Serinna Vylantis

Summary
Serinna Vylantis is the first President of the New Republic, appointed to office in 0 BBY by the Inner Council, and then fully elected in 4 ABY. Serinna was born in the year 48 BBY to a middle class family in the capital city of Pacran, on the planet Parchuverda. She was influenced heavily by liberal and progressive leaders as a teenager and quickly sought the life of public service. She became Mayor of Pacran, then Senator for Parchuverda in the Galactic Senate in 18 BBY, and served into the reign of the Empire. She is most notably a prominent member of the Populist Party.

Early Life
Serinna Allia Vylantis was born into a small family in Pacran, Parchuverda 48 years before the Battle of Yavin. She was the oldest of two siblings, a brother and sister. In her teen years, she had many years of volunteer service under her belt, securing political internships throughout the Pacran City Government. She began in the Parks Department working for a few years to build credibility and experience. By the age 26 she became the Deputy Director of the Parks Department, and soon appointed City Manager by 28.

Astounded by her dedication to public service, planetary Governor Tynello of Parchuverda appointed Serinna as the planet's Senator to the Galactic Senate upon the sudden death of the previous Senator. She took the job with dignity and pride, and was soon elected to a first full term at the age of 32.

Four years later, in 14 BBY, Serinna was re-elected, and again in 10 BBY, 6 BBY, and 2 BBY. In 0 BBY, she became an extremely popular politician in the Galaxy for her progressive proposals and radical hopes of restructuring society. Serinna was appointed to the Inner Council in 2 BBY right after her fifth election, by request of Emperor Ducau Zaoku. When the Inner Council was transforming the Empire into the New Republic, most star systems nominated Serinna to become the first President.

Service to the Populist Party and Zaoku
Serinna Vylantis was a proud and vocal supporter of Ducau Zaoku when he was Chancellor from 17 BBY to 9 BBY. The Senate was slowy being overtaken by the conservative fundamentalists of the Benefactor Party with each election, making Zaoku's time as Chancellor more difficult than any of his predecessors. His progressive reforms and programs were halted and even rudely rejected by the Benefactors. Being a progressive herself, Serinna knew that she must defend her colleague, her leader. She saw how the Clone Wars tore apart the Galaxy when she was younger, all because of conservative/militarist voices that drowned out reason and logic in the Senate.

In 13 BBY when Zaoku was seeking a second term as Chancellor, then-Senator Vylantis advocated for the Chancellor and was possibly his biggest champion. She quarreled with dozens of senators for weeks, and held thrilling rallies for the Chancellor. She helped crack down on the radical senators of the Benefactor Party, ripping them apart in numerous debates. Many would say it was Serinna Vylantis who shattered the Benefactor Party, thus paving the way for the rise of the Centrist Party.

Upon Zaoku's win at a second term, Vylantis became an unstoppable force in the Senate and Populist Party itself. More Populists were elected to office from city governments to the Galactic Senate. The Benefactor Party ceased to exist from infighting, giving way for the more moderately conservative Centrists to take their place, who would become Serinna's biggest obstacle in her political career.

Service to the Galactic Empire
In 3 BBY, the Old Republic was transformed into the Empire, and things changed viciously throughout the millions of planets and even the government. When Zaoku was appointed Emperor by the Inner Council, many eyes fell upon Serinna. She was his champion for years, and advocated for nearly all of his propositions. Serinna kept her public appearance at an all time low, fearing the galactic media would portray her as the mastermind to Zaoku's plan of ultimate power. Her attendance in the Imperial Senate was low, as she spent more time on her home world of Parchuverda. At times, she'd travel to neighboring systems to give speeches and hold rallies for progressive reform, social justice, and freedom of speech. Her speeches were borderline treacherous, since they went against nearly everything the Empire stood for. Serinna's speeches gave inspiration to fearful worlds that contemplated joining the Rebel Alliance.

In 0 BBY, Zaoku stepped down from his throne and called for the transition into a New Republic, and this was where Serinna turned against him. This was her chance to assume total control and mold the Galaxy to her liking, setting the stage for how the Republic should be structured if it were to last for thousands of years. As a member of the Inner Council, she proposed the banishment of Ducau Zaoku and it was successful. This act solidified Serinna's loyalty, loyalty to the New Republic and the Populist Party, not a single leader.

