Post by Awapuhi on May 26, 2006 0:55:39 GMT -5
Please read this thread instead of starting your own. Thank you. ^.^
This is a direct copy from Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue
If you want to know the specifics of an Avatar Mary Sue, please scroll below the quotes.
Mary Sue
"Characters most commonly labeled Mary Sues are often characterized by their unusual and dramatic traits and experiences, their similarity to their author or their author's ideal person, and, most especially, the trait of extreme superiority in comparison to other characters.
Those labeled Mary Sues normally have exceptional physical and personal characteristics, including unusual and (typically) tragic backgrounds. They may have uncommon eye or hair colors or come from a race or species which is uncommon or unknown in the story’s setting. They may have exotic names, pets, or possessions, often ones with great perceived mystical or magical significance. As children, they often will have experienced abuse or other hardships that were substantially worse than the abuse or hardship experienced by other characters and often, by many of the people in the real world — though they are often said to seldom if ever display any evidence in personality or behavior of having been traumatized. In adulthood, they are generally portrayed as misunderstood or unfairly persecuted. They are often abandoned as infants or young children, from a famous or infamous family, or related somehow to the author’s favorite character.
They frequently share hobbies, likes and dislikes, and opinions with the author, and may be of the same nationality or age as the author and have similar but more dramatic physical appearances or backgrounds; other times, they may merely have hobbies or features that the author finds exotic, high-class or somehow admirable.
In fan fiction, they often cause things to happen that the author wishes would happen in canon. They usually mock and humiliate characters the author dislikes; if these characters are well-liked in canon they sometimes reveal to the other characters that they are secretly evil. If a character is disliked by most canon characters but liked by the author, the Mary Sue realizes that they are not really bad but merely misunderstood and either explains this to the other characters or becomes the character's sole confidant and friend, if not their redeemer. Mary Sues may bring together characters the author thinks should be romantically involved with one another or become romantically involved with characters to whom the author is attracted.
Characters perceived as Mary Sues almost always have more and better skills than other characters in the story and easily solve problems that stump other characters. Young Mary Sues often have skills or accomplishments that are substantially greater than those of other characters their age and of the majority of people their age in the real world. They are usually presented as more moral than other characters and frequently sacrifice their lives or happiness for the sake of other characters. They often have moral ideas or follow norms that are common in the Western world today but unusual for the setting or perceived setting of the story. They are nearly always exceptionally attractive, with said attractiveness often being described in great detail and typically noticed frequently by the other characters.
Characters said to be Mary Sues are generally heavily praised by the author and especially other characters. If the Mary Sue has flaws or limitations, they are either minor and/or endearing, or yet another hardship for the Sue to overcome (e.g. paraplegia, depression, an eating disorder, or a "passionate" temperament)."
Avatar Mary Sue
Your character is an instant Avatar Mary Sue/Gary Stu if:
1. They can bend more than one element.
2. They have a scar just like Zuko's.
3. They are related to Aang, Zuko, Katara and Sokka, or Toph.
4. They have a hair color other than brown, black, or gray.*
5. They do not have a hair color that matches their nation. (Black - Fire Nation, Brown - Water Tribes, Brown - Earth Kingdom)
5. They have an eye color that has not appeared in the show. (Purple, silver, black, red.)*
6. They have an eye color that does not match their nation. (Gold/amber/brown - Fire Nation, Shades of Brown - Earth Kingdom, Blue - Water Tribes.)
7. They can bend elements that have not appeared in the show or are a part of another element. (Heart, love, shadow, blood, plants, ice, sky, sun, beauty, mood, the color orange.)
8. They can defeat Ozai/Aang/Azula/Pakku/Zhao/Iroh.
9. They can defeat almost anybody and they're less than 35.
10. They hold a high military position and they're less than 20.
11. Their name is a variation of one of the main character's.
12. They are an Airbender in the present-day Avatar world, when Aang is clearly stated to be the only one left.
13. They wear modern clothing.
14. Their name is not Asian-based. **
15. Their hair or eye color changes. (Usually based on mood, but dyes count as well. Dyes are a very expensive and meticulous science.)
16. They're extremely beautiful/handsome and the main characters fall in love with them left and right.
17. They are an expert and cold-hearted killer/assassin and they are younger than 25 years of age.
18. They have experienced death in any way and show no psychological repercussions.
*A note on pink/red eyes and white hair: Pink/red eyes and white hair are a product of the hereditary condition known as Albinism. Please click the link for more information.
