The Real OotP Sue
Mar. 11th, 2005 09:29 pmPoor Tonks carries the stigma. Poor Ginny has been accused of it. But neither of them is the real OotP Mary Sue. No, the Sue has cunningly disguised itself and has assumed a truly unexpected appearance - but isn't this the marking of a real Sue?
I've just realised: The OotP Mary Sue is none other than Grawp. Have a look at the MS litmus test:
Long-lost relative of a major canon character? - Check.
Is the same gender as the author? - Who knows? Hagrid says Grawp's a boy, but did he actually check?
Belongs to a rare species on the brink of extinction? - Check.
Unusual name? - Check.
Superhuman and unique powers? - Check.
Unusual hair/eyes/physical appearance? - Check.
Comes from an exotic far-away country? - Check.
Has random hobbies that are undeniably convenient to the plot? - Check [i.e. pulling out trees and hitting people with them]
Appears out of nowhere to save our heros from mortal danger? - Check.
Sacrifices himself so that our heros can escape? - Check.
Do school rules not seem to apply to him? - Check. [Or any rules, for that matter.]
Spends an absurd amount of time depressed/brooding/sulking/being generally miserable about a situation beyond his control? - Check.
Meets the main characters and, after a few tense pages of plot, become friends with them? - Sort of.
Ismuggle-born a giant, or doesn't know he is [related to] a wizard until he gets his letter is kidnapped? - Check.
Gets his school supplies with Hagrid? Hee!
Calls Hermione "Hermy"? - Check. [This, in fact, is what tipped me off in the first place.]
Well done, JKR. Pink-haired, sassy Tonks was just the red herring. It's Grawp who'll save the day.
ETA: Apparently, I haven't been getting comment notifications. If I haven't replied to any of yours, it's not because I'm ignoring you.
I've just realised: The OotP Mary Sue is none other than Grawp. Have a look at the MS litmus test:
Long-lost relative of a major canon character? - Check.
Is the same gender as the author? - Who knows? Hagrid says Grawp's a boy, but did he actually check?
Belongs to a rare species on the brink of extinction? - Check.
Unusual name? - Check.
Superhuman and unique powers? - Check.
Unusual hair/eyes/physical appearance? - Check.
Comes from an exotic far-away country? - Check.
Has random hobbies that are undeniably convenient to the plot? - Check [i.e. pulling out trees and hitting people with them]
Appears out of nowhere to save our heros from mortal danger? - Check.
Sacrifices himself so that our heros can escape? - Check.
Do school rules not seem to apply to him? - Check. [Or any rules, for that matter.]
Spends an absurd amount of time depressed/brooding/sulking/being generally miserable about a situation beyond his control? - Check.
Meets the main characters and, after a few tense pages of plot, become friends with them? - Sort of.
Is
Gets his school supplies with Hagrid? Hee!
Calls Hermione "Hermy"? - Check. [This, in fact, is what tipped me off in the first place.]
Well done, JKR. Pink-haired, sassy Tonks was just the red herring. It's Grawp who'll save the day.
ETA: Apparently, I haven't been getting comment notifications. If I haven't replied to any of yours, it's not because I'm ignoring you.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 12:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 12:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 12:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 12:47 pm (UTC)...wait....
HAGRID IS SEVERUS' DAUGHTER'S BROTHER???!!!?
SNAGRID = INCEST!!?!?!!!
*cough* Yes, excuse the excessive caps. I could find no other way to express my utter and all-encompasing hilarity.
Thank you for giving me an absolutely valid reason to call for Grawp to be thrown into the Artic Ocean with a boulder tied to his ankle.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 12:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 01:05 pm (UTC)*wipes tear*
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Date: 2005-03-11 01:05 pm (UTC)I fear to confess it, but - I kinda like the Grawp plotline. The passage where Hagrid asks Hermione whether it's OK with her if Grawp calls her Hermy made me laugh out loud. I love the absurdity of that situation *shrugs* Yeah, yeah, yeah, go right ahead and throw me into the Arctic Ocean together with Grawp. See if I care.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 01:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 01:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 01:21 pm (UTC)*imagines Grawp with purple hair and silver eyes*
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Date: 2005-03-11 01:36 pm (UTC)(So is Snape Schwarzenegger and Hagrid Devito? Or the other way around? I admit, I could see it both ways...Oh. Wait. Wasn't Schwarzenegger pregnant in that movie? Could we potentially have a Snagrid mpreg on our hands?)
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Date: 2005-03-11 01:49 pm (UTC)This does sound like an excellent set-up for a crack!fic.
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Date: 2005-03-11 03:16 pm (UTC)Heee. Excellent theory, though. Can't wait for this one to come out in HBP. :D
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Date: 2005-03-11 03:53 pm (UTC)I don't know whether to laugh or cry. This is so, so wrong.
Simple: Grawp is the Half-Blood Prince.
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Date: 2005-03-11 04:22 pm (UTC)Grawp is the Half-Blood Prince. Or Princess. Or Gender-Confused Person of Symbolic Royalty.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 05:08 pm (UTC)*sporfle*
Brilllliant.
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Date: 2005-03-11 05:15 pm (UTC)The whole Mary Sue Litmus test is a joke. And personally, I think if you want to write a character that is a near-extinct type of magical being, and/or who has violet eyes, the power to you.
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Date: 2005-03-11 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 06:41 pm (UTC)*dies laughing*
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Date: 2005-03-11 06:58 pm (UTC)Very funny.
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Date: 2005-03-11 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 08:55 pm (UTC)