Okay, I spent the last four hours reading this one. I've got to say...GREAT. Too bad about Gus's kid though.

P.S. I've tried pocky now. :) That shit's addictive.

good chap, but the King of Omashu's name is Boomie, not Boonie.

Okay, there's no way in hell I'm reading the whole thing tonight so I'll review every chapter. This was pretty cool. I was thinking about doing something like this, but with me and the rest of the characters from Earth getting sucked in while reading Avatar books and watching the show. Cause if you knew my friends, they are some serious Otaku.

Dear Sue/Stu/crapfic troll...

you have demonstrated by this...

crappy story
same old fantasy that no one cares about
waste of bandwidth
source of frustration for the REAL Avatar fans everywhere
source of rage for those who take the time and effort to think up good stories

fanfic that you are definitely one or more of the following...

an illiterate imbecile
a crappy writer
a disgusting pervert
a sex-deprived jerk
a multiple offender
a disgrace to all fanfic writers
a narcissist
a troll
stupid
a waste of oxygen
a virgin for a reason
a bad writer
the village idiot
a whiny git
being MSTed
being mocked
ignorant (and purposely so) of Avatarverse canon and the English language

your fanfic has caused this flame because of at least some of the following...

blatant disregard of the English language (spelling, grammar, syntax...)
disregard of the Avatarverse which the story is set
disregard of canon
use of jargon that doesn't suit the fic's setting
lack of formatting
lack of plot
unamusing and/or disgusting "humor"
clichés
nauseating metaphors and comparisons
ridiculous sex scenes
blatantly obvious insertion of yourself into the Avatarverse
distortion of canon characters's personality (OOCness)
character bashing
masturbatory fantasies about Zuko, Sokka, or Aang (they would be ashamed of you)
disturbing events
use of serious issues (rape, torture, mental illness, death) as plot devices
gratuitous depiction of violence
So-called random shit that is supposed to be amusing but is in fact the opposite
So-called original characters which are actually poorly-disguised self-inserts
It contains one or more Mary Sues
Said Sue(s) have enough Sparklypoo powers to choke a grown man, or a army of Firebenders, for that matter
It is !?OMG RANDOM!?
It was written-in whole or in part-in script format
It contained netspeak
It contained dialogue between you and the show's characters
You have roughly a million AN's stuck throughout the fic
You posted reviews to it yourself.
You threatened not to post more chapters if you did not receive X amount of reviews
The plot sounds like it was contrived by a desperate for attention teenager with no life
It is a terribly executed crossover
It is completely and utterly indecipherable

All of this is so unbearable that...

I wanted to gouge my eyes out with a rusty spork after I read your story
I was left with the deep urge to vomit (preferably on you)
my cries of horror and indignation were heard halfway across town
the canon characters would probably kill themselves (or you) if they read this fic
you should never be allowed near a keyboard again
you need to be placed into isolation next to George W. Bush, who also sucks
all fans of the Avatar fandom are screaming and writhing in pain
DiMartino and Koneitzko will set their lawyers on you.

As penance, you must do the following...

take down this story at once, or expect more flames
watch The Teletubbies, Super Milk Chan, Bobobo-bo bo-bobo, and George W. Bush's speeches continuously for a week
apologise to your readers for your ignorance
smash up your keyboard and insert the pieces into any chosen orifice of your anatomy
Watch every episode of Avatar until you know them all by heart
give up all your worldly possessions and become a monk/nun
have your hands cut off so you may never besmirch the literary world with your garbage.
throw away your vibrator and stop masturbating to impure thoughts of Zuko and/or anyone else in the Avatarverse that you dream about.

In closing, I'd like to say...

