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Time to score Jack Harkness based on the Mary Sue test.
I've kept a running total of points whenever it scores.
Section 1 - The Name Game
Is the character named after you? (This can be your first name, middle name, or the name you go by in chat or irc.) If so, stop now. Put your pencil (mouse?) down and turn in your test.[10]
DO NOT NAME YOUR CHARACTER AFTER YOURSELF.
DO NOT NAME YOURSELF AFTER YOUR CHARACTER.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR EXCEPTION IS.
Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common name or word?[1]
A female with a male-sounding name?[1]
A name the character chose for him or herself, because s/he "didn't want to forget"?[1]
A noun or adjective not normally used for a name (especially for human characters)[1]?
Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had?[1]
Is the character's name in the title of the story or is the title otherwise a description of the character? (i.e. "The Girl Who Could Fly")[5]
Does the character have more than one name? (i.e. a nickname or a pseudonym that other characters use to refer to the character)[1]
Did you spend more than a day looking for just the right name?[1]
Have you considered naming your pet or child the character's name?[1]
Section 2 - Physical Attributes
Is the character the same gender as you?[1]
Is the character from the same racial group as you?[1]
Is the character a hybrid of two or more species?[3]
Is the character a cross-breed of any other type? (i.e. multi-racial, multi-clan)[1]
Is the character not subject to limitations normally put upon someone of this species? [4]
Take away four points if the character does not have the benefits of being part of the race but still has the drawbacks. (Examples: A character who is any part gargoyle who cannot fly, ever, in your entire story series. A character who is part fay who cannot work magic, ever, in your entire story series.) Take away only one point if the character eventually does get the benefit, anywhere in the story series.
Is the character a teenager or in her/his early twenties?[1]
Does the character look like s/he is a teenager or in her/his early twenties for no apparent reason[2]?
For a magical or special scientific reason[2]?
That you plan on making a plot point later?[1]
Does this sentence or similar appear anywhere in your story? "(Character's name) was the youngest person to ever become (insert job title here)."[5]
Is the character the age you would like to be?[1]
Is the character beautiful or roguishly handsome?[1]
Does one or more of the regulars find the character highly attractive?[1]
Do other regulars see him/her as a threat because of this?[1]
Does the character have an unusual eye color for no apparent reason?[3]
Will this be a plot point later?[1]
Does the character have really nice hair that you describe more than once, or on the first page?[1]
Does the character have an accent which you do not share?[1]
Does the character have a scar or a strange marking that is noticed by another character, but does not actually detract from his/her appearance?[1]
Is the character deaf, mute, or both?[1]
Is s/he no longer deaf and/or mute by the end of the story/series or else dead? (subtract 1 pt if character is alive and still deaf or mute at the end of the entire series)[3]
Is the character otherwise physically disabled? (anyone who says "She's so pretty that it's like a disability because everyone hates her or wants to have sex with her" will be summarily keelhauled)[subtract 2 pts]
Is the character no longer disabled at the end of the series, or else dead?[1]
Is the character mentally disabled? (read: at the functional level of Forrest Gump or below)[subtract 2]
Does the character have any telekinetic, telepathic, or other psychic powers despite / because of this disability?[3]
Is the character overweight? (not just "I ate too many Snackwells and now my thighs are HUGE, but honestly overweight)[subtract 2]
Is this remarked upon by another character who is not motivated by jealousy?[subtract 2]
Is the character no longer overweight by the end of the series?[4]
Section 3 - Personal Traits
Is the character the long-lost child or descendent or sibling of a regular or recurring character?[1]
Was the character adopted or did he/she otherwise live with people who were not his/her parents as a child?[1]
Is the character a member or a friend of a hitherto unknown clan of gargoyles?[1]
And is the last surviving member of that clan?[1]
Add points for each aspect seen somewhere during your character's life:
- abandoned by caregivers[1]
- born or forced into slavery[1]
- born or raised in extreme poverty[1]
- sole survivor of a calamity[2]
- physical abuse[2]
- sexual abuse by a caregiver[3]
- rape[3]
- member of a "despised" class or race[1, 2 if it is a plot point of the "I can make a contribution even thought I'm ... " variety]
- illegitimate birth[2]
- later parent of illegitimate child[1 pt each]
- any other life experience inspired by V.C. Andrews[3]
Does the character suffer from guilt about something terrible that s/he did in the past?[1]
Do the other characters eventually convince her/him that it was not his/her fault?[1]
Does the character share your religious beliefs?[1]
Did the character have an unusual birth or unusual experience in early infancy? (i.e. abducted, placed in a basket and set afloat, visited by Three Weirdos, etc.)[1]
Does the character have a twin, a clone, or a sibling of the same gender?[2]
About whom you plan on writing another story later?[2]
Does the character have a very good singing voice?[2]
Or play a musical instrument amazingly well?[1]
The guitar or flute, for instance?[2]
Does the character have better taste in music than you do?[1]
(For example, does your character own cd's that you think educated people ought to own, even though you've never actually listened to the music yourself?)
