Is Bella from Twilight a Mary Sue?

[nontacitare]

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

Comments

[drackan27]

For the purposes of my argument, I need to define what I find a Mary/Gary Sue character to be. A Mary/Gary Sue character is an overidealized, overskilled, and/or overly powerful character inserted into a pre-existing genre for the purpose of wish fulfillment.

Superman cannot therefore be a Gary Sue because he is the first superhero and there was no pre-existing genre for him to be inserted into. He established what a superhero should be, but over the decades the concept changed and heroes became less powerful and more flawed. Superman seems to come off as too powerful and too perfect when compared to more modern heroes (or those like Batman who could make the change without significantly altering the character), but in reality he's just antiquated and not a Gary Sue.

Harry Potter seems like a Gary Sue at first, but he isn't because he is not the most powerful or successful one there. Hermione is the student who is most successful with magic and her studies and Ginny is the student who has the most success at Quidditch (going on to play professionally after Hogwarts). All Harry has are fame, money, and the prophecy, and these don't bring him that much happiness. He doesn't care that much about his money or the acquisition of more wealth (shown by how he donates the Tri-Wizard Tournament winnings to Fred and George), and his fame and the prophecy seem to trap and hinder him more times than they bring him enjoyment.

As for Bella, I'd say during the first three books she is not a Mary Sue. She is unpopular to with most of the kids at school, struggles to survive in a world that seems completely alien to her many times, and never gets what she wants most (to become a vampire). Those who call her a Mary Sue during these books confuse the popularity Bella has with Twilight fans with qualities that she never possesses in the book.

However in Book 4, I could see an argument for her turning into a Mary Sue. Marriage to Edward brings her the love, riches, the longed for vampiric state, and a child (thus allowing Bella not having to sacrifice being a mother by choosing an undead state). She conquers things like the first year bloodlust way too quickly, reducing what should be a cursed existence at first to a state of increased power. She also is able to single handedly take down the entire Volturi by simply blocking their powers, thus rendering the assembled host of Cullen-allied vampires obselete and averting a major battle (seriously, why didn't a vampire with physical prowress try to take her dpwm when the mental tricks failed). I would have to read the book again before I gave a definite answer on whether she turns into a Mary Sue or not, and I doubt I ever will get around to doing that.