Post by Kaida Shade on Nov 29, 2007 21:59:54 GMT
Lets be honest. We've all done it once or twice. You know what im talking about... Mary Sues. They are awful. But what are they, actually? Well, a 'Sue' is generally a character who:
1)Is named after you or has a variation of your name (Some people count odd variations on a name, but i dont see why)
2) Has an odd noun or verb as a name (unless there is a good reason that can be explained.)
3) Has a name nicked from a fandom of yours (unless its a common name like Harry. Draco would be okay but its very cliche for dragon charries etc)
4) Is unbelievably awesome at everything. (Being awesome is okay, but nobody's perfect!)
5) Is absolutely, irresistably more sexy than is actually possible and other charries fight/ squabble over them because of their looks.(again, its okay for them to be sexy, but lets keep it realistic shall we? If your charrie happens to be a model or something you're exempt from this. I think Angel charries can probably get away with it too)
6) Has a perfect body/physique or has every perfect detail described OR going to extreme lengths to show they are ordinary. (descriptive writing is good but there is such a thing as OTT. This second part is known as an 'Anti-Sue', but can be just as bad)
7) is still described as sexy after not washing for a week/ sustaining serious injury. (even utter bishies loose their appeal when they are covered in their own blood and smell like a used lavatory)
8) has clothes including: stuff you actually OWN/ wish you owned (unless it fits their personality/style REALLY well), lots of leather (unless its a kinky sex scene or something), armour that leaves essential areas exposed (NO exceptions because this is just common sense)
9) Is impervious to weaknesses or limitations of their species (unless there is a back story to explain it- and it had better be a good one)
10) is a cross breed or hybrid that exibits none of the weaknesses and all the strenghts of both species or is a hybrid of more than 2 species (sorry, this doesnt happen in real life. EXCEPTION if your character is a genetically engineered freak or something in a sci-fi story.)
11) is altered somehow in the story (genetically, magically, whatever) and was specifically picked for no apparent reason. Also if they are happier/ liked more or you wish it had happened to you (being stronger/ more powerful than before is okay in this situation, especially if said experiment was a success but going OTT on this is bad. This is better if there is an adjustment period; if you had your body altered you wouldnt just get used to it straight away)
12) gets away with things nobody else would (unless for very good reason i.e son/daughter of country's leader or something)
13) mysteriously attracts random animals to them as if by instinct (animals being friendly to them is fine, but the Snow White thing is V. Mary Sue. Exception if charrie has Dr Doolittle-esque powers of communication)
14) Seems to know everything (unless they are a god or something I guess- ask Schemilix about this one)
15) is instantly amazing at something they have never done before (even prodigies need practice)
16) is THE BEST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD at something. (true, someone's gotta be the best, but whats the chance it's this particular person? Even worse if there is more than one thing. Exception if its just in the particular group they are with; there's gonna be a best out of every group)
17) Can fly without wings/ any obvious means. (blatantly, if the character has like 15ft wings or something this is excused.)
18) has mysterious healing powers (unless there is a well explained reason. just aquiring healing powers because their friend is dying is BAD!)
19) Has an amazing ablity they only discover when they get in trouble (even worse if this is powerful enough to wipe out an entire city or something)
20) succeeds at everything they try first time or picks up new skills unbelievably fast (nobody can do something perfectly first time. really bad if they do it without help)
21) has a weapon that is really out of place for the time/world (i.e a gun in the 16th century or a sword in the 22nd century UNLESS it is an alternate universe and is normal for that universe)
22) is underservedly, universally despised because s/he is unusally rich, attractive, clever or because of special powers (ANTI SUE!)
23) Is the 'chosen one' (personally i think this is more of a cliche, but it's Sue-ish if not explained well)
24) saves the day more often than anyone else for no apparent reason (yeah.. this is kind of an extenstion of the 's/he is perfect' thing)
25) is liked by everyone, to the extent of they would die for them/ care more about them than other people (er... yeah, self explanatory reall)
26) (V RELEVANT HERE!) is constantly brought into the spotlight by the author or does most of the heroic/cool stuff. (really only applies to RPG charries, but makes it even more relevant for this forum. Dont do this people, it's okay for your charrie to have the limelight occasionally, but not constantly unless its for a good reason)
So yar. This isn't a complete list, if ive missed something let me know, but this is a Mary Sue as I understand it. Some of the things here are okay in moderation (I.e The charrie is sexy, but not impossibly so, theyre strong, but within reason).
please refer to the 'how to fashion a being' thread for more info and the character RULES! If you really want a Mary Sue, then fine, be my guest, but don't break the rules or we wont play with you.
