HOME | DD
windfalcon β Mary Sue - How to Tell
Published: 2004-02-25 08:27:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 430713; Favourites: 7005; Downloads: 44654
Redirect to original
Description
EDIT 3: 11/22/09 You guys are kidding me XD For goodness sakes, reaaaaad the liink here: [link] Every time I get a comment that reads "the one on the left is a Mary Sue because she has green hair and a power," I realize that they're not reading the description which contains this link: [link]tl;dr: If 'special' traits fit in with the universe, it doesn't automatically make the character a Mary Sue. What if everyone else in Ami Machida's universe has green/blue/purple hair? What if everyone else has a cat power? Does that make her a Mary Sue? Not necessarily.
Please, spare me the time from having to point you BACK to the silly description and just take a minute to read the link. You know, the one I linked to a bunch of times up above. And the link here: [link]
EDIT 2: 10/11/09 I suppose this is long overdue, but for those of you with confusion, here is an explanation on why I perceive the one on the left as not a Mary Sue: [link] For the love of god stop whining about it D:
EDIT: 6/21/09 Okay, everyone, please chill with all the 'hay is my character a mary-sue!?11" questions. I get about 3 a day now and one thing you need to understand - I AM NOT AN AUTHORITY ON MARY SUES. This picture is a parody. Just for fun. The one on the right is obviously an extreme exaggeration of a stereotype and not the definitive definition for a Mary Sue. D:
Please full view. You won't be able to read the text if you don't.
For those of you who don't know, a Mary Sue, in a nutshell, is a fanmade character that is usually extremely beautiful, powerful, smart, talented, and in plain words, perfect in every way.
These characters tend to be quite a bother in fanfiction and role playing, since they simply can't be beat, and thus become boring.
Have any of you ever been rping, and come across a character who is like, " oh, well, that planet in the way isn't a problem *blows it up*"
Or, is like, "well, Vegeta and Goten and Trunks and Goku ALL have a crush on my character"
Yep. That's a Mary Sue.
So, for people who still don't understand, I made this little picture/diagram. Usually, Mary Sues have TONS of talents and TONS of powers, and no weaknesses.
Enjoy ^_^
-Done in Copic Markers, with the background and text done on computer -
Related content
Comments: 4629
Okay but does Jasmyne Rose Silverlight have a licence for all of her companions?
π: 0 β©: 1
Mary Sue is a term used to delegitimizeΒ female power fantasies that would be much less harshly received if a man was the main character instead. But yes that is a bad character and is way to "busy" to be easily introduced in most any story.
π: 0 β©: 2
No, a Mary Sue is a perfect princess of absolute purity who can do nothing wrong ever, while a Marty Stu is the same thing for guys. If a guy writes a Marty Stu, it usually gets shat upon and called "No True Man . . ." Just as a Mary Sue is really "No True Woman." They have to be flawless.Β
π: 0 β©: 0
No, that isn't what a Mary Sue is.Β Β
π: 0 β©: 0
People getting butthurt over this and not realising it was submitted in 2 0 0 4.Β
Seriously.Β
Get a grip.Β
π: 0 β©: 1
Is it pointless to "fight" the Mary Sues or bring the idea what's good for making a character nowadays? I doubt that it's outdated...
π: 0 β©: 0
Eh this is a very black and white way of looking at things, imperfect characters can be mary sues too. And "perfect" characters if written with depth can be interesting as well, maybe they are a surface level of perfect until they get one thing wrong or someone overtakes them, then they flip out and fall in to depression.
Basically all characters can be amazing, all characters can be shit. Don't worry about the power level of your character, worry about why I should care about them. I'd argue here BOTH characters are boring as hell.
π: 0 β©: 2
But if they get something wrong or fall into depression they are no longer perfect because they have a flaw.
And generally it's much more interesting to read about characters with flaws because we relate to them more. And perfect characters can make you feel bad about yourself by setting impossible standards.
Of course all of this is in my own opinion.
π: 0 β©: 0
But I like Mary sues.
I grew with them in deviantART.
I respect your opinion though...
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Yeah, well I saw this on "what's hot"
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
And why not comment?
Time doesn exactly stop somebody from commenting, or replying. :/
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Love it. Pretty much sums them up.
π: 0 β©: 0
this is very helpful dont listen to the hate!
π: 0 β©: 0
How about let people draw what they want to draw. This shit is ancient and fueled by internalized sexism, why is it on the front page?
π: 0 β©: 3
This was uploaded in 2004 (older than you) and a parody. I donβt know why people still get butthurt.
π: 0 β©: 0
sexism??? There is literally nothing sexist on there??Β
π: 0 β©: 0
actually mary sues arent anceient
its not fuiled by sexism
and shes not telling people not to draw what they want
shes just saying a character that had no flaws is a mary sueΒ
example
my cousins character roes has 1 flaw wich is everyone loves her but she only loves cannon characters
my character has normal flaws
she trips alotΒ
she cant use a sword and she cant spellΒ
so i hope you think about your comment and edit it or at least apologise to the artist
π: 0 β©: 1
I literally don't care about any of this. It's sad that there's no self awareness on DeviantArt, but I shouldn't exactly expect much from somebody that doesn't have the decency to be ashamed of dumbass rhetoric they picked up in ye old days. Have some shame.