The spacebar is your friend, as is the Enter Key. Use both.
Netspeak is a unacceptable form of writing. Netspeak is Netspeak and should not be used for anything else.
Format your story properly. use the Enter key when neccessary. Don't smush your words together. And USE SPELL CHECK.
Don't post a fanfic before you've had it beta-read by someone who knows better than you
Keep your fantasies about Zuko or Sokka or Aang or any other AtLA character to yourself
Aang's siblings (if he ever had any) are dead. Aang doesn't know his parents so he can't know your sue-sibling
Good fic has plot, tension and good writing. Your fic has none
you owe me a new computer screen because I vomited on it.
don't ever reproduce. The last thing we need is more Suethors.
take your crap somewhere else (wait, don't. No one deserves to be terrorized by this)
Stop staring at the screencap of Zuko shirtless in the Agni Kai and pay attention to what you write.
No one cares about your fantasy. It belongs in your notebook, sketchbook, and/or personal diary/journal.
The plot of people getting sucked onto the Avatarverse is old shit. It should be avoided at all costs.
There is only one Avatar. ONE. Only He/She may bend more than one element. Repeat after me. There is only ONE avatar.
There are only four elements to bend. No more. No less. Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. NOT Shadow, Light, Love, or some Sparklypoo shit.
Zuko does not belong with any form of original character. He belongs with Katara or Toph or even Aang. Anyone that is a canon character!
Zuko is NOT a pansy who will slobber over any girl, nor is he a OMFG wangst kind of guy. Sokka isn't some stupid, meat-guzzling boy. Katara is not a PMS biotch, nor is she a nonexistent being that needs to be discarded when the Mary Sue makes her appearance. Iroh is much more than some tea-swilling old man. And Aang is NOT a ADHD kid who has had too much sugar. TOph is a cool character and should be respected as such. Don't a s s rape the characters for your twisted purposes.
Fantasies are just that-fantasies. If you want to fantasize yourself in the Avatarverse-by all means, go ahead. It IS fun. However, keep it to yourself in your brain.
If Zuko saw how you treated him in this story he would set you on fire. Seriously. His character has been raped and twisted so many times into OOCness that even Ozai and Azula would feel bad for him.
The only people who review your story are your little sockpuppet Suethor friends. You are not taken seriously by anyone else. Keep your fantasies to your little cliques.
Go back to school, pay attention in English classes, and concentrate on your studies.
Learn from this list. It is designed to help you. Yes, it is brutal but the truth hurts.

And last but certainly not least...may Azula use you for target practice

yeah I love this story! and u know u can update while ur on vacation cuz ur gonna have ur laptop, remember? anyway i cant wait to read the next chapter! ur a really good writer. and i only have 1 other thing to say... i cant wait for season 3! bye!

I just read the first chapter and it was OKAY. I'm not into Mary-Sue fics, at all though. You should add detail to everything and if you haven't in your future chapters, I think you should. Usually, Mary-Sue's have a relationship with a canon character, are extremely good looking, have bad pasts, and have real world names. Just a heads up for any future flames. I like Zutara but it's not very likely Zuko will end up with anybody even though I hope he does. Kataang is just a little weird for me. Okay very weird. I usually like fics with implied ships or them at the very end. I'm not going to read the story, but I thought I should tell you this. I'm creating one OC and I'm trying to make that person as less as a mary-sue it can be.

Thanks if you reply to this!

-Hold On Tight

(trois)

Mary Sue (sometimes shortened simply to Sue) is a pejorative term for a fictional character who is portrayed in an idealized way and who is generally lacking in any truly noteworthy flaws (or having her flaws romanticized, as is sometimes the case with stories about characters with eating disorders,depression, or other psychological conditions). Characters labeled Mary Sues, as well as the stories they appear in, are generally seen as wish fulfillment fantasies on the part of the author.

Characters most commonly labeled Mary Sues are often characterized by their unusual and dramatic traits and experiences, their similarity to their author or their author's ideal person, and, most especially, the trait of extreme superiority in comparison to other characters.

Those labeled Mary Sues normally have exceptional physical and personal characteristics, including unusual and (typically) tragic backgrounds. They may have uncommon eye or hair colors or come from a race or species which is uncommon or unknown in the story’s setting. They may have exotic names, pets, or possessions, often ones with great perceived mystical or magical significance. As children, they often will have experienced abuse or other hardships that were substantially worse than the abuse or hardship experienced by other characters and often, by many of the people in the real world — though they are often said to seldom if ever display any evidence in personality or behavior of having been traumatized. In adulthood, they are generally portrayed as misunderstood or unfairly persecuted. They are often abandoned as infants or young children, from a famous or infamous family, or related somehow to the author’s favorite character.

They frequently share hobbies, likes and dislikes, and opinions with the author, and may be of the same nationality or age as the author and have similar but more dramatic physical appearances or backgrounds; other times, they may merely have hobbies or features that the author finds exotic, high-class or somehow admirable.