1)Is named after you or has a variation of your name (Some people count odd variations on a name, but i dont see why)
2) Has an odd noun or verb as a name (unless there is a good reason that can be explained.)
3) Has a name nicked from a fandom of yours (unless its a common name like Harry. Draco would be okay but its very cliche for dragon charries etc)
4) Is unbelievably awesome at everything. (Being awesome is okay, but nobody's perfect!)
5) Is absolutely, irresistably more sexy than is actually possible and other charries fight/ squabble over them because of their looks.(again, its okay for them to be sexy, but lets keep it realistic shall we? If your charrie happens to be a model or something you're exempt from this. I think Angel charries can probably get away with it too)
6) Has a perfect body/physique or has every perfect detail described OR going to extreme lengths to show they are ordinary. (descriptive writing is good but there is such a thing as OTT. This second part is known as an 'Anti-Sue', but can be just as bad)
7) is still described as sexy after not washing for a week/ sustaining serious injury. (even utter bishies loose their appeal when they are covered in their own blood and smell like a used lavatory)
8) has clothes including: stuff you actually OWN/ wish you owned (unless it fits their personality/style REALLY well), lots of leather (unless its a kinky sex scene or something), armour that leaves essential areas exposed (NO exceptions because this is just common sense)
9) Is impervious to weaknesses or limitations of their species (unless there is a back story to explain it- and it had better be a good one)
10) is a cross breed or hybrid that exibits none of the weaknesses and all the strenghts of both species or is a hybrid of more than 2 species (sorry, this doesnt happen in real life. EXCEPTION if your character is a genetically engineered freak or something in a sci-fi story.)
11) is altered somehow in the story (genetically, magically, whatever) and was specifically picked for no apparent reason. Also if they are happier/ liked more or you wish it had happened to you (being stronger/ more powerful than before is okay in this situation, especially if said experiment was a success but going OTT on this is bad. This is better if there is an adjustment period; if you had your body altered you wouldnt just get used to it straight away)
12) gets away with things nobody else would (unless for very good reason i.e son/daughter of country's leader or something)
13) mysteriously attracts random animals to them as if by instinct (animals being friendly to them is fine, but the Snow White thing is V. Mary Sue. Exception if charrie has Dr Doolittle-esque powers of communication)
14) Seems to know everything (unless they are a god or something I guess- ask Schemilix about this one)
15) is instantly amazing at something they have never done before (even prodigies need practice)
16) is THE BEST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD at something. (true, someone's gotta be the best, but whats the chance it's this particular person? Even worse if there is more than one thing. Exception if its just in the particular group they are with; there's gonna be a best out of every group)
17) Can fly without wings/ any obvious means. (blatantly, if the character has like 15ft wings or something this is excused.)
18) has mysterious healing powers (unless there is a well explained reason. just aquiring healing powers because their friend is dying is BAD!)
19) Has an amazing ablity they only discover when they get in trouble (even worse if this is powerful enough to wipe out an entire city or something)
20) succeeds at everything they try first time or picks up new skills unbelievably fast (nobody can do something perfectly first time. really bad if they do it without help)
21) has a weapon that is really out of place for the time/world (i.e a gun in the 16th century or a sword in the 22nd century UNLESS it is an alternate universe and is normal for that universe)
22) is underservedly, universally despised because s/he is unusally rich, attractive, clever or because of special powers (ANTI SUE!)
23) Is the 'chosen one' (personally i think this is more of a cliche, but it's Sue-ish if not explained well)
24) saves the day more often than anyone else for no apparent reason (yeah.. this is kind of an extenstion of the 's/he is perfect' thing)
25) is liked by everyone, to the extent of they would die for them/ care more about them than other people (er... yeah, self explanatory reall)
26) (V RELEVANT HERE!) is constantly brought into the spotlight by the author or does most of the heroic/cool stuff. (really only applies to RPG charries, but makes it even more relevant for this forum. Dont do this people, it's okay for your charrie to have the limelight occasionally, but not constantly unless its for a good reason)
So yar. This isn't a complete list, if ive missed something let me know, but this is a Mary Sue as I understand it. Some of the things here are okay in moderation (I.e The charrie is sexy, but not impossibly so, theyre strong, but within reason).
please refer to the 'how to fashion a being' thread for more info and the character RULES! If you really want a Mary Sue, then fine, be my guest, but don't break the rules or we wont play with you.
