Mary Sue

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Mary Sue (or simply Sue) is a pejorative expression for a fictional character who is an idealized stand-in for the author, or for a story with such a character. Originally, the Mary Sue concept came out of Star Trek fan fiction and described an original female character who had a romantic liaison with an established, "canon" character, particularly if she possessed unrealistic or unlikely traits above and beyond those expected of a character in that particular series, or a conventional author surrogate. However, as of 2005 author surrogate characters are also being defined as Mary Sue.

Another definition states that Mary Sue is any original character who possesses unusual qualities, parentage, or appearance — particularly in, but not limited to, science fiction or fantasy, (whether original or fan fiction). By this definition, Ged from Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea tales, Lessa of Anne McCaffrey's Pern stories, Vanyel of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series, Rudyard Kipling's intrepid orphan Kim, and Elminster from Ed Greenwood's "Forgotten Realms" novels and RPG setting, are all Mary Sues. Some have gone further, changing previously understood definitions, and have begun to define any original characters in fiction as Mary Sue.

Male "Sues" may be called "Marty Stus", "Murray Stus", "Harry Stus", and/or "Gary Stus", although the original "Mary Sue" term is often considered unisex. A rarer unisex variant is "Airy Ooh". Authors of such characters (of either sex) are sometimes referred to as Suethors.

In fan fiction, Mary Sue characters are usually the original creation of the author, but sometimes "canon Sues" are created by adapting pre-existing canon characters. Conversely, such original or adapted characters are not necessarily Mary Sues. The Peter Jairus Frigate character of the Riverworld series, for instance, is deliberately based on his author but rarely the focus of the story (unlike Tom Sawyer, for instance — a Mary Sue by 2005 standards). However, there are a great number of what many fans think of as pre-existing Sues in canon, particularly in Japanese anime cartoons, Japanese manga comic books, and roleplaying video games (which often include complex stories).

Some fan critics believe that young writers tend to create "narcissistic" Sues and "unintentional" Sues (characters that develop into Sues due to the author's supposed subconscious) desires. Some authors now write Mary Sues deliberately as a form of parody.

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Typical Sues

The stereotypical Mary Sue may be tougher, smarter, and cooler than the established characters and so win their admiration. Alternately, the Sue may be nicer, sweeter, and more charming than the established characters (often despite being tortured by a tragic past) and win their love. Either way, the setting's protagonists are upstaged by the new character's perfection. If this new character dies in the story (typically as an act of self-sacrifice), other characters may memorialize her with excessive grieving.

Mary Sue characters are generally marked by overdescription with extraneous, seemingly tacked-on paragraphs describing in great detail their distinctive appearance or possessions, even if they have no significance for the plot and seem out of place. For example, a Mary Sue would not merely be said to carry a gun. The model, color, appearance, and special features of the gun would be described all at once.

Characters who are perceived as Mary Sues are abundant in both fanfiction and actual series, particularly Japanese anime cartoons. Miaka Yūki from Fushigi Yūgi, Hitomi Kanzaki from Vision of Escaflowne, Aerith from Final Fantasy VII, and Lacus Clyne from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED are canonical main characters who demonstrate possession of some, if not all, of the typical Mary Sue traits (arguably, one should expect to find unusual beauty and amazing gifts among anime characters male or female). Some readers of the Harry Potter series also accuse the characters Hermione Granger (an admitted author surrogate of JK Rowling) and Ginny Weasley of being Mary Sues.

Common traits of Mary Sues in fanfiction:

  • Has only sympathetic flaws; Mary Sues may be paraplegic, or dangerously naïve, but are very rarely selfish or petty-minded. Alternatively, they may be outspoken, even rude, and get away with it.
  • Can do no wrong - or, if she does do anything wrong, has strong justification for it.
  • Distinctive physical features (odd-coloured eyes, birthmarks, scars, etc.).
  • Owns an unusual pet (especially, 'one that only she could tame').
  • Deliberately exotic name.
  • Name based on that of the author (such as an anagram).
  • Cultural/racial background very different from her peers (often adopted out of her culture).
  • Deeply traumatic past.
  • Attitudes contemporary to the author in a setting where these are unheard of.
  • Close relationship with a major canonical character (long-lost brother, etc.).
  • Unwanted connection to a canonical antagonist (virtuous daughter who rebels against her evil father, etc.).
  • Well-liked by all the canonical protagonists.
  • Powers or abilities closely paralleling those of a major canon character.
  • Centrally involved in every part of the story.
  • Invokes powers impossible (or at least unheard-of) in the canon.
  • If the published universe is set in a different country to the one the author is from, the Mary Sue will probably be from the author's country of origin.
  • Unusually young compared to the canon characters, especially when the author is young too. May have skills that are less likely in a person that young.
  • If much of the tension in a series is largely dependent upon a sequence of ongoing character flaws and misunderstandings (such as the works of Rumiko Takahashi), the Mary Sue character almost invariably possesses a 'big picture' view that allows them to solve all of these little problems, thereby sewing up the series in a happily-ever-after fashion.

