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ethereal-lost-dreamer · 1 year

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Luz achieved everything without having to lose anything.

There is two things that marked the conclusion of Luz's journey and resulted in contradicting much of what was established about her: the absence of sacrifice and when a conflict occurs it ends up being quickly resolved.

Since the first season, an expectation was given that Luz was not a character who was based on the archetype of 'The Chosen One', that the problems she would have to face could not be magically solved through conveniences and works of destiny - reflected in her personality in the first season, being naive about the reality of circumstances, basing life occurrences on the trajectory of a fictional plot, emphasized from the belief that 'magic comes from the heart' -, which gave her an eventual conflict that differs the protagonists who evolve with the protagonists who only arrive at the end of the story: the need to lose in order to win.

While the events of the first season were dedicated to establishing Luz's place in the Boiling Islands, the relationships she was introduced to, and her new discoveries, the second season, in theory, was supposed to present the difficulties and conflicts that Luz would have to face after having obtained so many additions to her life that required her to fight to keep it. Then came 'Yesterday's Lie', addressing the potential biggest conflict that the Luz would have to deal with: having to choose to remain in the Human Realm with her mother and give up all of her friends and loved ones in the Demon Realm.

Luz was immediately exposed to the realization that there would not be a solution to all problems, that choices must be made and giving up what has been conquered to remain firm and could immediately put her on a level of undeniable maturity, having to deal with a psychological pressure that could only have its outcome achieved through attitudes with unpleasant consequences, however necessary. There were problems, there was a need to face them, and that made her human, including making her very much identified with the viewer when addressing the conflict of the need to make choices that would please some and hurt others. But then came the biggest and most serious decline in Luz's character development: the third season.

Up to that point in the show, Luz had not had to deal directly with the need to face conflicts and seek appropriate solutions; they were just released as an accumulation of problems and left in the expectation of receiving outcomes. Questions, not answers.

Then the conveniences and facilitations emerged: having to deal with choosing to stay with her mother or staying in the Boiling Isles? Don't worry, because Camila watched Luz's outburst video and changed her fear of not having her around (even though it was fueled by the literal loss of her husband, which would hardly make anyone capable of dealing with another family 'loss');

not knowing how to confess very serious secrets and keep them hidden from her friends? Don't worry, when they find out everyone is simultaneously united in forgiving her and understanding her attitudes, a problem solved; the fear of ending up no longer having the confidence of her friends and loved ones? Don't worry, everyone continues to support Luz, regardless of any circumstances.

There was no discussion, disagreement or simply demanding an explanation from Luz, instead everything was resolved with mutual and almost immediate understanding and the consensus that she was overloaded.

So, with 'For the Future' it was already established that the plot unfolded in order to benefit Luz on her journey towards a still slightly uncertain conclusion. The true nature of the problem came with 'Watching and Dreaming', precisely in Luz's death and how the whole development took her to a point that marks the absence of challenges to be faced by any protagonist: Deus ex machina.

From that point on, nothing could stop Luz: she was given enough power to eliminate the greatest threat through an entity conveniently present at the right time, she managed to eliminate the problem with all her friends and loved ones being fine at the end and ready to restore the Boiling Isles.

In the end, all the fears and uncertainties that Luz had turned out to be entirely unnecessary given the fact that she achieved everything without having to face any consequences. Without the rest of the Titan, would there be no way for her to do magic anymore? In the literal last few minutes it showed that it would no longer be a problem thanks to yet another new solution; choose where to stay? Now she has free access to both the Human Realm and the Boiling Isles whenever she wants; all friends, family and girlfriend are with her, in oneness with each other and loving her unconditionally.

The Owl House ended, and Luz remained the same protagonist full of life, with the desire to learn about all the magic at the same time and managing to live her life both normally and being in her dreamed world of fantasy.

The biggest problem with all this decline is the fact that Luz is no longer an identifiable character with the conflicts she should face.

Her trajectory was marked by a growing accumulation of difficulties and challenges to be faced, but they ended up being solved in favor of not giving her a conclusion that demonstrates that she has matured and learned lessons with her choices. Losses were not necessary, giving up achievements was not addressed and it was not even considered not having a life exactly as she would like, however it was necessary in the face of the circumstances that would move her to learn to live and remain firm.

