Jedi Council Forums - ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~

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Author	Topic: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
Discorpor8 Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 3/30/06 5:01pm Subject: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~ - Date Edited: 6/6/07 7:51pm (5 edits total) Edited By: oqidaun
	We've seen them all. She's more beautiful than Padme, Sabe, Siri, Leia, and Mara combined. She's got a spitfire personality that would make Leia seem like a pansy. Her Force powers exceed those of Anakin. And, of course, she turns every man in the Star Wars saga into a lovesick puppy dog. Including Jabba. If this is what your OC sounds like, you may want to take this test. DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to offend anyone. It is simply a tool for writers to evaluate their characterization. Also remember that a Mary Sue can be a fun way to start writing fan fiction. I myself wrote a couple when I started out, and I still think some up from time to time. This test is meant to help you avoid cliches and common pitfalls some authors are prone to when writing OCs. Above all keep in mind that this test is NOT a completely accurate definition of you or your character. On to the questions! Category 1: What's in a name? 1. Is your character's last name Skywaker, Fett, Kenobi, Jinn, Dooku, or Solo? 2. Is your character's name more than 10 letters long? 3. Are more than 50% of said letters consonants? 4. Is there more than 1 apostrophe in your character's name? 5. Does your character have a cutesy nickname to shorten typing out her real, unpronounceable name? 6. Was this nickname given to her by Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Anakin, Han, Boba, Jango, Kyp, Jacen, Anakin, or Luke? 7. Or did your character give herself her own name "so she wouldn't forget"? 8. Is the title of the fic a reference to the wonderfulness of your character? 9. Does your character's name mean something like "Beautiful", "Dances with dewbacks", et cetera? 10. Do other characters know this and comment on how wonderful her name is? 11. Is your character named for a different fantasy/sci-fi character, such as Arwen, Xena, or Cinderella? 12. Is it a variation on an Earth name with more apostrophes, weird spelling, or adding of hyphens (e.g. Jocelyn becomes Jo-c'lyn, Amy becomes Aemmiye, etc.)? Category 2: I am your father. And your uncle. And your half-brother. And your second cousin's best friend's grandmother's former roommate. 11. Is your character closely related to any major figure in the Star Wars saga, as in immediate family? 12. Is she Jango's hitherto unknown female clone? 13. Is she a hitherto unknown sibling of Anakin, Luke/Leia, Anakin/Jacen/Jaina, Ben, or Obi-Wan? 14. Is she the offspring of Obi-Wan and Siri, Leia and Han, Luke and Mara, or Anakin and Padme? 15. Palpatine's beautiful daughter who goes to the light due to the efforts of Hottie of Your Choice, thus causing great angst? 16. If your character is in any way related to Jabba, Tarkin, or Yoda, you are excused from this test. Go forth and write. 17. Or, does your character not have any family, and is adopted by the Jedi Order because of her OMGMagickal Chosen One Force powers? 18. Is she Qui-Gon's new Padawan instead of Anakin/Obi-Wan? 19. Does Hottie of Your Choice raise her "as his child"? 20. Does she still fall in love with said father figures despite the creepy undertones? 21. Is there a lot of tension in your character's family because she wants to be a Jedi/Sith/Imperial/Rebel/Pilot (Podracer, TIE, or X-Wing)/Gas Station Attendant? 22. Is this all solved when she runs away with Hottie of Your Choice or convinces them that we all should just follow our dreams? Category 3: Be mindful of your plot, Anakin. It betrays you. 21. Does the plot mainly involve your character falling in love with the hottie of your choice? 22. Does your character at first hate said hottie, but come to love him through the aid of some sweet-talking? 23. Is your character a Sith or an Imperial who comes to the light via some sweet luvin' with the hottie of your choice? 24. Does the tension of being an enemy provide for plenty of angst and Evanescence lyrics? 25. You are excused from this test if you use a song by Tom Leher or Weird Al Yankovic to convey the angst. 26. Is your character a Jedi with some kind of "speshul" power, like teleportation, Force lightning, any other predominantly Sith power, or shapeshifting? 27. If your character is a Sith, is she really, really ridiculously good looking? 28. Does she lure Luke, Obi-Wan, Anakin, etc to the Dark Side with said sexiness? 29. Without any adverse effects regarding a really pissed-off Jedi Order? 30. Because the Jedi all admire her conniving ways and proficiency in the Force? 31. Does your character stop Order 66 because she saw visions predicting it, or she got the plans because she's Palpatine's bestest fwiend/daughter/granddaughter/unwilling bride? 