In fan fiction, they often cause things to happen that the author wishes would happen in canon. They usually mock and humiliate characters the author dislikes; if these characters are well-liked in canon they sometimes reveal to the other characters that they are secretly evil. If a character is disliked by most canon characters but liked by the author, the Mary Sue realizes that they are not really bad but merely misunderstood and either explains this to the other characters or becomes the character's sole confidant and friend, if not their redeemer. Mary Sues may bring together characters the author thinks should be romantically involved with one another or become romantically involved with characters to whom the author is attracted.

Characters perceived as Mary Sues almost always have more and better skills than other characters in the story and easily solve problems that stump other characters. Young Mary Sues often have skills or accomplishments that are substantially greater than those of other characters their age and of the majority of people their age in the real world. They are usually presented as more moral than other characters and frequently sacrifice their lives or happiness for the sake of other characters. They often have moral ideas or follow norms that are common in the Western world today but unusual for the setting or perceived setting of the story. They are nearly always exceptionally attractive, with said attractiveness often being described in great detail and typically noticed frequently by the other characters.

Characters said to be Mary Sues are generally heavily praised by the author and especially other characters. If the Mary Sue has flaws or limitations, they are either minor and/or endearing, or yet another hardship for the Sue to overcome (e.g., paraplegia, depression, an eating disorder, or a "passionate" temperament).

Sub-concepts of or relating to "Mary Sue"

"Angsty" Sue

This subconcept of the "Mary Sue" comes in two common variations. The first is a character who is constantly depressed and has an unnecessarily tragic past, frequently involving such things as child abuse, rape, or abandonment of some sort. She often feels guilt for something that happened in the past, even though it is usually not her fault, which gives her the ability to feel bad about something without doing anything wrong. Generally, if she doesn't commit romanticized suicide, then only the love or close friendship of one or more canon characters can convince her that she is not responsible for a tragic or horrific childhood or event that was not truly of her making.

The other version of "Angsty Sue" has a tragic past, but rather than crying about it seeks revenge for what's been done to her family/home village/civilization, etc. She is thrust into the spotlight of the story while doing so. The writer uses her past not merely as a device to gain sympathy, but also to claim moral superiority and justification for her actions; as such, this type of "Angsty Sue" rarely has unnecessary guilt.

Anti-Sue

Some authors make an extreme effort to avoid their character being a "Mary Sue." Such attempts are often referred to as trying to create an "Anti-Sue"; the key difference between a well-developed character and an "Anti-Sue" is that the deficiencies of an "Anti-Sue" are similarly over-the-top as the positive qualities of a "Mary Sue."

"Anti-Sue" traits include physical unattractiveness, mental illness (including sociopathy and psychopathy), noticeably lacking in power relative to other characters (if even competent at all), being generally disliked by others or never interacting with them, cowardice, and other unflattering characteristics or personality traits. While characters who can arguably be described as "Anti-Sues" have proved popular in some fiction, especially in modern times (see anti-hero), at other times they may be perceived to be as bad as, or even worse than, "Mary Sues." The "Anti-Sue" is often viewed as merely another cliché stock character, especially if he or she still manages to take the spotlight away from the canon heroes.

Canon-Sue (in fan fiction)

The term "canon-Sue" (also written as canon!Sue) or "Possession Sue" is used to describe canon characters who are changed significantly from their original canon characterization and sometimes even divorced from their original context completely. Such characters are seen as having been heavily idealized to the point of being more of a stand-in for the author's wish fulfillment than being the original canon character.

Characters most frequently labeled "canon-Sues" often develop the typical traits of a Mary Sue with little precedent or explanation, a process sometimes called "sueification." Some examples are the discoveries of tragic pasts and abilities superior to other canon characters, the elimination or romanticization of flaws, and being antagonized by characters disliked by the fan-author while befriended by canon characters liked by the author, or by an original character created by the author.

If the "canon-Sue" deviates enough from the original, it can also be referred to as an act of "canon rape" (also "raping canon," "characterization rape," or "character rape"). The terms are also used when a significant (and disliked) change has been made to the canon world or characters, such as when a former hero is vilified or a usually-chaste canon character is easily seduced by a fan-created "Mary Sue" character.