Emphasizing that happy endings are equally worthy, however the case of Luz and especially of The Owl House ended up being a conclusion whose challenges did not truly make it deserved to obtain a completely happy ending and devoid of choices that would significantly affect the conclusion of the story in a way to have consequences.

#the owl house #toh #toh critical #toh salt #luz noceda #mary sue #watching and dreaming #toh spoilers #anti dni #antis please dni #antis dni

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amanita-muscaria-lover · 5 months

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So I've seen people on reddit calling violet a mary sue. And like... no ??? By definition, a mary sue is someone who lacks flaws. Violet starts out completely terrible at combat on the mat. Then she practices and gets ~slightly~ better. She's really just a bookworm.

Also the same reddit people clearly haven't read IF yet if you think she's good at everything.

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caffeinewitchcraft · 2 years

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An Exercise in Mary Sue

(story under the cut)

This week’s short story is more of an exercise. I’ve seen a lot of discussion lately about “cringe-y” YA as more and more authors self-publish or get popular via social media.

When I was a teenager and just started writing, one of my biggest fears was creating a Mary Sue. Mary Sues were very Bad and could get you bulled online. They were too powerful, too beautiful, too not-like-other-girls. People would look down on writers who incorporated these elements into the MC and tell them to stop writing entirely.

Now, in my late 20s, I’ve been thinking about that time in my life more and more. Writing was my hobby, sure, but reading was my escape. And, as a teen, I wanted to escape. I wanted to read about characters who were all-powerful, who were confident, who were loved and respected. I wasn’t getting that fulfillment in my daily life, but I was getting that from books.

So why, when I loved reading them so much, was I so afraid of writing Mary Sues?

I don’t think there’s anything wrong in wanting to read or wanting to write an over-powered character. But I’ve come to the realization that it’s HOW you do it that matters. The biggest legitimate criticism against these types of characters is that they’re not believable. How does a teenager defeat a Dark Lord with fifty years of experience? Why does the orphan know how to wield a lightsaber better than those who’ve trained with it for a lifetime? Why is the prophesied hero wittier than the Generals who’ve been planning this battle all along?

“Mary Sue” stories are always missing an explanation. They “tell” rather than “show.” That style of writing never allows a reader to fully engage and forces them to remain in a critical position. There’s no information for the reader to work with! That’s a really frustrating experience and, as a connoisseur of the Mary Sue, it’s one I know well.

I rebel against the idea of “cringe” in writing. So this week I wrote the opening to a YA book with aaaall the hallmarks of a Mary Sue.

Our main character (Junipera, of course) is the most powerful vampire in her Family despite being one of the youngest. She has long silver hair and black eyes that turn red when she’s angry. She is gorgeous and seemingly all-knowing. She’s contemptuous of those around her and effortlessly outwits them no matter the situation. She is Edgy and Arrogant and everything I have tried not to write for most of my life.

BUT I sort of love how she turned out?

As I’ve worked on pulling together two books to release over the next few weeks, this has been extremely soothing for me. I’ve managed to keep finding the joy in writing because of this exercise and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Or, at the very least, I hope that those of you who may be skeptical are given a different angle to think about Mary Sues and their place in literature.

Thanks for reading!

She should have at least changed clothes before falling on top of the covers last night.

Junipera pinches the bridge of her nose without getting up. Her black button-down shirt sticks unpleasantly to her side and the scent of iron fills the air. She doesn’t need to move her legs to know that her jeans are similarly soaked alongside her black, leather boots. She’d been so tired last night that getting into bed with blood-stained clothing had seemed a good compromise to falling asleep in the shower.

Of course, she didn’t know she’d be having a visitor this morning. Or, rather, another one.

The knock comes right on time. Firm and loud in the quiet of the early morning. Junipera’s lip curls. Impetuous. If she was in her territory, no one would dare knock like that on her bedroom door after a late night. They wouldn’t dare to knock at all.

But she isn’t in her territory, is she?

“Come in.”

The door – pale pine with brass hinges, ornate as all things are here – glides open. The woman who slips into her room, softly closing the door behind her, is as familiar a face as any in this place. The “assistant” the Raven Family assigned to her when she first arrived is very good at looking harmless. Her wide, clear eyes are soft as they take in the dishevelment of Junipera’s room. If she has an opinion on the bloody footprints leading from the shattered window to the bed, she doesn’t show it. As an assassin, Madison is probably used to blood.