None of these traits in and of themselves make a Mary Sue by the old standard definition. For example, basing a character on oneself, with no other distinguishing traits and no romantic involvement, was once considered acceptable. Rather, a Sue depends on the author's reliance on such gimmicks to make a character unique and appealing.

In the world of fantasy, anime, and comic-book or manga literature, in which over-the-top characters, powers, and situations are quite normal, it is obviously necessary to be cautious about labeling a character a Mary Sue simply because she possesses one or more of the above traits; they are all recognized plot elements from legitimate stories. For example, the orphan adopted out of her culture, who seems unusual to the people around her, is the subject of many fairytales. And, of course, unusual people exist in real life. One has to measure the "possible Mary Sue" elements for appropriateness in the context of the canon (if fan fiction) or the general setting of the story (if original).

Another "yardstick" used to see if a character is considered to be a Mary Sue is character reaction. For example, if a character is impossibly beautiful or talented, at least some other characters are likely to be envious or jealous of her. In Mary Sue fanfiction, this tends not to occur. Jealous characters, if they appear at all, are often female canon characters whom the author intensely dislikes. Their behavior is invariably vicious, cruel, and completely out of character.

It is also worth noting that the "perfection" of a Mary Sue is first and foremost in the eyes of the author, not of the audience. A Mary Sue may have obvious flaws, but the author will not percieve or portray them as being flaws and will likely have such traits considered endearing rather than annoying by the canonical characters.

Controversy exists as to what exactly constitutes "impossibly beautiful or talented". For example, a fan critic on a Lord of the Rings mailing list stated that any female character who used a sword well, particularly if she could outfight male characters, was a Mary Sue, because (she claimed) differences in male and female physiology make it impossible for a woman to use a sword well. This writer was undoubtedly unaware of the many hundreds if not thousands of women warriors in recorded history (to say nothing of the Lord of the Rings canonical character Eowyn, who is a female warrior), or that swordsmanship was even considered healthy exercise for girls in late Victorian times. One of the Mary Sue litmus tests states that a character must not speak several languages fluently, particularly if they include languages not understood by the main canonical characters, but that is not an impossible trait in real life.

Sueification

"Sueification" is a name that has been applied to the transformation of a canon character to fit the writer's preferences. The character is likely to lose the traits the writer finds uninteresting or unappealing, and to gain characteristics which the writer likes but which the character had previously not possessed and which are radically out of character. Perhaps the most prevalent example is the transformation of Hermione Granger, as seen in a number of Harry Potter fanfics. In a randomly selected story readers are likely to find Hermione with her bushy brown hair straightened and "raven black"; wearing extremely revealing clothing rather than the canonical school robes; disclosing that her father abuses or molests her; learning that she is adopted and "really" a pureblood witch (not muggle-born); abandoning her beloved books and studies in favor of fashion and flirtation; "re-sorted" into a school House other than Gryffindor; romantically or sexually involved with Draco Malfoy or another character; or any combination of these. Fan Speculation sometimes states that J.K. Rowling herself may have been guilty of "sueifying" Hermione by having her allow the school physician to reduce her slightly overlarge front teeth (after she had been cursed with very large beaver teeth) in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; however, this is not true, as Hermione states that she had been trying to convince her parents to let her do so for a long time.

A variant of this is the "Author's Pet", where a canon character gains new powers or abilities that they had not displayed in the original source material, making them more powerful or capable than the other characters. In many cases, this will be a character written into a relationship with a Mary Sue character, and the powers will mirror those possessed by the Mary Sue. For example, if a Mary Sue had the ability to transform into a dragon, while the "author's pet" could not, the canon character would also gain that ability. It is easy to see how this type of "powering up" could be carried to extremes, and such authors run the risk of painting themselves into a Superman-like corner (Kryptonite was invented by Superman's writers because he had become too invincible). However, for a canonical character to learn new skills can also contribute to character growth, as long as the new skills or abilities are not too excessive.

Gary Stu

Gary Stus (also known as Marty Stus) are far rarer in fan fiction, partly because this genre is predominantly written by women. Some have also observed [1] that Gary Stus tend to be written into the canon already, enabling them to "hide in plain sight". Again, there is considerable controversy over whether or not an author surrogate, even an idealized one, can be considered a Mary Sue.

Oftentimes canonical Gary Stus, like Mary Sues, tend to have special abilities, or have powers which far exceed that of other characters. As it is quite common for the leading male characters of fantasy narrative, film, comic books and manga, and shōnen (male-oriented) anime, to have such qualities, it must be difficult to tell when they have become Gary Stus. A certain amount of sexual prejudice appears to exist in that a female canonical character with unusual gifts is much more likely to be labeled a Mary Sue than a male with the same gifts.

