The 'Final' Definition Of Mary Sue

The 'Final' Definition of Mary Sue

The commonly held concept of the Mary Sue is that of a poorly designed character. A poor character archetype comprising a person, usually a girl, who is perfect.

Not much else to say for this definition of a Mary Sue. Perfection defies any attempt to describe it. Which is what makes the Mary Sue the bane of good story-telling.

However, I believe that the Mary Sue is a problem with story-telling rather than character development.

More specifically - A Mary Sue is what happens when the Main Character's story pushes out the story of the other characters over the course of the narrative.

The narrative of a tale is like a river, through which the stories of the narrative's characters cross like the tributaries to the main channel. There is one main narrative within which are a multitude of stories. The stories that the audience focuses on become the main characters whom the audience follows through the narrative.

A narrative with a perfect character, the smartest man or the strongest warrior, works because the story is not entirely about the perfect character. A good example of this is Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is the smartest man in the room and the narrative never lets the audience forget it. But the story is not about Sherlock. The story is about the clients who brings their mysteries to 221B Baker Street. So while we are reading about a perfect character, namely Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is a narrative device which frames the real story. Whether it is about a Red-Headed League, or a missing Silver-Headed Horse.

Harry Potter is an example of a Mary Sue. Under my definition, and only in every book after the Goblet of Fire. In the first three books, Harry is like Sherlock Holmes. He is the narrative device through which the audience explores the Wizarding World. By following Harry's adventures solving the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone or the Chamber of Secrets. Harry's title of 'the Boy who Lived' was merely a justification for Harry getting involved in these mysteries.

But once Voldemort returns, Harry's story overshadows everyone else's as the narrative progresses. Everything becomes centered around Harry and the fact that he is destined to kill Voldemort. So much so that previous adventures are retconned into Dumbledore essentially 'fattening' Harry up for the slaughter. Something no amount of apologies in a deserted train station could really gloss over.

If a Mary Sue was simply the 'Perfect character', Superman would not be one of the world's most beloved heroes to date. However, even the most relatable character can become a Mary Sue if the author buys into his or her own hype.

RWBY Review - Start to Finish -

RWBY VOL 1; CHAPTER 3 -

So ... We meet Nora.

Mother, Mary of God, grant me strength.

The only thing balancing out the horror that is Nora is Pyrrha Nikos. SHE is now my favorite character instead of Jaune.

This is impressive because I generally do not like female main characters, and Pyrrha is obviously the main character of the show now because the title character still hasn't done anything to really impress three episodes in.

Chapter 3; The First Step -

An interesting title since the episode only had enough time for the plot to progress exactly one step.

It is the morning after the 'slumber party' in Beacon Academy's great hall. Now, the aspiring Huntsmen are going through their morning routines in Beacon's locker rooms. Preparing for whatever the Academy is going to throw at them next.

We start with Nora and Ren. But that's a jazz tune I ain't playing until I have to, so let's talk about Ruby.

Ruby and her sister, Yang, have a brief discussion about socializing. Here, we see a little more about Ruby's fixation with her weapon and how her weapon makes it less awkward for Ruby to deal with life in general. Yang tries to convince Ruby that breaking out of her shell would do Ruby a world of good, but Jaune interrupts that conversation, and I suddenly hate him.

Jaune then starts blowing his trombone in an attempt to bone Weiss. Interrupting a perfectly civil conversation between Weiss and a new girl, Pyrrha Nikos. Despite Jaune's hot air initially, Weiss manages to deflate him a little and Pyrrha sweeps him off his feet.

From Beacon's lockers, the Huntsmen find themselves standing on a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. After a blatant case of Negligence on the part of Ozpin, the Huntsmen are launched off the cliff, thus taking their 'first step' on their journey to become Huntsmen.

Building on from Chapter 2 -

After the attempt of Chapter 2 to progress the Huntsman storyline, Chapter 3 takes an immediate sharp left off the beaten path to introduce Ren and Nora. Or Nora and Ren, to be precise, because we get far too much of Nora in this Chapter.

Out of a 7-minute episode and a 30-second opening, Nora takes up a minute and a half of the remaining 6 minutes of the Chapter with pointless rambling about sloths, and an attempt by the writers to start a ship between Nora and Ren.

The ship isn't the problem, the inefficiency is the problem. Just keep the part about Sloths and the noises they allegedly make. 19 seconds would have been enough to get across that Nora is thirsty for Ren.

