Mary-Sue Test

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2006-03-07 12:26pm

I know tests usually go in Testing, but I think this might be of more utility to the authors here than the run-of-the-mill "which X are you" online test, so I'm putting it here.

The Mary-Sue Test, used for testing whether or not any given original character is a Mary-Sue. For starters, I put Gilchrist (of Shades of Eire) and Gaheris (appearing in Look What I Found Under a Rock and soon to appear in And Justice for None and my second fic that's still in the works, Trollbane) through the test and got 9 and 29, respectively. My thought is to share our characters' scores and maybe help each other out a bit. (Gaheris mainly got so high because I like the character and said so on the test.)

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2006-03-07 01:06pm

This has been posted in here and elsewhere many times.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2006-03-07 02:22pm

Indeed, been posted before. Though, just out of curiosity, I answered it for the pilot character in my last SW fic (the only reeally original one there) and I got a twenty. I'd expected more (what with being one of the best pilots in the galaxy {though nowhere near as good as Anakin, mind} and all).

Norseman · Post by **Norseman** » 2006-03-07 04:31pm

Hmmmm Allan Whitcomb (from my Azhistan stories) scored a 37 in this test, definately Mary Sue, but then again he's meant to be a Victorian Action Hero so it comes with the territory.

Sonnenburg · Post by **Sonnenburg** » 2006-03-07 06:30pm

Some of the points are hard to weigh. Does "beloved dying in character's arms" mean literally, or is simply witnessing such an event count?

Sebastian weighs in at about 26-29. There should be a significant point reversal for having "Would seriously like to fuck the character's mother" there.

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-03-07 07:27pm

Ouch. I scored a 61. At least I don't write stories anymore.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2006-03-07 11:37pm

Major Truul, one of the only major original characters of The Rift, scored a twenty. Pretty good, althought I expected as much.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2006-03-08 12:51am

I'm disturbed that the character in my story can range from either 55 to 68 depending entirely on whether or not I give a shit about his eyes.

I can also justify every single time I clicked a checkbox. Then again, it's a litmus test. It does not care if I can justify and answer or not.

Then again, I expected about this much. The character's been to long lasting in my mind to actually not be a Mary Sue, but I'm working with him to the best oif my ability.

EDIT: Oh, and I like this version of the litmus test because it uses javascript to tally it's totals.

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-03-08 01:07am

Ha ha ha, when you're writing fantasy stories about the leaders of two rival kingdoms, you get some higher scores...

. From 30-68 for the ones I tested. Oh well

.

DesertFly · Post by **DesertFly** » 2006-03-08 02:13am

David Emmison scored but a 17. Which isn't too bad until you take into account that I'm deliberately trying to have him be close to me in several major ways. I don't think that test is labeled right. It shouldn't be the Mary Sue test, it should be the wanked-character test.

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2006-03-08 02:27am

My STGOD character scored a 90. Hah. Johan Ragle is officially an irredemable Mary Sue

Darkdrium · Post by **Darkdrium** » 2006-03-08 07:00am

Hmmm, Alex Karanas has scored a solid 15.

Anomie · Post by **Anomie** » 2006-03-09 10:01pm

On this test I scored an 88.

Much better than the scores I got on the two tests in the Generic Mary Sue Litmus Test thread.

Rogue 11 · Post by **Rogue 11** » 2006-03-29 02:13pm

Mur'Phon from Firewarrior's guide got a total of 22 points. Which is INCREDIBLY low compared to what I'd expect from the over the top situations he has to survive. I guess raw capability doesn't count for that much.

Instant Sunrise · Post by **Instant Sunrise** » 2006-03-29 02:30pm

I got -7 for Mike Richards from Last Man Dying.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-03-29 04:58pm

The list of powers and abilities kill my characters.

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-03-29 05:54pm

Darth Raptor wrote:The list of powers and abilities kill my characters.

Ditto, which I think is unfair. I think that personality is much more of an important factor in defining what is and is not a Mary Sue. A wanked character is, in my opinion, an entirely different species than a real "Mary Sue".

