Annarra stuff
Since Annarra actually is a Star Wars fan character, I thought I'd do this. For fun, and because I like talking about my characters, really.
1. Character Generalities
1.1. Is the character the same gender as you / the gender you want to be? yes
1.2. Does the character have a similar name to you?
no, not really
1.2.1. Is that intentional? N/A
1.2.2. Is it the same as a name you use? no
1.2.3. ...on the Internet? nope
1.2.4. Are you writing under a pen name so people won't know that? nooooo
1.3. Does the character look like you?
Bizarrely, yes. Annarra's appearance (as much as she resembles a human) is based on mine at the time I created her, small, skinny, flat, and short-haired. Most of these traits don't match now.
1.3.1. ...except for having additional qualities you would like? well, she's a cat, yes
1.3.2. ...even though it doesn't make much sense (for example, they're a Transformer)? no
1.4. Is the character an addition to an existing series or a fusion of several series?
If I understand the question, yes, she's a Star Wars fan character, but she's from a different time as the actual characters, so the questions don't really work much anyway
(NOTE: If not, most "main character" questions do not apply, since they -are- one of the main characters.)
1.4.1. ...one that you didn't create? that's right, I did not create Star Wars.
1.4.2. ...does the character replace other characters from the beginning of the series? no
1.4.3. Does the character have a history with the characters from the series? not that I know of
1.4.3.1. Are they the son/daughter of some characters? no
1.4.3.2. ...popular characters? N/A
1.4.3.3. ...that seem unlikely to hook up under most circumstances? N/A
1.4.3.4. ...are they the long-lost brother/sister of a character? N/A
1.4.3.4. ...popular characters? N/A
1.4.4. Is the history one that contradicts existing histories? not that I know of
1.4.5. ...that severely changes the environment of the series? N/A
1.4.6. ...that isn't shown through stories, simply stated or accepted as fact? N/A
1.5. Is the character fairly young, between 16 to about 22?
Younger, at least to start.
1.5.1. Do they hold positions that would be unlikely for their age? No, unless you mean "already working" prior to adventuring.
1.5.2. ...multiple such positions? No.
1.5.3. Is their past one that would mean they've been -very- busy in those years? no
2. Character Stories
2.1. Is the first story with this character titled after them? I haven't written any stories about her, but since I mostly imagined her adventures, it could well be. (so I'll count this as a yes)
2.1.1. Is it part of a series? uh...
2.1.2. ...that's named after them? I hope not, I'd like to come up with something more original
2.1.3. Is it some permutation on "The Creation of (Character)"? No
2.2. Does the character have a "dark past?"
Before *any* stories, no. But early on, there's something bad, I'll use that for the next few questions.
2.2.1. Is such mentioned many times before being explored? no, since it was an event that happened in a game, I didn't *know* before it was explored, but it does fit my ideas.
2.2.2. ...to the point that nobody could forget if they tried? N/A
2.2.3. Is it based around a horrible tragedy? yes
2.2.3.1. Do they think it's their fault? yes
2.2.3.2. ...even in light of overwhelming evidence to the contrary? no
2.2.3.3. ...although they're seeking revenge on those responsible regardless? no
2.2.4. Does the character tie most events into this horrible past? no.
2.2.5. ...regardless of actual relevance? N/A
2.2.6. Is the story / series almost entirely about the dark past? no
2.3. Is the character a major player in the story? I guess so
2.3.1. ...to the point of overshadowing the main characters? N/A
2.3.2. ...even though there's no good reason for them to be? N/A
2.3.3. Are most of the other important players characters you like? The other main players in the game all belong to the other people involved (a lot of them to the gamemaster), and I guess I like more than half of those characters.
2.3.4. ...that the character becomes friends with?
I think she's only really friends with a few.
2.4. If the character died, would there be no point in continuing the story? I don't know, I'll say yes, since I imagine a story mainly about her happening later.
2.4.1. Would such a death have to come while saving the world? No, but it would be nice :D
2.4.2. Would all the other characters agree that there was no more point in living? certainly not!
2.5. Does the character solve problems that give the main characters pause? no, not really
2.5.1. ...mostly beating up the antagonists with ease? No
2.5.2. ...including the antagonists that are largely understood to be unbeatable? N/A
2.5.3. Can the character solve problems that would give ANYONE with half a brain pause? what does that mean, I'm sure she *could* solve ones she really wouldn't want to have to.
