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ChikitaWolf β How do you define it?
Published: 2011-08-09 17:13:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 5590; Favourites: 200; Downloads: 27
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Stamp by ~ChikitaWolfBackground (murder outline) found on Google
I have heard sooo many definitions of a Mary Sue that it's ridiculous
Here are the definitions I've found through the internet:
1) A character who is idealistic, lacking flaws, an overidealized self-insertion of the player, unrealistic, or characterized by several cliched and archetypical traits, including physical appearance, nomenclature, history, and personality.
2) A Mary Sue (sometimes just Sue), in literary criticism and particularly in fanfiction, is a fictional character with overly idealized and hackneyed mannerisms, lacking noteworthy flaws, and primarily functioning as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author or reader. It is generally accepted as a character whose positive aspects overwhelm their other traits until they become one-dimensional.
And here are the characteristics I found with the definitions:
a) The term is also associated with clichΓ© such as exotic hair and eye colors, mystical or superhuman powers, exotic pets, possessions, or origins, or an unusually tragic past, especially when these things are glaringly out of step with the consistency of the canon.
b) The term is more broadly associated with characters who are exceptionally and improbably lucky. The good luck may involve romance ("Mary Sue" always gets her man); adventure ("Mary Sue" always wins a fight or knows how to solve the puzzle) and popularity (the "right people" seem to gravitate towards the character).
c) "Everything goes her way" is a common criticism regarding "Mary Sues", the implication being that the character's inability to fail makes her insufficiently humanized or challenged to be interesting or sympathetic.
This is what I've found. However, I've noticed more and more "cliches" seem to be popping up on the Mary Sue list. One I recently heard was if your character is blonde, she's likely a Mary Sue.
Yeah. I don't buy that. Anyway, what do you think characterizes a Mary Sue? Big busts? Ultra skinny no matter how much she eats (unless that's a special trait for that fandom)? Has all the men falling for her? Has all the bad guys falling for her?
Do tell
Oh, yes, and while I'm at it: I have nothing against self-insertions. They can actually make for incredibly interesting stories-- if done realistically-- and yes, it's possible. I've seen and had friends who've done it ;3
And finally: no bashing on people's characters. Don't you go naming them on here with links and some crap like that-- no matter how Mary Sueish they are. I don't want people being bashed or being given out for trolls. Thanks ahead for understanding
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Comments: 215
I think a Mary Sue is an over-steriotypical character who gets all the cute or hot guys (or ladies), has some sort of self-esteem problem or has some type of exaggerated weakness, or looks unnaturally perfect. But that's just my idea. I'd never even heard the term until I stumbled upon your stamp.
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I remember this one conversation I had with my friend about my OC Ferah and she told me to describe her.
Me: Well she's got long blue hair and-
Her: Mary-Sue.
Me: But it's Yu-Gi-Oh.....almost everyone has wierd hair......
It scared me how easily my friend connected my character to being a mary-sue without knowing what anime she was based in.
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Oh, my. That's the classic case, isn't it ^^"
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I hate Sues.... But I think I hate the anti-Sues more...
I don't think there should be one defining way for a character to be a Sue... Some stories are aimed for comedy (Like cartoons) In a cartoon, a character CAN just pick up any random instrument and play it, or Paint/Be the Mona Lisa, or cause one of the greatest catastrophes in History ALL WITHOUT BEING A SUE.
However, if a book character did all that...Sue.
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Well said ^^
Sometimes it appears as if people get so riled up about it... they don't think about the true purpose of that character in the first place. Perhaps it's comedy-- perhaps they're supposed to be good at everything to prove some kind of point. Just depends
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aw man i sound like jerk don't i? i looked at the other comments and was like "huh...you know these people are right. sure there are some characters who seem perfect but they still have mistakes like everyone else" i take back what i said in my other two comments...but i still hate Bella Swan
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LOL, 'tis alright xD I make these stamps cuz I like to hear what people have to say-- there's always an interesting bit one doesn't think about till they read it ;3
Yeah. I was never fond of Bella
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though i don't hate ALL Mary-Sue's. like Yuna from Final Fantasy. she might be seen as a Mary-Sue but i think she's the good kind. it's hard for me to explain
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a Mary-Sue is someone who is completely perfect in every way and is loved by every guy she meets...like Bella Swan
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It's a fan fiction writer's "perfectly suited" agent in a fanon work. THe exotic cliche's would fit in with my idea of a "Mary Sue". Of course when a canon author makes such a character, it isn't criticized as much. They doexist in canon too, though less often than in fanon. I think they're just easier to spot when you already know the other characters already.