Canon Sue (in original source)

A "canon Sue" may also refer to a character whose canon portrayal itself is seen as a "Mary Sue," rather than a character who has been altered in fan fiction. Typically, this refers to a character accused of being overly idealized or having other traits traditionally associated with fan fiction "Mary Sues," such as being "special" by having a gratuitously tragic past, unrealistic skills, or a seeming inability for the character to do wrong.

Self-Insert

Self-insertion is used to describe clear (and usually seen as indisputable) cases where the author has directly inserted a version of themselves into the story in lieu of a wholly or even partly original character, generally going so far as to use the same name or pseudonym for character and author. Though some author surrogates have sometimes been thought to "work" in fiction, self-inserts, as a rule, are frequently seen as the most blatant "Mary Sues," especially when heavily idealized. Some online fan fiction archives have a ban on any story which involves self-insertion, especially sites which disallow any fan fiction involving a nonfictional person, such as Fanfiction dot net.

Villain-Sue

Traits of the "Villain-Sue" include replacing, befriending, or being romantically involved with the canon villain, defeating canon characters with ease, having frequent suicidal thoughts (but despite these, not killing herself), being secretly redeemable, having a tragic past that somehow excuses her adult transgressions, and letting the canon characters live when she could kill them—not out of bad qualities such as wanting to see them suffer or taking all of them as prisoners, but because she really isn't that bad.

Sometimes a "Villain-Sue" becomes a hero (usually close to the end of a story), saving the characters from a much worse menace. Once she is a hero, the canon characters rarely question her motives and accept her a member of the group.

Ignore Wikicritter...Wikicritter is an idiot

uh get past the tale crap it's gettin crappy and old

(reprisal)

Mary Sue (sometimes shortened simply to Sue) is a pejorative term for a fictional character who is portrayed in an idealized way and who is generally lacking in any truly noteworthy flaws (or having her flaws romanticized, as is sometimes the case with stories about characters with eating disorders,depression, or other psychological conditions). Characters labeled Mary Sues, as well as the stories they appear in, are generally seen as wish fulfillment fantasies on the part of the author.

Characters most commonly labeled Mary Sues are often characterized by their unusual and dramatic traits and experiences, their similarity to their author or their author's ideal person, and, most especially, the trait of extreme superiority in comparison to other characters.

Those labeled Mary Sues normally have exceptional physical and personal characteristics, including unusual and (typically) tragic backgrounds. They may have uncommon eye or hair colors or come from a race or species which is uncommon or unknown in the story’s setting. They may have exotic names, pets, or possessions, often ones with great perceived mystical or magical significance. As children, they often will have experienced abuse or other hardships that were substantially worse than the abuse or hardship experienced by other characters and often, by many of the people in the real world — though they are often said to seldom if ever display any evidence in personality or behavior of having been traumatized. In adulthood, they are generally portrayed as misunderstood or unfairly persecuted. They are often abandoned as infants or young children, from a famous or infamous family, or related somehow to the author’s favorite character.

They frequently share hobbies, likes and dislikes, and opinions with the author, and may be of the same nationality or age as the author and have similar but more dramatic physical appearances or backgrounds; other times, they may merely have hobbies or features that the author finds exotic, high-class or somehow admirable.

In fan fiction, they often cause things to happen that the author wishes would happen in canon. They usually mock and humiliate characters the author dislikes; if these characters are well-liked in canon they sometimes reveal to the other characters that they are secretly evil. If a character is disliked by most canon characters but liked by the author, the Mary Sue realizes that they are not really bad but merely misunderstood and either explains this to the other characters or becomes the character's sole confidant and friend, if not their redeemer. Mary Sues may bring together characters the author thinks should be romantically involved with one another or become romantically involved with characters to whom the author is attracted.

Characters perceived as Mary Sues almost always have more and better skills than other characters in the story and easily solve problems that stump other characters. Young Mary Sues often have skills or accomplishments that are substantially greater than those of other characters their age and of the majority of people their age in the real world. They are usually presented as more moral than other characters and frequently sacrifice their lives or happiness for the sake of other characters. They often have moral ideas or follow norms that are common in the Western world today but unusual for the setting or perceived setting of the story. They are nearly always exceptionally attractive, with said attractiveness often being described in great detail and typically noticed frequently by the other characters.

Characters said to be Mary Sues are generally heavily praised by the author and especially other characters. If the Mary Sue has flaws or limitations, they are either minor and/or endearing, or yet another hardship for the Sue to overcome (e.g., paraplegia, depression, an eating disorder, or a "passionate" temperament).