32. Is your character from modern Earth, and an SW fan? 33. Does she save the day repeatedly because she knows what's going to happen? 34. Or, does she get convenient amnesia, which creates much angsting that she "should have known"? 35. Is she not considered a wacko by the Jedi Order/Rebel Alliance, and is immediately accepted as some sort of newfound Chosen One? 36. Is she the real Chosen One, incidentally? 37. Is there no plausible explanation for why she can suddenly use the Force and speak all SW languages? 38. Are there lots of hijinks where our plucky young heroine introduces modern Earth stuff to the Jedi, such as rapping, Truth or Dare, or the Avenue Q soundtrack? 39. If the fic features two male SW characters doing a rousing rendition of "If You Were Gay", then send me your fic NOW. 40. Do CDs suddenly work in whatever people in SW use to play music? 41. Does your character, in the absence of compatible technology, teach Max Rebo and his band how to play modern music? 42. You are excused from this test if your character teaches them "Stairway to Heaven" and they are not allowed to play it, like in Wayne's World. 43. Does your character expertly wield a lightsaber and safely use the Force without any training from the Jedi/Sith? 44. Is it because she "just knows"? 45. Is it because she taught herself? 46. Is it because she bought the bestseller, Using the Force for Dummies? 47. Is your character related (as in immediate family) to a major character, but was sent to Earth because of the Dark Side, she's the progeny of two Jedi, she wasn't ready to learn the Force, etc, etc? Category 4: You're so...beautiful. 36. Is your character really really ridiculously good looking? 37. Does she have unusually colored hair or eyes and is not an alien species? 38. Is this a major plot point? 39. Does your character older than twenty but still look to be in her teens/early twenties for no reason? 40. Is this a plot point? 41. If your character is an alien species other than a Twi'Lek or any other humanoid or hot species, you are excused. Especially if you're a Hutt. 42. Does your character ensnare all the male characters with her beguiling beauty? 43. Does your character never ever ever get acne or sunburn, despite having perfectly porcelain/golden/alabaster skin? 44. Is this a major plot point? 45. Do her looks cause Anakin not to turn? To dump Padme for her? 46. Do her looks cause Obi-Wan to dump Siri? 47. Cause Han to dump Leia? 48. Luke to dump Mara? 49. Et cetera? Category 5: All you need is, what you want is, all you need is love... 50. Is your character a high-level (as in Yoda, Mace, or Obi-Wan) councilmember and/or ridiculously empowered (think Anakin) Jedi? 51. Does she fall in love with another, major character Jedi? 52. Does this bring about much angst? 53. Alternately, does the Council approve of your relationship because they need more Jedi and/or join hands and start a Love Train? 54. Thus, does your fic end with a poofy white shotgun wedding attended by the entire Jedi Order? 55. Does the unrest in the Galaxy suddenly, inexplicably disappear? 56. Because the fic centers solely on your character and the hottie of your choice giving each other some sweet, sweet luvin'? 57. Does your character tragically die taking a saber/blaster bolt for her love? 58. Does she die on the battlefield in her love's arms, urging him to "keep fighting, for us"? 59. If your character says the aforementioned last words over the comm channel to Porkins as she is shot down destroying the Death Star, send me your fic now! 60. Or, is she non-fatally wounded fighting for the Republic, and nursed back to health by the hottie of your choice? 61. If Obi-Wan, is she put into the oft-mentioned Obi-Wan Kenobi Ward? 62. Does she then tease Obi-Wan about this? 63. Is this a cause for a chapter of witty banter? 64. Does your character bed Han? 65. Obi-Wan? (If ANH!Obi, you are excused) 66. Jacen? 67. Jag? 68. Kyp? 69. Anakin (Skywalker)? 70. Anakin (Solo)? 71. In the same fic? 72. Simultaneously? (That's probably not allowed on the boards, but please send to me immediately!) This is to be continually edited. Because of numerous complaints, I have made the decision to do away with the scoring system; your score is based on your judgement alone. Please continue to give me suggestions on how to improve this, and above all, have fun! -----signature----- The Force will be with you. Always.-Obi-Wan Kenobi Best SW Film: All of them! Proud member of the Obi-Wan fan club Founder of the ISPLN Member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Ewan
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Eleventh_Guard Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 3/30/06 5:53pm Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~ - Date Edited: 3/30/06 6:06pm (2 edits total) Edited By: Eleventh_Guard
	no message, mispost -----signature----- A conversation on Dathomir: Welk: My daughter did that... I am blameless. I'm not even armed. Jacen: And you just let her do whatever she wants? Welk: You're new here, aren't you?
