(no subject)
Okay, I started out writing 'no' on all the questions that didn't apply, but I got sick of that half way through. Heh.
--Test for Ryan--
+ Is the character named after you (this includes your first, middle, and last names, and any nicknames or online names you use)? [20 points] ...In the interests of full disclosure, I go by Hypersoldier on the RedvsBlue forums as my usual nicknames were gone, but I was using the name in regards to Ryan and co. far, FAR before that point. So I'm not taking these points.
+ Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common word or name? [3 points] No.
+ Is the character's name a noun or adjective not normally used as a name? [2 points] Nope.
+ Does the character's name contain unnecessary hyphens, apostrophes, or other punctuation? (e.g. M'chelle, Gloria-Angelica, etc.) [4 points] Nuh-uh.
+ Does the character have more than one first, middle, or last name, without reason? [3 points] Nah.
+ Does the character have a name you really, really like? [1 point] 'S just a normal name.
+ Is it Raven? [3 points]
+ Is it a variation of Raven? [1 point]
+ Is it Hunter? [5 points]
+ Does the character's name describe her/his personality? (e.g. Tristan means sad, Darcy means dark, Charity means charity, etc.) [1 point] Nah.
+ Is the character's name just generally unusual in relation to the time or place where she/he lives or grew up? [1 point] Nope.
+ Does the character have a nickname or pseudonym? [1 point] Yeah, he collects nicknames. (1)
+ Is it a "dangerous" nickname (e.g. Death Dealer, Crimson Fury, etc.)? [3 points] Nope.
+ Is the character's name foreign, even though the character isn't? [1 point] Nope.
+ Is it an Asian name? [2 points] No way.
+ Does the character have a name or nickname that corresponds to a mythological/literary/historical/etc. figure (e.g. Venus, Faustus, Bonaparte)? [1 point] Nup.
Appearance
+ Does the character appear to be much younger than she/he really is? [3 points] 19 and looks it.
[Only add 1 point if the character is immortal.] [1 point]
+ Is the character highly attractive? [3 points] Um, he's intended to be just normal.
[Add only 1 point if the character has to work really hard to maintain her/his physical beauty.]
+ Are one or more other characters attracted to her/him? [1 point] Not as far as I know.
+ Even though they are involved with someone else? [1 point] Nah.
+ In defiance of sexual orientation? [4 points] Nah.
+ Is an otherwise chaste or stoic character immediately attracted to her/him? [3 points] Nope.
+ Does the character have an unusual eye color, or otherwise exceptional eyes? [3 points] They're plain green.
+ And are these eyes a color that does not occur in nature? [1 point] See above.
+ And will they have something to do with the plot? [2 points] No way.
+ Does the character have eyes that somehow reflect hidden depths or experience or sorrow? [4 points] Nooo...
+ Does the character have an appearance unsuited to the time or place (e.g. perfect hair prior to the invention of shampoo, a woman wearing pants in 1805, etc.)? [3 points] Enh, normal cyborg.
+ Does the character get a disproportionate amount of physical description compared to the rest of the characters? [2 points] Nah.
+ Does the character have unusual or exceptional hair, or does her/his hair get a disproportionate amount of description compared to that of the other characters? [3 points]. Nuh.
+ Is the character a fashion plate (this applies to any style of dress, from preppie to goth to Western to Elvish, and so on)? [2 points] Nopes.
+ Does the character dress in a manner you find particularly attractive, sexy, or cool? [1 point] Yeah, actually. Armour and/or leather jacket and/or uniform. Hee. (2)
+ Even though it's illogical for the character to dress this way (for monetary reasons, for instance, or because it interferes with her/his job)? [3 points] In context, it's all pretty practical.
+ Is the character ever described as "thin enough to be anorexic," where this is intended as a compliment? [1 point] No way.
[Subtract 3 points if the character is over 20 and appears much older than she/he really is.]
[Subtract 3 points if the character is overweight for the full duration of the story. "Buxom" does not count.]
Character
+ Does the character have a clone or identical twin? [7 points] Nope.
[Add only 1 point if there are a large number of clones in your story, and your character is neither the original nor above average in prowess.]
+ Is the character of above average intelligence? [1 point] Nah. He's just normal.
+ Is she/he a genius? [1 points] No way.
+ Is the character related to royalty or nobility? [4 points] Nope.
+ Is the character rich or well-to-do, although she/he doesn't work? [1 points] Nuh-huh.
+ Is the character heir to a large fortune? [1 points] Nah.
+ The sole heir? [1 points]
+ Is the character the last surviving member of a family/clan/race/species/etc.? [2 points] No, though this is a technicality - his family were captured.
