Post by Headmistress on Jul 2, 2010 6:04:44 GMT -5
What are Mary Sues or Gary Stus?
by Roswenth, rpg-directory.com
"Mary Sues" or "Gary Stus" are types of roleplaying characters which have to be the 'star' in every roleplay in which they participate. They have to have constant attention from every other character in the roleplay, and the center of every interaction.
Some indications of a Mary Sue/Gary Stu character type:
-super beautiful/gorgeous/amazingly good-looking
-smarter than everyone else
-ultra-popular
-has a really tragic past
-are radically different from everyone else in their family (the only good one/the only evil one)
-have very powerful talents that are better than those around them
-is a 'super' version of the person who created the character
Types of Mary Sues/Gary Stus
The Ingenue
The Ingenue is more beautiful that every girl around. She stops every male dead in his tracks, and every female wants to be her. She may be a cheerleader, class president, or the head of some very popular club. She has to be the center of every popular boy's attention, and in the middle of the most popular clique of girls. Or she could be the girl next door, who is perfect and sweet, and never thinks a mean thing about anyone.
The Antihero
There are several versions of the Antihero. The Antihero could be a mean, snide boy who always gets his way, or it could be someone who has the most tragic past possible and has to overcome in anything he does. A few antiheroes are total loners who end up being the center of every ingenue's attention. A tendency in both the ingenue and the antihero is for them to have tons of money and they can show it off and spend it everywhere.
The Superhero
The Superhero is always fighting somebody, and of course, they always win. They have amazing powers which supersede everyone around them. Superheros are always on the lookout for someone to duel, fight, or prove they are stronger, faster, and better. If anyone challenges them, the roleplay cannot end until the superhero gets the last word (and finds a way to get the thread locked).
Why You Shouldn't Play a Mary Sue/Gary Stu
A Mary Sue/Gary Stu is generally a combination of the traits listed above. You can be a well-developed character that is based on yourself, but when you start putting all those traits together, you create a character that is not balanced. Professional writers who do this eventually have characters who aren't as interesting as the character's background would suggest. This is the reason that sometimes in books and movies a minor character can 'steal the scene'. If there is a particularly funny or flawed character that is secondary to the main 'perfect' character, then sometimes the flaws of the minor character end up being more interesting than the strengths of the main character.
There's also the issue of roleplaying in the context of other roleplayers, and your expectations of what you get out of roleplaying. Generally, people who play Mary Sue characters want their characters to be the center of every roleplay they are in, and that's why eventually no one wants to roleplay with them anymore. If your character is perfect, has no flaws, can do everything, and gives the impression there is no way anyone else can be better than them, you're not going to find that other people will interact with you. To put it simply, if you want this kind of character, go write a fan fiction instead of joining a group roleplay.
Because of the player's tendency to want to be the center of attention, conflict behind the scenes can erupt between players. Roleplaying should be fun, not work. If you are expecting other players to make their characters revolve around your character, that is an unfair expectation. Not every character may get along with every character, but the conflict should end with the characters and not the players.
Last, I'll warn you that playing a Mary Sue is not the challenge you may think it would be. First, for the reason I listed above - no one will interact with you. Second, flaws are what make people interesting, not perfection. Playing a flawed character in the long run can lead to more interesting roleplays, and provide material for roleplay encounters with people with which they may not generally interact. Someone who is perfect almost always reacts in the same way to every situation, and that gets boring. Last, a Mary Sue can't grow as a character or a person. There's no room for development. If your character already has everything good (or bad), where are you going to take this character?
by Roswenth, rpg-directory.com
"Mary Sues" or "Gary Stus" are types of roleplaying characters which have to be the 'star' in every roleplay in which they participate. They have to have constant attention from every other character in the roleplay, and the center of every interaction.
Some indications of a Mary Sue/Gary Stu character type:
-super beautiful/gorgeous/amazingly good-looking
-smarter than everyone else
-ultra-popular
-has a really tragic past
-are radically different from everyone else in their family (the only good one/the only evil one)
-have very powerful talents that are better than those around them
-is a 'super' version of the person who created the character
Types of Mary Sues/Gary Stus
The Ingenue
The Ingenue is more beautiful that every girl around. She stops every male dead in his tracks, and every female wants to be her. She may be a cheerleader, class president, or the head of some very popular club. She has to be the center of every popular boy's attention, and in the middle of the most popular clique of girls. Or she could be the girl next door, who is perfect and sweet, and never thinks a mean thing about anyone.
The Antihero
There are several versions of the Antihero. The Antihero could be a mean, snide boy who always gets his way, or it could be someone who has the most tragic past possible and has to overcome in anything he does. A few antiheroes are total loners who end up being the center of every ingenue's attention. A tendency in both the ingenue and the antihero is for them to have tons of money and they can show it off and spend it everywhere.
The Superhero
The Superhero is always fighting somebody, and of course, they always win. They have amazing powers which supersede everyone around them. Superheros are always on the lookout for someone to duel, fight, or prove they are stronger, faster, and better. If anyone challenges them, the roleplay cannot end until the superhero gets the last word (and finds a way to get the thread locked).
Why You Shouldn't Play a Mary Sue/Gary Stu
A Mary Sue/Gary Stu is generally a combination of the traits listed above. You can be a well-developed character that is based on yourself, but when you start putting all those traits together, you create a character that is not balanced. Professional writers who do this eventually have characters who aren't as interesting as the character's background would suggest. This is the reason that sometimes in books and movies a minor character can 'steal the scene'. If there is a particularly funny or flawed character that is secondary to the main 'perfect' character, then sometimes the flaws of the minor character end up being more interesting than the strengths of the main character.
There's also the issue of roleplaying in the context of other roleplayers, and your expectations of what you get out of roleplaying. Generally, people who play Mary Sue characters want their characters to be the center of every roleplay they are in, and that's why eventually no one wants to roleplay with them anymore. If your character is perfect, has no flaws, can do everything, and gives the impression there is no way anyone else can be better than them, you're not going to find that other people will interact with you. To put it simply, if you want this kind of character, go write a fan fiction instead of joining a group roleplay.
Because of the player's tendency to want to be the center of attention, conflict behind the scenes can erupt between players. Roleplaying should be fun, not work. If you are expecting other players to make their characters revolve around your character, that is an unfair expectation. Not every character may get along with every character, but the conflict should end with the characters and not the players.
Last, I'll warn you that playing a Mary Sue is not the challenge you may think it would be. First, for the reason I listed above - no one will interact with you. Second, flaws are what make people interesting, not perfection. Playing a flawed character in the long run can lead to more interesting roleplays, and provide material for roleplay encounters with people with which they may not generally interact. Someone who is perfect almost always reacts in the same way to every situation, and that gets boring. Last, a Mary Sue can't grow as a character or a person. There's no room for development. If your character already has everything good (or bad), where are you going to take this character?