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Master_Talek Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 3/30/06 6:08pm Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Acually, the whole Temple full of OCs I have (literaly), passed the tests. Maybe it's because many of them were also younglings. And my major OCs (the Sages) act like a bunch of crazy people sometimes despite being over a thousand years old. (They are elves and Alagaesia Dragon Riders) Let me put it this way, the way the Dragon Temple is run, is exactly the opposite of the Jedi Temple. There are more races though, ie, Dwarves, elves, dragons, other creatures. 61. If Obi-Wan, is she put into the oft-mentioned Obi-Wan Kenobi Ward? Well, at one point, I'm debating on whether to extend it to the Saga so then, Lanthir, Lyze, Thorongil, Tekrir, Arial, Orik, Arya, Dain, and Leif would probably be in that ward at sometime. The Twins (Arial and Tekrir) would probably be in there more. So would Xanatos. (He's good but not because of the whole Mary Sue thing.) 62. Does she then tease Obi-Wan about this? Well, the only thing she would say is that the roles are reversed this time, instead of her patching up Obi-Wan and any of the others who are hurt, it is the other way around. The only way I would ever write a Mary Sue is as a humor fic. -----signature----- Proud master to AnakinsFavorite Tales from the Dragon Riders: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/23700722/p1/?3[/link]
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BrentusofGath Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/30/06 6:16pm Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	As a guy, I wonder where are all the guyisms? What about my male OCs? They are certainly not going to steal any "hotties" like Han or Obi. Having no male OC references is kind of disappointing. I know the majority here are ladies, but give us guys some luvin' too. I want to hear that my OC isn't a Marty Stu because he doesn't steal that slinky kittie Padme away from Anakin. I could care less if a female OC steals Anakin, that just leaves more Padme for me- er, my OC. Maybe a little unisex phrasing in the next version of this, please? Other than that, I like the concept. -----signature----- In time or so I'm told, I'm just another soul for sale, oh well Feel it in my bones when you break my back, break it just to watch me bend Why'd you have to go and Let it Die? -Foo Fighters http://conscienceoftheking.blogspot.com/
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Eleventh_Guard Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 3/30/06 6:36pm Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~ - Date Edited: 3/30/06 6:38pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Eleventh_Guard
	I do think there should be more questions about powers, perhaps a whole section on them, as there was for beauty; Gary Stus tend more towards weapons and abilities than Mary Sues do (and I'm often guilty of writing female Gary Stus... more of the overpowered-character than the beautiful-character stereotype, but female.) Desa Baclaw, version 1 (she's version 2 in the fic where she appears) only got 2 points, though it's really three and got out of the third on a technicality (secret sister of Allana, who wasn't listed on the siblings question.) And she was a Sue, the superpowered variety, IMHO. The main reason she didn't hook up with Ben Skywalker is because they were, surprise! cousins. My suggestion is to change the scoring system, with fewer points needed to be Sues/Stus, and possibly weight the questions, since some are much more indicative of a problem than others. I usually use the Universal test that isn't fandom-specific, and it's really strict; Desa I flunked that one and Desa II did okay but not great. -----signature----- A conversation on Dathomir: Welk: My daughter did that... I am blameless. I'm not even armed. Jacen: And you just let her do whatever she wants? Welk: You're new here, aren't you?