+ Was the character ever the sole survivor of a calamity? [4 points] See above.
+ Was the character ever estranged from her/his family/tribe/country/etc.? [1 points] Sort of. (3)
+ Was the character ever forcibly banished from her/his family/tribe/country/etc.? [3 points] Umh, tricky. He can't go home as it's in enemy hands. I'll take it to be on the safe side. (6)
+ Does the character have amnesia? [4 points] Nope.
+ And does she/he still retain a trinket of some kind from her/his past? [4 points] No.
[Subtract 1 point if the character never remembers any of what she/he has forgotten.]
+ Is the character a minority, a woman, or a member of a lower caste, who succeeds or makes a contribution in spite of her/his social disadvantage? [3 points] Nope.
+ Does the character have an angsty childhood, or an angsty past? [1 point] Nah, pretty normal by his world's standards.
+ And does she/he angst about it during the story? (Angsting does not necessarily include simply relating events to an interested third party.) [2 points]
+ Does the character have angst in the present? [1 point] He worries. He doesn't angst.
+ Was the character an illegitimate birth? [1 point] Nope.
+ Was the character ever abducted? [1 point] Um, sort of, Resistance took him. (7)
+ Was the character abandoned by her/his caregivers? [2 point] N
+ Was the character born into slavery, or forced into slavery or prostitution? [1 point] N
+ Was the character born/raised in extreme poverty? [1 point] N
+ Did the character run away from home? [1 point] N
+ Did the character ever suffer physical or emotional abuse [2 points] N
+ Did the character ever suffer sexual abuse [2 points] N
[Add another point if it was rape.]
[Add another point if it was incest.]
+ Does the character feel guilty about something terrible that happened in the past? [1 point] N
+ Even despite overwhelming evidence that it wasn't her/his fault? [2 points] N
+ Does the character consider her/his beauty/talent/skill/etc. a curse? [3 points] N
[Subtract 2 points if the character is a protagonist but ever freely, willingly, and knowingly worked for the villain/evil regime.]
More on Character
+ Is the character unusually accomplished for her/his age/species/etc.? [2 points] N
+ Is the character fluent in more than two languages? [1 point] Speaks 'English' and a hint of other languages, but he's not fluent.
+ More than four languages? [2 points] N
+ Has the character traveled extensively? [1 point] N
+ Does the character collect things you consider intellectual or cultured? [1 point] N
+ Does the character have a faithful pet or animal familiar? [1 point] N
+ That isn't a dog, cat, horse, or bird? [3 points] N
+ Is the character educated despite living in a time or place where education is not widespread? [2 points] N
[Add another 2 points if the character is not a scribe, monk, priest, scholar, etc.]
+ Is the character consistently irreverent or radical, without repercussions? [1 point] If he argues with the chain of command, he gets slapped.
+ Does the character ever easily learn a difficult skill (e.g. learn to play guitar in a matter of weeks)? [3 point] No - physically, he might be your cybernetic supersoldier, but he had to learn the theory the hard way.
+ Does the character have an amazing singing voice? [1 point] N
[Subtract 3 points if the character has ever fairly lost in any kind of duel, fight, or competition against someone of equal or lesser ability, and the winner was not the character's rival.] N
+ Does the character play a musical instrument well? [1 point] N
+ Is it guitar? [1 point]
+ Bass? [1 point]
+ Violin? [1 point]
+ Flute? [1 point]
+ Piano? [1 point]
+ Does the character use a katana or any other Asian weapon [1 point] N
+ Despite being of non-Asian heritage? [3 points] N
+ Does the character "just know things"? [5 points] Smeg, Cobalt kicks in here, so yes. (12)
+ Does the character have an accent relative to her/his country of residence? [1 point] N
+ Does the character have a major quirk or habit in common with you (e.g. drinks the same brand of soda as you, talks to pets the same way you do, etc.)? [2 points] N
+ Does the character have a physical handicap that does not hinder her/him significantly? [6 points] N
[Subtract 4 points if the character is significantly physically handicapped.]
[Subtract 10 points if the character is significantly mentally handicapped.]
+ Do animals or children instinctively like the character? [3 points]
[Subtract 1 point if the character is a smoker.]
[Subtract 2 points if the has a dependency or addiction that is or would be very hard to break (e.g. alcoholism, drugs, gambling, sex addiction, a potentially dangerous sexual fetish, etc.)]
[Subtract another point if the character never overcomes this vice.]
[Subtract 2 points if the character has a significant personality flaw (e.g. she/he is a spoiled brat, is horribly judgmental or biased, is irrationally violent, is naive and easily manipulated, etc.)]