I think they are a good sign that the work is not going to be stellar. Sorry. I don't mean to upset or hurt anyone.
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Yeah, I believe they call them "canon Sues"
I think it's a matter of slowly realizing that while you want your character to be the most epic, etc, you still have to keep them human. A character that is completely perfect is usually quite boring. I know when I used to roleplay in fighting scenes, I always had to pause and look over the fight so far. Is my character making a mistake or two? And if not, how do I make the fight more realistic?
It's kind of a thing to learn as you continue writing and such x3
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Well all of that can make a Mary Sue and sometimes being blond is Mary Sueish but as long as a character gets balanced they are okay. If you think that just one or two of these traits makes a Mary sue or Gary stue then characters like Ed from FMA or Kanda goes into the list of Gary Stues and Winry from FMA and even Lenalee could fit.
I'd say my OC Erik isn't a Gary Stue and ther is no chance Kira is a Mary Sue (I must say you made a very good job creating her)
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No kidding! I think pinning a trait so easily is rather blind judgement personally. I mean, is there a reason that character has that trait? Does it affect their life or go with the plot?
I've always been afraid of making Kira a Sue owo" I think everyone has that little gut wrench when thinking about being accused of making such a character >3>
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More importan if a character looks a certain way like Lenalee she is from some chinese country or someplace close by so her hair is dark (I have no idea why it is a little green like in the anime) or Allen with his white hair he got cursed with it. I'm suspecting Lavi is from german which makes his looks match well.
No kidding 0_0' But I think there is no risk of Erik being one for now atleast and from what I can tell Kira isn't close to one yet ^w^
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Lol, yeah x'D
I don't see Erik as one from what I've read (darn you FF.net)
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I just started writing on the 7th chapter now so I don't think you missed anything.
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If you look under Mary Sue for examples, you'll get Bella Swan of Twilight.
And Mary Sues really aren't pinned by one trait. I mean, if every blond character was a Sue, then Link and Zelda are both sues and lord knows few things EVER go right for them.
It's really a combination of traits. Now, if your blond character is an absolute genius but no one thinks of her as geeky or ditsy, with a big rack that all the guys want a piece of but she won't sleep with any of them because "she's not that kind of person" and can eat everything she wants without anyone being disgusted by her mass gorging and it all going to her boobs rather than her hips with eyes that change color based on her mood and super strength to go along with her genius so she can win all verbal and physical fights and she was raped but was magically re-virgin-ified and was enslaved and escaped after her best friend was murdered and everyone she's ever loved dies in horrible ways...
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Haha, been there, done that x'D
No kidding!
...isn't it funny how we can make perfectly well-qualified stories of Mary Sues? x'D I've actually thought of creating a Mary Sue character myself-- but I dunno if I'm that creative!
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XD It's hard to make a Mary Sue on purpose. My friend did it once, though, for a gag fanfic... [link] It's highly amusing. You don't have to know anything to find it funny.
Plus, if you make a Sue on purpose, you want to tear your hair out every five seconds.
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I'd say a Mary-sue is more often a self-insert that's poorly written, or has little to no effort put into their story. I have a good friend who made a self insert for Kingdom Hearts. Best. Self Insert. EVER. She worked hard to make it really good, and the story was amazingly written
However, mostly Mary-Sues are fan characters gone bad. They're perfect, they have no flaws, and have a special ability that isn't in the fandom the character is in.
If they have unusual hair color, well maybe it's normal in the fandom/world they're in
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How 'bout dem hybrid wolf kitty charas?
Sometimes the Mary Sues can be amusing with how unlogical they are to be in the fandom they've been inserted in x'D
And yay~! Another example of someone doing a well-written insert
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0_o if you talking 'bout those sue sonettes(sonic FCs),
I like the illogical ones people make for fun
Yes we do
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Haha, I don't know much about the Sonic fandoms, but I do know people seem to enjoy making their "human characters" with many "animal" qualities in fandoms that don't have that kind of stuff ^^"
I want to do one of those xD
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I know, it can be annoying -_-"
So do I.