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ophelia Title: Ex-Mod Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 3/30/06 8:44pm Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Is it a bad sign if your list is giving me plot bunnies? related to Jabba, Tarkin, or Yoda Please--somebody go write a fic about an OC related to Jabba, Tarkin, and Yoda, and keep me from doing it. Does she die on the battlefield in her love's arms, urging him to "keep fighting, for us"? 59. If your character says the aforementioned last words over the comm channel to Porkins as she is shot down destroying the Death Star, send me your fic now! So . . . beautiful! I need to see that . . . especially the OC dying in Porkins' arms as they both fly one-man (woman, whatever) fighters at deadly speed through the icy void of space. You are excused from this test if you use a song by Tom Leher or Weird Al Yankovic to convey the angst. Quick! Where are the lyrics to "The Masochism Tango?!" Maybe we need a Horrible Things challenge thread . . . just so we can have fics in which the love child of Yoda and Jabba's sister is adopted and raised by Tarkin, only to fall in love with Porkins, get shot down over the Death Star, and somehow leap through the vacuum of space into his arms and fighter, not necessarily in that order, where she urges him to "Keep fighting . . . for us," and then Tom Lehrer starts singing ". . . set fire to my tie, as we dance to the Masochism Tango" at the exact moment that Porkins explodes. BEST. OC FIC. EVARR. JFWIW, my 2 OC's who usually come close to the borderline came up strangely clean on this one . . . it could be because most OC Litmus Tests give blanket points for things like "Is romantically involved with a canon character" or "Has special personal history with a canon character." One of my OC's gets a near miss on this because she isn't Qui-Gon's new Padawan instead of Obi-Wan or Anakin--she's his original Padawan, a role which could be A) fair game, in a non-EU universe, B) a replacement (or just a placement?) for the never-named "first apprentice" mentioned in some of the JA books, or C) a replacement for Xanatos. None of the above changes the fact that she is an OC of the same gender as the author with a special relationship to a canon character--something which is generally considered a red flag. Using broader categories might help avoid "false negatives"--unless of course your goal is to create a "default=no" Mary Sue test, which might serve as a useful comparison and second opinion to all the "default=yes" Mary Sue tests. -----signature----- In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps with your mom
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 3/31/06 12:05am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~ - Date Edited: 3/31/06 12:17am (3 edits total) Edited By: leiamoody
	ophelia posted: Quick! Where are the lyrics to "The Masochism Tango?!" I ache for the touch of your lips, dear, But much more for the touch of your whips, dear. You can raise welts Like nobody else, As we dance to the masochism tango. Let our love be a flame, not an ember, Say it’s me that you want to dismember. Blacken my eye, Set fire to my tie, As we dance to the masochism tango. At your command Before you here I stand, My heart is in my hand. ecch! It’s here that I must be. My heart entreats, Just hear those savage beats, And go put on your cleats And come and trample me. Your heart is hard as stone or mahogany, That’s why I’m in such exquisite agony. My soul is on fire, It’s aflame with desire, Which is why I perspire When we tango. You caught my nose In your left castanet, love, I can feel the pain yet, love, Ev’ry time I hear drums. And I envy the rose That you held in your teeth, love, With the thorns underneath, love, Sticking into your gums. Your eyes cast a spell that bewitches. The last time I needed twenty stitches To sew up the gash That you made with your lash, As we danced to the masochism tango. Bash in my brain, And make me scream with pain, Then kick me once again, And say we’ll never part. I know too well I’m underneath your spell, So, darling, if you smell Something burning, it’s my heart. Excuse me! Take your cigarette from it’s holder, And burn your initials in my shoulder. Fracture my spine, And swear that you’re mine, As we dance to the masochism tango. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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MsLanna Title: CR GSFF Central = Offizieller Burger Brater Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 3/31/06 12:48am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	OMG! I didn't get more than three points for any of my charcters. Even the one that's me! I herewith demand a new test. oh, and I want to be on your pm list when you write thaf fic ophelia. -----signature----- I give up. Fett is great. Member of the waadas'dar Club. Cuyir adate jate, bal droten ori'dush Proud Master and buir'ika of Commander_Ducky. My New Title: Lords and Ladies of the Empire
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Healer_Leona Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 3/31/06 3:18am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Haven't had the chance to test my one OC agaist the list. It's fun just to read the list though. -----signature----- Break away from everybody Break away from everthing If you can't stand the way this place is Take yourself to higher places