Does the character do what you do for fun or profit?[1]
(This includes having the same job you have, or would like to have when you're older, or having a job that sounds like a lot of fun even though you know nothing about it. It can also mean RPing, computer programming, whatever.)
Is the character royalty of any type?[3]
That she/he does not originally know about?[3]
Does the character make more wisecracks than Brooklyn?[1]
Does everyone end up liking the character (among the regulars you like)?[1]
Section 4 - Super Powers
Does the character, not being fay, have magical/mutant powers anyway?[2]
Does the character have telekinesis or telepathy? (Twins count.)[2]
Does the character just "know things" for no apparent reason?[2]
Can the character fly?[1]
Without the aid of wings?[2]
Can the character heal with a touch and/or thought?[1]
Do animals (especially fuzzy ones) instinctively like the character?[2]
(Subtract two points if the only animals that like the character are non-butterfly insects and crawly lizard-types.)
Section 5 - The Love Connection
Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with another recurring character from the show?[1]
With whom you would like to fall in love and/or have sex?[1]
Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with another original character?[1]
With whom you would like to fall in love and/or have sex?[1]
Does the story end with the character's wedding?[2]
Section 6 - The Real World and Your Character
Would you like to be friends with the character if you met in real life?[1]
Do you think everyone who reads the story should automatically like the character and want to be friends with the character?[1]
If someone tells you he/she doesn't like your character, do you take it as a personal attack on you?[1]
Do you ever pretend, just to yourself, that you are the character, with the same strengths and abilities?[1]
If someone calls your character a Mary Sue, do you immediately assume they're jealous of you?[3]
Section 7 - The Fiendish Plot
Do you introduce the character on the first page of the story?[2]
In the first sentence?[1]
Do you tell the story from the character's point of view, all or mostly?[1]
Does the character manage to develop a friendship with an otherwise villainous character, and through this friendship, reform the other character?[2]
Is the character transformed into a gargoyle or into a magical or genetically-altered being?[5]
Is the character happier in her/his new form?[1]
Do people like the character better in her/his new form?[1]
Do you wish you could be transformed because of the neat powers?[1]
Does the character save the day and/or another character's life?[3]
Through magical/mystical intervention?[1]
Through dying? (Turning to stone "forever" counts.)[3]
Through almost dying?[2]
Does everyone go into mourning?[1]
Does s/he get not-dead by the end of the story?[4]
Will s/he get not-dead in the sequel?[4]
Do you plan to write many more stories revolving around this character?[2]
Do you plan to write one or more stories featuring this character's child(ren)?[2]
0-14 Developed character, unlikely MS.
15-20 Borderline character. Characters in this range are potential MS's, who can go either way dependent on the author's skill.
21+ Mary Sue/Gary Stu. Proceed with greatest caution.
35+ Reconsider your character and plot. Please.
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principia_coh did this for Rose, Martha and Donna, and so scores for DW characters so far are:
The Doctor: 83 points
Jack: 58 points
Rose: 38 points
Donna: 36 points
Martha: 35 points
Sort of amusing how the women of Who (who are roughly all about the same point-wise) get the Mary Sue label, but the guys never get touched. Hmm.
I've kept a running total of points whenever it scores.
Section 1 - The Name Game
Is the character named after you? (This can be your first name, middle name, or the name you go by in chat or irc.) If so, stop now. Put your pencil (mouse?) down and turn in your test.[10]
DO NOT NAME YOUR CHARACTER AFTER YOURSELF.
