Is Bella from Twilight a Mary Sue?

May 23, 2011 22:04

While prepping for Marcon, I found myself embroiled in a debate with another panelist who stated that the Twilight books are the most successful Mary Sue fan fiction ever published. I responded (diplomatically) that the most successful Mary Sue fan fiction ever published is Superman, and that the trope of Mary Sue hunting might be rooted in a ( Read more... )

fantasy, superheroes, fan fiction, feminism

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Bard puts in his two cents teacup_werewolf May 24 2011, 04:10:56 UTC
In honesty, I feel that both of you are right. Bella and Superman are both horribly executed wish-fulling characters used to make the author feel better about themselves and fill a fantasy. One is an American icon the other is a Mormon woman's wet dream.

I totally believe that Superman is a Gary Stu, I also think Bella is one to. Not because she is a female lead, but honestly because she is the most pathetic female character I have ever read. She has almost no flaws or none that actually build the character, she constantly needs the validation of Edward for self worth, whines despite her privileged up bringing I mean really.

Superman is less of a character and more of an icon. He's been retro-coned over and over and over again to the point he has no real stable "character" just a concept that has been through the ringer for what..seventy years or so? He's honestly Sun Wukong or some Greek Hero archtype or Beowulf. Superman is the American Hero Archtype. If he was Superwoman (and we Wonder Woman mind you and she is far from a Mary Sue to most folks) I believe because she would be embedded into American mythos to the point it doesn't matter.

Harry Potter has been labeled a Gary Stu a few times, but if you look at how his character develops. He comes a man trapped in his own fame, He has genuine flaws that has fucked many people over and is flawed in some aspects of his personality. I have seen people accuse Aang of being a Gary Stu (mostly butthurt shippers) I have seen both male and female have that label slung around a lot. Some of it deserved other times it's the result of hurt feelings.

So over all I think you are both right, but believe Bella has that label not because she's not "Beau" but because well...she's a bad character in general.

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