Mary Sue
Impossibly perfect protagonist
A Mary Sue is a fictional character, typically in fan fiction, who is unrealistically perfect—exceptionally talented, universally admired, and lacking meaningful flaws.
The term originated in Star Trek fan fiction parody and now criticizes any character who seems like an idealized author self-insert: Critics dismissed the protagonist as a Mary Sue.
The male equivalent is sometimes called a Gary Stu or Marty Stu.
Excessively dominant or conquered
- plot armorProtagonist's guaranteed survival
- special snowflakeOne demanding unique treatment
- unrelatableImpossible to empathize with
- center of attentionWho everyone notices most
Something that extends outward
- alter-egoAlternate version of oneself
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
- escapismHabitual mental retreat
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
vicarious · surrogate · stand-in · proxy · quasi-autobiographical · power fantasy · narrative device · autobiographical
Entirely without fault
- perfectWithout any flaw
- beautifulExtremely pleasing aesthetically
- talentedHaving natural ability
- tragic backstoryCharacter's motivating past trauma
exotic appearance · supernatural abilities · chosen one · prophecy · prodigy · multilingual · musical genius
Overused, unoriginal expression
- stock characterConventional recurring persona
- archetypeOriginal model for copies
- deconstructionAnalysis exposing self-contradiction
- fandomEnthusiast community collectively
OC · lampshade · subversion · reconstruction
overpowered
Excessively dominant or conquered
- plot armorProtagonist's guaranteed survival
- special snowflakeOne demanding unique treatment
- unrelatableImpossible to empathize with
projection
Something that extends outward
- alter-egoAlternate version of oneself
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
- escapismHabitual mental retreat
identification · vicarious · surrogate · stand-in · proxy · quasi-autobiographical · power fantasy · narrative device · autobiographical · daydream
flawless
Entirely without fault
tragic backstory · exotic appearance · supernatural abilities · chosen one · prophecy · prodigy · multilingual · musical genius
cliché
Overused, unoriginal expression
- stock characterConventional recurring persona
- archetypeOriginal model for copies
- deconstructionAnalysis exposing self-contradiction
fandom · OC · lampshade · subversion · reconstruction
- character tropesantihero, hero, damsel in distress, mentor, femme fatale
- fandomfandom, fandoms, fan club, fan base, fanbase
- Tropeschosen one, hero's journey, red herring, deus ex machina, damsel in distress
- writingwriting, drafting, authors, author, books
- RPGsDungeons and Dragons, Final Fantasy, Skyrim, GM, Baldur's Gate
- Author Identitiespen name, pseudonym, nom de plume, alias, ghost writer
Mary Suetragic hero
Character whose flaw causes ruin
anti-hero · antihero · underdog · everyman · lovable loser