Sub-concepts of or relating to "Mary Sue"

"Angsty" Sue

This subconcept of the "Mary Sue" comes in two common variations. The first is a character who is constantly depressed and has an unnecessarily tragic past, frequently involving such things as child abuse, rape, or abandonment of some sort. She often feels guilt for something that happened in the past, even though it is usually not her fault, which gives her the ability to feel bad about something without doing anything wrong. Generally, if she doesn't commit romanticized suicide, then only the love or close friendship of one or more canon characters can convince her that she is not responsible for a tragic or horrific childhood or event that was not truly of her making.

The other version of "Angsty Sue" has a tragic past, but rather than crying about it seeks revenge for what's been done to her family/home village/civilization, etc. She is thrust into the spotlight of the story while doing so. The writer uses her past not merely as a device to gain sympathy, but also to claim moral superiority and justification for her actions; as such, this type of "Angsty Sue" rarely has unnecessary guilt.

Anti-Sue

Some authors make an extreme effort to avoid their character being a "Mary Sue." Such attempts are often referred to as trying to create an "Anti-Sue"; the key difference between a well-developed character and an "Anti-Sue" is that the deficiencies of an "Anti-Sue" are similarly over-the-top as the positive qualities of a "Mary Sue."

"Anti-Sue" traits include physical unattractiveness, mental illness (including sociopathy and psychopathy), noticeably lacking in power relative to other characters (if even competent at all), being generally disliked by others or never interacting with them, cowardice, and other unflattering characteristics or personality traits. While characters who can arguably be described as "Anti-Sues" have proved popular in some fiction, especially in modern times (see anti-hero), at other times they may be perceived to be as bad as, or even worse than, "Mary Sues." The "Anti-Sue" is often viewed as merely another cliché stock character, especially if he or she still manages to take the spotlight away from the canon heroes.

Canon-Sue (in fan fiction)

The term "canon-Sue" (also written as canon!Sue) or "Possession Sue" is used to describe canon characters who are changed significantly from their original canon characterization and sometimes even divorced from their original context completely. Such characters are seen as having been heavily idealized to the point of being more of a stand-in for the author's wish fulfillment than being the original canon character.

Characters most frequently labeled "canon-Sues" often develop the typical traits of a Mary Sue with little precedent or explanation, a process sometimes called "sueification." Some examples are the discoveries of tragic pasts and abilities superior to other canon characters, the elimination or romanticization of flaws, and being antagonized by characters disliked by the fan-author while befriended by canon characters liked by the author, or by an original character created by the author.

If the "canon-Sue" deviates enough from the original, it can also be referred to as an act of "canon rape" (also "raping canon," "characterization rape," or "character rape"). The terms are also used when a significant (and disliked) change has been made to the canon world or characters, such as when a former hero is vilified or a usually-chaste canon character is easily seduced by a fan-created "Mary Sue" character.

Canon Sue (in original source)

A "canon Sue" may also refer to a character whose canon portrayal itself is seen as a "Mary Sue," rather than a character who has been altered in fan fiction. Typically, this refers to a character accused of being overly idealized or having other traits traditionally associated with fan fiction "Mary Sues," such as being "special" by having a gratuitously tragic past, unrealistic skills, or a seeming inability for the character to do wrong.

Self-Insert

Self-insertion is used to describe clear (and usually seen as indisputable) cases where the author has directly inserted a version of themselves into the story in lieu of a wholly or even partly original character, generally going so far as to use the same name or pseudonym for character and author. Though some author surrogates have sometimes been thought to "work" in fiction, self-inserts, as a rule, are frequently seen as the most blatant "Mary Sues," especially when heavily idealized. Some online fan fiction archives have a ban on any story which involves self-insertion, especially sites which disallow any fan fiction involving a nonfictional person, such as Fanfiction dot net.

Villain-Sue

Traits of the "Villain-Sue" include replacing, befriending, or being romantically involved with the canon villain, defeating canon characters with ease, having frequent suicidal thoughts (but despite these, not killing herself), being secretly redeemable, having a tragic past that somehow excuses her adult transgressions, and letting the canon characters live when she could kill them—not out of bad qualities such as wanting to see them suffer or taking all of them as prisoners, but because she really isn't that bad.