[Subtract another point if these flaws persist until the character's death, OR subtract another 2 points if these flaws persist beyond the end of the story.] [Subtract another 2 points if these flaws get the character in serious trouble (e.g. she/he gets fired, gets killed, gets someone else hurt, etc.)]
+ Does the character have a special birthmark or other marking? [4 points] His cybernetics count here, I guess. Sigh. (16)
+ Does the character have a physical "flaw" that does not actually detract from her/his beauty (e.g. lips too full, white strip in hair, missing one toe, etc.)? [2 points] I'll take the hit, cybernetics again. (18)
+ Does the character have wings (this counts even if she/he is an angel, only has wings sometimes, can't fly, etc.) [10 points] N
[Subtract 1 point for each of the following that applies to the character:
She/he remains in a committed relationship for the full duration of your story.
She/he has a child or children for the greater part of your story.
She/he does not learn from major mistakes.
She/he has very little or no empathy for other people.
She/he is selfishly manipulative or sadistic (e.g. threatens self-harm, lies, blackmails, etc. in order to get her/his way).]
Work and Play
+ Is the character astonishingly good at something that is not her/his profession? [1 point] N
+ Does the character have any particular skill at which she/he the best or among the best? [2 points] N - he's good at what he does but he's not The Best.
+ And is she/he widely known for this skill? [2 points] N
+ Does the character have any particular area of study/information/etc. in which she/he is the most knowledgeable or among the most knowledgeable? [2 points] N
+ And is she/he widely known for having this knowledge? [2 points] N
+ Is the character the sole or last practitioner of a particular martial art or magic? [3 points] N
+ Is the character one of only two practitioners of a particular martial art or magic, in a master/student relationship? [3 points]
+ Does the other practitioner die during the course of the story? [2 points]
+ Does the character hold your job? [2 points] N
+ Does the character hold your dream job? [3 points]N
+ Is the character a female in a role not suited for women in the place/time period (e.g. a female cop before 1900, a female soldier in the US army before 1970, etc.)? [5 points] N
+ Is the character a male in a role not suited for men in the place/time period (e.g. a male geisha, a coy young seamstress boy, etc.)? [5 points] N
+ Is the character a secret agent? [1 point] N
+ A double agent? [2 points] N
+ And wears high heels or leather? [5 points] This follows on from the secret agent bit, right? He wears leather, but he's not a spy type, so...
Is the character, or was she/he ever... (add points for all that apply)
+ A model? [1 point].
+ A rock star? [2 points].
+ A stage actress/actor? [1 point].
+ A film actress/actor? [2 points].
+ A dancer? [2 points].
+ A cop? [1 point].
+ A ninja? [2 point].
+ A pirate? [2 point].
+ An alchemist? [1 point].
+ A bounty hunter? [2 points].
+ A mercenary? [1 point].
+ An assassin? [1 point].
+ A thief or pickpocket? [2 points].
+ An outlaw or member of organized crime? [2 points].
+ A diviner? [1 point].
+ A hero? [2 points].
+ A starving artist? [2 points].
+ A freelance writer? [1 point].
+ A freelance reporter? [1 point].
+ An explorer? [2 points].
+ A pro-athlete? [1 point].
+ A gymnast? [1 point].
[If your character exists in an otherwise normal universe, add 2 points to her/his score for *each* of the following abilities that your character possesses (with or without the aid of charms, spells, etc.). If, however, possession of these abilities is considered normal in your character's universe, add only one point each.]
+ Teleportation
+ Telepathy
+ Telekinesis
+ Pyrokinesis
+ Prophecy
+ Healing
+ Animal communication
+ Empathy
+ Shapeshifting abilities
+ Invisibility
+ Invulnerability
+ Flight
+ The ability to pass through matter
+ General magic or sorcery
+ Time travel
+ Transdimensional travel or communication
+ Photographic memory
+ The ability to see auras
+ Summoning
+ Power of seduction
+ The ability to shrug off minor wounds
+ The ability to kill people with her/his bare hands
+ Super strength or speed
+ Skill in martial arts or hand-to-hand combat
+ Sharp-shooting
+ Sleight of hand
+ Computer hacking
+ Does the character share more than one of your hobbies or interests? [1 point]
+ And is she/he better at these hobbies or more knowledgeable about these interests than you are? [2 points]
+ Does the character excel in a field you wish you excelled in? [1 point]
+ Does the character have the same taste in music as you have? [1 point]
+ In books? [1 point]
+ In movies? [1 point]
[Add another 5 points if you said yes to all three.]
+ Does the character have what you consider better or more refined taste than you have in music? [1 point]
+ In books? [1 point]
+ In movies? [1 point]
+ Does the character have the same religious or spiritual beliefs as you? [2 points]
[Subtract 3 points if her/his beliefs are radically different from yours for the full duration of the story.]
