Before going any further, I'd better explain exactly what a Mary Sue is. A Mary Sue is a fanfic character who is basically too good to be true. Such a character is often young and pretty, the centre of the fic's universe, altruistic to the point where they will sacrifice anything . . . you get the idea.

NOTE: A male character with Mary Sue traits is called a Gary Stu, but the system for identifying such characters is the same in both cases.

Visionaries Mary Sue Litmus Test

As you take the test, note the number of points next to each question - that's how much you score each time you answer "yes". Count any question where the answer is "maybe" or "sometimes" as "yes" - if the question doesn't apply to the character you're analysing, treat it as a "no"

Names

Is the character named after you? {score 5 points if the character shares your online name, 10 points if it's your real name}
NOTE: Even if you adapted your real name to make it "sound" Prysmosian or you think your name "sounds" Prysmosian already, you still get the 10 points

Is the character's name unusual in any way? {score 1 point}
NOTE: You will need to bear in mind that "Visionaries" is set on another planet so compare the name to those used in the series - does it seem like a typical Prysmosian name?

Do you wish you had the same name as the character? {score 1 point}

Does the character's name feature in any titles for the stories you've written about him or her? {score 2 points for each instance}

Did it take you more than a day to find the right name? {score 1 point}

Would you name your pet or child after the character? {score 1 point}

Appearence

Is the character the same gender as you? {score 1 point}

Does the character come from a mixed background? {score 1 point if his or her parents are both Prysmosian but come from different cities, 3 points if either parent comes from a planet other than Prymos}

Is the character immune to the weaknesses that usually affect such a character? (For example, a wizard who isn't affected by Wizards Bane or any character other than Merklynn who cannot be attacked by the Power Staff entities) {score 4 points}
NOTE: Subtract 4 points if the character has the weaknesses, but not the advantages, of that character type - eg, a Visionary (or any other knight) who is absolutely hopeless when it comes to a fight. If the character eventually does gain the advantages, deduct only 1 point

Is the character a teenager or in his or her early twenties? {score 1 point}

Does the character appear to be a teenager or in his or her early twenties for no apparent reason? {score 3 points}

Is the character the same age as you? {score 2 points}

Is the character beautiful or handsome? {score 1 point}

Do any of the canon characters find the character highly attractive? {score 1 point}
NOTE: Add 2 points if any of the other canon characters see him or her as a threat

Does the character have an unusual eye colour? {score 2 points}

Do you emphasise how beautiful or unusual the character's hair is {score 1 point}

Does the character have an unusual accent? {score 1 point}

Does the character have any unusual markings that do not detract from his or her appearance? {score 1 point}

Background

Is the character the offspring, descendent or other relation of a regular or recurring character? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Add 1 point if the character is a long-lost relation, 2 points if he or she is related to the canon leader of either faction of the Visionaries (ie, Leoric or Darkstorm)

Was the character adopted or otherwise raised by people other than his or her parents? {score 1 point}

Did/does anything traumatic happen to the character? {score 2 points for abandonment, slavery/captivity or surviving a disaster, 4 points for rape and/or sexual abuse}
NOTE: Add 1 point if this happened when he or she was growing up and treat each category separately

Does the character suffer from guilt about something he or she did? {score 1 point}

If so, do the other characters eventually convince the character that it was not his or her fault? {score 1 point}

Were there unusual circumstances surrounding the character's birth? {score 1 point}

Does the character have a twin, clone or a sibling of the same gender? {score 2 points}
NOTE: Add 1 point if you also plan to write a story about this sibling

Does the character have a very good singing voice and/or play a musical instrument amazingly well? {score 1 point for either, 3 points for both}

Does the character share any of your interests and/or have the same career as you? {score 1 point for either, 3 points for both}

Is the character of noble birth? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Add 2 points if the character does not initially know this

Does everyone end up liking the character? {score 1 point}

Powers

Is the character a wizard or mortal magic-user (this includes the Visionaries)? {score 2 points}
NOTE: Add 1 point if the character does not know this until late on in the story

If the character is a Visionary, is his or her Totem your favourite animal? {score 1 point}

Is the character banished from his or her home city at any point? {score 2 points}
NOTE: Self-imposed exile counts

Does the character have any abilities not normally associated with his or her people? {score 2 points}

