most interesting one as far as publicly available info is concerned because of the cases he is involved in. So basically she did all the research ahead of time like Eisuke.

Well, it is fairly obvious that James does know Sera. And it would make sense to inform her of her brother's death.

I think James and Sera were introduced once when he met Akai's family somewhere, maybe as part of receiving/transporting them from Japan to America to protect them as Akai got deeper into the Org. James forgot about her later, but he still has an impression, which is why he identified her correctly as a girl, but didn't recognize her. I don't know why James would want to lie to Jodie and Camel if she is someone James dispatched. Based on their involvement Camel and Jodie are most known loyal as far as James is concerned.

True, and you can't telephone or send e-mails abroad from Japan or so I've heard.

I think you got Japan and North Korea mixed up.

The details are still fuzzy but I think that James sent for her because he suspects that there is a mole in the FBI. It explains why he didn't tell his subordinates and why Sera smirked condescendingly when she heard that Camel was an FBI agent.

Condescending is one interpretation. It could also be a "this situation has gotten more interesting because I just possibly found one of my brother's coworkers and what was he up to." Conan makes the same expression when a mystery picks up. Normally, malevolent expressions cause characters to receive hatched shading between the eyes. Sera had none.

[Dus]

My suspicion is she got ahold on those photos Akai's buddies took of the Detective boys as they were going into the film studio. This one. Ai features fairly prominently so it would encourage Sera to go after her because she was probably Akai's POI, but Conan is the most interesting one as far as publicly available info in concerned because of the cases he is involved in. So basically she did all the research ahead of time like Eisuke.

Problem is: She shouldn't have arrived in Japan until a few days ago. I doubt that Shuichi sent those photos to the States since it is part of a private investigation. Unless of course she got them through Fusae or whoever helped Shuichi tail the kids.
It would then make sense to look into Ai, but not necessarily into Conan, since he wasn't featured very prominently and I doubt his appearance at Wimbledon made headlines in the US. She could, however, have found him (or rather Shinichi) through Yukiko.

Well, it is fairly obvious that James does know Sera. And it would make sense to inform her of her brother's death.

I think James and Sera were introduced once when met Akai's family somewhere, maybe as part of receiving/transporting them from Japan to America to protect them as Akai got deeper into the Org. James forgot about her later, but he still has an impression, which is why he identified her correctly as a girl, but didn't recognize her. I don't know why James would want to lie to Jodie and Camel if she is someone James dispatched. Based on their involvement Camel and Jodie are most known loyal as far as James is concerned.

One possibility, as JD suggested, is that he simply doesn't want to remind Jodie of Akai. Another one is that he does suspect that there is a mole and then it makes sense not to tell anyone about Sera's role in this.
I don't think him vaguely recognizing her makes sense at all, since that he would say something like "I think I've seen her somewhere before but I can't quite place her" instead of flat out denying that he knows her.

True, and you can't telephone or send e-mails abroad from Japan or so I've heard.

I think you got Japan and North Korea mixed up.

I think I should start using irony-tags.

The details are still fuzzy but I think that James sent for her because he suspects that there is a mole in the FBI. It explains why he didn't tell his subordinates and why Sera smirked condescendingly when she heard that Camel was an FBI agent.

Condescending is one interpretation. It could also be a "this situation has gotten more interesting because I just possibly found one of my brother's coworkers and what was he up to."

But why wouldn't she tell them who she is? Wouldn't it make her task substantially easier?

[kkslider5552000]

Sera's purpose: To come looking for missing big brother Akai, run into scar Akai, think scar Akai is the real Akai, and then get rescued by Okiya and Conan thus ending the Bourbon arc.

No dammit no. Don't say it, it shouldn't happen, it's too lame.

I only very quickly skimmed through your theories though (stupid idea since you spoiled Okiya's identity for me). ...thankfully what I saw doesn't seem to contradict my theory and in fact, some help my theory.

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

Problem is: She shouldn't have arrived in Japan until a few days ago. I doubt that Shuichi sent those photos to the States since it is part of a private investigation. Unless of course she got them through Fusae or whoever helped Shuichi tail the kids.

