Disclaimer: I don't own phantom...But i have my own cloak and that has to count!
A/N: By writing this guideI seem to have stumbled upon a rift between phangirls thatI never knew existed. That rift being between ECwriters and EOC/EWwriters. I would like to state for a fact that I like both kinds of phanphiction. I have read some very well written phics with Christine, butI have also seen somehorrible ones as well. I see the point these phics make in stateing that Erik's soul mate should be Christine since she is the only woman he ever truely loved. I have read, and amwriting, a phic with an original character that has been well thought out and is three dimensionalinstead of the suesI list here. Not every original character is a sue, give a character a chance before you flame the aquthor for no reason other then the fact that you don't know whether or not it's a sue but its seems like one. Good rule of thumb ifErik and the OC kiss within the first five chapters, it more than likely a sue, if not don't touch the review button.
Sub breeds
(Sues that have tried to escape the Sue title by inventing a new personality. Unfortunately they are often just combinations of one or to Sues with a little bit of randomness thrown in.)
Le Dark Anti-Persona Sue /Rebel Sue: These Sues can be variations on many of the different Sue breeds and can even be mixed in to sub breeds. (Erik: She's very much like that red substance that you insist on putting on every thing. Me: you mean ketchup?) The main difference between normal Sues (Me: Normal yeah right.) and this sub breed is that her life will very closely mirror Erik's making her irresistible to our poor phantom. Often however this Sue will turn on people and seem evil, but deep down just want to be loved. (Erik: that description sounded oddly like you. Me: Nonsense I'm not evil I just have a talent for the chaotic. Erik: Are you positive you don't want to be loved? You seem to have quite a few male muses for someone….ME: MOVING ON!) The big problem with this sue is the fact that for Erik to fall in love with her, he must be in love with himself. Erik in his nature does not love himself. He loathes his appearance and his life, he would do anything to start over as a normal human. (Erik: Now that you're done Tearing to shreds what little self confidence I had left can we move on? Me: Does Erik need a hug? Erik: Get off of me you insane little…)
Close relative: Standard Sue, Soapratic Sue, and sometimes Alien Sue or Futuristic Sue
Christine Sues: (Erik: Dear God! Please tell me they have not changed My precious Christine into one of them. Me: Ok, first off she dumped you. Secondly Get over her. And thirdly, Yep.). It is Christine character gone OOC. Sometimes they have a little of High-School-Wannabe Sue. If this combination is put together then we enter a realm of supernatural (Me: although with all this angel nonsense I guess we were already there. Erik: You don't believe in angels? Me: Oh, I believe in them but do I think you're one… no. Erik: ouch.). We enter a dimension where the sue was secretly Christine in another life, but they don't know they were until they fall in love with the Erik in another life, who just happens to be the new guy at school! (Me: OH the sappiness! Air! I need air! Erik: has anyone ever told you that your sarcasm will get you in trouble one of these days? Me: that's why I've learned how to duck. Erik:….)
Close relative: Standard sue, Soapratic sue
Erik's Child Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu: (Me: Dear lord! A new generation of SUES! Erik: Just when I thought my pain would end… Me: uh, hello! Not everything is about you! Think of the children!) They usually have a deformity a lot like Erik's and were either Christine's child or some unknown mother. If they are Christine's child, she usually leaves the child with Erik or mother and child are abandoned by Raoul.(Me: what a knight in shining armor he turned out to be. I'd like to point out that in the 1800's a man could not just abandon his wife and child, he would have to divorce her first. If he was a part of the church, which most nobility were during that time, a divorce would be nearly impossible to get. Added to the fact that Christine would have demanded to have some sort of funds to keep her and her child fed and clothed, any mother with the right amount of sense would want at least that much. Plus there is the unavoidable scandal divorce would cause tainting not Christine's name, oh no she is the victim here, but Raoul would be the one accused of improper behavior. So there. Erik:…I'm surprised you know so much about Victorian marriages and life. Me: meh. I read romance novels.) Erik's children with an unknown mother tend to be raised by Erik and fall in love with Christine and Raoul's child. Sometimes, these children do not have deformity. In that case, they are incredibly good looking and have the voice of an angel. Even if they are deformed, half of their face (since this is mainly ALW), is gorgeous. The Sue/Stu inherits Erik's genius and voice, but the whole "insane murderous psychopathic stalker" thing seems to have skipped them. It's somewhat common. It can be pulled off if the character is believable and NOT EXACTLY LIKE ERIK WITH CHRISTINE'S INNOCENCE! ( Me. In short this story line could work… if it were set in the Medieval ages and they were all peasants so the church would give a care about them. Erik: ouch, I think I've just been insulted. Me: no not you, just Raoul. Erik: oh, alright then.)
Close relative: Standard Sue, Soapratic Sue, Tragically Handicapped Sue (Erik: Hey!)
(In fact you know what would make a great story, if you take the Phantom characters and story and Put them in different cultures/time periods. Don't change the story, or the characters, OR the ending no matter how temping it would be. If any one wants to do this they can I won't accuse them of taking my ideas…. But I call doing it in the medieval ages!)
Chorus Girl Sue: (Me: oh boy, here we go.)This is the shy little sue often a chorus girl who somehow stumbles upon Erik's Lair. (Erik: Laughs there is no way on earth a little girl could get past my traps by shear luck). Though Erik just put it bluntly it's true, the trip to the cellars would be way to hard for one little girl (even if she's twenty or so) to manage. I mean the Persian who knew most of Erik's tricks got stuck in the torture chamber. Even if the sue managed to get to Erik's house, what's stopping Erik form putting her in the torture chamber or when she faints (it's bound to happen sooner or later) deposit her back in the opera house dormitories where she would think it was a dream. I don't know how much I can stress this, Erik is not in the habit of taking little girls and being their "daddy" nor is he a knight in shining armor come to rescue the damsels in distress. (Me: if anything he is the one causing the distress. Erik: HEY! That was only Christine. Me: you still caused distress)
Close relative: Standard sue, Tragically handicapped Sue (sometimes), Alien Sue
Raoul's sister or Christine's sister: this sue is as her title reads a sister of the "hero/heroine" of our favorite story. She will look so closely like Christine that poor Erik can't help but love her now that Christine is out of his life and he can't control his emotions from being an emotional wreck. I would like to take this time to let Erik point out something with out the use of parentheses for it is bound to be long winded and quite educational. (Me: Augh! I have three weeks left till school couldn't this have waited?)
Erik: (ahem) I COULDN"T LOVE CHRISTINE'S, OR WORSE, RAOUL'S SISTER! First off, I love Christine, and some writer's have paired me with some very good women, but that doesn't mean I will automatically mean I will love her sister, aunt, cousin twice removed… Whatever! I'd like to point out that Christine was an only child or else the other Miss Daae would have come to the opera house with her and more than likely would have been wed quickly, especially if she was Christine's older sister. Same with Raoul's sister of any age older then 18. In my time, or as you commonly refer to it as the 1800's or Victorian times, young women we pressured to marry at an early age and the better the match the higher the standing in society you were. In fact most girls were married by the age of twenty and past the age of twenty five and you were considered "on the shelf" and destined to live life as a spinster. (glares at authoress) Couldn't we just dedicate a chapter to society and how it screws up sues stories and be done with the subject? (Me:… fine.)
Close relative: Standard Sue, Soapratic Sue, Alien Sue