Heroic vehicles in fiction

[Lord of the Abyss]

Having read the short stories, they also run on character shields in a very Mary Sue fashion. Nothing including starships is treated as either a real counter or superior to them, they have the near constant persecution complex related to people believing their AIs might go psycho, etc. I distinctly recall one short story where they have the one on planet and a slew of them in orbit who proceed to wipe out the invasion fleet of a "equivalent technology" force despite being in ridiculously bad condition from wear & tear and pure time.

First, the Bolos in orbit were in perfect shape. And it's a rather broad definition of Mary Sue that includes characters that quite often die at the end, and tend to get the hell ripped out of them if they don't.

[open_sketchbook]

Tragically I think that a degree is required nowadays to determine exact what is and isn't a Mary Sue. For the majority of the population without this degree, a Mary Sue is "Any Character you Don't Like".

However, characters dieing at the end is a basic character trait dating back to the original Mary Sue herself, who's role was to deliver some information, be attractive to the main character, and then die in his arms to become unattainable.

[Lord of the Abyss]

Tragically I think that a degree is required nowadays to determine exact what is and isn't a Mary Sue. For the majority of the population without this degree, a Mary Sue is "Any Character you Don't Like".

However, characters dieing at the end is a basic character trait dating back to the original Mary Sue herself, who's role was to deliver some information, be attractive to the main character, and then die in his arms to become unattainable.

That's the first time I've ever heard "dies" as a qualification actually. And FOG3 did use the term "character shields", which usually does refer to a character that doesn't get killed because of author fiat. Besides; it's rather bizarre to consider a "soldier" dying in battle a qualification for Mary Suedom.

I do get tired of the term Mary Sue being slapped onto any character that isn't an incompetent corrupt failure. It's part of the whole "It's not True Art unless it's cynical and pessimistic" trope I think.

[Samuel]

I don't think the story ending when the character dies can be a defining trait.

Bolos are so over the top good because they have been designed that way. It would be the same as complaining that the World Devastors are Villian Sues if the Alliance didn't have the cheat codes to destroy them.

[Nephtys]

The defining aspect of Mary Sue is self-insertion. Dying may be a part of that to show how much everyone lurves the character, but it's not required. Usually, (again, not required), the Mary Sue is super speshul and does speshul things because the Author wants it that way.

Honor Harrington is a goddamned Mary Sue.

[andrewgpaul]

Why, the Road Warrior Truck, of course!
<snip>

Surely the "last of the V8 Interceptors" would be a better choice?

[TheLostVikings]

Why, the Road Warrior Truck, of course!
<snip>

Surely the "last of the V8 Interceptors" would be a better choice?

Agreed, and I also nominate the awesome MadMaxy trimaran from Waterworld, I've watched that movie many times, but often I just turn it off once the boat bites it. Because it was what carried the entire movie for me... which is kinda sad.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers. Hey I get art deco fins, rockets, and sexyness hot damn YES

[Erik von Nein]

Uh, since when where those characters vehicles?

[Batman]

I think he's talking about the rocketships from those series

[The Yosemite Bear]

It was the fins on dem damn sexy rocket ships, plus those phallic spikes on the nose cones. Those old serials and comics were just cool.

[Elheru Aran]

That Land Raider with the machine spirit who managed to roll all about the battlefield behind the lines after its crew were killed wasn't too bad, either...