For as long as I've been a member of the Tamora Pierce fandom - or, rather, of any fandom - I've been accosted by the phrase "Mary Sue" at every imaginable juncture. It is the ultimate attack and defense in character-related debates. It is the ultimate insult to what an author might consider their best-written story. It is the title given one's least favourite character and most-hated plot, usually said with just the right note of disdain. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've personally been labeled a "Mary Sue" in the past, the logistics of which I've yet to quite figure out. Given the implications and thus power of this particular phrase, it is hardly a surprise that the labeling of a character as a "Mary Sue" guarantees impassioned debates from all sides of the argument.
Given the power held by these two words, it seems vital to examine exactly why it is that we frown upon Mary Sues so. What is it about reading, writing and role-playing Mary Sues that everyone finds so off-putting? What sort of character is defined as a "Mary Sue"? Are these two words really as useful as we seem to think in determining the value of a character? Does a story about a Mary Sue with a Sue-ish plot have absolutely no chance of succeeding?
Most readers of this discourse will already be familiar with the term Mary Sue. it refers to a character, usually female, with certain distinct characteristics that more or less come together to conform to a literary cliche. Mary Sue is beautiful, likeable, and skilled, usually burdened with a complicated past and without any logical explanation to the set of unusual circumstances that surround her existence. The term "Mary Sue" has evolved over the years to cover a wide range of definitions, enough that any use of the word could be taken out of context and debated endlessly. A majority of those who use the phrase, however, choose to use it in reference to a character with the traits mentioned above, usually with the attached insinuation that said character is a cliche or simply banal and thus boring to read about.
For example, a character almost everyone in the Tamora Pierce fandom would call "Mary Sue" would be a beautiful Yamani-born noblewoman with colour-changing eyes who arrives in Tortall to train as a knight only to find that she already bests the Lioness at the sword and Kel at the glaive. Should this character appear in a story, many readers would reject said story on principle and peruse something with a character slightly less - if you will - unbelievable. The term "Mary Sue" has become a blanket term of derision attached to any character with too convenient a set of circumstances, with the implication that this makes them literarily flawed.
It is impossible to examine the weight held by the words "Mary Sue" in this particular fandom without first examining the subject matter and target audience of the books themselves. In the universe of Tortall, we have ourselves two girl knights, a girl Guard, a ridiculously powerful mage, and a spy who's almost impeccable at her job. In the universe of Emelan, we have a thief with a sad past, a noblewoman with a sad past, a merchant's daughter with a sad past and a Traders' daughter with a sad past. Together, they form a young mage quartet whose powers surpass those of their elders. These main characters have, throughout the history of this fandom, been called "Mary Sues" more often than can be counted. The words are sometimes presented with derision but often as a simple and accepted fact, leading to two inevitable questions: are Mary Sues really that bad, and if they are, are they nevertheless completely necessary for successful storytelling?
When examining the "Mary Sue" of Tamora Pierce's works, it is impossible to prevent Thayet from springing to mind. After all, she is literally the most beautiful woman in existence, has a tragic past, a good grasp of weapons, and the adoration of all characters save the conservative few, about whom the readers are supposed to have reservations regardless. Furthermore, Thayet presents a suitable subject for analysis in this case due to the fact that her role is small enough to be examined thoroughly, and large enough to hold an impact on the overall story.
When considering a character like Thayet, one must take into consideration not only what her given characteristics are but what role she plays in the story and, perhaps most importantly, what her personality is. Thayet acts as a literary foil for Alanna while clearly establishing her own distinguishing characteristics within the first few chapters of her appearance: she is strong, complicated, perceptive, and occasionally easily-flustered, with an edge of royal aloofness that appears more often than not when conversing with Jonathan. In other words, her personality - though containing traits some might call commonplace - is both complicated and believable. Moreover, the role she serves in the story - that of the love interest to finally 'tame'Jonathan, and of the friend who presents an entirely different point of view to several characters - fits her given characteristics perfectly, thus proving her to be a character possessing literary integrity both per se and within the holistic view of the story.
Given this, it is impossible not to feel that for all Thayet may fit the mould of a Mary Sue - and similarly, for all many of Tamora Pierce's characters may fit the mould of a Mary Sue - they represent much, much more than what the mould may insinuate. Each character, though originally defined by the traits with which they're born, grow to be defined by what they make of these traits and their given circumstances. Thus, it can be posited that the term "Mary Sue" as applied to Tamora Pierce's books is not an accurate criticism of character, for it is not what the character is created with that defines their literary significance, but rather what the character brings to the table. A character may fit all the traits of a Mary Sue but be given a complicated personality, a significant role to play, and a well-written psyche. In this character, the words "Mary Sue" - or, indeed, any caliber of cliche one could attach to her - will not hold any significance even if true, simply because the character operates so well within the story that it is impossible not to appreciate her even when one considers the more Sue-ish elements.
Another role that "Mary Sue" plays in Tamora Pierce's works is as a literary construction used to represent the message behind the story. The truth is, as vast and varied as the Tamora Pierce fandom has grown to be, the books themselves are targeted at children and younger teens. The messages inherent within all the books seem fairly straightforward: girls can be every bit as strong as boys, passion and determination will carry you through strife, true friends will have faith in each other no matter what, and change is an inevitable ingredient of a stable society. As far as messages go, these are fairly straightforward; they are also the kind of messages best presented to a younger audience through straightforward storytelling.
To take a foray into more personal territory, I've always been a huge fan of all kinds of girl-power stories. Though nearing adulthood, Sailor Moon remains my favourite heroine of all time and I can still read the entire Song of the Lioness quartet without once getting the urge to comment on Alanna's occasional displays of Sue-ish tendencies. From my experience in the fandom, for all its members may complain of Mary Sue and her perfection, we enjoy Mary Sue on a visceral level. For all we recognize the literary flaws inherent in a character without flaws, we are not inherently averse to reading about girls who have fun and achieve their goals, an observation best attributed to the fact that characters with slightly more 'perfect' characteristics also make for a more relaxing, entertaining and at least to some degree empowering read.
A fact true for all readers but particularly true for younger readers is that it is much easier to read a story about a beautiful, talented heroine struggling with adversity than a story about an ungifted, unlovable character struggling with the same. Yet again, perhaps this originates from our inherent tendency to sympathize with the main character and wish the best for them. This established, it can also be deduced that messages are carried more clearly by the more "perfect" heroine simply because the story is easier to read and more fun to read, thus leaving its message more time to sink in. In this aspect, the use of what one might classify as a Mary Sue helps the audience to better access the plot and message, and is thus an integral part of the books appealing to their target audience.
Most people will agree that a character fitting a particular, over-used mould makes for a poor literary device; however, said character presented with the right personality and role in a story can nevertheless add to the overall cohesion of said story. Furthermore, this character will - all criticism aside - retain some hold and appeal over most audiences and young audiences in particular, thus perhaps achieving her goal all along. This is the conclusion I have reached after examining the labeling of Pierce's characters as "Mary Sues". It is by no means the only view out there, and - as views tend to be - not necessarily the most correct one. Nevertheless, amidst a storm of accusations against Mary Sue, it felt prudent to give voice to the other side of the story. In part two of this essay, I will examine the use of the phrase "Mary Sue" in fan-made works and the implications held by both the phrase and its impact upon fans.