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ophelia Title: Ex-Mod Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 3/31/06 6:07am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Thanks, leiamoody . . . although now that I see those lyrics, I'm wondering if that song just--might--not be considered "family friendly" enough to write a fic about. Although . . . the "say it's me that you want to dismember" line does nicely capture that special brand of Skywalker-family love. ::wavy lines as we move into a visualization sequence: the Skywalkers as "The Waltons." House, EXT., night. Voiceovers:: VADER: "G'night, Luke-boy!" LUKE: "G'night--" ::sudden hollow roar/thud as lightsaber whacks off limb:: "Uhhh . . . Paw." ::wavy lines mercifully return us to TFN:: Hmm . . . maybe not. There's always Weird Al's One More Minute, although I'm not sure that's much of an improvement. MSLanna: I would, if I ever, ever wrote such a thing, but Lord help me, may I not. -----signature----- In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps with your mom
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MsLanna Title: CR GSFF Central = Offizieller Burger Brater Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 3/31/06 6:30am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Do it, ophelia, oh, please, do it!! ... because there is a scene preying on my mind in which Tailahazy is running an errand for her father, and it is only blocked by my inability to imagine what the daughter of Jabba and Yoda would look like. I'd try to drown the idea in alcohol, but I'm scared that between me having had too much and me blacking out, terrible things may happen in my brain. Humming happily Tailahazy went down the corridor almost going skippedy hop... Teh Pain! -----signature----- I give up. Fett is great. Member of the waadas'dar Club. Cuyir adate jate, bal droten ori'dush Proud Master and buir'ika of Commander_Ducky. My New Title: Lords and Ladies of the Empire
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JediKnight-Obi-Wan Registered: Jan '00	Date Posted: 3/31/06 6:38am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Mine scored a 5... I still don't get the "Is this character a Jedi?" question. I don't see how that makes a character Mary Sue since most people write about Jedi...I mean...it's STAR Wars! A better question for that would be 'Is this character not a Jedi but still have all the powers of a Jedi'.I've seen that before in MS. -----signature----- "The course of true love never did run smooth"---A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Discorpor8 Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 3/31/06 7:27am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~ - Date Edited: 3/31/06 7:46am (2 edits total) Edited By: Discorpor8
	I hate to sound mean about a few of the responses, but there's a paragraph above the test called a DISCLAIMER. OK, mean mode done. I know a few of the questions are a bit generalized, but keep in mind that this is to help new writers avoid cliches. "Is your character a Jedi?" is simply to say, "are you solely a Jedi just so you can be OMGSOSPESULANDPOWERFUL?" I'm not trying to act like a fanbrat or anything; I'm simply trying to provide entertainment and a way to rate your characters. Just read the disclaimer. Also, there will be numerous edits and add-ons to the current test from here on in. The bright side of your complaints is that I know what I have to revise :-)! And PLEASE pm me when you write that fic, Ophelia. I'm also thinking about a Porkins romance, but I'll have to wait to write it. Darth School is a cunning one, and he manages to force-choke my every free moment. -----signature----- The Force will be with you. Always.-Obi-Wan Kenobi Best SW Film: All of them! Proud member of the Obi-Wan fan club Founder of the ISPLN Member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Ewan
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SilSolo Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 4/21/06 9:21am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	UP! This is perfect! Finally, an MS Litmus test that includes EU, though you forgot 'sibling of Allana' and any possible offspring of Jaina. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27517284/p1/?11 Like this quick sketch: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/32848083/ ? Then commission me. Prices are negotiable.
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Trimaj Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 4/21/06 9:37am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	umm... a major zero on this, and i get off on number 41 anyhoo. -----signature----- Love comes in spurts. ~ Murphy's 51st Law of Sex Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation; the other eight are unimportant.~ Murphy's 53rd Law of Sex
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oqidaun Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 4/21/06 10:46am Subject: RE: ~The Official Star Wars Mary Sue Litmus Test~
	Bravo on the Litmus Test!!! Excellent work. I'm a happy zero. -----signature----- . . . . I'm so bad, I banned myself.
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