π: 0 β©: 1
Yeah it is sad that there is no self awareness from some people
Example you
Your obviously the person who doesn't think about what they say or type.
Also I won't have shame for my statement because I made a point by not calling people a dumbass. Really the only person deserving shame here is you. You made a cruel and not thought out statement.
Of course it was an opinion but it was still a rude one
So please
Apologize,fix the statement,or risk getting reported
π: 0 β©: 1
π: 0 β©: 0
Well, for some reason I think it's okay for villain characters to be over-powered to an extent. For example, one of my OCs, Death Lord, is impossibly powerful, but his powers are only limited to destruction, not creation. The other five Lords (technically the "gods" of my stories) also have powers, but it's limited to them. The Sunkiller can create entire worlds, but he can't destroy them with a snap of his claws. Sin can only create evil. Wrath can gift creatures with powers. If you create deity OCs, try not to make them too powerful (but I thought that was that point?). Idk what this comment was even about lol.
π: 0 β©: 0
Give a character one major flaw and exploit it to form its personality.
Your greatest flaws are also your greatest strengths.
The character on the right can be interesting just by one thing. No one likes her. She's too perfect for everything and society rejects her as a whole for not being flawed. Will the frustration get to her? Will she remove herself from a deity status to succumb into human life and be happy? What if she's interested in a guy and this person is just interested in her body and the relationship is as bland and boring as having a brainwashed slave?
π: 0 β©: 2
Amen to this! People are trying way to hard to witch hunt "Mary Sues" that hardly ever exist in the first place. You can make an "over powered" character without making it ridiculous.Β
π: 0 β©: 0
This is the kinda stuff I want to hear! \o/
π: 0 β©: 0
the "mary sue" character almost sounds like a deity, or can pass on as one
π: 0 β©: 1
How to tell if your character is a jimmy john? Ask people who have 0 imagination.Β
π: 0 β©: 1
Well, it's mainly about how fast they can deliver a sub sandwich.
π: 0 β©: 3
I find this picture to heavily be outdated.
Even the linking comment explaining what defines a sue is wrong, sues are usually defined by having unrealistic skills (Not just powers). However can having unrealistic skills truly define a sue? such animes like "One Punch Man" and "Mob Pyscho 100" tackle these idea's perfectly.
You can make over powered characters that are definitely not sues. Infact making too much of a grounded plain Jane can cause issues too, for example I find the green haired girl very under written.
She doesn't seem like a good representation as all, she seems like the other extreme of a boring, unintertesting protagonist. Multiple things need to taken into a count when writing a character as a whole. People can say this picture is too old however the flaws of the argument is still relevant as people argue what makes a good character.
Personally. A well written character needs motivations, a drive and other unique characters to create great conflict. There is no shame in making a unique character in a plain world, just as long as the events in the story are played out well.
"IT'S OLD LAWL"
Is not a valid argument. Old pieces can still be criticised for being incorrect or questioned. :3
If you all went to art museums you'd know people critique old art 24/7.
π: 0 β©: 3
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
The salt is strong with you.
However never let it be said statements on old work cannot be commented about. You'd know this if you could actually draw.
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Like I said.
Old art pieces are always up for criticism this is why art of Picasso work and Van gogh are still examined for either being good or being bad. Age has no relevance for statements or even art work, criticism for old stuff can always picture or inspire new artists.
Again. If you had any art talent or intellect you might have taken this as a possible thought instead of being salty and protecting an artist like a total white knight.
Also you can have shit jokes, doesn't mean a joke should be respected on the idea that it's a "joke" that's a shit cop out.
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Coming from a person who has nothing but sparkle dogs on their gallery, Your last statement is hilarious. Especially since all of those bases aren't really your's but sure pot calling kettle black.Β
Also I don't see how the artist made this clear that these aren't the view they shared and if they did? they did a very shit job. :3
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Your response sure does explain alot.
Is retard your ONLY vocabulary or did you get a dictionary for salt and retard.
You're growing up fast.
Also running joke people who have shitty adopts and often have sparkle dogs are usually joked about as being kids.
So just saying.
Don't give me ammo I can use.
Also you are very salty, why come onto an old picture to tell people they're wasting their time with an old picture? you must have alot of salt to waste your own time telling people they can't criticise shit jokes or statements. lol If people are buying your adopts, you're either deluded or the prices was 10 points.
π: 0 β©: 1
Hidden by Commenter
π: 0 β©: 1
Lol realistic.
But you're still wasting your time you dumb cunt, the very thing you seem to be against despite the fact people are allowed to say and what they want.
I don't need to repeat myself honestly, my point still stands and it's still valid. Old pictures and shit jokes are allowed to be criticised. Simple as that.
Oh and before you start selling stuff. Please stop ripping people off. 25 points is still expensive for shitty bases.
π: 0 β©: 0
This was made in 2009, ya idiot. Read the description.
π: 0 β©: 3
π: 0 β©: 1
<= Prev | | Next =>