DO NOT NAME YOURSELF AFTER YOUR CHARACTER.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR EXCEPTION IS.
- Nope.
Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common name or word?[1]
- No.
A female with a male-sounding name?[1]
- Nope.
A name the character chose for him or herself, because s/he "didn't want to forget"?[1]
- Well, he did take the name from someone else, so point. (1 point)
A noun or adjective not normally used for a name (especially for human characters)[1]?
- No.
Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had?[1]
- Uh...no.
Is the character's name in the title of the story or is the title otherwise a description of the character? (i.e. "The Girl Who Could Fly")[5]
- Nope.
Does the character have more than one name? (i.e. a nickname or a pseudonym that other characters use to refer to the character)[1]
- I'm sure Ianto has called him... Moving on.
Did you spend more than a day looking for just the right name?[1]
- Don't think so.
Have you considered naming your pet or child the character's name?[1]
- I'd bet there are Jack Harkness pets out there. (2 points)
Section 2 - Physical Attributes
Is the character the same gender as you?[1]
- Okay, from TPTB's perspective, yes. (3 points)
Is the character from the same racial group as you?[1]
- Not really sure. Jack's originally from another human-colonized planet, so who knows?
Is the character a hybrid of two or more species?[3]
- No.
Is the character a cross-breed of any other type? (i.e. multi-racial, multi-clan)[1]
- I don't think so.
Is the character not subject to limitations normally put upon someone of this species? [4]
- Yup. He can't die. (7 points)
Take away four points if the character does not have the benefits of being part of the race but still has the drawbacks. (Examples: A character who is any part gargoyle who cannot fly, ever, in your entire story series. A character who is part fay who cannot work magic, ever, in your entire story series.) Take away only one point if the character eventually does get the benefit, anywhere in the story series.
- Can't think of anything. If we were talking about Owen...
Is the character a teenager or in her/his early twenties?[1]
- Nope.
Does the character look like s/he is a teenager or in her/his early twenties for no apparent reason[2]?
- Nope. (Sorry, JB.) In fact, he'll one day look quite frightning. :D
For a magical or special scientific reason[2]?
- No.
That you plan on making a plot point later?[1]
- No.
Does this sentence or similar appear anywhere in your story? "(Character's name) was the youngest person to ever become (insert job title here)."[5]
- I don't remember anything.
Is the character the age you would like to be?[1]
- HEH. A couple thousand years old? No thanks.
Is the character beautiful or roguishly handsome?[1]
- Yup. (8 points)
Does one or more of the regulars find the character highly attractive?[1]
- *snorts* Yes. (9 points)
Do other regulars see him/her as a threat because of this?[1]
- *pets the Doctor* (10 points)
Does the character have an unusual eye color for no apparent reason?[3]
- No.
Will this be a plot point later?[1]
- No.
Does the character have really nice hair that you describe more than once, or on the first page?[1]
- Of all of Jack's, erm, atttributes, I don't think this one gets mentioned.
Does the character have an accent which you do not share?[1]
- Yes, per TPTB. (11 points)
Does the character have a scar or a strange marking that is noticed by another character, but does not actually detract from his/her appearance?[1]
- I can't remember anything.
Is the character deaf, mute, or both?[1]
- No.
Is s/he no longer deaf and/or mute by the end of the story/series or else dead? (subtract 1 pt if character is alive and still deaf or mute at the end of the entire series)[3]
- No.
Is the character otherwise physically disabled? (anyone who says "She's so pretty that it's like a disability because everyone hates her or wants to have sex with her" will be summarily keelhauled)[subtract 2 pts]
- Nope.
Is the character no longer disabled at the end of the series, or else dead?[1]
- Nope.
Is the character mentally disabled? (read: at the functional level of Forrest Gump or below)[subtract 2]
- Nope.
Does the character have any telekinetic, telepathic, or other psychic powers despite / because of this disability?[3]
- No.
Is the character overweight? (not just "I ate too many Snackwells and now my thighs are HUGE, but honestly overweight)[subtract 2]
- No.
Is this remarked upon by another character who is not motivated by jealousy?[subtract 2]
- No.
Is the character no longer overweight by the end of the series?[4]
- No.