Does the character have telekinetic and/or telepathic powers? {score 2 points for either, 4 for both}

Does the character just "know things" for no apparent reason? {score 2 points}

Can the character fly? {score 1 point}
NOTE: Add 1 point if the character can do so without the aid of wings, but don't count Visionaries whose Totem form is a winged creature unless they, at any point, fly while not in animal form and without using a glider or other such device

Does the character have the power to heal with a touch and/or thought? {score 1 point}

Do animals instinctively like the character? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Subtract 3 points if this only extends to insects, reptiles or other unpleasent creatures

Romance

Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with a major or recurring character? {score 4 points}
NOTE: Add 1 point if it's a character YOU fancy, 3 if this results in a love triangle between the character and Leoric and Fletchen or Galadria and Cryotek. If the character is a child, substitute "falling in love" and "having sex" with something like "becoming close friends" or "seeing the other character as a mother or father"

Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with any of your other original characters? {score 2 points}
NOTE: Add 1 point if it's a character YOU fancy. If the character is a child, substitute "falling in love" and "having sex" with friendship or parent/child love

Does the story end with the character's wedding? {score 3 points}
NOTE: If the character is a child, substitute "wedding" with "formal adoption" (if applicable)

Is the wedding, assuming it takes place, attended by the Spectral Knights or Darkling Lords? {score 2 points}
NOTE: If the character is a child, substitute "wedding" with "formal adoption"

Reality

Would you like to be friends with the character if you met in real life? {score 1 point}

Do you expect everyone who reads the story to automatically like the character? {score 2 points}
NOTE: Add 2 points if you've ever taken offence because someone said they don't like the character

Do you ever pretend that you are the character? {score 1 point}

Plot

Do you introduce the character in the first chapter of the story? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Add 2 points if the character is introduced on the first page but only add 1 if you simply mention him or her in passing and he or she doesn't actually appear until later on. For one-shots, substitute "chapter" with "page" and "page" with "paragraph"

Do you tell all or most of the story from the character's point of view? {score 1 point}

Does the character meet the Spectral Knights or Darkling Lords and become friends (or at least form an alliance) with them after some initial tension? {score 2 points}

Does the character form a friendship with an otherwise villainous character and use this friendship to reform the villain? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Add 2 points if the villain in question is Darkstorm. If the character is himself or herself a villain, substitute "villainous" with "heroic", "reform" with "corrupt" and "Darkstorm" with "Leoric"

If the character dies, does the villain become evil again but retain some goodness as a result of meeting the character? {score 3 points}
NOTE: If the character you're analysing is a villain, substitute "villain becoming evil again" with "hero becoming good again"

If the character was not a Visionary initially, does he or she become one by the end of the story? {score 5 points}

Assuming the answer to the previous question was "yes", is the character's Totem your favourite animal? {score 1 point}
NOTE: If the character was a Visionary at the start of your fic, answer the similarly worded question in the section on powers

Does the character rival any of the canon characters? For example, is the character stronger than Cindarr and Cryotek, a better swimmer than Galadria and Virulina, smarter than Ectar and so on? {score 2 points for each skill in which the character rivals a canon character, 10 points if the character rivals Merklynn and isn't a wizard}

Does the character save the day and/or another character's life? {score 2 points for either, 5 points for both}

If so, does he or she do so through magical intervention, dying (or falling victim to an irreversible spell that destroys the character's humanity) or almost dying? {score 2 points for magical intervention, 6 for dying or 4 for almost dying}
NOTE: If the character uses magic to save the day and dies (or nearly dies) as a result, score for both the magic and the outcome

If the character dies, does everyone go into mourning? {score 1 point}

Is the character revived by the end of the story or in a sequel {score 4 points}

Does the character end up living in New Valarak, Castle Darkstorm or Iron Mountain? {score 3 points}
NOTE: Don't count characters who were living in any of these locations at the beginning of the story

Do you plan to write more stories about this character and/or his or her descendents? {score 2 points for either, 5 for both}

Now, add together the points for the questions you answered "yes" to and look below to see where your character lies

Points breakdown

0 - 20 points: Developed character
21 - 40 points: Borderline
41 - 60 points: Mary Sue/Gary Stu
61+ points: A SERIOUS rethink is called for

If you find yourself with a character in the 61+ points category, click here for hints on how to make the character a little more believable.

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