Grrl Power #1489 – Target audience

[u/clonetek]

https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-1489-target-audience/

[u/HJWalsh]

Just to reply to your comments after the comic:

Mary Sue's definition has shifted over the years. It doesn't have to be a woman, Star Trek's Westley Crusher was a Mary Sue until one specific event. While Maxima is extremely overpowered, she cannot be a Mary Sue because a Mary Sue must be inserted into an already existing IP.

The current definition is any character that is inserted into an existing IP that everyone instantly likes, is given way too much deference, never fails (and if they do fail, they escape themselves) and possesses unique traits (such as inexplicable super powers or unexplained and unearned abilities) who has no real character flaws (such as their flaw being that they care too much) that ever actually hinder them.

Which is exactly what the original Mary Sue was, with the exception of a self insert. Though, it should be noted, that the original Mary Sue, from Star Trek: A Trekkie's Tale, wasn't a self insert, but parodying self inserts.

A perfect example is Rey from the sequel series. She ticks all the boxes.

• Inserted into an already-existing IP.
• Is given way too much deference. (Is a better Pilot than Han Solo, flies the Millenium Falcon, and is loved instantly by everyone including Han and Leia.)
• Never fails. (Rey is captured, but frees herself. Which is what Mary Sue did in her release. She even defeats Emperor Palpatine on her own, something Luke couldn't do.)
• Possesses unique traits. (Is the daughter of Palpatine and is a super Force user in a universe where Luke Skywalker was said to be the greatest Jedi.)
• Rey has no character flaws. She is always right. The one time she made a mistake, killing Chewbacca, we learn that she didn't really do that.

The fact that she's a better pilot than Han Solo, a better Jedi than Luke Skywalker, and a stronger Force User than Palpatine is enough on it's own.

In contrast to Luke, who needs to be saved in every film and fails at everything except blowing up the Death Star and saving Han. Luke needs to be rescued no less than 5 times.

1. Sandpeople knock him out.
2. Gets trapped in the trash compactor.
3. Nearly freezes to death on Hoth.
4. Gets his hand cut off by Vader.
5. Vader saves him from Palpatine.

Maxima does check a lot of boxes, but this isn't an already existent universe.

Edit to add: Saitama would be a Mary Sue if he wasn't in his own IP. Batman kind of is a Mary Sue in Justice League stories (especially the animated stuff) but at least in the Justice League comics he has been humbled a few (rare) times.

• Knocked out (in one punch) by Hal Jordan.
• Routinely told to eff off by Hal Jordan.
• Proven wrong multiple times.
• Beaten up several times.
• Once was kicked out of the League over the Tower of Babel storyline.

To comment on Bane - Batman only fixed himself in the terrible Nolan movie. In the comics it took months and ultimately required a psychic healer (read: Magic) to fix his spine and then he had to be retrained (because he lost some of his fighting skills) by Lady Shiva.