WHAT IS A MARY SUE?

In the context of fiction writing, a Mary Sue is a character who is often seen as idealized or perfect, with few or no flaws, and who may be inserted into a story in a way that disrupts the narrative. The term originated in fan fiction and is often used in a derogatory way to describe characters that are seen as unrealistic or poorly developed.

The typical Mary Sue character is often seen as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author or reader, with traits such as exceptional beauty, intelligence, strength, or magical powers. The character may also be seen as overly sympathetic or perfect, with few or no flaws, and may be inserted into a story in a way that disrupts the narrative or undermines the other characters. No character in modern storytelling seems to have been more widely branded with the Mary Sue moniker than Rey from Disney’s Star Wars trilogy. 

The term “Mary Sue” is not limited to female characters, although it is more commonly used to describe them. Male characters who exhibit similar traits may also be called “Gary Stu” or “Marty Stu.”

Not merely a pejorative term for characters, the Mary Sue concept can prove quite useful in identifying poorly written characters that disrupt the narrative and undermine the other characters in a story.