Nicola wrote: <Servalan must have been the most well-known person in the Federation, if not the whole galaxy. Her official portraits were doubtless everywhere, and she was probably on the viscasts almost every 'night' after becoming President.>
It's a problem, and one of the *worst* plot threads in Series 4 (and she's in charge of the other dud thread - Pylene).
But remember, Servalan only took power after the war in a time of turmoil, beginning with intergalactic and possibly civil war (the rebellion on Earth wasn't crushed till just before Rumours), never appears to have been secure in her Presidency and was ousted after a very short period in power, just as or before the Federation started rebuilding. She *was* "President of a ruined empire", and spent too much time having to fight for her own position and chasing Our Heroes and the dreamship.
She also took power in a coup and presumably killed the incumbent and his close circle, and would be aware of the dangers of 'being done by as you would do to others' - especially since there had been attempts on her life (Project Avalon) when she was Supreme Commander with all the pre-war military to protect her. There might be more safety (she's very concerned for her own attractive skin, remember) in keeping out of the public eye. It also doesn't appear that publicity is a big thing with the Powers-That-Be (her predecessor was pretty much faceless).
Servalan was supposed to be dead, so most of the populace (who probably couldn't care less who was in the Presidential seat) wouldn't really notice or care very much, maybe just think "she looks like someone, just can't think who ..."
Where this all falls down, of course, is her confidence that she can kill off anyone who recognises her, while regaining her place among the elite who'd be far *more* likely to recognise her ...
<And why didn't Avon blow her cover?>
Who would believe him?
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