She should look surprised at least. Junipera sits up, wincing as her long, silver hair sticks to the pillow. A shower would have at least saved her hair from the matts of dried blood in it. If she liked Madison better, she’d tell her that before one of the Ravens noticed that she wasn’t very good at keeping her cover.

“Ma’am,” Madison says. Her voice is neutral and calm, but her lips are thin as she looks over Junipera’s boots. “You aren’t to go out.”

Ten years ago, Junipera would have laughed out loud at that. Hell, in her territory she might have at least smiled. But Junipera has been playing this game a lot longer than Madison knows.

Junipera hunches in on herself. Her vampiric complexion won’t let her blush, but she ducks her head against Madison’s gaze and averts her eyes. “I was hungry.”

“That’s what the servants are for,” Madison says. A note of disapproval rings in the words. Madison is getting comfortable. “They would have brought you something if you called for them.”

“I rang,” Junipera says. She eyes the bell on her nightstand and makes sure to rub at her fingers where Madison can see. While the Ravens are blessed with immunity to silver, Junipera is not. The silver bell is a taunt, though she doesn’t know from who. The Lord and Lady of the Family? The inner court? The servants? “I rang as long as I could, but nobody came.”

Junipera peeks out from behind her curtain of silver hair. Is that a smirk tucked into the corner of Madison’s mouth? What a fool.

“You’re expected at breakfast,” Madison says. She walks over the broken glass to the window and snaps the curtains closed. While the Ravens are able to walk during the day, full sunlight hurts them. Junipera is the one with immunity to that. Madison spins on her heel. “You’ve made quite the mess, ma’am. The servants will have a hard time replacing the window before evening.”

Does Madison expect an apology? Junipera feels her black eyes flare red and keeps her head ducked to hide them from Madison. She breathes in deeply through her nose. “…I didn’t mean to break the window.”

She did mean to throw her would-be killer through it last night. It breaking was unexpected. Her Family always kept bulletproof glass in the main residence. Maybe the Raven Family didn’t have the coffers to do the same?

“They will manage it,” Madison says. There’s a twist of satisfaction in her aura. Did she hear an apology from Juniper where none existed? “Raven Manor has grown accustomed to vampires with very fine control. It will do them good to be reminded of what lay beyond our borders.”

Fine control. Junipera has to admit that the elders of the Raven Family have it. Even she has a hard time sensing them in the manor, gathering in the depths to conspire against her Family. She says, “Oh…I see.”

“Breakfast is in one hour,” Madison says. She crunches over the broken glass to loom at the side of Junipera’s bed. Too close for an assistant. “You can’t go looking like that.”

Ah. Now Madison isn’t doing too good of a job of hiding her disdain. It seeps into her aura like swamp water. Why do I have to take care of this spoiled brat? Uncouth. Dirty. Not suited for the Raven Family.

Even Junipera has her limits.

She lifts her head to look up at Madison, tilting her chin just so. Her hair slides like silk over her shoulders and drapes along the curve of her hip. The rest is an instinct. Press her shoulders back, lift her chest, blink her long lashes just a few too many times, eyes wide and dark. She doesn’t dare let her aura touch Madison’s, not when she’s doing her best to appear harmless, but the effect is enough judging by the way Madison’s breath hitches. “Looking like what?” Junipera asks.

“J-just get dressed,” Madison says. She pats at her black bun as if checking for fly aways. She takes great interest in the Raven Family portraits on the wall. “Bathe. Be presentable.”

“In that order?” Junipera bites her lower lip as if in genuine confusion. “C-can I bathe first?”

“Obviously,” Madison snaps. She stumbles back when Junipera swings her legs over the edge of the bed, but then firms her stance. “One hour, ma’am.”

“That’s pretty fast,” Junipera says. Her fingers tangle in the bedsheets on either side of her and she presses her lower lip out in a pout. “Maybe if I had help in the bath…”

Madison pretends not to hear her. “I must go now, ma’am. Don’t hesitate to ring the bell if you need assistance.”

“But the silver hurts—”

Madison flees.

Junipera crosses her legs and leans her chin on one hand as she considers the door Madison just slammed. She accepted this mission from her Family out of boredom. It was different than being deployed to battle or sent to recover this or that ancient relic from ruins. The political espionage involved in this one had intrigued her. She’d gone into this with high hopes. She’d never seen the inner workings of a Family as well-established as the Ravens. She thought she might learn something from the vampires who were so famous for their speed, their wit, their bloodthirst.

