Mary sue essay

— Drosselmeyer, Princess Tutu. Mary Sue is a derogatory term primarily used in Fan Fic circles to describe a particular type of character. This much everyone can agree on. What that character type is, exactly, differs wildly from circle to circle, and often from person to person.

As this essay reveals, suspiciously Mary Sue-like characters were noted in subscriber-submitted articles for 19th-century childrens' magazines, making this trope Older Than You Think .

The definition of a "Mary Sue" is difficult to nail down, because the meaning has changed over time as the character type has migrated out of fanfiction and into canon works. In essence, she's a protagonist around whom the plot and characters revolve, regardless of whether or not it makes sense.

Marty Stu (also known as Gary Stu, for those who prefer rhyme to alliteration) wasn't really that much different from Mary. Also an Author Avatar, it usually had implications of being a male crew member that tended to completely outshine established canon members in their roles and often become the best starship captain, ever. See The Ace.