Well, I decided one day that I wanted to make up a Mary Sue Quiz. What an original idea! Not. Little did I know one had been done up for almost every fandom -- except this one. So I ended up combining the best of the Mary Sue tests I could find on the web, with some things specialized to the Herc/Xena fandom.

Credit definitely goes to the original "Mary Sue Litmus Test" by Merlin Missy and the "The PR Mary Sue Litmus Test" by Mandi. I found a few things that never occurred to me on those and it made this test much more comprehensive.

A quick point here: not all original characters are Mary Sue's, and not all Mary Sue's are bad. Every great once in a while a good writer comes along that can make a Mary Sue not only readable, but a wonderful character. Unfortunately the majority of Mary Sue's don't fit that category.

For more information on Mary Sue's, what they are, what types exist and why we dread them (or sometimes love them), check out these links: Guide to the Sue in the Field; Mary Sue Classifications; The Mary Sue Report; The Mary Sue Society.

So test out that original character you've been dying to write, or have already written, and see where she/he scores....
 

Click on the boxes to answer "yes" to a question.
The term "regulars" refers to Hercules, Iolaus, Xena and Gabrielle; the term "recurring characters" refers to characters such as Ares, Autolycus, Joxer, Callisto, etc. who appear usually more than twice a season.

1) Obvious Indicators

Click on the box where appropriate:

1. Does the character have either your name (first, last, middle or nickname) or your screen name?
    (If you answer "yes" to this then skip the rest of the quiz. You have a Mary Sue.)

2. Did coming up with the right name take less than a day of consideration?

3. Does the character have a nickname that you think sounds cool or interesting?

4. Is the name/nickname intentionally unusual? For example a made-up or oddly spelled name: Kateryna, Damanscileous,
         etc.

5. Do you ever pretend, just to yourself, that you are the character, with the same strengths and
        abilities?
 

2) Appearance/Traits

Click on the box if your character matches any of the following:

1. The same gender as you.

2. Breathtakingly beautiful or handsome.

3. Remains breathtakingly beautiful or handsome no matter what she/he goes through. (Bad
weather, war, dunked in horse shit, etc.)

4. A child or in her/his twenties.

5. Looks like she/he is in her/his twenties.

6. The age you are OR the age you would like to be.

7. An unusual eye/hair color. (Violet eyes or silver hair, etc.)

8. A white streak in her/his hair.

9. An unusual birthmark.

10. (female) A melodious voice that is the most wondrous sound the regulars/recurring characters have ever heard.
           (male) A voice that is the embodiment of masculinity and is the sexiest sound the regulars/recurring characters have
           ever heard.

11. (female) A perfect size 2.
           (male) More muscles than a pro wrestler.

12. Smooth, utterly flawless skin and complexion.

13. Exceedingly long, eye-catching legs.

14. (female) Breasts the size of casaba melons.
           (male) A cock (manhood) of abnormal size and/or thickness.

15. One or more of the regulars finds your character highly attractive on first sight.

16. Other regulars see him/her as a threat because of this. (Whether they act on it with jealousy or
           bury their feelings.)
 

3) Personality

Click on the box if your character fits any of the following descriptions:

1. So sweet and/or charismatic that the regulars/recurring characters adore her/him.

  • Despite a plain appearance?
    •      2. Acts like total bitch/jerk to the regulars/recurring characters, but they love her/him anyway.

    3. Utterly self-sacrificing and unselfish.

    4. Intelligent to the point of being a genius.

    5. Excels at things you'd like to do but have no clue about. Or things you'd just like to be that
             skilled at doing.

    6. Everyone ends up liking the character (among the regulars/recurring characters you like).

    7. You'd like to be friends with the character if you met in real life.

    8. You get defensive if someone puts your character down. (Be honest.)
     

    4) Skills

        A) Click on the box if your character possesses any of the following:

    1. A good singing voice.

    2. Amazing talent with a musical instrument. (The lyre for instance.)

    3. Better fighting skills than Xena.

  • Than Gabrielle?
  • Than any amazon/warrior Ares has ever seen?
    •      4. More knowledge of pressure points than Xena.
  • Better hunting/tracking skills than Iolaus.
  • Better storytelling skills than Gabrielle.
  • More talent at thievery than Autolycus.
  • Strength equal to or greater than Hercules'.
    •      5. Expert riding skill.

