Mary Sue

The Mary Sue is a type of fictional character, usually a young woman, who is perceived as unrealistically free of weaknesses or character flaws, or as serving a wish-fulfillment role for the author. The term "Mary Sue" can also refer to a genre of fan fiction featuring such characters. The name is derived from the main character of a 1973 parody short story by Paula Smith, written to satirize idealized female characters that were widespread in Star Trek fan fiction. Mary Sue stories are often written by adolescent authors and may represent the author's self-insertion into the story, both in fan fiction and commercially published fiction. The character type has acquired a pejorative reputation in fan communities, with the label "Mary Sue" often applied to any heroine who is considered to be unrealistically capable. Less commonly, a male character with similar traits may be labeled a "Gary Stu" or "Marty Stu".