Sometimes a "Villain-Sue" becomes a hero (usually close to the end of a story), saving the characters from a much worse menace. Once she is a hero, the canon characters rarely question her motives and accept her a member of the group.

Flaming is the act of sending or posting messages that are deliberately hostile and insulting, usually in the social context of a discussion board on the Internet. Such messages are called flames, and are sometimes posted in response to flamebait. Flaming is said by some to be one of a class of economic problems known as The Tragedy of the Commons, when a group holds a resource (in this case, communal attention), but each of the individual members has an incentive to overuse it. Flamers usually call their flames justified attacks.

Although the trading of insults is as old as human speech, flaming on the Internet, like many other online 'actions,' started in the Usenet hierarchies (although it was known to occur in the WWIVnet and FidoNet computer networks as well). A flame may have elements of a normal message, but is distinguished by its intent. A flame is typically not intended to be constructive, to further clarify a discussion, or to persuade other people. The motive for flaming is often not dialectic, but rather social or psychological. Sometimes, flamers are attempting to assert their authority, or establish a position of superiority. Other times, the flamer is simply a closed-minded or biased individual whose conviction that his is the only valid opinion leads him to personally attack any "dissenters." Occasionally, flamers wish to upset and offend other members of the forum, in which case they are trolls. Most often however, flames are angry or insulting messages transmitted by people who have strong feelings about a subject. Finally, some consider flaming to be a great way to let off steam, though the receiving party may be less than pleased.

Similarly, a normal, non-flame message may have elements of a flame -- it may be hostile, for example -- but it is not a flame if it is seriously intended to advance the discussion.

The word flaming is also sometimes used for long, intensive and heated discussions, even though insults do not occur.

It is noted that Internet users are more likely to flame online than insult others in the real world, as the latter can lead to embarrassment and physical altercations, which online "anonymity" can avoid. However, others urge against flaming, citing that people on the other side "have feelings too."

A common way to start any kind of flaming is mini-modding. Mini-modding is the practice of posting authoritatively as though one holds the power of a message board or system moderator, when he or she is not.

A flame war is a series of flaming messages in electronic discussion groups such as usenet, mailing lists or internet forums. There are a number of characteristics of electronic communication which have been cited as being conducive to flame wars. Electronic communications do not easily transmit facial expressions or voice intonations which may serve to moderate the tone of a message. (However, some users may add on smileys (e.g. ;), or :), or =)) to lessen the sting of a negative post, or to clarify the meaning behind a post.) Also, there is typically a lag time between the time a message is transmitted and the time a reply is read. These two characteristics can cause a "positive feedback loop" in which the emotional intensity of an electronic exchange increases to extremely high levels. Many times, the intent of a message is misunderstood, causing an unintentional flame war. These tend to escalate and worsen very quickly, sometimes causing the topic in which the reply is submitted to be closed, or "locked."

Alternatively, flame wars may be instigated deliberately by Internet trolls.

Flame Reviews are often used to insult the creator of a product (eg. a game, a story, or a video), but are particularly common on, but not restricted to, sites with poor review monitoring techniques. Since they are difficult to respond to, they rarely burst into prolonged online arguments, although they are both annoying and hurtful; two specific qualities required for a Flame.

Flame Reviews are often confused with Non-Constructive Criticism. While Non-Constructive Criticism is often painfully blunt, rude and sometimes insulting, it never attacks the creator themselves, only the product. In other words, the review is not made with malicious intent. The review may or may not be anonymous, because the reviewer rarely believes that they have actually said anything hurtful and so are not afraid of retribution.

Flame Reviews on the other hand, involve deeply personal attacks, often regarding the creator's sexuality, intelligence, choice of fandom, family or friends, with random cursing thrown in. They are, whenever possible, written anonymously and are intentionally insulting. If there is any reference to the product, it will be used to insult the creator (eg: "How stupid are you to have written this awful trash?"). A popular stereotype of a Flame Review is that it is badly spelt, typed in All Caps and contains either excessive punctuation or no punctuation at all, but this is not compulsory.

Flame Reviews and Non-Constructive Criticism are usually only confused when the creator has not actually ever received a genuine Flame. They are in fact very different and can be told apart on sight.

