Post by Alenis Meru on Nov 13, 2014 2:31:26 GMT
Here's an interesting article that I came across in my travels...
Personally, I've always thought that there is danger in throwing out the label "Mary Sue" or "SHS" a little too much -- our characters are primary protagonists so it stands to reason that they're a little more badass than your average Starfleet officer. Tom Paris is a great pilot, Worf is a great fighter, Scotty is a great engineer, etc. There is a danger in holding back on the badassery for fear of being "SHS" or "Mary Sue-ish" (that said, having a character who is consistently scene-stealing or plot-busting can be an issue, so there is a balance there)
But, I hadn't thought if it in terms of gender before. What do you think? Are male characters given more of a "pass" to be badasses without being considered Mary Sues? Does this facilitate a dearth of badass female characters in pop culture? Is Trek better than average for this because of the inclusion of some pretty badass female characters like Janeway and Kira?
I hate Mary Sues.
It’s not, however, for the reason that you might think. We’ve all encountered Mary Sue characters — a product of fan fiction (typically an author insert) who can do everything, fix all problems, knows everything and knows exactly how to solve any given mystery. In my experience, Mary Sues are often not perfect, but charmingly flawed (so clumsy!) and that flaw ensures she is always the center of attention. Everyone loves her because the author wants it that way rather than because she is, in fact, lovable.
But at some point (I’m honestly not sure when) the Mary Sue shifted away from wish-fulfilling author insert to a woman who was good at too much. Quelle horreur!
Here’s the thing though: I’ve had this feeling for a while that lurking underneath the ‘Mary Sue’ label is something kind of ugly. Here, I’ll give you some examples:
o Batman
o The Shadow
o Doc Savage
o Iron Man
o Doctor Who
(There are plenty more out there. Pick one.)
I grew up on these guys and it honestly never occurred to me that there was anything wrong with these multi-talented, skilled men of action. Yes, they were virtual demi-gods, but I didn’t read pulps or comics to read about normal ‘realistic’ people. And I loved it when their strengths so often became their weakness.
So I have heard it said that these characters are the male equivalents of Mary Sues (Gary Stues) but honestly, it’s not an accusation that’s leveled very often. Most of the time, these characters are given a pass and a high-five by men and women alike.
It’s not, however, for the reason that you might think. We’ve all encountered Mary Sue characters — a product of fan fiction (typically an author insert) who can do everything, fix all problems, knows everything and knows exactly how to solve any given mystery. In my experience, Mary Sues are often not perfect, but charmingly flawed (so clumsy!) and that flaw ensures she is always the center of attention. Everyone loves her because the author wants it that way rather than because she is, in fact, lovable.
But at some point (I’m honestly not sure when) the Mary Sue shifted away from wish-fulfilling author insert to a woman who was good at too much. Quelle horreur!
Here’s the thing though: I’ve had this feeling for a while that lurking underneath the ‘Mary Sue’ label is something kind of ugly. Here, I’ll give you some examples:
o Batman
o The Shadow
o Doc Savage
o Iron Man
o Doctor Who
(There are plenty more out there. Pick one.)
I grew up on these guys and it honestly never occurred to me that there was anything wrong with these multi-talented, skilled men of action. Yes, they were virtual demi-gods, but I didn’t read pulps or comics to read about normal ‘realistic’ people. And I loved it when their strengths so often became their weakness.
So I have heard it said that these characters are the male equivalents of Mary Sues (Gary Stues) but honestly, it’s not an accusation that’s leveled very often. Most of the time, these characters are given a pass and a high-five by men and women alike.
Personally, I've always thought that there is danger in throwing out the label "Mary Sue" or "SHS" a little too much -- our characters are primary protagonists so it stands to reason that they're a little more badass than your average Starfleet officer. Tom Paris is a great pilot, Worf is a great fighter, Scotty is a great engineer, etc. There is a danger in holding back on the badassery for fear of being "SHS" or "Mary Sue-ish" (that said, having a character who is consistently scene-stealing or plot-busting can be an issue, so there is a balance there)
But, I hadn't thought if it in terms of gender before. What do you think? Are male characters given more of a "pass" to be badasses without being considered Mary Sues? Does this facilitate a dearth of badass female characters in pop culture? Is Trek better than average for this because of the inclusion of some pretty badass female characters like Janeway and Kira?
