[ SECRET POST #4862 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #4862 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 24 secrets from Secret Submission Post #696.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Pretty much. It's the reason I am pretty much done with the term "Mary Sue." Once upon a time, it might have served a purpose, but now it's pretty much become shorthand for "There's a girl lead and she's actually competent!" from entirely too many people.

It also has come to bug me, because basically guys have been given male power fantasy after male power fantasy, yet these characters are hardly ever labeled "Mary Sues." Even if they are acknowledged as power fantasies, it's not given the pejorative sense that a female character is. Batman has practically ascended to Bat-God, but that's cool because He's Batman!

But if a female lead displays any competence, people go over her every action/scene with a fine-toothed comb, and the fans and writers are constantly expected to do a thesis-level defense as to why she's not a Mary Sue. Because men can be up to their necks in power fantasies, but god forbid, you let women enjoy seeing themselves kicking ass and taking names.

[(Anonymous)]

My favourite go-to example for this is John Wick. Universally beloved. When was the last time you heard him get called a Mary Sue, or a Gary Stu, or whatever? It wouldn't even occur to 99.9% of male fans. But the first time I watched it, I couldn't get over what blatant egregious eish fulfilment power fantasy Mary Sue this character was. I was shocked to discover no one agreed with me... and then I remembered sexism. RIP me.