A Mary Sue character is a recognizable character archetype in screenplays. The exact definition varies wildly, and the idea of a Mary Sue character generally attracts debate around specific attributes. 

A typical Mary Sue is generally considered a negative character trope in screenwriting due to its unrealistic, too-good-to-be-true characteristics.

This is everything screenwriters need to know about Mary Sue characters – what they are, the origins, examples in films, and whether your character is a Mary Sue.

What is a Mary Sue character?

Generally speaking, a Mary Sue character is a fictional, typically female, character who is unrealistically perfect. They’re usually extremely attractive, physically strong, intelligent, and morally perfect. A Mary Sue character is talented at everything and lacks any demonstrable weaknesses and flaws. She may sometimes also have a tragic backstory.

Therefore, this flawless, perfect character is deemed unrealistic and often associated with negative connotations, like poor and lazy screenwriting. A Mary Sue character can be viewed as an author’s idealized self-insertion and may also serve as a kind of wish fulfillment for the author and audience. The male-specific equivalent is sometimes called Marty Stu or Gary Stu.

Mary Sue character origins

The Mary Sue character term originated from Star Trek fan fiction. It was coined by Paula Smith in the 1973 parody short story, A Trekkie’s Tale. Mary Sue was the name given to a character standing in for idealized female characters widespread in Star Trek fan fiction. It was intended to mock authors whose characters were clearly based on wish fulfilment, self-inserts and idealized versions of themselves. 

Although the Mary Sue character archetype was first identified in fan fiction, the concept naturally found its way into other forms of storytelling like film and television, identifying characters who are too good to be true. Despite this accepted origin of the specific Mary Sue term, the general concept of an author-insert character has existed in literature since the 1800s.

The case against a Mary Sue character

The problem with Mary Sue characters is that they embody flawless perfection. But an audience won’t ever really root for perfect people because they aren’t relatable, and they rarely have relevant conflicts or problems. The best characters have weaknesses and flaws. 

Therefore, a Mary Sue character can feel two-dimensional and boring for audiences.

A Mary Sue character can also be highly cliché in terms of characterization. As a cliché is something that’s become overused to the point of losing its original meaning, audiences are less likely to connect with a cliché character. 

Although the Mary Sue term can be used for sexist arguments in screenplays, the point of criticism is not directed at the gender of a character but at the writing that might be considered weak or lazy as it falls back onto an overused trope.

Mary Sue character examples in movies

Since the term is informal, there is no concrete definition of exactly who or what is a Mary Sue character. Certain well-known characters in screenplays are the subject of debates about whether they fit the Mary Sue archetype.

At one end of the scale, Bella Swan from Twilight is generally hailed as the epitome of a Mary Sue character due to her weak characterization and poor character development. Many women in the James Bond movie franchise could also be considered Mary Sue characters. At the same time, James Bond could be regarded as the male equivalent of a Mary Sue, as Marty Stu or Gary Stu.

Toward the middle of the Mary Sue character scale, there are cases to be made for and against characters such as Harry Potter in the Harry Potter franchise and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. These characters face struggles but are undoubtedly naturally skilled at everything they do without much effort.

At the extreme end of the scale, there are characters whose status as a Mary Sue is hotly debated and can draw fierce debates and discussions. For example, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) and Rey from Star Wars. Quite often, this is where the subject of gender comes into play: if the characters were male, would they still be considered a Mary Sue? It’s certainly an interesting question for screenwriters to consider!

Is your character a Mary Sue?

Now you might be thinking, is your character a Mary Sue? Here are some ways to check and avoid the clichés of a Mary Sue character archetype.

Give your characters flaws and weaknesses

One of the main problems with Mary Sue characters is that they embody flawless perfection. In contrast, the best characters have weaknesses and flaws, and reasons for an audience to root for them. 

Explore the five character types to identify who your character really is. Avoid a Mary Sue character by giving them imperfections to make them more relatable and help the audience connect with them.

Avoid clichés

Screenwriters should try to avoid writing weak characters who embody clichés and serve the plot but nothing else. A cliché is something that’s become overused to the point of losing its original meaning. 

Therefore, audiences are less likely to connect with a cliché character. A Mary Sue character can be highly cliché in terms of characterization, so be sure to avoid these tired tropes as you write your screenplay.

Remember, actions and mistakes have consequences

Characters that get away with everything and face no consequences for their actions (especially their mistakes) can be frustrating and unrealistic for audiences. 

While giving your characters weaknesses and flaws, make sure they also face the consequences of their mistakes and that they learn from them.

Develop their backstory

Developing a solid backstory is an excellent way to avoid weak, two-dimensional characters. (You could do this as part of devising a character bio, a brilliant tool for screenwriters.) Creating a backstory that heavily influences a character’s motivations and crafts their personality is a clever way to make characters feel more three-dimensional. 

You don’t necessarily have to include the whole backstory in your screenplay (unless it makes sense to do so).

You could simply use it as a tool for yourself to get to know your characters better.

Overall, avoiding the Mary Sue archetype is a sensible choice for screenwriters who want to create well-rounded, relatable characters that audiences will root for. Though it might take more time and effort to avoid tropes and clichés, it will ultimately produce a more compelling screenplay that audiences will enjoy.

Once you’ve honed your screenplay with well-rounded characters then be sure to download Arc Studio, a FREE industry standard screenwriting software today.