**As pointed out by Paraiba Ocean, "Ursa is Latin for bear, Azula is derrived from the Spanish/Portuguese word azul (blue), and Katara may be derrived from the Spanish word cataratas meaning "waterfalls". You just can't do Bob, Mary, Sally, Jim, etc. But the name should have some meaning to it, however. Names like Eva and Helene shouldn't be used, as they are generic with no meaning." Paraiba is correct. As a general rule, though, the Mary Sue spotters are nervous about any name not of Asian decent simply because then names crop up that may not be mainstream American names, but are still derived from English, Dutch, or Russian. Those three languages (along with the Germanic and the Slavonic languages, mostly) are what's called stress-timed languages. Spanish, Italian, French, Catalan, and Romance languages (aka, Latin), are syllable-timed languages along with Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Punjabi. The mora-timed Japanese language is sometimes included as a syllable-timed language. Because they all follow the same linguistic timing, these names all sound like they belong in the same Asian-based world. Ursa (Latin) is not so out of place among Azula (Spanish) and Zuko (from the mora-timed Japanese), but would poetically clash with Abbie (English), Grietje (Dutch), Jenica (Russian), Allison (German), or Evelina (Slavic).
That is why it's best for OCs to stick to Asian names that are easy for everyone else to place in the Avatar Universe. Otherwise, linguistics just become too much of an issue.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Mary Sues are a big problem in the Avatar fandom, so there are lots of examples of what *not* to do. Use common sense when making your character. If they're more powerful than any other person in Avatar ever, then you have a problem.
On the flip side, also keep in mind that these rules are applied to Role Playing as well as Fanfiction. However, in that case the guidelines for a Mary Sue may change depending on the RP's unique rules. If an Avatar RP is created with a portal that has opened between the current AvaVerse and the future AvaVerse and the creator of the RP states that the characters may wear modern clothing, then Rule #13 is void. The majority rules in RP - characters walking outside of the beaten path must watch that they don't become Sues.
If you have anything to add to the list, please PM me (Ti) and I'll add it. Some things have been left out on purpose.
This is a direct copy from Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue
If you want to know the specifics of an Avatar Mary Sue, please scroll below the quotes.
Mary Sue
"Characters most commonly labeled Mary Sues are often characterized by their unusual and dramatic traits and experiences, their similarity to their author or their author's ideal person, and, most especially, the trait of extreme superiority in comparison to other characters.
Those labeled Mary Sues normally have exceptional physical and personal characteristics, including unusual and (typically) tragic backgrounds. They may have uncommon eye or hair colors or come from a race or species which is uncommon or unknown in the story’s setting. They may have exotic names, pets, or possessions, often ones with great perceived mystical or magical significance. As children, they often will have experienced abuse or other hardships that were substantially worse than the abuse or hardship experienced by other characters and often, by many of the people in the real world — though they are often said to seldom if ever display any evidence in personality or behavior of having been traumatized. In adulthood, they are generally portrayed as misunderstood or unfairly persecuted. They are often abandoned as infants or young children, from a famous or infamous family, or related somehow to the author’s favorite character.
They frequently share hobbies, likes and dislikes, and opinions with the author, and may be of the same nationality or age as the author and have similar but more dramatic physical appearances or backgrounds; other times, they may merely have hobbies or features that the author finds exotic, high-class or somehow admirable.
In fan fiction, they often cause things to happen that the author wishes would happen in canon. They usually mock and humiliate characters the author dislikes; if these characters are well-liked in canon they sometimes reveal to the other characters that they are secretly evil. If a character is disliked by most canon characters but liked by the author, the Mary Sue realizes that they are not really bad but merely misunderstood and either explains this to the other characters or becomes the character's sole confidant and friend, if not their redeemer. Mary Sues may bring together characters the author thinks should be romantically involved with one another or become romantically involved with characters to whom the author is attracted.
Characters perceived as Mary Sues almost always have more and better skills than other characters in the story and easily solve problems that stump other characters. Young Mary Sues often have skills or accomplishments that are substantially greater than those of other characters their age and of the majority of people their age in the real world. They are usually presented as more moral than other characters and frequently sacrifice their lives or happiness for the sake of other characters. They often have moral ideas or follow norms that are common in the Western world today but unusual for the setting or perceived setting of the story. They are nearly always exceptionally attractive, with said attractiveness often being described in great detail and typically noticed frequently by the other characters.
