Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. Must we go over this every time?

Summary: See previous chapters


Gary-Stu

In this chapter, we will deviate slightly from the Mary-Sue, and explore its counterpart, the Gary-Stu.

The Gary-Stu is the rarely seen, but just as dangerous, masculine version of a Mary-Sue. Due to their small number, there is less information to be found on the Gary-Stu. Nevertheless, the Researcher will do her duty and seek answers with utmost fervor.

Like the Mary-Sue, the Gary-Stu is the embodiment of male perfection. Their appearance, however, is somewhat different. While Mary-Sues tend to be slender or curvaceous, graceful and with beauty to eclipse that of Varda herself, the Gary-Stu has a wider variety of guises.

He will be the tall, mysterious stranger who appears out of nowhere to save the day, or the popular yet quiet hobbit who the main female character has never paid attention to but suddenly falls madly in love with.

He may be the Elven warrior who single-handedly won a fight against a whole legion of Orcs and Goblins, or the Dwarf who was the deciding factor in the Battle of Five Armies.

Unlike Mary-Sues, who cannot abide ugliness, Gary-Stus may sometimes appear disfigured in order to make themselves more prominent. These physical flaws can occasionally make them harder to identify.


Another similarity to the Mary-Sue is the inevitable tragic past. They will never have the 'Suppressed-By-Their-Station' background, but they frequently appear as the neglected, long-lost or abused extra son or brother of a main character who never existed in canon, or as an Overlooked Canon Character that is just waiting to be exploited.

Other times they will appear as one who has lost everything, or had their family wiped out, and is on a quest for vengeance. They may also appear as a canonical, but nameless and faceless, character, who they think should take over the story, completely disregarding the Quest and Great Battle that is the original focus.

While just as Dangerous as a Mary-Sue, the Gary-Stu is also easier to find and destroy. Ironically, this is in part due to the very principle that they are built upon.

Both Mary-Sue and Gary-Stu usurp the place of a main character, in order to make themselves the main focus of the story.

There are few strong female roles in the work of Tolkien, exceptions being the Valier, Luthien, Galadriel, and Eowyn. Because of this, the Mary-Sue will find the role of 'Strong Main Female Character' largely un-contested, and find it easy to slip into.

The vast majority of the 'Strong Main Characters', however, are male, and frequently already have a love interest, making it far more difficult for the Gary-Stu to find a plausible opening to impose themselves in. Unless writing Slash (same-sex pairings) they will not be able to invite themselves along because the Main Character cannot live without them.

Nor can they be the Glorious Hero/Heroine rushing in to save the day, as that role is probably already taken. A Dashing Hero appearing to rescue several other Dashing Heroes just doesn't have quite the same dazzling effect as a Beautiful Maiden appearing to rescue several Dashing Heroes in a spectacular display of role-reversal.

Another possibility is having the Gary-Stu appear as an Overlooked Canon Character. This is the most plausible route, but also the most difficult, as a Canon-Compliant history must then be invented for the Gary-Stu, while still keeping them perfect enough to maintain Gary-Stu status.

It is an unfortunate fact that if One does not have the writing skills to avoid accidental Mary-Sues/Gary-Stus, One probably does not have the writing skills to invent an acceptable background for their character.

For these reasons, the Gary-Stu most often appears as the Neglected, Abused or Long-Lost relation of a Main Character. Potential Gary-Stu writers should be aware that the main problem with this course of fiction is that Tolkien is very thorough in providing detailed background information on his Main Characters.

For this reason, die-hard fanatics can usually find irrefutable proof in Family Trees or Appendixes that the Gary-Stu is a Canon Impossibility and come up with a logical argument to Destroy him.

At the very least, they will claim that you are a terrible writer and need to get a life, rather than spend your time harassing perfectly good Canon with your pitiful attempts to gain attention.

Despite these facts, or perhaps because of them, the rare but dangerous Gary-Stu regrettably still exists, whether as the result of an over-active imagination, a desire to gain attention from strangers, or an inferiority complex.

A shining ray of hope is always present, however. The plague of the Gary-Stu can be destroyed forever if…

Researcher's Note: At this point, the account stops, and there is evidence of a large blood-stain. The Researcher can only conclude that the writer of this account was attacked by a Gary-Stu or an offended Gary-Stu supporter before they were able to supply a solution to this terrible plague of Avatars.
In memory of this brave author, who strove to restore Justice and Canon Accuracy, the Researcher will continue her Quest, and the next part of the Study, concerning Mary-Sue Do's and Don'ts, will soon be completed.

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The next chapter really will be up soon, despite the long delay since I last updated this fic. Apologies for that.

You have spent however long reading this story, so I am sure that you can spare a few more seconds to drop a Review.
I will see you soon, my Faithful (yes, that was meant to be dramatic)

Nathalia