The Chapter attempts to address Ruby Rose's character development. Seemingly, this time, to focus on Ruby's love of weapons. Expressed by the girl in the first half of Chapter 2. Whether the writers would stick to this particular trait would be a bridge to cross when we come to it. This is because Jaune interrupts the conversation between Ruby and Yang so the writers could set up something as equally irrelevant as Nora's ramblings earlier.

Funnily enough, Pyrrha being irrelevant to the story is what makes her such a likable character in this Chapter. There is no attempt by the writers to do too much with Pyrrha at this stage, so Pyrrha is just a polite girl who is endearingly attractive because of it.

Her weapon is also a spear. How elegantly simple!

Jaune is an ass in this chapter though, which is a 180 turn when compared to his character in Chapter 2. I get it, Jaune likes Weiss, but why is he so dismissive of Pyrrha during his conversation with her and Weiss? Jaune wasn't interested in Ruby, but he was perfectly pleasant with Ruby when he first met her.

All in all, Chapter 3 is the first step onto the narrative of Ruby Rose. However, Ruby is not the focus, and we as the audience are taking the first step with the wrong foot forward, it seems.

What I liked -

Pyrrha Nikos. A little simple, but you get more out of a simple dish, I believe.

What I did not like -

Ruby Rose is not the main focus of her own show.

I don't know what noise a Sloth makes, but I'm sure it would come up with its own noise to tell Nora to leave it in peace. Say it with me everyone, "Nora, no talking!"

I do not approve of Jaune being mean to Pyrrha.

It seems like young fandoms these days are programmed to react to buzzwords like 'Gay', or 'Queer'.

Young fans don't recognize good stories anymore or have that part of their tastes wired out by modern cartoons.

Is that just me?

Can you imagine the awkward cringe when Blake and Sun reunite? Their last moment together was back when blacksun was going strong with the implication they would pick things up when they see each other again. Something dumb like Sun hooking up with Velvet offscreen and becoming a bmblb wingman. Or him being single and accepting Blake moved on from him no questions asked and even though he had every right to still have feelings for her that aren't so easily forgotten. It's going to be a shitshow.

I imagine RT would just make it a throwaway gag during the final fight. Like Blake would see Sun with Velvet and they would just say 'good luck', and head off to fight Salem.

I have a feeling that RWBY is building toward an Avengers Endgame style thing.

So your point stands when it benefits you, just like my point that started this thread.

Ironically, MY point stands.

When an RWBY fan does it, it's inferring from context.

When an RWDE, Ironwood lover does it, it's ignoring Head canon.

Essentially.

What “Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire” should end like in 5 panels(?)

Being sorry is not enough. You need to take responsibility for what you’ve done.

Man, that is funny.

Excuse me?

I think it is hilarious that YOU are berating me about taking responsibility for one’s actions since all of this is your fault.

WHAT?

If you are done riding your high horse, let me educate you: Evil prevails when good men do nothing.

Um, yes. I don’t see-

And when the Earth Kingdom was in chaos, what did you do?

… I’m not sure where this is-

You DECLINED to take an active role in reuniting the Earth Kingdom.

Yes, because I knew I would be seen as a conqueror and only be greeted with war.

THERE WAS ALREADY A WAR! Stop trying to justify it, you declined because you wished to keep your hands clean. You thought the best way to not be part of the problem was staying away. But not doing something IS STILL doing something! A person who watches a house burn without trying to kill the flames is just as guilty as the arsonist. I made mistakes, but I actually tried to do something for the Earth Kingdom. You are all acting as if I’m a Hitler, but I’m actually a Castro.

Nothing excuses conquest.

Oh, really?! Hey, Korra!

Please keep me out of-

You KNOW what Avatar Aang did to stop the Firelord?!

Um… he…

Attacked the Fire Kingdom, dethroned Ozai and Azula, and made Zuko the new monarch! What do you call that?!

Ah…

I CALL IT CONQUEST! YET EVERYONE TREATS HIM LIKE A HERO AND BUILDS HIM MONUMENTS AND SHIT! SO YOU CAN ALL TAKE YOUR HOLIER-THAN-THOU HYPOCRITE BULLSHIT AND STICK IT UP YOUR ASS!

Wait, who is Hitler and Castro?

Its on your tumblr page, sir.

When an RWBY fan does it, it's inferring from context.

When an RWDE, Ironwood lover does it, it's ignoring Head canon.