Hi to all my viewers out there, from A Heart For My Nobody! Thanks for all my reviews on this and my other stories, and thanks so much for reading! ^__-
What is a Two-Cent Rant?
A Two-Cent Rant is little more than what it sounds like. Ranting about something simply to give your two-cents (opinion or observation) about it, and these ones are mine! ^_^
I say opinion or observation because many of the things I address here, I am also guilty of writing. That being said, I don't actually have a problem with some of the things I rant about. They're just things I've noticed to be clichéd, overdone, or occasionally stupid in Kingdom Hearts fan fiction. My Two-Cent Rants start with a short written drabble or ficlette about what I'm going to rant on, and then a rant hosted by one of the Kingdom Hearts characters. I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer:
I write each of these little stories myself. I apologize if you end up seeing any content that's similar to other things out there. I assure you it's purely coincidental. It's just that I'm often dealing with things that are overdone, so I don't doubt it might be somewhere out there. I promise I didn't steal it! Oh, and the usual. I obviously don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters, thus this is fan fiction.
Author's Note:
Ah... The Mary Sues. How could one have a rant about fan fiction clichés without dedicating a portion to these insufferable embodiments of candy-coded perfection. The name I use in this story, Xenara, is not taken from anywhere. As in the disclaimer above, I apologize if you have seen it used other places, but there are only so many female names you can come up with that have an X in them. I'm still taking requests, and as this is the first of my requested rants, I'll begin posting the names of the people who requested it right above the story. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and requesting! ~A Heart For My Nobody
Rant Requested By: japaneserockergirl
Two-Cent Rant # 2: Mary Sues
Xenara sighed and flopped down on Demyx's couch. Demyx had offered her his room as sanctuary the night she found out she was Axel's daughter... well, his somebody's daughter anyway. It was obvious that this was why her fire powers were stronger than her other ones, and why her hair had a fire red mixed with the ivory color, but was this really what got her into the organization as number XIV? She didn't know whether it would be better if this was the case, or if it was because she had a Keyblade. Was she just a replacement for number XIII, Roxas, that her father was always talking about? She had heard that Roxas had been a Keyblade master like herself, but didn't Keyblades choose people with hearts? She also heard that Roxas had been defeated by Riku. The same man who she fought the other night. The same man who she defeated at the top of Memories Skyscraper. The same man who she saved from falling to his doom.
She doesn't know why she saved Riku, nor why she feels a strange feeling in her chest while she's around him. It's not really a pain nor a pleasurable feeling, but more like a beating... more like a pulse.
"But that's impossible!" Xenara shoved her hands onto her cheeks, covering the silver teardrops tattooed on them, "Nobodies don't have hearts!"
Demyx's pet Heartless rubbed against her legs as if to say 'You do to have hearts!' She smiled because this Heartless had never shown affection to anyone other than Demyx before.
"Why did I have to go and save Riku?" She sunk into the chair, "And why did he have to kiss me? Why does Sora have to be so friendly, and why do I have to be the Superior's favorite? Can't my enemies just act like enemies? Why does my life have to be so hard!?" Xenara broke into tears that electrified as they trailed down her face. That always seemed to happen when she got emotional. Why, out of all the Nobodies, did she have to be the one who got emotional?
"Xenara." A silver haired figure called from the window.
"Riku!?" She jumped up and the pet Heartless hissed at him, "It's okay, he won't hurt you." She assured it.
"Xenara," Riku repeated, "I need your help. I didn't realize this until I fought you the other night, but your Keyblade is special. It chose you even though you don't have a heart. It has a special bond with you, and I think you're the only one who can release the Hearts from Kingdom Hearts." Xenara felt hurt when Riku said she didn't have a heart, even if it was true.
"But I work for the Organization!" She said, trying to hide her tears, "I'm supposed to be fighting you!"
"You don't really think that." Riku stares at her with his entrancing blue eyes, "I could see it the other night. You're a better person than them. Your eyes can't lie about that."
"But... my father is in the Organization." She frowned, knowing he was right.
"It will be hard..." He says, slowly embracing her, "But you have to do what your heart says is right."
"My heart?" She inhales and holds Riku tight, "I'm scared."
"I know..." Riku kisses her head, "We'll go together."
Zexion:
I must be mistaken when remembering the ending to Kingdom Hearts II. I had thought that during the end of the final battle, Xemnas injured Riku, and Sora took up his own and Riku's swords to beat Xemnas, finally teaming up with Riku to release a final blast of light to strike down the leader of the Organization. However, that seems to be impossible. As it must have happened, Xemnas must have injured Riku and shot down Sora's retaliation. Just before the final blow was struck against the heroes, Mary Sue must have frozen time like Naminé and positioned herself before the blow, sacrificing herself to save the heroes who now, with an enraged energy, rise to defeat Xemnas once and for all. After the fight, when mourning their collective love, Riku and Sora realize that *gasp* Mary Sue is not dead! And all is happy, etc. Honestly, I thought that King Mickey was bad enough. I wonder if "saved by Mary Sue" is a cheat code. That would make the Sephiroth fight a good deal easier.
Mary Sues may very well be the worst thing in a fan fiction. It's a whole lot easier to see one of your least favorite plot devices or clichés right in the description of a fic and still say "I'll give it a chance" then it is to go into a Mary Sue story and expect it to be good. The only truly internet popular Mary Sue fictions I've seen are the ones that are so bad that people love to make fun of them.
In Kingdom Hearts, Mary Sues are often portrayed as Organization member XIV (14). There are of course many variations, including Naminé rip offs, another childhood friend of Sora or Riku, or daughter of one of the many main characters. Mary Sues quite often end up being Keyblade Masters, and absolutely essential to the plot and every character within it. It's pretty convenient for the Sues that they end up having more power than any of their enemies, only ever being defeated for drama purposes, and even when they aren't, the enemies are too busy being infatuated, interested, or otherwise obsessed with them to do any real harm. One of the most annoying things about them is the fact that they'll take their perfect life and end up complaining about how hard it is for them.
For example:
"Why does everyone have to be in love with me?"
or
"Why is everyone relying on me?"
Well, we've been wondering the same things. Oh how hard it is to be loved. The life of a Sue is hell on a tall, golden, beautiful, well-pampered pedestal.