2.5.4. ...without expending much effort? No
3. Character Abilities
3.1. Is the character more athletic than you? yes
3.1.1. ...than the main characters? no
3.1.2. ...than most human beings, including Olympic athletes?
sort of. She's really dextrous, so I guess that puts her on a level with really athletic humans, and she can really jump, but that's because she's a cat, beyond that, no.
3.1.3. ...despite the fact that they shouldn't be (for example, they're a computer programmer)? no
3.2. Does the character have supernatural powers? Yes
3.2.1. ...of a world-shattering scope? depends on how you look at it (nah)
3.2.2. ...that are far beyond those possesed by the main characters? No
3.2.3. ...because the main characters possess no such powers? No
3.2.4. ...in a world where such superpowers are rare? Well, jedi *are* rare.
3.2.4.1. ...to nonexistent? No
3.2.4.2. ...and solely the province of antagonists? No
3.2.5. Are they largely invincible? noooo
3.2.6. ...except for one utterly inaccessible weakness (really, now)? N/A
3.3. Is the character more attractive than you?
I think this one's one's subjective, too. I think so, cats have a special kind of cute, but she's not considered very attractive. Or, to put it this way, I think I attract more human guys than she attracts trianii ones.
3.3.1. Does it get them out of embarassing situations? no
3.3.2. ...or life-threatening ones? No
3.3.3. Are they attractive enough so that pretty much everybody is attracted to them? hahahahahaha...No
3.4. Is or was the character part of a secret society, special group, et cetera? yes, she's a jedi
3.4.1. ...that is supposedly the sole province of the antagonists? No
3.4.2. Did the group not exist in the story before the character was introduced (i.e. it's created for the character)? Nope.
3.4.3. Is the character thought of / remembered as its greatest member or child of same? noo
3.5. Is the character smarter than you?
about the same, really, she *might* be more perceptive, and better with languages but she's definitely less technically inclined (even if she *does* know something I don't)
3.5.1. ...than the main characters? I don't know, how smart *are* they? I think I'll say yes.
3.5.2. ...than most Nobel Prize winners? no
3.5.3. ...in addition to being extremely athletic? N/A
4. Character Interaction
4.1. Do most of the other characters like this character?most of the good guys at least tolerate her, so I guess yes.
4.1.1. ...even if it seems unlikely? No
4.1.2. ...even though they're on different sides? No
4.1.3. ...no matter what the character does to them? No
4.2. Does the character wind up falling in love? no
4.2.1. ...with a feature/major character? N/A
4.2.2. ...and it's requited immediately? N/A
4.2.3. ...with no need for courtship? N/A
4.2.4. Is the loved character someone that you would want to date?N/A
4.2.4.1. ...even though their character is wildly oppositional to such an event? N/A
4.2.4.2. ...even though the character already has a significant other? N/A
4.2.5. Does the loved character pine after the character first? N/A
(so much love here)
4.3. Does the character persuade certain antagonists over to his way of thinking? she tries
4.3.1. ...routinely? she might *try* routinely
4.3.2. ...even though the antagonist in question believes with a fervor and always has? he doesn't even believe with a fervor :(
4.3.3. Is the antagonist in question regarded as a "cool" antagonist? I don't think he's very cool.
4.3.4. Once persuaded, does nobody question the convert's motives? stop! you're making me feel bad
4.3.5. ...because it was the character who talked him over? Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!
4.4. Do -you- think that the character is inherently likable?
yes, at least somewhat
4.4.1. ...and that anyone who doesn't like your character doesn't like you? nah
4.4.2. ...and that anyone who doesn't like the character has serious mental problems? :D
4.4.3. Given the chance, would you want to be more like the character? in some ways
4.4.4. ...heck, -exactly- like?
yeah, well maybe not the blaming myself for someone dying (wait, I've been there) and the stuff that goes with it, so...I don't know.