Junipera didn’t expect to be bored here too.

She sighs, rubbing a hand over her hair as she stands. Too late to regret now. Until she finds the information her Family sent her for, she’s stuck here.

She goes to shower without ringing the bell. Truthfully, the pain of the silver doesn’t bother her that much. She could ring it, but why bother with something so futile? None of the Raven’s servants will answer her summons. They treat foreign ambassadors badly for a Family known for their politics.

If she has her way, they’ll learn to regret that.

-----------------------

Seriously had so much fun writing this and even more fun re-reading this exercise. The inner child in me already wants the next chapter.

Thank you for letting me post something a little off-beat today!

Patreon(X)

Next week’s story is already posted! Berthe the Green Witch (3rd person)

Summary: Traditional witches and green witches don't always see eye to eye. With a life on the line, Berthe is very persuasive.

Thanks for reading!

#my writing #short story #mary sue #long post

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piiinkfreak · 3 months

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Prompt generator gave some ideas that i turned into doodles.

#youjo senki #digital art #fanart #art #anime fanart #the saga of tanya the evil #tanya von degurechaff #tanya degurechaff #mary sue #vooren grantz #lets see if anyone guesses something #hehe #tanya and mary akwardly meeting after the war #or like in a diplomatic situation away from the battlefield #they're a bit older here so i tred to indicate that with hair #also its grantz's turn to be princess carried #by the major #he's a bit impressed by her strengh #but that's to be expected of her

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dailydegurechaff · 9 months

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What is Marry like in this AU of yours?

God I fucking hate Tanya von Degurechaff so fucking much holy shit. Holy shit, every piece of propaganda she's in, every photo, every parade, every video, she's got this painfully serious, annoying as shit, fuckass blank look on her stupid fucking face. Absolutely no part of her ugly as sin piece of shit appearance is endearing. Her stumpy fucking legs? How the hell is someone that fucking short. Her dumb little silver wings medal? Her shitty, round bastard face? The three thousand percent unnecessary dumbass shitass fucking ANTENNAE that no person in her company has EVER FUCKING TRIED TO FIX FOR HER IN tHE HISTORY OF GOD'S GREEN FUCKING EARTH? God, I hate her. I hate her so much. So FUCKING much. Every time I see a White Silver toy or a propaganda poster or a shitty goddamn commercial, it ignites my primal rage response and I'm overcome by the need to punt this shitty little war criminal into the fucking sun. "tee-hee! I'm Tanya, the White Fucking Silver, I like war crimes". Fuck you. Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you. You look like a shithead little brat. Your dumb fucking antenna hair makes your whole shitty head look like an unkempt street cat. I hate your dumb fucking little button nose and your stupid, stern blue eyes and your over-the-top no-nonsense hardass asshole personality. Any time she smiles it invokes all the wrath and fury of a spoiled child having a meltdown over a chocolate bar in a w*lmart checkout line. And I know its irrational. That's the worst part. I know she's just a single fucking child soldier in a giant fucking empire’s army, I know it doesn't matter, I know I shouldn't care. But that's part of the problem. The part where no matter the might and fury of my hatred, the locus of my homicidal intent is alltogether a tiny piece of a greater evil. I find myself laying awake in the dark in the early hours of the morning consumed by the spirit of Wrath itself, all the force and might of a flaming hurricane directed at a bottle of piss in a ditch by the highway. The absurdity of it all burns me to my core. What better things could this energy be directed towards? And yet my disdain for this stupid, useless, insubstantial failure of endearing propaganda utterly eclipses the intrigue of all other pursuits. I hate her. I hate her on a level of my mind reserved for the worst of the world's array of sinners, and I can't even begin to justify it. Tanya the Evil is, for all intents and purposes, a single facet of the army subjugating the world- a propagandized pawn distilled into the single, hateable form of a shining ideal soldier for every other imperial scumbag to emulate. The fucking. Fuck. I have no words. There is no cuss or epithet in any language that can encapsulate the height of the emotions I am experiencing. God, I hate her so much. I hate her so, so fucking much. I want to light her ugly little dumpster body on fire. I want to graphically beat her to death with the butt of the gun she stole off my father. I want to punch her to death. You know that weird feeling you get, when you see a picture of something so cute you find yourself overcome with the bizarre, inexplicable urge to squeeze it? It's EXACTLY like that, except instead of cuteness it's disgust. The wordless knowledge that her existence as a war hero is evidence of all the failures of mankind. I find myself possessed by the will of a Holy Angel gone rogue with the belief that God has made a mistake, and I alone must correct it. This is the trial by which Samael himself fell from grace. This wild, meaningless rage. A thousand blades of shining steel cast with inhuman force in the direction of a plastic grocery bag floating on a breeze. What horrors must I have committed in a past life to be plagued by this torment now? I must Unmake this sinful child