Section 3 - Personal Traits
Is the character the long-lost child or descendent or sibling of a regular or recurring character?[1]
- Not of a regular character. He did have a long lost brother turn up though.
Was the character adopted or did he/she otherwise live with people who were not his/her parents as a child?[1]
- I can't quite remember. One of his parents was killed when Jack was a child, and I can't remember if he stayed with the other parent or not.
Is the character a member or a friend of a hitherto unknown clan of gargoyles?[1]
- As a Time Agent, he probably was. :D But don't know.
And is the last surviving member of that clan?[1]
- He will be as the Face of Boe. (12 points)
Add points for each aspect seen somewhere during your character's life:
- abandoned by caregivers[1]
- born or forced into slavery[1]
- born or raised in extreme poverty[1]
- sole survivor of a calamity[2]
- physical abuse[2]
- sexual abuse by a caregiver[3]
- rape[3]
- member of a "despised" class or race[1, 2 if it is a plot point of the "I can make a contribution even thought I'm ... " variety]
- illegitimate birth[2]
- later parent of illegitimate child[1 pt each]
- any other life experience inspired by V.C. Andrews[3]
- While he wasn't the sole survivor of the colony attack, I think he lived in relative poverty. The Humans were also preyed upon by another race, so points for that too. (14 points)
Does the character suffer from guilt about something terrible that s/he did in the past?[1]
- Oh yeah. (15 points)
Do the other characters eventually convince her/him that it was not his/her fault?[1]
- Yup. (16 points)
Does the character share your religious beliefs?[1]
- No.
Did the character have an unusual birth or unusual experience in early infancy? (i.e. abducted, placed in a basket and set afloat, visited by Three Weirdos, etc.)[1]
- Not that I'm aware of.
Does the character have a twin, a clone, or a sibling of the same gender?[2]
- He had a brother! (18 points)
About whom you plan on writing another story later?[2]
- The brother's locked in a Torchwood freezer - I kinda doubt it.
Does the character have a very good singing voice?[2]
- :D Don't think he's sung in the shows.
Or play a musical instrument amazingly well?[1]
- Haven't seen anything.
The guitar or flute, for instance?[2]
- No.
Does the character have better taste in music than you do?[1]
(For example, does your character own cd's that you think educated people ought to own, even though you've never actually listened to the music yourself?)
- Not sure music has ever really come up.
Does the character do what you do for fun or profit?[1]
(This includes having the same job you have, or would like to have when you're older, or having a job that sounds like a lot of fun even though you know nothing about it. It can also mean RPing, computer programming, whatever.)
- No.
Is the character royalty of any type?[3]
- No.
That she/he does not originally know about?[3]
- No.
Does the character make more wisecracks than Brooklyn?[1]
- All the time. (19 points)
Does everyone end up liking the character (among the regulars you like)?[1]
- Pretty much, yeah. (20 points)
Section 4 - Super Powers
Does the character, not being fay, have magical/mutant powers anyway?[2]
- He is immortal. (22 points)
Does the character have telekinesis or telepathy? (Twins count.)[2]
- The Face of Boe does. :D (24 points)
Does the character just "know things" for no apparent reason?[2]
- Not really.
Can the character fly?[1]
- No.
Without the aid of wings?[2]
- No.
Can the character heal with a touch and/or thought?[1]
- He kissed Ianto alive! (Can someone explain that one to me?) (25 points)
Do animals (especially fuzzy ones) instinctively like the character?[2]
(Subtract two points if the only animals that like the character are non-butterfly insects and crawly lizard-types.)
- Myfanwy and the cow cube. (27 points)
Section 5 - The Love Connection
Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with another recurring character from the show?[1]
- ONLY 1 POINT??? (28 points)
With whom you would like to fall in love and/or have sex?[1]
- No idea on TPTB's thoughts.
Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with another original character?[1]
- Guest characters, yes. (Someone in town for 5 minutes, yes.) (29 points)
With whom you would like to fall in love and/or have sex?[1]
- No idea on TPTB's mindsets.
Does the story end with the character's wedding?[2]
- Nope, although we find out he was married once.
