In Defense of Mary Sue: Part II
Last week, I wrote about Mary Sue. I defended her. I talked about how invoking her name to describe poor characterization has been done to death by critics, and how doing so is limiting a writer's creative possibilities.
This week, I'll be talking about the occasions when writers do create a "True Mary Sue," guilty of everything the name implies.
To begin, the "True Mary Sue" (TMS) is not the same as a well written "Smart, Strong, and Attractive" (SSA) character. Many well written and popular characters, especially in comics and sci-fi, are SSAs.
It takes more than being just smart, strong, and attractive to be a TMS, but with so many people shouting "Mary Sue" left and right, it can be hard to know when a TMS might just be surfacing. As a guide, I've put together the five defining traits of the TMS for easy reference.
The five defining traits of a True Mary Sue:
1. The TMS never makes mistakes. A well written SSA rarely make mistakes. It's a subtle, but important, difference. The SSA isn't perfect. Eventually, they'll screw up. That's what makes watching them learn from their actions and grow so compelling. The TMS never grows because they're already perfect.
2. The TMS is considered perfect in the eyes of the other characters within the story. The TMS is never second-guessed, or questioned. Unlike the TMS, a well written SSA is surrounded by characters willing to question their decisions and actions. More importantly, SSAs will question themselves, too. The TMS is never questioned because they're never wrong. Characters in the story who would normally disagree with a particular opinion or action will change their views if it is coming from the TMS. In extreme cases of poor writing, the TMS makes questionable or outright bad decisions that are blindly supported by the other characters in the story.
3. The TMS lacks evidence of greatness. While the SSA can often be loved and praised, it is the result of specific "in-story" actions and events that show why other characters would love and praise them. The TMS needs no in-story evidence. Their greatness is a birthright. They're great because they're great!
4. The TMS is never challenged. The SSA, despite their greatness, struggles. The SSA requires the help of others to make the right choice, and requires the help of others to assist in overcoming a conflict. The TMS requires no outside assistance, and overcoming conflict is easy.
5. The TMS develops spontaneous abilities (mental or physical) to solve problems. Because the TMS requires no support from anyone, spontaneous abilities are often required. Nobody has the ability to do everything, but it's a requirement for the TMS. That's why they need spontaneous abilities.
So there you have it, the five traits of the True Mary Sue! If you're a reader, look for them in fiction, and if you're a writer, be careful not to put these traits into your characters.
This week, I'll be talking about the occasions when writers do create a "True Mary Sue," guilty of everything the name implies.
To begin, the "True Mary Sue" (TMS) is not the same as a well written "Smart, Strong, and Attractive" (SSA) character. Many well written and popular characters, especially in comics and sci-fi, are SSAs.
It takes more than being just smart, strong, and attractive to be a TMS, but with so many people shouting "Mary Sue" left and right, it can be hard to know when a TMS might just be surfacing. As a guide, I've put together the five defining traits of the TMS for easy reference.
***
The five defining traits of a True Mary Sue:
1. The TMS never makes mistakes. A well written SSA rarely make mistakes. It's a subtle, but important, difference. The SSA isn't perfect. Eventually, they'll screw up. That's what makes watching them learn from their actions and grow so compelling. The TMS never grows because they're already perfect.
2. The TMS is considered perfect in the eyes of the other characters within the story. The TMS is never second-guessed, or questioned. Unlike the TMS, a well written SSA is surrounded by characters willing to question their decisions and actions. More importantly, SSAs will question themselves, too. The TMS is never questioned because they're never wrong. Characters in the story who would normally disagree with a particular opinion or action will change their views if it is coming from the TMS. In extreme cases of poor writing, the TMS makes questionable or outright bad decisions that are blindly supported by the other characters in the story.
3. The TMS lacks evidence of greatness. While the SSA can often be loved and praised, it is the result of specific "in-story" actions and events that show why other characters would love and praise them. The TMS needs no in-story evidence. Their greatness is a birthright. They're great because they're great!
4. The TMS is never challenged. The SSA, despite their greatness, struggles. The SSA requires the help of others to make the right choice, and requires the help of others to assist in overcoming a conflict. The TMS requires no outside assistance, and overcoming conflict is easy.
5. The TMS develops spontaneous abilities (mental or physical) to solve problems. Because the TMS requires no support from anyone, spontaneous abilities are often required. Nobody has the ability to do everything, but it's a requirement for the TMS. That's why they need spontaneous abilities.
***
So there you have it, the five traits of the True Mary Sue! If you're a reader, look for them in fiction, and if you're a writer, be careful not to put these traits into your characters.
Comments
Post a Comment