JediMaster415 · Post by **JediMaster415** » 2006-03-29 10:15pm

Hm, my original character, Josh Hansen, scored a 43. I worked the hardest on him to make him a believable character. However, the main villian, who has nearly an identical past and description, got a 24.

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-03-29 10:28pm

Heh. Actually, I decided to do this for most of my characters (for shits and giggles, as it were.)

Nozoma actually ended up with a -3. Aww, my well-meaning, sweet, stupid loser gets a low score! Whee!

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-03-29 10:33pm

Ditto as Raptor said.

But danng, my character got 95.

Post by **Coyote** » 2006-03-30 06:56pm

Ah, good-- the only character I really worried about as a Mary-Sue has scored a 14. I'll check a few of my others.

If this has been posted so many times before, it may be beacuse it is a useful resouirce. It could be sticky-worthy within this forum.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2006-03-30 07:20pm

STGOD-ish*: Emperor Nouishicho Id Akeq'Akal'Nirtiro (the second Emperess/or and first male Emperor of the Khar) is my stereotypical Khar Emperor and thus the Epitome of his people. He has a Score of 50.

However, that really doesn't apply in this case, IMO (yay for defending mary sues). Since he is the Emperor of his people he gets a shitload of fake points like wings when he's the ruler of a race of bird people and "popularity points" because he's widely known for several things and such.

Or it could just be that he's the Kahless of the Khar's wank dreams of warrior-nobility.

*Emperor Akal'Nirtiro doesn't actually appear, since during the current time period he would be approximately a thousand years old and quite dead. But he is probably the Khar ideal- fanatically xenophobic and incapable of dealing with concepts that violate his worldview, of course, but posessing a machaivellian cunning and knowledge of the art of rulership and warfare. Also, he knows Kung-Fu. Always a plus.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2006-03-30 10:04pm

STGOD: Vice-Grand Admiral Asdvadz scored a 58.

A better executed (too much enphasis on superpowers in this one) test would have made him score higher. He is is basically me. Exept that he: has no concience, is a military genious, a brilliant musical composer (when inspired, anyway), a bit insane, and has a penchant for getting away with anything. He also has a totally awesome appearance.

A funny thing about the test were the questions: "Can kill people with bare hands?", "Has photographic memory?", "Has enhanced strength and/or speed?" Yes, but so do approx. 30 billion other people in the Rebublic. Synthetic bodies ftw. (I checked-off that the abilities were common in-universe).

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2006-03-30 10:34pm

Looking over the litmus test again, I have to wonder about a few of the questions...

Does a title (the only proper method of refrence to him besides "Leader of that group of Shivan") count as a nickname?

If his entire body changes to both reflect his opinion of himself and any necessitices of the enviornment, and he has a really shit past, wouldn't his eyes thus reflect depths of emotion and/or sorrow?

Does torture count as physical or emotional abuse?

Does being the evil regime count as working for the evil regime?

By "earthly historical event", does that mean a historical event one Earth?

What do you guys think?

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-03-30 10:54pm

Singular Quartet wrote:Looking over the litmus test again, I have to wonder about a few of the questions...

Does a title (the only proper method of refrence to him besides "Leader of that group of Shivan") count as a nickname?

No, that's, as you said, merely a title, just like Mr. or Miss.

If his entire body changes to both reflect his opinion of himself and any necessitices of the enviornment, and he has a really shit past, wouldn't his eyes thus reflect depths of emotion and/or sorrow?

Yes. That's why I had to mark Kamina (a character of mine) as having eyes that reflect her occasionally sad emotional state, even though her entire body does as well --like a cuttlefish.

Does torture count as physical or emotional abuse?

Can't see how it could be anything but....

Does being the evil regime count as working for the evil regime?

Yeah. If you're self-employed in business you're still a businessman.

By "earthly historical event", does that mean a historical event one Earth?

No.

earth·ly Audio pronunciation of "earthly" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ûrthl)
adj.

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of this earth.
2.
a. Terrestrial; not heavenly or divine: earthly existence.
b. Worldly: earthly delights; one's earthly possessions.

That's my guess on those.