Section 6 - The Real World and Your Character
Would you like to be friends with the character if you met in real life?[1]
- Sure! (30 points)
Do you think everyone who reads the story should automatically like the character and want to be friends with the character?[1]
- Sure! (31 points)
If someone tells you he/she doesn't like your character, do you take it as a personal attack on you?[1]
- No.
Do you ever pretend, just to yourself, that you are the character, with the same strengths and abilities?[1]
- Using the same reasoning for TPTB as I did for the Doctor, I would say yes. (32 points)
If someone calls your character a Mary Sue, do you immediately assume they're jealous of you?[3]
- No.
Section 7 - The Fiendish Plot
Do you introduce the character on the first page of the story?[2]
- He didn't come in until later.
In the first sentence?[1]
- No.
Do you tell the story from the character's point of view, all or mostly?[1]
- Actually, no. Even on Torchwood it's very rare to get a Jack-centric story.
Does the character manage to develop a friendship with an otherwise villainous character, and through this friendship, reform the other character?[2]
- Uh huh. (34 points)
Is the character transformed into a gargoyle or into a magical or genetically-altered being?[5]
- Yeah. He becomes immortal. (39 points)
Is the character happier in her/his new form?[1]
- Not really. I think mostly he's found peace with it - not that he's happier.
Do people like the character better in her/his new form?[1]
- People don't really talk about it, but it's a big NOOOOOO from the Doctor.
Do you wish you could be transformed because of the neat powers?[1]
- No.
Does the character save the day and/or another character's life?[3]
- All the time. (42 points)
Through magical/mystical intervention?[1]
- Actually, Torchwood has gone more the fantasy route at times, but still...
Through dying? (Turning to stone "forever" counts.)[3]
- Yup. First episode of Torchwood even. (45 points)
Through almost dying?[2]
- The big hellbeast! (45 points)
Does everyone go into mourning?[1]
- If he's dead for long enough. (48 points)
Does s/he get not-dead by the end of the story?[4]
- Sure does! (52 points)
Will s/he get not-dead in the sequel?[4]
- I'm pretty sure Jack will never be killed off. (56 points)
Do you plan to write many more stories revolving around this character?[2]
- S3 should be out in a couple of months, right? (58 points)
Do you plan to write one or more stories featuring this character's child(ren)?[2]
- Erm...no.
0-14 Developed character, unlikely MS.
15-20 Borderline character. Characters in this range are potential MS's, who can go either way dependent on the author's skill.
21+ Mary Sue/Gary Stu. Proceed with greatest caution.
35+ Reconsider your character and plot. Please.
- Jack's Total: 58 points.
principia_coh did this for Rose, Martha and Donna, and so scores for DW characters so far are:The Doctor: 83 points
Jack: 58 points
Rose: 38 points
Donna: 36 points
Martha: 35 points
Sort of amusing how the women of Who (who are roughly all about the same point-wise) get the Mary Sue label, but the guys never get touched. Hmm.
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But that is because having a penis automatically exempts you from the first 60 points on the Mary Sue test!
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Also I'm rather chuffed at the thought that Stephen Moffatt has created a Mary Sue.
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Does the Glove count? Okay, that's not really Jack.
He kisses Ianto alive in Cyberwoman!
Do animals (especially fuzzy ones) instinctively like the character?[2]
(Subtract two points if the only animals that like the character are non-butterfly insects and crawly lizard-types.)
I suppose Ianto doesn't count.
Myfanwy!!!
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You've just summed up my year.
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I especially forgot about the kissing Ianto alive thing. I still don't understand that one. :D
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ETA: I know why I didn't remember that. I never watched all of episode 2. :D
When Torchwood first aired, I tried watching it. I pretty well hated it and quit mid-episode 2. Didn't even bother finishing it.
Then when it was announced that Martha would make an appearance in S2, I decided to give it another try, but just picked it up with episode 3.
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Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid back on the Boeshane Pennisula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency.
It's not youngest, but it's pretty damn special! XD
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Honestly, it's Jack. You should add on about twenty extra points JUST FOR THAT.
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Well he does as the Face of Boe if you count that (which I know some people don't.) ;)
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Heee. You're so diplomatic to put it that way. :D
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... Cow cube?
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http://mrv3000.livejournal.com/919600.html
And cow cube is what I like to call the giant space whale thing from the episode Meat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_(Torchwood)).
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