Mary Sues?

[Sage]

Has anyone come across a Captain Scarlet Mary-Sue?
Or perhaps is willing to fess up that they've written one?

I've been reading CS fic for so long and am honestly not sure that I have actually ever found one. They exist in every other fandom of mine (especially Thunderbirds, jeez like Jeff Tracy would want a daughter), but are apparently oddly lacking in CS.
Don't see that as a bad thing of course, just rather strange. Any theories as to why, aside from you all being too good as writers obviously.

[Marion]

Define what you mean by a Mary-Sue.
I wrote myself into a story once - as a spoof - but I doubt anyone noticed - except those in the know
P D James admits that she likes to write herself into her stories too - is that a Mary-Sue or merely a cameo?
Mary-Sue has a derogatory overtone in some cases - as so many are written as being:
prettier than the heroine,
cleverer than the boffin,
braver and stronger than the hero,
whilst being a petite young teenager with LOTS of hair and enormous soulfull eyes.
Occaisionally they are related to the hero, more often they are the unknown sibling/progeny of a major character who everyone adores...
They are also: intuitively empathic,
or have strange powers,
or share those of the hero/heroine.
In short: the world revolves around them and yet they remain untouched by the harshness of reality.

I don't think I've ever written one of those...

[Sage]

Yeah that's what I meant.

[Marion]

And you've never found any characters in any CS fiction that have all, or some, of these attributes?
Of course, not all Mary-Sues are a 'bad thing' if handled properly - but the most exaggerated are pretty ghastly.
There are other fandoms that lend themselves to an invasion of Mary-Sue creatures more readily - but they get everywhere...

[Sage]

LOL perhaps (retrometabolism, come on!) but nothing full blown.
Even our favourite characters get flaws written in as standard. Perhaps they could if disected in the abstract be Mary-Sue ish, but it's never detracted from the story quality. Certainly never anything on a par with some of total doozies in other fandoms (they have whole LJ communities dedicated to them; pottersues, narniasues etc)

Think my latest OC may be a bit Mary-Sue ish, or at least she ticks a few boxes on the check list. Shall have to see how it goes, may need to run it by someone else to check. Once I get over that and actually write her.

[chrisbishop]

As Marion said,

Of course, not all Mary-Sues are a 'bad thing' if handled properly

I can give name you 'Rose Metcalfe', from the stories of our own, talented Lezli Farrington. This is the example of a well handled use of a Mary Sue - and if you haven't noticed, then it's a proof that it was well done. Rose even found her way in other authors' stories (mine, for example). Of course, when written about by someone else, she ceased to be a Mary Sue!

I will give you an amusing test: Are you able to spot the Mary-Sue that had been written into a well-known sci-fi TV series, in recent years?

[Sage]

Umm Rose Tyler, from Doctor Who?

It is an interesting point where the line is drawn between a mary-sue and an OC.
Now you've mentioned it yes she does probably tick all the boxes on the test, still it's not necessarily a bad thing.

[chrisbishop]

Not quite! I don't know about Rose, but the character I'm talking about is actually male.

It's from an American show.

Another try?

[Marion]

isn't a male Mary-Sue called a Marty-Stu?

[Sage]

Usually yeah, or some variant along those lines.

Hmm no idea Chris, am not familiar with American scifi in general.

[chrisbishop]

Okay, I'll give the answer.

Wesley Crusher, from Star Trek, the Next Generation admitedly is a Mary-Sue (Marty-Stu, you said Marion?!) of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the series. A young teenager, brilliant, with angst to spare - and often a pain in the butt! It is, however, another example of a well-used, and not that obivous, Mary-Sue - even if the character sometimes gets onto our nerves!

[Sage]

Ah I see
LOL that sounds a lot like Alan Tracy in Thunderbirds (especially the movie, dear Gods)

May have to retract my earlier statement. My friend wants to form a PPC* 'squad' and we've found at least two CS Mary-Sue. The third is debatable; I think 'doing it' with [NCS] Scarlet after being his long standing lust-object means they automatically qualify as a Sue, but could give them the benefit of the doubt and just call it bad PWP.

Won't name names [don't think they post here, but still] but umm their fics are archived on this site [though the more offending versions of said fics and PWP are elsewhere].

*protectors of the plot continum

[Elentari]

I think Mary Sues are also a matter of perception. I’ve seen a few Mary Sues in CS fanfic that I found annoying - but other readers might disagree with me so I’m not saying which ones! (BTW I’m definitely not including Rose Metcalfe).

I’m reasonably sure I’ve not Mary-Sue’d myself in anything I’ve put on paper so far (touch wood). Unfortunately such is my lack of imagination, I just can’t picture myself as a tall, beautiful, empathic and fearlessly brave heroine with certain abilities … I can’t even imagine myself as young with sparkling eyes and a shimmering halo of exotically-coloured hair either - more’s the pity! The day I write something that contains a greying, middle-aged, probably fairly decrepit remote relative of Somebody Significant in the CS world…THAT will be me. Sigh. Is there a name for one of those? How about a Myrtle-Sue?

[Marion]

Hey, I could write myself in as a Maudie-Sue...

[Sage]

LOL that would be great
Self-insertion can work, long as the writer is honest about it and can show them/the character in a good and bad light.
Do trust that you would be able to pull it off. Not sure I could though, would just be too weird. Like when my friend tried talk me into giving my OC the codename 'Lieutenant Sage', just couldn't do it. Pugsley* has been around since I was ten, and has at times been a borderline Marty-Stu (as I was young and foolish), but there has to be a line drawn. Besides green really isn't his colour.

*said OC, who shall make his debut in my next fic.