    6. Fluency in an extraordinary number of languages.

    7. Incredible skill with a weapon. (With many weapons?)

    8. More power than any god ever known. (If the character is a god/goddess.)

    9. Mysterious, god-like powers. (If the character is presumed mortal.)

    10. Psychic powers. (Premonitions count.)

    11. Unbelievable sexual talent. (Despite being a virgin?)

    12. A deep, dark secret that threatens everyone's lives. (Is it a curse placed on her/him by a god/goddess?)
     

        B) Click on the box if your character is any of the following:

    16. An amazon.

  • A demigod.
  • A god/goddess.
  • A pirate.
  • A priest/priestess.
  • A princess. (A princess taken as a slave for Ares?)
  • A foreigner. (Non-Greek)
    •      17. Ares' choice as Xena's replacement.

    18. Ares' new warlord.

    19. Ares' new fuck toy.

  • Iphicles' new fuck toy.
  • Ares' and Iphicles' new fuck toy.
    •      20. Iphicles' new wife.
  • Cupid's new wife.
    •


    5) Love and Mary Sue

    Click on the box if one of the following happens to your character:

    1. Plays "matchmaker" for two of the regular/recurring characters on the show.

    2. Falls for a regular/recurring character on the show. (A character who you personally find attractive?)

    3. A regular/recurring character on the show falls for her/him.

  • A character who you personally find attractive?
  • A villain?
    •      4. Instead of taking the time to develop it, do you "tell instead of show?" For example: Over the next few weeks, Ares and
             Mary Sue fell in love....

    5. Aphrodite, Cupid or Ares, God of Love help get your character and one of the regulars together.

    6. The lovebirds get married/engaged in your fics.

    7. Your character and a regular have children together.
     

    6) Introducing...

    Click on the box if any of the following pertain to your original character story:

    1. The story is set in an alt. world.

    2. Your character is introduced in the first few pages of the story.

    3. The story is told from your character's point of view, all or mostly.

    4. Your character takes a trip to Greece and meets one of the regulars/recurring characters there. (Time-travel definitely
             counts.)

    5. Ares tries to make your character his next warlord.

  • He fails because of your character's force of will or special abilities?
  • He succeeds but Hercules wins your character back away from "Ares' evil influence".
  • Your character turned evil takes out Hercules, Iolaus and Xena easily, fighting alone.
    •      6. When fighting alongside the heroes, your character ends up fighting Ares. (And wins?)

    7. Your character becomes immortal.

    8. Your character becomes a god/goddess.

    9. Your character changes one of the regulars/recurring characters in some major way.

  • Turns Ares away from his "evil ways"?
  • Convinces Autolycus to give up thievery?
  • Persuades Hercules to settle down and have a family?
    •      10. Your character needs constant rescuing by one of the regular/reccuring characters.

    11. Your character saves the life of a regular/recurring character. (The one she/he is involved with?)

    12. Your character saves the day.

  • The world?
  • The world on the other side of the vortex?
  • Existence as we know it?
    •      13. Your character dies or apparently dies.
  • In some heroic, noble, self-sacrificing manner?
  • Does everyone go into mourning?
  • Is she/he resurrected somehow, or turn out to have miraculously survived?
    •      14. You plan to write many more stories revolving around this character.

      

    Score = 

    Results:

    1 - 20% -- No problem. Every original character is going to have a few of the listed qualities but that doesn't make them all Mary Sue's.
    21 - 35% -- Not in too much danger, could be read either way.
    36 - 50% -- You should probably consider a good rewrite and a beta reader with a "die, Mary Sue!" attitude.
    51%+ -- Helooo, Mary Sue! Time to ditch the character and find a new plot.
    60%+ -- You have a shrine to the Greek gods in your bedroom, don't you?
    70%+ -- A shrine with a wedding picture of you and your favorite character?
     
     

    Joxer, God of Mischief's Score:

    I thought I should do my own OMC just to see how he'd rate on this quiz. I tried to be as brutally honest with myself as I could and Joxer, GOM scored a 44%. Ouch. I would've loved to have him come in under that -- way under that -- but it's good to know what the character may look like to outside readers.


    A helpful guide to stop yourself from writing a Mary Sue:

    This post on LiveJournal is a great discussion of what makes a Mary Sue and what to avoid.

    Characteristics vs. Personality Flaws in Fanfic

    mythdefied@gmail.com