"You already know Mary Sue. Mary Sue is the perky, bright, helpful sixteen-year-old ensign who beams about the ship. Everyone on the ship likes Mary Sue, because Mary Sue is good at everything. Mary Sue is an engineer, a doctor in training, a good leader, an excellent cook, and is usually a beautiful singer. Mary Sue often has mental powers that may manifest themselves as telepathy, precognition, or magic. If Mary Sue is very young, she is often the offspring of one or two already established characters. If she's a little older, she will probably end up sleeping with the author's favorite character. Her name is often the author's name, be it a net.name, a favored nickname, or the author's middle name (this is seen in the most famous Mary Sue of all time, Wesley Crusher, who was named after Trek creator Eugene Wesley Roddenbery). By the end of the story, Mary Sue will be in bed with the desired character, will have beamed away amid cheers from all the regulars, or will be dead, usually accompanied by heavy mourning from the cast. The reader, on the other hand, will be celebrating. BTW, Mary Sue's twin brother can often be identified by his brooding, solitary behaviour, matched by his maverick disregard for authority."

And that is how Dr. Merlin (Melissa Wilson) describes one of the characters I see most in fanfiction (and which I think Laby fic has an ungodly amount of). Mary Sue. Whatta gal. To learn more about her, check on Dr. Merlin's website. I highly reccommend reading the ENTIRE thing, not just the Mary Sue part!

But surely your main character isn't a Mary Sue! Well, that's what I thought, then I took the Mary Sue Litmus Test Dr. Merlin provided... But I didn't feel it was quite accurate. So Dreamin' and Elizabeth and I got together and revamped it (it was rather geared for Gargoyles) for Labyrinth. Now failing the test miserably doesn't mean your character is a wretched Mary Sue beyond all hope. Lots of fics get away with a good Mary Sue. This is really (like everything fanfiction -- how easily we all forget) for fun. But, um...if you do fail miserably...perhaps you should take a look and see if your character doesn't need a good flaw or two for human interest. :)

SCORING: One point for each question, subquestions too. And be honest. If you think it's maybe, the answer is yes. We decided that stock original characters can count as regulars, you know, characters invented by other Listians that get used from time to time, like Talius, Stephan, or Lucas. The score card is at the bottom.

Have fun!!!

Part One: The Name Game
"He's a lively little chap. I think I'll call him Jareth."

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.
Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had? Like, oh, I don't know -- Aeris?
Does the character have more than one name? (i.e. a nickname or a pseudonym)
Did you spend more than a day looking for just the right name?
Have you considered naming your pet or child the character's name?

Is the character the same gender as you?
Is the character from the same racial group as you? (Note: if the character is a goblin, Fae, or another magical being, answer yes to this question.)

Will this be a plot point later?
Does the character have an accent which you do not share?

Part Three: Personal File
"You're him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King."

Is the character the long-lost child or parent or sibling of any movie character?

Does s/he get away with this stuff?
Does everyone end up liking the character anyway (among the characters you like)?

Part Four: Power Play
"You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me; I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside-down and I have done it all for *you*."

Is the character at all or part Fae?

Without the aid of wings?
Can the character heal with a touch and/or thought?
Do animals instinctively like the character?

Part Five: The Love Connection
"Just fear me, love me, do as I say."

Does the character fall in love with and/or get busy with Jareth and/or Sarah and/or any other regular character (only "Touch Of Strange" has been all "ands," I think.)?

Is it attended by more than one regular character (if attended by characters outside Labyrinth fandom, add another point)

Part Six: You And Mary Sue
"Go back to your room, play with your toys, and your costumes."

Would you like to be friends with the character if you met in real life?
Do you think everyone who reads the story should automatically like the character and want to be friends with the character?
If someone tells you he/she doesn't like your character, do you take it as a personal attack on you? (Be honest.)
Do you ever pretend, just to yourself, that you *are* the character, with the same strengths and abilities?

Part Seven: The Plot
"You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth, or your baby brother becomes one us forever."

Do you introduce the character on the first page of the story?
Do you tell the story from the character's point of view, all or mostly?
Does the character meet Jareth, and after a few tense pages of plot, become friends/lovers with him?
Does the character manage to develop a friendship with an otherwise villainous character, and through this friendship, reform the other
character?