Gary Stu-type characters are not limited to anime. While it has often been said that Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan character demonstrates many Gary Stu-esque qualities, Clive Cussler has, in fact, taken the Gary Stu to a new level in his Dirk Pitt series of books. Apparently named after Cussler's own son Dirk, the character of Dirk Pitt maintains many of Cussler's own hobbies, including maritime archeology and collecting antique automobiles. However, Cussler has also directly written himself into many of his novels in the form of minor scenes where Pitt receives aid, often crucial, from a character named Clive Cussler. Suspiciously, Pitt never seems to link these meetings together although he often thinks that Cussler looks familiar. Whether this is Mary Sue activity or simply an author having a bit of fun dialoguing with his characters is a matter of speculation.

This sort of cultural self-reference within fiction is not uncommon: the most famous example is probably Hunter S. Thompson, whose main character was also called Hunter S. Thompson. Richard Brautigan did it several times as did J.D. Salinger, and Ben Hecht in his plays about newspaper life. Controversy exists as to whether or not this constitutes Mary Sue activity.

A Gary Stu is somewhat different from a Mary Sue in that his perfections tend to be less oriented on personality and more on physical traits, skill, or expertise. For example, some Gary Stus are very strong, skilled swordfighters, expert wizards, or legendary heroes with scars who often attract female characters within the story. Most are designed to fill either the role of dangerous action hero or caring, supportive lover. In addition to Mary Sue traits such as unusual background and lack of flaws, the following features are common:

  • Dark, brooding, quiet, mysterious, tormented, or otherwise enigmatic, with a dark or tormented past — often showing none of the psychological damage that such a past should inflict; sometimes being almost comic relief silly (according to this definition, some would say that Himura of Rurouni Kenshin is a kind of Gary Stu).
  • Either a devoted, monogamous lover, or an accomplished, "badass" action hero
  • Plenty of gadgets; accompanied by lists of weapons, technology, etc.
  • Penchant for violence or skill in battle (sometimes to the point of seeming sociopathic)
  • Reluctant warrior, caught up in a conflict he's not ready for (for example, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars)
  • "Strong but sensitive" alpha male type (for example, Wolverine from the X-Men)
  • An attractive young ephebe who has earned the respect of his much older companions through his genius-level intelligence and/or skills (for example, Darren Shan from Cirque Du Freak).

Notable Sue facts

Pat Pflieger's essay "Too Good to be True: 150 Years of Mary Sue" trace the Mary Sue archetype to the idealized young heroines of stories written by the female subscribers to mid-19th century magazines. The much-abused Elsie Dinsmore might be considered a Mary Sue for her perfect, doll-like appearance, extreme wealth, and religious piety, as might the innocent heroine of Ouida's tearjerker Two Little Wooden Shoes and a great many of Charles Dickens's characters.

Television shows that have generated large bodies of fan fiction have included episodes that draw on the Mary Sue clichés, including the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Hollow Pursuits" and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Superstar". The X-Files character Leyla Harrison, featured in the episodes "Alone" and "Scary Monsters", was both a Mary Sue and an affectionate tribute to a recently-deceased fanfiction writer after whom the character was named.

Some fans have suggested that Star Trek's Wesley Crusher was Gene Roddenberry's Mary Sue character; others state that author surrogate would be a better term, but in view of Wesley's ultimate apotheosis this is still controversial. Other canon characters who have Mary Sue-like traits include Willow Rosenberg of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Kitty Pryde of the X-Men. Both characters are extremely intelligent Jewish women who become highly proficient in their chosen fields and who have less than ideal family lives.

Diane Carey's "Piper" Star Trek novels (Dreadnought! and Battlestations!) meet most of the criteria defining Mary Sue fiction, and while some fan critics express annoyance at Miss Piper's antics, others consider her to be among the very few Mary Sues good enough to avoid general condemnation. Another well-written Mary Sue is the "Dorothy and Myfanwy" series by Dorothy Jones, which appeared in the early fanzine T-Negative.

The term Mary Sue is often said to have originated from a piece of Star Trek fanfiction about a character named Mary Sue. That story was actually a parody: "A Trekkie's Tale", written by Paula Smith and published in the fanzine Menagerie #2 in 1973. (Source: Verba's Boldly Writing).

Roz Kaveney used the term in her review of the television program Doctor Who in the April 29, 2005 issue of The Times Literary Supplement: "[Rose] is also what is commonly known as a "Mary Sue" — an unironic reflection of the writers' and fans' desire to get in there and help the Doctor out (while managing to stay pretty)."

One of the pre-made characters in The Sims 2 is named "Mary-Sue".

External links

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