Constructive criticism (often shortened to 'CC' or 'concrit') is the process of offering valid and well-reasoned opinions about the work of others, usually involving both positive and negative comments, in a friendly manner rather than an oppositional one. In collaborative work, this kind of criticism is often a valuable tool in raising and maintaining performance standards.

Because of the overuse of negative, nagging criticism, some people become defensive even when receiving constructive criticism given in a spirit of good will. Constructive criticism is more likely to be accepted if the criticism is focused on the recipient's work or behavior. That is, personality issues must be avoided as much as is possible. Critical thinking can help identify relevant issues to focus on.

Especially sensitive individuals may adopt a passive, defeated attitude if they view a situation as personal, pervasive, or permanent (see learned helplessness). Others may adopt an aggressive response. In an online forum lacking face-to-face contact, constructive criticism can be easily misinterpreted and online exchanges often spiral out of control, becoming flamewars. Effective interpersonal communication skills can be helpful to assess the recipient's frame of mind. During initial exchanges or when encountering defensive individuals, effective criticism calls for softer language and inclusion of positive comments. When the recipient strongly identifies with contentious areas , non-offensive criticism becomes challenging.

On the other hand, stronger language can sometimes break through a defensive shell. Further, many people (both as providers and even recipients of criticism) appreciate a blunt style. They see bluntness as honest and efficient while viewing softer approaches as manipulative, condescending, tedious, or confining. Often, such people view stronger exchanges as lively and engaging.

Adopting the most effective style of criticism should be tempered by the cultural context, the recipient's personality, and nature of the relationship between provider and recipient. To assess a situation, one should put out exploratory feelers and initially adopt a perceptive rather than judgmental attitude.

As a recipient of criticism, one can benefit by focusing on the constructive elements of the criticism and by attributing charitable interpretations to those who use strong language. By adopting an open attitude to criticism, one may achieve greater personal development and help uncover blind spots. Alternatively, such openness may be subjected to ridicule especially in a cynical or honor-based culture.

I think I threw up the last of muh anti-freeze becauase of this fic.

What Wikicritter said, plus;

Here’s th' checklist:
Spell check be useful.
Capitals be required f'r certain things. DO NOT ABUSE TH' FRACKIN' CAPSLOCK!
Fire yer Beta.
Tis a Sue! (Plasma Axes it)
POV Changes are not done like that! Ya Git! (Only Applies to POV Stories)
Grammar... Ouch.
One-liners belon' at tha pub, bar, club. Not in fics!
Punctuation; mandatory.
Full words are required. Slang only belongs in da speech!
Imagery is useful for writing something semi-decent!
Space bar is useful.
Enter Key is also as useful as the space bar.
Get ah writer’s reference guide! (Throws it at your head)

its very good, i think its about time another of the Chosen got a boy toy =]
Dana

Yes it was gushy...but not bad! I like it. btw im not ur pet and u know it!

Its very good, i started reading this one under another name, them when i made a new one i kinda forogt about it for a while *grins sheepishly* then i remebered it and was like "Oh, i womder what went on with that story?" so today i went and looked at it and remebered why i loved this story so much, its really good as always and i cant wait to see (well read about) how Zuko and the rest react to Gus' news =]
Dana

Mary Sue (sometimes shortened simply to Sue) is a pejorative term for a fictional character who is portrayed in an idealized way and who is generally lacking in any truly noteworthy flaws (or having her flaws romanticized, as is sometimes the case with stories about characters with eating disorders,depression, or other psychological conditions). Characters labeled Mary Sues, as well as the stories they appear in, are generally seen as wish fulfillment fantasies on the part of the author.

Characters most commonly labeled Mary Sues are often characterized by their unusual and dramatic traits and experiences, their similarity to their author or their author's ideal person, and, most especially, the trait of extreme superiority in comparison to other characters.

Those labeled Mary Sues normally have exceptional physical and personal characteristics, including unusual and (typically) tragic backgrounds. They may have uncommon eye or hair colors or come from a race or species which is uncommon or unknown in the story’s setting. They may have exotic names, pets, or possessions, often ones with great perceived mystical or magical significance. As children, they often will have experienced abuse or other hardships that were substantially worse than the abuse or hardship experienced by other characters and often, by many of the people in the real world — though they are often said to seldom if ever display any evidence in personality or behavior of having been traumatized. In adulthood, they are generally portrayed as misunderstood or unfairly persecuted. They are often abandoned as infants or young children, from a famous or infamous family, or related somehow to the author’s favorite character.