(x)

#i know its tanyas birthday but here i am posting abt mary's seething hatred #you can read this as genuine rage or angry gay pining either characterization is acceptable to me #to answer your question: still hates tanya #tbh you can answer just about any question regarding the “canon” of dailydegu by asking urself this one question #“what is the funniest possible outcome to any situation?”#dailydegu is basically a comedy at this point #mary sue #mary sioux #mary #youjo senki #the saga of tanya the evil #ask #joshtr2000 #bonus doodle

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wolf-tail · 3 months

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I always wondered why the whole "super special chosen one mary sue" hatred thing never really made much sense to me.

Then I remembered being obsessed with yugioh in middle school

#yugioh #mary sue #writing #media #yu gi oh

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thecaffeinebookwarrior · 3 months

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Tbh I'm at a point where I think everyone should write whatever they want forever and we shouldn't worry about Mary Sues. Who cares, let's have fun in the sandbox

I agree, everyone should write what they want! It is ultimately an act of passion, and everyone has total creative liberty over what they produce.

However, not all writing is intended to be interacted with the same way.

A work of fanfiction or an original story that someone shares for free is different, for example, than a book you have to buy or a film you have to pay to watch. The purpose of reviews for products are not just to support the author, but to guide other prospective readers and viewers about how they'll spend their money and time.

As an author, there's also a difference between a hobbyist and a professional. I'm both! I write for fun, and I've published writing for money. I also have an MFA in Creative Writing.

I would consider it rude if someone offered unsolicited criticism of writing or art I made available for free, but when a paying publisher accepts my stories, I expect them to offer edits to make it as good as it can be for the consumption of the public.

Similarly, if I were in a critique session with my MFA peers, I'd be annoyed if they told me to just have fun without offering any other feedback. As you can see, the context changes whether writing is appropriate to criticize, and whether criticisms should be expected.

Hollywood studios should also be held to an especially high standard, I think, because of the amount of money that is channeled into funding their films, and the amount of money they charge from the public.

Now, about the term Mary Sue.

Many already know that "Mary Sue" is a satirical term, originating in a parody fanfiction from a Star Trek fan magazine, and I don't think it was ever meant to be treated as a serious literary criticism. There's also a male equivalent - the Gary Stu - but it's seldom used, and the term remains disproportionately geared towards female characters.

I don't dislike characters because they're "Mary Sues," I dislike characters because they're poorly written. And I have a pet peeve when a portion of the internet reactively claims a character is well-written simply to defend them from accusations of being a Mary Sue.

Again, this is usually in regards to big budget Hollywood movies or shows, like Captain Marvel, the 2016 Ghostbusters, She-Hulk, or what have you. The criticisms against these movies were often bad, and came from misogynistic viewpoints - but that doesn't mean these movies and shows are good. And I would have been doing myself a disservice if I overlooked their flaws simply because misogynists also didn't like them.

I think Hollywood studios often hide behind superficially strong female characters to shield themselves from criticism, and avoid having to write female characters who are actually original, complex, and interesting.

(Again, this is all just my opinion. Anyone is welcome to like the above properties! I like tons of things that could be considered questionable.)

So, to conclude: yes, everyone deserves to have fun with writing! It is usually inappropriate and rude to offer unsolicited criticism of art that is available for free. But Hollywood films and traditionally published writing that we pay money to access are not the same as free art that's shared only for passion and fun.

And last but not least, calling a character a Mary Sue is usually a stupid criticism, but not every character who is accused of being a Mary Sue is a good character!

Just my thoughts on the matter, which I'm obviously more than eager to babble about for a good half hour.

#opinions #writing #mary sue #writing thoughts

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