There are 100 questions on this litmus test. Each one is worth a
point. Answering "yes" to a question nets the point, and answering
"no" awards no points. The result is a vague percentage that gives
some idea of where your character falls on the Mary Sue Meter:
0-10%: Devoid of Mary Sueness. The character runs little risk of
becoming a Mary Sue, although there's a high probability that they're
only a background character.
11-20%: Nothing unusual. The character has traces of being a Mary Sue,
but that doesn't mean they are. They're safe to include without fear,
and are purely harmless.
21-30%: Strong traces of Mary Sue-ism, but that's all. Some people may
find the character grating, but that's sort of par for the course.
Beware, though - they're tilting towards a dangerous road, not away
from it.
31-40%: Borderline Mary Sue. The skill of the writer involved largely
decides whether or not the character in question is so annoying it
hurts, but it's worth re-examining the character just to be sure.
41-50%: The low end of the median, the character walks a thin line.
This is about the level most people will immediately peg the character
as a Mary Sue. Doable, but very touchy.
51-60%: On the high end of the median, this character isn't a full-
fledged Mary Sue, but they're heading in that direction. They're
probably still likable, but best be careful, or they'll turn into the
bane of every writer and reader.
61-70%: At this point, the character can truly be called a "Mary Sue."
For those unfamiliar, the term is usually preceded by "goddamn."
Though possibly salvagable, serious work will be needed to prevent Mary
Suishness.
71-80%: Let's hope you're writing a parody. This is about the upper
limit for characters that can be salvaged and avoid becoming Mary Sues,
but it's a dangerous peak. Seriously reconsider both plot and
character in question.
81-90%: Very high on the Mary Sue meter, this sort of character tends
to drag down the story, so a good story becomes bad and a bad story
becomes a crime against nature. Probably too far gone to save, the
best bet is to abandon it.
91-100%: No doubt about, Mary Sue is in the building. Just don't use
the character. If this warning comes too late... well, it's hard to
accidentally create a Mary Sue of this magnitude, so you knew the turd
you were writing from the beginning.
Wow, 24, or 23. That's more than I expected, but some of it's inevitable, (when you play a character in a tabletop game, they're likely to be important), so I'm not *too* worried.
Bonnie, if you write one for non-fan characters, I'll probably take it for some of my characters, for fun.
1. Character Generalities
1.1. Is the character the same gender as you / the gender you want to be? yes
1.2. Does the character have a similar name to you?
no, not really
1.2.1. Is that intentional? N/A
1.2.2. Is it the same as a name you use? no
1.2.3. ...on the Internet? nope
1.2.4. Are you writing under a pen name so people won't know that? nooooo
1.3. Does the character look like you?
Bizarrely, yes. Annarra's appearance (as much as she resembles a human) is based on mine at the time I created her, small, skinny, flat, and short-haired. Most of these traits don't match now.
1.3.1. ...except for having additional qualities you would like? well, she's a cat, yes
1.3.2. ...even though it doesn't make much sense (for example, they're a Transformer)? no
1.4. Is the character an addition to an existing series or a fusion of several series?
If I understand the question, yes, she's a Star Wars fan character, but she's from a different time as the actual characters, so the questions don't really work much anyway
(NOTE: If not, most "main character" questions do not apply, since they -are- one of the main characters.)
1.4.1. ...one that you didn't create? that's right, I did not create Star Wars.
1.4.2. ...does the character replace other characters from the beginning of the series? no
1.4.3. Does the character have a history with the characters from the series? not that I know of
1.4.3.1. Are they the son/daughter of some characters? no
1.4.3.2. ...popular characters? N/A
1.4.3.3. ...that seem unlikely to hook up under most circumstances? N/A
1.4.3.4. ...are they the long-lost brother/sister of a character? N/A
1.4.3.4. ...popular characters? N/A
1.4.4. Is the history one that contradicts existing histories? not that I know of
1.4.5. ...that severely changes the environment of the series? N/A
1.4.6. ...that isn't shown through stories, simply stated or accepted as fact? N/A
1.5. Is the character fairly young, between 16 to about 22?
Younger, at least to start.
1.5.1. Do they hold positions that would be unlikely for their age? No, unless you mean "already working" prior to adventuring.
1.5.2. ...multiple such positions? No.