As a member of the Inner Council, Serinna managed to see many of her personal goals passed through and became parts of the New Constitution since she was its author. The most significant being the elimination of the Office of the Chancellor: a position that would've been for a lifetime.

President of the New Republic
Serinna Vylantis was the first Commander-in-Chief of the New Republic, by appointment of the Inner Council in 0 BBY, with Gial Ackbar as her Vice President. She chose Ackbar to secure the support and loyalty of former Rebels that were skeptical of joining the New Republic. She won a second term in 4 ABY, which had been a direct election by the people and along with the galactic sectors. With Ackbar's death right before the 4 ABY election, Leia Skywalker became the Vice Presidential Nominee, and thus became VP. The two served another term together, from 8 ABY to 12 ABY. As President, Serinna Vylantis achieved far more than any other galactic leader in history. During her first term, she ended systematic speciesism with planetary and sectoral governments. By the end of her first term, she brought free education to over three hundred thousand under-developed planets in the Mid and Outer Rims. This skyrocketed her support in the Outer Rim, deeming the Outer Rim "official territory of the Populist Party", only 2% of sectors in the Outer Rim held a Centrist majority. Her social programs became known as the Vylanti-Deal, boosting the galactic economy and shrinking the Republic debt to record levels never seen before. (To the right is an image of Serinna Vylantis in 0 ABY age 48)

By 8 ABY, the Vylanti-Deal was in full effect. The programs ensured free public education for every Republic star system, military protection in each system to necessary extent, higher taxes on wealthy and corporations, ending of for-profit prisons, and introduction of using at least 85% of green renewable energy in over two million star systems.

In her third term, from 8 ABY to 12 ABY, the Republic debt shrank to just over 3% of the galactic GDP, even lower than before. The Republic Congress had been flipped over into the control of the Centrist Party, making President Vylantis' time as President even more difficult. At the same time, Deathwatch was waging a war against Mandalore and Duchess Bo-Katan Kryze. This occurred in late 8 ABY, and signified the splitting of the Populist Party. Most Populists, including leaders of Congress, wanted to send help to Mandalore and fend off against Deathwatch. Whereas Vylantis and a few allies, wanted to completely avoid any intervention. By doing so, President Vylantis expelled Mandalore from the Republic to prevent further military intervening.

Secret Force-User
Serinna Vylantis is indeed Force sensitive, and a skillful one. She discovered her powerful abilities at the age of 13 when entering her first political internships on her home world of Parchuverda. She did her best to mask her powers so she wouldn't be taken in by the Jedi Order, and strangely enough it worked. She had massive political aspirations, and they'd be hindered if she were to become a Jedi.

As Serinna grew into her teen years, she did much research on the Force while studying at the University of Coruscant briefly. She came upon old articles and scrolls about the Force, and studied as much as she could. She would spend days meditating whenever she could, back on Parchuverda. She taught herself how to conceal her powers, and not rely so much on the Force. By her mid-twenties, the young woman nearly forgot about her powers when she was on the path to become Parchuverda’s Senator in the Old Galactic Senate.

The fact she managed to evade the entire Jedi Order’s powers in sensing powerful beings is impressive, but also was masqueraded by Palpatine’s Dark Side presence. However, she was not yet working much on Coruscant until 16 BBY, and was not a large figure known to the galactic public.

Serinna Vylantis used her Force powers for the first time when contacting Ducau Zaoku through a secure holonet transmission, circa 3 ABY. She laid down the law on Zaoku, giving him an ultimatum, and was not going to have him ruin her legacy or increasing her chances of being a one-term President.

In 4 ABY, months after the Populist Galactic Convention, Ducau Zaoku appeared in Serinna’s Presidential office. He fired Force lightning upon the President, and she absorbed it with the aid of the Force. She then fired back even more powerful bursts of energy through Force-lightning, giving it a golden color, and it nearly killed the Nikto. She took his lightsaber, and struck him down with it. Ending the Sith once and for all.

No one was aware of her powers, and no one ever will. Serinna continues to hide her powers from the public and even her family.

Behind the Scenes
- Serinna Vylantis is heavily inspired by former First Lady Michelle Obama of the United States

- Originally, she was not meant to become such a central character in the series.