Culture
The Rise Of The Mary Sue (And Why We Can't Seem To Get Rid Of Her)
If you’ve watched any popular movies or TV shows lately, you’ve probably had a “Mary Sue” grace your screen. The Mary Sue character trope is widely panned by audiences and critics alike, yet writers in Hollywood and beyond can’t seem to kick the habit.
By Ella Carroll-Smith4 min read
While there’s no universally agreed upon definition of a Mary Sue, she’s generally seen as a female character without any significant flaws, who experiences no personal or emotional development over the course of a story. The circumstances around Mary Sue might change drastically as she encounters exciting plot points, but most of those problems are fairly easily overcome, at no personal cost to Mary Sue. What does not change is Mary Sue herself.