Or it could have been on the body/truck or in some personal effects that weren't cleaned out well enough. There aren't enough clues yet. I suspect we'll get more info eventually.

It would then make sense to look into Ai, but not necessarily into Conan, since he wasn't featured very prominently and I doubt his appearance at Wimbledon made headlines in the US. She could, however, have found him (or rather Shinichi) through Yukiko.

I assume she looked into everyone in the photo. Conan would come out prominently because of his involvement with Kaito Kid, and from there Sera started digging, like Eisuke, and noticed Conan's appearance correlated to Mouri's rise. She wouldn't have asked Kogoro if Conan was around when he solved cases if she didn't make nearly the same connections that Eisuke did. In order to get anywhere, Eisuke had to hang around Ran and take advantage of Conan's love of cases. From Sera's perspective, Conan is going to be more interesting than anything she could dig up on Ai who has done an excellent job of keeping her public records unremarkable.

But why wouldn't she tell them who she is? Wouldn't it make her task substantially easier?

It would also mean that her task would become substantially harder if Conan or the FBI decide to exclude her because it means she has laid all her cards on the table. Conan would exclude her no questions asked because he is harboring Akai and she is a liability. Conan locked down on Eisuke the moment he realized he might be connected to Rena and did as much as he could to avoid doing anything Eisuke would be interested in. That lockdown didn't let up even when Conan decided that Eisuke was probably not an enemy (nail and hammer case) because Conan was still worried that Eisuke could be used by the Org, and it could be the same deal with Sera. The FBI would probably try to ship her back to America if they could, or at least not tell her anything because it would be involving a civilian and they want to keep the Org investigation secret and all. Of they'd tell Mom to come collect her daughter, and I would be scared of anyone who could order a teenage Akai to clean his room or ELSE.

[Dus]

Problem is: She shouldn't have arrived in Japan until a few days ago. I doubt that Shuichi sent those photos to the States since it is part of a private investigation. Unless of course she got them through Fusae or whoever helped Shuichi tail the kids.

Or it could have been on the body/truck or in some personal effects that weren't cleaned out well enough. There aren't enough clues yet. I suspect we'll get more info eventually.

I don't think they could have been sent to her. Jodie obviously doesn't know her and how else could the police know who to send it to? Only James could possibly have sent them to her.

I assume she looked into everyone in the photo. Conan would come out prominently because of his involvement with Kaito Kid, and from there Sera started digging, like Eisuke, and noticed Conan's appearance correlated to Mouri's rise. She wouldn't have asked Kogoro if Conan was around when he solved cases if she didn't make nearly the same connections that Eisuke did. In order to get anywhere, Eisuke had to hang around Ran and play Conan's love of cases off of Conan's desire to kick Eisuke out. From Sera's perspective, Conan is going to be more interesting than anything she could dig up on Ai who has done an excellent job of keeping her public records unremarkable.

While he is of course a prominent lead, it hardly explains why she is still hanging around. Conan acted suspicious enough in the first case she appeared for her to put the pieces together. It seems to me that she is testing or teasing him, especially when she is pitting him against Heiji.

It would also mean that her task would become substantially harder if Conan or the FBI decide to exclude her because it means she has laid all her cards on the table. Conan would exclude her no questions asked because he is harboring Akai and she is a liability. Conan locked down on Eisuke the moment he realized he might be connected to Rena and did as much as he could to avoid doing anything Eisuke would be interested in. The FBI would probably try to ship her back to America if they could, or at least not tell her anything because it would be involving a civilian and they want to keep the Org investigation secret and all. Of they'd tell Mom to come collect her daughter, and I would be scared of anyone who could order a teenage Akai to clean his room or ELSE.

It's less likely that they are going to include her if they don't know who she is at all.

Apart from that, can you answer the following questions:
1) Why did Okiya start tailing Ai and eves drop on Conan & Co. as soon as he knew that Sera was here?
2) Why is Conan acing so completely carelessly? Why would he have any reason to trust her? Even if we assume that Okiya told him about her: He'd either get her involved so that she doesn't do anything stupid or try to act even more inconspicouos iso that she doesn't get involved.