Mary Sue and the Pursuit of Stardom
Feb. 7th, 2013 10:08 amI'm referencing this site today: Mary Sue Classifications
It's Thursday, so as good a day as any to continue our discussion on Mary Sue and her appearances in fan fiction. I'll admit that I'm not completely schooled in the subject, and was totally unaware of her for quite some time after I ventured into the waters of the MFU fandom. I don't know if we should go over everything with a fine tooth alabaster comb, but since we've agreed to embark on a little writing venture featuring this oft maligned character, I think we could spend a little time talking about her.
Since we're not into the fantasy genre, I guess I'll skip over those descriptions. Feel free to offer examples, educate and enlighten us with whatever you know about the subject.
The ones that seem to inhabit our particular fandom would be the following:
It's Thursday, so as good a day as any to continue our discussion on Mary Sue and her appearances in fan fiction. I'll admit that I'm not completely schooled in the subject, and was totally unaware of her for quite some time after I ventured into the waters of the MFU fandom. I don't know if we should go over everything with a fine tooth alabaster comb, but since we've agreed to embark on a little writing venture featuring this oft maligned character, I think we could spend a little time talking about her.
Since we're not into the fantasy genre, I guess I'll skip over those descriptions. Feel free to offer examples, educate and enlighten us with whatever you know about the subject.
The ones that seem to inhabit our particular fandom would be the following:
Somebody's Sister Sue Puella soror gratuitus)
Identified by mhari
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings P. soror mploys camouflage to better hide from fic connoisseurs; she will take on a strong family resemblance to whichever canon character she has chosen as sibling.
The Somebody's Sister Sue is a parasitic species, who latches onto a canon character and declares it to be her brother or sister. At the same time she infects the "sibling" with her venom so that he or she suffers partial memory loss and often becomes OOC.
Grrl Sue Mulier badasstica pseudofeminista)
Identified by limyaael
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: Lean, muscular, yet graceful build. Many exhibit an angry expression.
Grrl Sues are curious in that, so far as science can determine, they reproduce parthenogenetically. This is the only explanation we can give, for, to a wommon, they scorn the idea of bearing children to a Man. Or indeed having anything to do with one, including letting him hold a door open for them or accepting his considered advice on what pizza to order. Despite this, on the presumably rare occasion that a male character proves himself equal to her, a Grrl Sue will swiftly relent towards him and become positively doting.
Bitchy Sue Mulier bitchia)
Identified by limyaael
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: Shoulder chip
M. bitchia esembles th Grrl Sue losely in behavior, but she does not discriminate by sex; she's nasty to everyone. Often she lacks the genuine overbalanced gifts of th Badasstica, her bitchery presumably stemming from insecurity rather than arrogance.
Yenta Sue Mulier interferia)
Identified by:
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings:
The Yenta Sue is drawn to other people's love affairs as a magpie to shiny things. Given two other characters and a whiff of unresolved sexual tension, she will launch into a lecture on their obvious longing for one another. Often she will brew hot beverages in an effort to woo one party or the other into listening to her romantic advice. She is commonly found in slash stories, but may also attach herself to other Sues, assisting them in their seduction of canon characters.
Offspring Sue Spawnificus repulsivum)
Identified by alryssa
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: Diminutive size
S. repulsivum, much like the Somebody's Sister Sue, attaches herself to a canon character in the form of a precocious and beloved daughter. She has the potential to metamorphose into other species of Sue entirely, most often th Angsty Sue r th Gothy Sue.
Fated Sue Spawnificus prophesida)
Identified by mhari
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: May carry a talisman similar to th Questing Sue's.
Fated Sues are closely related to th Offspring Sue, but are far more beautiful. A Fated Sue will generally, upon reaching maturity, proceed to re-enact the adventures of her "parent", often gathering other Sues to her side in the process. She resembles Questing Sue, but is specific to fan fiction. Or sequels.
Gothy Sue Rebellius stupidificum gothica)
Identified by alryssa
Habitat: Modern-day settings
Distinctive Markings: Unfashionable clothing and sullen expression
Nobody understands Gothy Sue. She will tell you so at every opportunity. While she resembles the commo Angsty Sue n some respects, the Gothy Sue is much more aggressive, and more likely to dress all in black.
Silicone Sue Middleschoolicus builtlikeapornstarricus)
Identified by espressivelynne
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: Hourglass shape and highly developed mammary glands.
The Silicone Sue is disturbing to many humans, for though she has the mannerisms, the characterization, and often the face of a young teenager, she appears in the body of a well-endowed grown woman, and has no qualms about seducing canon characters of virtually any age.
Saintly Sue Humanis perfectius)
Identified by leahthegreat
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive Markings: Warm, caring smile
A Saintly Sue can do no wrong; not only is she talented, brilliant, and beautiful, but her compassion and friendly, open nature win all hearts. Extended observation of this species has an effect similar to eating an entire can of cake frosting.
Goddess Sue Dea dubiosa)
Identified by mhari
Habitat: Widespread
Distinctive Markings: Glowing aura, unearthly beauty
Goddess Sues pose a perplexing problem to Sueologists. While they are apparently ageless powers from the dawn of time, they appear in no known pantheon and exist in no mythology outside their own stories. No satisfactory explanation has been found for this phenomenon.
Canon Sue Pseudocanonica)
Identified by:
Habitat: Throughout fandom
Distinctive markings: Like th Somebody's Sister Sue, the Canon Sue employs camouflage.
Perhaps most dreaded of all Sue species, th Pseudocanonica nhabits the body of a canon character, perverting her personality, turning her into a caricature of herself, and infesting her with its fondness for pepperjack cheese or Christina Aguilera. Such Sues are notoriously pernicious, and are known vectors of the Fanon virus.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-07 04:52 pm (UTC)