"The Mary Sue Litmus Test"

"The Mary Sue Litmus Test" is a tool used to evaluate characters in stories, particularly women, for excessive perfection or unrealistic qualities. A "Mary Sue" is a character who is overly idealized, often lacking flaws, and easily solves problems without realistic struggle. The litmus test checks if a character seems to be unrealistically perfect, which can undermine storytelling by reducing tension and relatability. It encourages writers to create more developed, nuanced characters with flaws and challenges, making stories more engaging and believable.