History Main / MaryTzu

In Real Life cases exist of brilliant strategists successfully predicting their opponent's plans, only to then dismiss their own prediction as depending on ascribing Mary Tzu-like powers to their enemy, as well as certain commanders having a Marty Tzu status in legend and image if not in actual performance.

'''No examples please, as this just explains a term.'''
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Sometimes, this character will merely be a plot device, but other times it can be piled onto the CommonMarySueTraits of your [[ImprobableAge fourteen year old]] [[EverythingsBetterWithSparkles sparkly]] [[GodModeSue invincible teenage girl]]. Those are only worst case scenarios though, as most characters associated with this trope tend to be older men (which sometimes makes them popular despite being [[BoringInvincibleHero invincible]]).

'''No examples please, as this just explains a term.'''

Named for Creator/SunTzu, a RealLife (maybe) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu Ancient Chinese general]] whose ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' is still used by many militaries around the world and is considered one of the greatest treatises on warfare ever written, as well as MarySue, the archetype of the unrealistically perfect protagonist.

Compare to TheChessmaster or TheStrategist, which are for masterminds that push, but don't destroy, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief. Also see HollywoodTactics and IdiotBall as (like all MarySue types), a Mary Tzu's main ability is to make everyone else incompetent so that they look good.

Named for SunTzu, a RealLife (maybe) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu Ancient Chinese general]] whose ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' is still used by many militaries around the world and is considered one of the greatest treatises on warfare ever written, as well as MarySue, the archetype of the unrealistically perfect protagonist.

Named for SunTzu, a RealLife (maybe) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu Ancient Chinese general]] whose ''[[TheArtOfWar Art of War]]'' is still used by many militaries around the world and is considered one of the greatest treatises on warfare ever written, as well as MarySue, the archetype of the unrealistically perfect protagonist.

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

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

In Real Life cases exist of brilliant strategists successfully predicting their opponent's plans, only to then dismiss their own prediction as depending on ascribing Mary Tzu-like powers to their enemy.

->''[[DrivingQuestion Who is Clara Oswald?]] Well it is clear that this version of her character is a shallow vacuous non-entity...The way that she suddenly turns into some kind of military commander who can handle open warfare with the Cybermen is just taking the piss. There is no sense that this kind of responsibility bothers her or makes her doubt herself; nope, she takes to the stage like General Custer and barks orders like she has been doing this all of her life.''
-->--'''[[http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2012/09/series-seven.html Doc Oho]]''' on ''Series/DoctorWho'', [[{{Recap/DoctorWhos33e12NightmareinSilver}} "Nightmare in Silver"]]

Compare to TheChessmaster or TheStrategist, which are for masterminds that push, but don't destroy, WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief. Also see HollywoodTactics and IdiotBall as (like all MarySue types), Mary Tzu's main ability is to make everyone else incompetent so that she looks good.

More common in works revolving around warfare, a Mary Tzu is a character, usually a military commander, with unrealistic tactical abilities. She (or he; actually more often he, [[JustForPun we just couldn't pass up the pun]]) can pull a win out of any battle no matter how outnumbered, outgunned, or outmatched, she can guess any enemy commander's plan no matter how convoluted or how little information she has to work from, and any plan she comes up with will work perfectly, often employing HollywoodTactics, resulting in total enemy defeat and another smashing success for General Tzu's track record. As per the standard MarySue traits, such a character is usually treated as a paragon and/or revered by the other characters. Sometimes she comes complete with a BigBookOfWar, possibly written by her.

To be clear, this trope only deals with ''unrealistically'' good tacticians. ''Merely great'' commanders wouldn't apply, as long as they're fallible, or if they're written well enough to make their victories seem plausible. If it looks like they play GambitRoulette instead of [[ThePlan more sound and realistic plans]] you've got a Mary Tzu. Another test you can do: Are the character's victories all perfect? Or does he suffer losses and pay prices? Even if there isn't a GambitRoulette every other victory, having plans that are unrealistically successful, such as losing ''no'' troops who were sent in to distract heavy fire, that's also a Mary Tzu.

'''No examples please, this just explains the term.''' (Note in passing, however, that numerous Real Life cases exist of brilliant strategists successfully predicting their opponent's actual plans, only to then dismiss their own prediction as depending on ascribing Mary Tzu-like powers to their enemy.)