The Plot
+ Has everyone significant heard of the character? [2 points] Not at the point I'm playing him.
+ Do all of the important characters end up liking/respecting/fearing her/him? [3 points] N
+ Did they all like/respect/fear her/him from the beginning? [1 point] N
[Subtract 2 points if everyone liked the character at first, but ends up disliking her/him by the end of the story.]
+ Is the character repeatedly rivalled by the same person? [3 points] At base, yes. (21)
[Subtract 1 point if the character's problems continue after the end of your story without hope of respite (i.e. she/he neither dies nor gets a happy ending).]
+ Is your character a member of The Resistance or a band of freedom fighters? [1 point] ...Ah, hell. They even capitalized it. (22)
+ Is your character the leader or a lieutenant of The Resistance or a band of freedom fighters? [2 points]
+ Does the character suffer punishment for a crime she/he did not commit? [2 points] ...
[Subtract 2 points if your character ever willfully commits rape or murder.]
[Subtract another 2 points if the character goes to prison for the crime.]
+ Does the character reform a villainous character? [3 points] Uck, tricky. Nexus!Ryan doesn't, and the guy he 'reforms' was/is always pretty noble in the first place. Not going to take these points.
+ And does the villain become evil again after the character dies or leaves, but retain some last vestige of goodness from his/her interaction with the character? [2 points] See above.
+ Does the character fall in (reciprocated) love with, or have sex with, a character you would like to fall in love with or have sex with? [3 points]
+ Is the character someone you would like to fall in love with or have sex with? [3 points] He's nice, but I don't know... enh, I'll take the hit. (25)
+ Does the character effect a major change in her/his love interest to make said love interest a more appropriate partner? [3 points]
+ Has the character ever been nursed back to health from serious injuries by a warm, kind, and loving person? [3 points]
+ Was this person the character's love interest? [2 points]
+ Does the character die a romantic death (e.g. suicide, execution, battle wounds, broken heart, etc.)? [2 points]
+ Does the character die in her/his beloved's arms? [3 points]
+ Does the character's beloved die in her/his arms? [3 points]
+ Does the character sacrifice her/himself for love, or so that two other characters can be together? [4 points]
+ Have you ever written a fight scene in which you described with needless extravagence everything your character did? [2 points]
+ Was this scene inspired by a movie, show, or game? [2 points]
+ Did you actually reference the movie, show, or game (e.g. "He jumped up and hung in the air, like Neo in The Matrix"? [15 points]
Your Character and You
+ Do you draw the character, or ask other people to draw her/him for you, more often than any of your other characters? [2 points] ... Well, at present, I draw Caboose more.
+ Did you base the character on your favorite previously existing character or person? [4 points]
+ Is the character someone you would want to be friends with, assuming she/he would be receptive to friendship with you? [1 point]
+ Would you be very surprised if someone did not like the character? [1 points]
+ Do you take any negative feedback about the character as a personal affront? [4 points]
+ Is the character a mouthpiece for your own beliefs or views? [3 points] ...Unfortunately, sometimes. (28)
+ Do you have a character journal for her/him? [4 points] JOURNAL RP DUMBASS. Sigh. (32)
+ Do you ever wish you could be like the character? [4 points]
Total: 32
(If I count in the details from in the story itself which haven't occured to Nexus!Ryan it pushes the total up higher. 40. Ack!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finished? All right, tally up your points. Here are the scores:
0-10 points: The Anti-Sue. Your character is the very antithesis of a Mary-Sue. Why are you even taking this test?
11-20 points: The Non-Sue. Your character is a well-developed, balanced person, and is almost certainly not a Mary Sue. Congratulations!
21-35 points: Borderline-Sue. Your character is cutting it close, and you may want to work on the details a bit, but you're well on your way to having a lovely original character. Good work.
36-55 points: Mary-Sue. Your character needs some work in order to be believable. But despair not; you should still be able to salvage her with a little effort. Don't give up.
56-70 points: Über-Sue. You've got one hell of a Mary-Sue on your hands here, and it's not going to be easy to set things right. But do your best. There may be hope for you yet.
71 points or more: Irredeemable-Sue. You're going to have to start over, my friend. I know you want to keep writing, but no. Just no.
Again, keep in mind that the test isn't always correct. Morpheus from the Sandman Comics scored nearly 70 points, and yet we don't believe he's a Mary-Sue. He's well developed, suffers the consequences of several major personality flaws, and has very few powers or talents besides those necessary to perform the duties of his station. Of course, research, an interesting story, and good writing always help too. ;)