History Main / AntiSue

''WebAnimation/TerribleWritingAdvice''[='s=] video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4sy_kEt5sI "How not to write a Mary Sue"]] elaborates on the problem.

''WebVideo/TerribleWritingAdvice''[='s=] video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4sy_kEt5sI "How not to write a Mary Sue"]] elaborates on the problem.

Compare and contrast SuetifulAllAlong, a less extreme attempt to avert CommonMarySueTraits. Also contrast JerkSue. Not to be confused with "Auntie Sue".

Do not confuse with ButtMonkey, TheChewToy, or FailureHero, whose main (but not sole) trait is that they fail at everything. Do not also confuse with DesignatedMonkey, who is picked on regardless of character traits. Nor confuse it with VillainSue.

Do not confuse with ButtMonkey, TheChewToy, or FailureHero, whose main (but not sole) trait is that they fail at everything. Do not also confuse with DesignatedMonkey, who is picked on regardless of character traits.

If a MarySue is "perfect", then the easiest way to avoid making one is to do the opposite, right? Well, the Anti-Sue shows up when an aspiring writer takes the opposite of "perfect" as "perfectly opposite" instead of "imperfect". A MarySue is a FriendToAllLivingThings who is [[SoBeautifulItsACurse So Beautiful, It's A Curse]] and can solve any problem in five minutes or less? Then an Anti-Sue will be TheGrotesque and an EnemyToAllLivingThings who [[FailureHero never does anything right]]. And so on.

Unfortunately, simply {{invert|edTrope}}ing the CommonMarySueTraits does not prevent a character from being a MarySue. When other characters still worship them and the plot still bends over backwards to facilitate them they're still a MarySue, despite now being described as an unspeakably ugly and incredibly pathetic loser. This can actually be even more annoying than a vanilla MarySue — at least it makes some sort of sense for characters to worship a beautiful, friendly, hypercompetent MarySue, but when they're physically ugly with an unpleasant personality and can barely tie their own shoes (much less solve other people's problems) and everyone still treats them like the greatest thing since sliced bread, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief gets smashed into tiny little pieces. (And yet, this is sometimes OscarBait for movies about the InspirationallyDisadvantaged.)

->''"Watching Neelix sloughing [''sic''] in the Captain’s chair on the Bridge is enough to make you feel nauseous. What has ''Star Trek'' come to?"''
-->--'''[[http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2012/03/voyager-seasn-two.html Doc Oho]]''' on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', "Initiations"

Of course, there is an opposite effect. Rather than admiration, some Anti-Sues instead have their peers' intense hatred and dislike of them be what overrides any other plot in the story -- that is, they'll drop everything they're doing just to make the Anti-Sue's life that much more miserable and keep them around solely for that purpose, as if she were a walking JerkassBall.

Of course, there is an opposite effect - Rather than admiration, some Anti-Sues instead have their peers' intense hatred and dislike of them be what overrides any other plot in the story -- that is, they'll drop everything they're doing just to make the Anti-Sue's life that much more miserable and keep them around solely for that purpose, as if she were a walking JerkassBall.

Of course, there is an opposite effect - Rather than admiration, some Anti-Sues instead have their peers' intense hatred and dislike of them be what overrides any other plot in the story -- that is, they'll drop everything they're doing just to make the Anti-Sue's life that much more miserable and keep them around solely for that purpose.

'''No examples, please; this just explains the term.'''
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Not to confuse with ButtMonkey or TheChewToy, which is about someone who fails at everything.

Not to confuse with ButtMonkey or TheChewToy, which is about someone fails at everything.

Unfortunately, simply {{invert|edTrope}}ing the CommonMarySueTraits does not prevent a character from being a MarySue. When other characters still worship her and the plot still bends over backwards to facilitate her, she's still a MarySue, despite now being described as an unspeakably ugly and incredibly pathetic loser. This can actually be even more annoying than a vanilla MarySue — at least it makes some sort of sense for characters to worship a beautiful, friendly, hypercompetent MarySue, but when they're physically ugly with an unpleasant personality and can barely tie their own shoes (much less solve other people's problems) and everyone still treats them like the greatest thing since sliced bread, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief gets smashed into tiny little pieces. (And yet, this is sometimes OscarBait for movies about the InspirationallyDisadvantaged.)

Unfortunately, simply {{invert|edTrope}}ing the CommonMarySueTraits does not prevent a character from being a MarySue. When other characters still worship her and the plot still bends over backwards to facilitate her, she's still a MarySue, despite now being described as an unspeakably ugly and incredibly pathetic loser. This can actually be even more annoying than a vanilla MarySue — at least it makes some sort of sense for characters to worship a beautiful, friendly, hypercompetent MarySue, but when they're physically ugly with an unpleasant personality and can barely tie their own shoes (much less solve other people's problems) and everyone still treats them like the greatest thing since sliced bread, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief gets smashed into tiny little pieces. (And yet, this is sometimes OscarBait for movies about the InspirationallyDisadvantaged)

->''"Watching Neelix sloughing in the Captain’s chair on the Bridge is enough to make you feel nauseous. What has ''Star Trek'' come to?"''

Unfortunately, simply [[InvertedTrope inverting]] the CommonMarySueTraits does not prevent a character from being a MarySue. When other characters still worship her and the plot still bends over backwards to facilitate her, she's still a MarySue, despite now being described as an unspeakably ugly and incredibly pathetic loser. This can actually be even more annoying than a vanilla MarySue — at least it makes some sort of sense for characters to worship a beautiful, friendly, hypercompetent MarySue, but when they're physically ugly with an unpleasant personality and can barely tie their own shoes (much less solve other people's problems) and everyone still treats them like the greatest thing since sliced bread, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief gets smashed into tiny little pieces. (And yet, this is sometimes OscarBait for movies about the InspirationallyDisadvantaged)

Not to confuse with ButtMonkey or ChewToy, which is about someone fails at everything.

Not to confuse with ButtMonkey, which is about someone being terrible and having bad luck on everything.

->''''Watching Neelix sloughing in the Captain’s chair on the Bridge is enough to make you feel nauseous. What has ''Star Trek'' come to?''''

->''Watching Neelix sloughing in the Captain’s chair on the Bridge is enough to make you feel nauseous. What has ''Star Trek'' come to?''

If a MarySue is "perfect", then the easiest way to avoid making one is to do the opposite, right? Well, the AntiSue shows up when an aspiring writer takes the opposite of "perfect" as "perfectly opposite" instead of "imperfect". A MarySue is a FriendToAllLivingThings who is [[SoBeautifulItsACurse So Beautiful, It's A Curse]] and can solve any problem in five minutes or less? Then an AntiSue will be TheGrotesque and an EnemyToAllLivingThings who [[FailureHero never does anything right]]. And so on.

->''In the end, the Justice League offers to let Clark join the team and of course, Clark declines, because Clark sucks and never does anything. [[ShaggyDogStory The End.]]''
-->--'''Chris Sims''' and '''David Uzumeri''' [[http://comicsalliance.com/recap-smallville-episode-6-11-justice/ on]] ''{{Series/Smallville}}'' ("Justice")

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'''No examples please, this just explains the term.'''

Compare and contrast SuetifulAllAlong, a less extreme attempt to avert CommonMarySueTraits. Not to be confused with "Auntie Sue".