Characters said to be Mary Sues are generally heavily praised by the author and especially other characters. If the Mary Sue has flaws or limitations, they are either minor and/or endearing, or yet another hardship for the Sue to overcome (e.g. paraplegia, depression, an eating disorder, or a "passionate" temperament)."
Avatar Mary Sue
Your character is an instant Avatar Mary Sue/Gary Stu if:
1. They can bend more than one element.
2. They have a scar just like Zuko's.
3. They are related to Aang, Zuko, Katara and Sokka, or Toph.
4. They have a hair color other than brown, black, or gray.*
5. They do not have a hair color that matches their nation. (Black - Fire Nation, Brown - Water Tribes, Brown - Earth Kingdom)
5. They have an eye color that has not appeared in the show. (Purple, silver, black, red.)*
6. They have an eye color that does not match their nation. (Gold/amber/brown - Fire Nation, Shades of Brown - Earth Kingdom, Blue - Water Tribes.)
7. They can bend elements that have not appeared in the show or are a part of another element. (Heart, love, shadow, blood, plants, ice, sky, sun, beauty, mood, the color orange.)
8. They can defeat Ozai/Aang/Azula/Pakku/Zhao/Iroh.
9. They can defeat almost anybody and they're less than 35.
10. They hold a high military position and they're less than 20.
11. Their name is a variation of one of the main character's.
12. They are an Airbender in the present-day Avatar world, when Aang is clearly stated to be the only one left.
13. They wear modern clothing.
14. Their name is not Asian-based. **
15. Their hair or eye color changes. (Usually based on mood, but dyes count as well. Dyes are a very expensive and meticulous science.)
16. They're extremely beautiful/handsome and the main characters fall in love with them left and right.
17. They are an expert and cold-hearted killer/assassin and they are younger than 25 years of age.
18. They have experienced death in any way and show no psychological repercussions.
*A note on pink/red eyes and white hair: Pink/red eyes and white hair are a product of the hereditary condition known as Albinism. Please click the link for more information.
**As pointed out by Paraiba Ocean, "Ursa is Latin for bear, Azula is derrived from the Spanish/Portuguese word azul (blue), and Katara may be derrived from the Spanish word cataratas meaning "waterfalls". You just can't do Bob, Mary, Sally, Jim, etc. But the name should have some meaning to it, however. Names like Eva and Helene shouldn't be used, as they are generic with no meaning." Paraiba is correct. As a general rule, though, the Mary Sue spotters are nervous about any name not of Asian decent simply because then names crop up that may not be mainstream American names, but are still derived from English, Dutch, or Russian. Those three languages (along with the Germanic and the Slavonic languages, mostly) are what's called stress-timed languages. Spanish, Italian, French, Catalan, and Romance languages (aka, Latin), are syllable-timed languages along with Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Punjabi. The mora-timed Japanese language is sometimes included as a syllable-timed language. Because they all follow the same linguistic timing, these names all sound like they belong in the same Asian-based world. Ursa (Latin) is not so out of place among Azula (Spanish) and Zuko (from the mora-timed Japanese), but would poetically clash with Abbie (English), Grietje (Dutch), Jenica (Russian), Allison (German), or Evelina (Slavic).
That is why it's best for OCs to stick to Asian names that are easy for everyone else to place in the Avatar Universe. Otherwise, linguistics just become too much of an issue.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Mary Sues are a big problem in the Avatar fandom, so there are lots of examples of what *not* to do. Use common sense when making your character. If they're more powerful than any other person in Avatar ever, then you have a problem.
On the flip side, also keep in mind that these rules are applied to Role Playing as well as Fanfiction. However, in that case the guidelines for a Mary Sue may change depending on the RP's unique rules. If an Avatar RP is created with a portal that has opened between the current AvaVerse and the future AvaVerse and the creator of the RP states that the characters may wear modern clothing, then Rule #13 is void. The majority rules in RP - characters walking outside of the beaten path must watch that they don't become Sues.
If you have anything to add to the list, please PM me (Ti) and I'll add it. Some things have been left out on purpose.