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<blockquote data-quote="Salamandyr" data-source="post: 6147478" data-attributes="member: 40233">Then yes, it sounds like we have definite differences of opinion about what constitutes a Mary Sue.&nbsp; If we are going to throw well over half the main characters (including most of the ones with the greatest amount of public recognition) of stories into the Mary Sue pile, then it's my opinion that the term Mary Sue can no longer be considered a derogatory statement, merely a descriptive one.Also, as pointed out above, Kvothe is not omni-competent.&nbsp; He is very good at a handful of things, all related to good memory and high intelligence, and has theatrical skills derived from growing up in a theatre troupe.&nbsp; Thanks to being precocious and having an early mentor, he shows up at the University versed in a lot of things that other people his age don't know yet.&nbsp; None of that seems all that unbelievable to me.But, as always, YMMV, I don't find him any more unbelievable than any number of real life high achievers.&nbsp; You obviously don't.&nbsp; That's fine.&nbsp; No artistic work is going to work for everyone.&nbsp; I dislike using terms like &quot;Mary Sue&quot; that carry with them all sorts of generalized baggage that don't really enlighten all that much except to say &quot;bad&quot;.If Kvothe, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan, Fitz (because low self esteem aside, he's pretty omni competent), Raistlin, Jack Reacher, Capt. Kirk, Mal Reynolds, et. al. are all Mary Sues, then like I said, Mary Sue is merely a description, not an insult.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Salamandyr, post: 6147478, member: 40233"] Then yes, it sounds like we have definite differences of opinion about what constitutes a Mary Sue. If we are going to throw well over half the main characters (including most of the ones with the greatest amount of public recognition) of stories into the Mary Sue pile, then it's my opinion that the term Mary Sue can no longer be considered a derogatory statement, merely a descriptive one. Also, as pointed out above, Kvothe is not omni-competent. He is very good at a handful of things, all related to good memory and high intelligence, and has theatrical skills derived from growing up in a theatre troupe. Thanks to being precocious and having an early mentor, he shows up at the University versed in a lot of things that other people his age don't know yet. None of that seems all that unbelievable to me. But, as always, YMMV, I don't find him any more unbelievable than any number of real life high achievers. You obviously don't. That's fine. No artistic work is going to work for everyone. I dislike using terms like "Mary Sue" that carry with them all sorts of generalized baggage that don't really enlighten all that much except to say "bad". If Kvothe, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan, Fitz (because low self esteem aside, he's pretty omni competent), Raistlin, Jack Reacher, Capt. Kirk, Mal Reynolds, et. al. are all Mary Sues, then like I said, Mary Sue is merely a description, not an insult. [/QUOTE]

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