1.5.3. Is their past one that would mean they've been -very- busy in those years? no
2. Character Stories
2.1. Is the first story with this character titled after them? I haven't written any stories about her, but since I mostly imagined her adventures, it could well be. (so I'll count this as a yes)
2.1.1. Is it part of a series? uh...
2.1.2. ...that's named after them? I hope not, I'd like to come up with something more original
2.1.3. Is it some permutation on "The Creation of (Character)"? No
2.2. Does the character have a "dark past?"
Before *any* stories, no. But early on, there's something bad, I'll use that for the next few questions.
2.2.1. Is such mentioned many times before being explored? no, since it was an event that happened in a game, I didn't *know* before it was explored, but it does fit my ideas.
2.2.2. ...to the point that nobody could forget if they tried? N/A
2.2.3. Is it based around a horrible tragedy? yes
2.2.3.1. Do they think it's their fault? yes
2.2.3.2. ...even in light of overwhelming evidence to the contrary? no
2.2.3.3. ...although they're seeking revenge on those responsible regardless? no
2.2.4. Does the character tie most events into this horrible past? no.
2.2.5. ...regardless of actual relevance? N/A
2.2.6. Is the story / series almost entirely about the dark past? no
2.3. Is the character a major player in the story? I guess so
2.3.1. ...to the point of overshadowing the main characters? N/A
2.3.2. ...even though there's no good reason for them to be? N/A
2.3.3. Are most of the other important players characters you like? The other main players in the game all belong to the other people involved (a lot of them to the gamemaster), and I guess I like more than half of those characters.
2.3.4. ...that the character becomes friends with?
I think she's only really friends with a few.
2.4. If the character died, would there be no point in continuing the story? I don't know, I'll say yes, since I imagine a story mainly about her happening later.
2.4.1. Would such a death have to come while saving the world? No, but it would be nice :D
2.4.2. Would all the other characters agree that there was no more point in living? certainly not!
2.5. Does the character solve problems that give the main characters pause? no, not really
2.5.1. ...mostly beating up the antagonists with ease? No
2.5.2. ...including the antagonists that are largely understood to be unbeatable? N/A
2.5.3. Can the character solve problems that would give ANYONE with half a brain pause? what does that mean, I'm sure she *could* solve ones she really wouldn't want to have to.
2.5.4. ...without expending much effort? No
3. Character Abilities
3.1. Is the character more athletic than you? yes
3.1.1. ...than the main characters? no
3.1.2. ...than most human beings, including Olympic athletes?
sort of. She's really dextrous, so I guess that puts her on a level with really athletic humans, and she can really jump, but that's because she's a cat, beyond that, no.
3.1.3. ...despite the fact that they shouldn't be (for example, they're a computer programmer)? no
3.2. Does the character have supernatural powers? Yes
3.2.1. ...of a world-shattering scope? depends on how you look at it (nah)
3.2.2. ...that are far beyond those possesed by the main characters? No
3.2.3. ...because the main characters possess no such powers? No
3.2.4. ...in a world where such superpowers are rare? Well, jedi *are* rare.
3.2.4.1. ...to nonexistent? No
3.2.4.2. ...and solely the province of antagonists? No
3.2.5. Are they largely invincible? noooo
3.2.6. ...except for one utterly inaccessible weakness (really, now)? N/A
3.3. Is the character more attractive than you?
I think this one's one's subjective, too. I think so, cats have a special kind of cute, but she's not considered very attractive. Or, to put it this way, I think I attract more human guys than she attracts trianii ones.
3.3.1. Does it get them out of embarassing situations? no
3.3.2. ...or life-threatening ones? No
3.3.3. Are they attractive enough so that pretty much everybody is attracted to them? hahahahahaha...No
3.4. Is or was the character part of a secret society, special group, et cetera? yes, she's a jedi
3.4.1. ...that is supposedly the sole province of the antagonists? No
3.4.2. Did the group not exist in the story before the character was introduced (i.e. it's created for the character)? Nope.
3.4.3. Is the character thought of / remembered as its greatest member or child of same? noo
3.5. Is the character smarter than you?
about the same, really, she *might* be more perceptive, and better with languages but she's definitely less technically inclined (even if she *does* know something I don't)
3.5.1. ...than the main characters? I don't know, how smart *are* they? I think I'll say yes.