Look up mary-sue, and you'll find stamps and funny fake characters
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Oh, I have xD It's hilarious
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so pretty much every single character on the face of the planet is a Mary sue even real people
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that's pretty much the truth isn't it?!
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So much for the truth setting us free -w-""
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agreed
I just don't believe in the whole mary sue thing I mean yeah some OC's or even Canon Characters have their faults but they all can't be perfect I mean were not
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There's also people who make Mary Sues on purpose. by the way,nice stamp.
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I want to do that some time xD My friend did that and she said she worked harder to make the Mary Sue than she did her original character!
Thanks
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Mary Sues are their own flaws. If they're perfect, they're a Mary Sue. Anyways, nobody can be perfect, why make a character who IS perfect? I mean, even an ANGEL can't be at all perfect! There's going to be SOME sort of flaw in them!
I had a Gary Stu-ish character going on, but I'm changing him to an entirely new character, keeping his old name but changing almost literally everything else. I dislike the general idea of perfection because it cannot possibly be achieved, only in one eye can it be achieved. So in other eyes, to be perfect it must be altered. Truly perfect is when you can get something to be imperfect, to have realistically numerous flaws and unique traits, even if that means they have to be based off of many different things that have no co-op to them and normally would be seen as unfit to be mixed. Even to be a demon or angel, one must have a creatively realistic amount of flaws and unique traits. Heck, even the gods people have created and truly worship have their own flaws!~
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Indeed!
That makes utter and complete sense OwO I'm surprised I didn't have to read it more than twice xD
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You didn't? ; u ; I still did...
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Lol, it was pretty clear
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That's a surprise with something coming from me.
I'm glad it was clear, usually it's pretty difficult to find my point in a comment.
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I don't believe in Mary Sues too. There may be a few perfect characters, but I think every character has a few mistakes and so on. Just because a character has a good figure and sad past, it doesn't make her a Mary Sues. Wouldn't be boring, if every female character would be all goody, with normal hair and eye color, with nothing extra?
I guess making a good and interesting character is kinda hard. So I dunno, I don't really consider almost perfect characters as Mary Sues :/
But this is my opinion, I may be wrong, but it seems nowadays everything have to be bad, or wrong. Why do we search the bad thing in others, in other things?
Haha, sorry for my english^^"
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Sounds good to me
It's a little aggrivating when a character must be "bland" or "boring" to be the ideal non-Mary Sue >3<"
Now, I'll admit, I've seen absolute "perfect" characters out there, but even so, they are quite rare when you think about it
I see no problem in someone making their dream character
You sound fluent to me xD
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Yes it is :/
Yeah, and some Mary Sues can be loved, so dunno^^"
That's what I thought too, at least let us to have our imagination. Why do people judge us because of our hobbies, our fantasies? Dunno, but I wanna my own freedom without hate towards my characters :/
If I don't hate other people's characters, then why they do it? :/
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I think everyone feels that way-- no one wants their character hated.
As they say: "Treat others how you want to be treated"
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I always just thought that it was a poorly written character.
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And then it depends on what one considers a "poorly written character" :/ People have stretched it out so much these days >3>
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Oh, then I'll elaborate:
A Mary Sue, in my opinion, is a character that is drawn from two factors:
#1-- A small amount of experience with writing.
#2-- Inserting oneself into a story/ Creating a character to act as a sort of 'Avatar' of the author; Oftentimes this is done by accident, with a means to try and make their character 'special'.
These two things mixed together, although not necessarily bad, do often make for a very tough read. Tough because the story is usually a very large bragging-rant about how one's character is essentially perfect amidst other characters' flaws. This makes the main character the only attraction throughout the entirety of the story, completing herculean tasks without anyone's aid (or useless aid) or showing vulnerability; If vulnerability is shown, it's handled with unstable extremes.
The bottom line, just to keep from writing a novel myself, is that a Mary Sue is a character crafted without a real sense of humanity at all. I understand that people are special, but Mary Sues are the exaggerated paragon of that.
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I don't actually so much believe in Mary Sues. Sure, there are occasionally some sickeningly over-the-top characters that shouldn't exist, but the term "Mary Sue" is getting thrown around so much these days that it's become meaningless.
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