Difference between revisions of "Mary Sue"
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{{link | website=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/these-women-coined-term-mary-sue-180972182 | text=Smithsonian Magazine article}} | {{link | website=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/these-women-coined-term-mary-sue-180972182 | text=Smithsonian Magazine article}} | ||
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[[Category:fiction]] | [[Category:fiction]] | ||
Revision as of 16:29, 12 September 2020
A term that arose out of 1970s Star Trek fanfic, a Mary Sue is a generic name for the type of unrealistic fictional stock character who is so competent or perfect that she’s absurd — excelling at tasks that should not be possible.
The name comes from a character created by Michigan/Canadian fan Paula Smith in her 1973 parody story “[http:/www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/dark/1000/marysue.htm A Trekkie's Tale]," published in her fanzine Menagerie #2. The story starred Lt. Mary Sue ("the youngest Lieutenant in the fleet — only fifteen and a half years old").
At first applied only to bad fanfic, the term came into common use in media fandom and has since spread into sf and mundane literary criticism.
| Fanspeak |
| This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc. |