3.5.2. ...than most Nobel Prize winners? no
3.5.3. ...in addition to being extremely athletic? N/A
4. Character Interaction
4.1. Do most of the other characters like this character?most of the good guys at least tolerate her, so I guess yes.
4.1.1. ...even if it seems unlikely? No
4.1.2. ...even though they're on different sides? No
4.1.3. ...no matter what the character does to them? No
4.2. Does the character wind up falling in love? no
4.2.1. ...with a feature/major character? N/A
4.2.2. ...and it's requited immediately? N/A
4.2.3. ...with no need for courtship? N/A
4.2.4. Is the loved character someone that you would want to date?N/A
4.2.4.1. ...even though their character is wildly oppositional to such an event? N/A
4.2.4.2. ...even though the character already has a significant other? N/A
4.2.5. Does the loved character pine after the character first? N/A
(so much love here)
4.3. Does the character persuade certain antagonists over to his way of thinking? she tries
4.3.1. ...routinely? she might *try* routinely
4.3.2. ...even though the antagonist in question believes with a fervor and always has? he doesn't even believe with a fervor :(
4.3.3. Is the antagonist in question regarded as a "cool" antagonist? I don't think he's very cool.
4.3.4. Once persuaded, does nobody question the convert's motives? stop! you're making me feel bad
4.3.5. ...because it was the character who talked him over? Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!
4.4. Do -you- think that the character is inherently likable?
yes, at least somewhat
4.4.1. ...and that anyone who doesn't like your character doesn't like you? nah
4.4.2. ...and that anyone who doesn't like the character has serious mental problems? :D
4.4.3. Given the chance, would you want to be more like the character? in some ways
4.4.4. ...heck, -exactly- like?
yeah, well maybe not the blaming myself for someone dying (wait, I've been there) and the stuff that goes with it, so...I don't know.
There are 100 questions on this litmus test. Each one is worth a
point. Answering "yes" to a question nets the point, and answering
"no" awards no points. The result is a vague percentage that gives
some idea of where your character falls on the Mary Sue Meter:
0-10%: Devoid of Mary Sueness. The character runs little risk of
becoming a Mary Sue, although there's a high probability that they're
only a background character.
11-20%: Nothing unusual. The character has traces of being a Mary Sue,
but that doesn't mean they are. They're safe to include without fear,
and are purely harmless.
21-30%: Strong traces of Mary Sue-ism, but that's all. Some people may
find the character grating, but that's sort of par for the course.
Beware, though - they're tilting towards a dangerous road, not away
from it.
31-40%: Borderline Mary Sue. The skill of the writer involved largely
decides whether or not the character in question is so annoying it
hurts, but it's worth re-examining the character just to be sure.
41-50%: The low end of the median, the character walks a thin line.
This is about the level most people will immediately peg the character
as a Mary Sue. Doable, but very touchy.
51-60%: On the high end of the median, this character isn't a full-
fledged Mary Sue, but they're heading in that direction. They're
probably still likable, but best be careful, or they'll turn into the
bane of every writer and reader.
61-70%: At this point, the character can truly be called a "Mary Sue."
For those unfamiliar, the term is usually preceded by "goddamn."
Though possibly salvagable, serious work will be needed to prevent Mary
Suishness.
71-80%: Let's hope you're writing a parody. This is about the upper
limit for characters that can be salvaged and avoid becoming Mary Sues,
but it's a dangerous peak. Seriously reconsider both plot and
character in question.
81-90%: Very high on the Mary Sue meter, this sort of character tends
to drag down the story, so a good story becomes bad and a bad story
becomes a crime against nature. Probably too far gone to save, the
best bet is to abandon it.
91-100%: No doubt about, Mary Sue is in the building. Just don't use
the character. If this warning comes too late... well, it's hard to
accidentally create a Mary Sue of this magnitude, so you knew the turd
you were writing from the beginning.
Wow, 24, or 23. That's more than I expected, but some of it's inevitable, (when you play a character in a tabletop game, they're likely to be important), so I'm not *too* worried.
Bonnie, if you write one for non-fan characters, I'll probably take it for some of my characters, for fun.