They frequently share hobbies, likes and dislikes, and opinions with the author, and may be of the same nationality or age as the author and have similar but more dramatic physical appearances or backgrounds; other times, they may merely have hobbies or features that the author finds exotic, high-class or somehow admirable.

In fan fiction, they often cause things to happen that the author wishes would happen in canon. They usually mock and humiliate characters the author dislikes; if these characters are well-liked in canon they sometimes reveal to the other characters that they are secretly evil. If a character is disliked by most canon characters but liked by the author, the Mary Sue realizes that they are not really bad but merely misunderstood and either explains this to the other characters or becomes the character's sole confidant and friend, if not their redeemer. Mary Sues may bring together characters the author thinks should be romantically involved with one another or become romantically involved with characters to whom the author is attracted.

Characters perceived as Mary Sues almost always have more and better skills than other characters in the story and easily solve problems that stump other characters. Young Mary Sues often have skills or accomplishments that are substantially greater than those of other characters their age and of the majority of people their age in the real world. They are usually presented as more moral than other characters and frequently sacrifice their lives or happiness for the sake of other characters. They often have moral ideas or follow norms that are common in the Western world today but unusual for the setting or perceived setting of the story. They are nearly always exceptionally attractive, with said attractiveness often being described in great detail and typically noticed frequently by the other characters.

Characters said to be Mary Sues are generally heavily praised by the author and especially other characters. If the Mary Sue has flaws or limitations, they are either minor and/or endearing, or yet another hardship for the Sue to overcome (e.g., paraplegia, depression, an eating disorder, or a "passionate" temperament).

Sub-concepts of or relating to "Mary Sue"

"Angsty" Sue

This subconcept of the "Mary Sue" comes in two common variations. The first is a character who is constantly depressed and has an unnecessarily tragic past, frequently involving such things as child abuse, rape, or abandonment of some sort. She often feels guilt for something that happened in the past, even though it is usually not her fault, which gives her the ability to feel bad about something without doing anything wrong. Generally, if she doesn't commit romanticized suicide, then only the love or close friendship of one or more canon characters can convince her that she is not responsible for a tragic or horrific childhood or event that was not truly of her making.

The other version of "Angsty Sue" has a tragic past, but rather than crying about it seeks revenge for what's been done to her family/home village/civilization, etc. She is thrust into the spotlight of the story while doing so. The writer uses her past not merely as a device to gain sympathy, but also to claim moral superiority and justification for her actions; as such, this type of "Angsty Sue" rarely has unnecessary guilt.

Anti-Sue

Some authors make an extreme effort to avoid their character being a "Mary Sue." Such attempts are often referred to as trying to create an "Anti-Sue"; the key difference between a well-developed character and an "Anti-Sue" is that the deficiencies of an "Anti-Sue" are similarly over-the-top as the positive qualities of a "Mary Sue."

"Anti-Sue" traits include physical unattractiveness, mental illness (including sociopathy and psychopathy), noticeably lacking in power relative to other characters (if even competent at all), being generally disliked by others or never interacting with them, cowardice, and other unflattering characteristics or personality traits. While characters who can arguably be described as "Anti-Sues" have proved popular in some fiction, especially in modern times (see anti-hero), at other times they may be perceived to be as bad as, or even worse than, "Mary Sues." The "Anti-Sue" is often viewed as merely another cliché stock character, especially if he or she still manages to take the spotlight away from the canon heroes.

Canon-Sue (in fan fiction)

The term "canon-Sue" (also written as canon!Sue) or "Possession Sue" is used to describe canon characters who are changed significantly from their original canon characterization and sometimes even divorced from their original context completely. Such characters are seen as having been heavily idealized to the point of being more of a stand-in for the author's wish fulfillment than being the original canon character.

Characters most frequently labeled "canon-Sues" often develop the typical traits of a Mary Sue with little precedent or explanation, a process sometimes called "sueification." Some examples are the discoveries of tragic pasts and abilities superior to other canon characters, the elimination or romanticization of flaws, and being antagonized by characters disliked by the fan-author while befriended by canon characters liked by the author, or by an original character created by the author.

If the "canon-Sue" deviates enough from the original, it can also be referred to as an act of "canon rape" (also "raping canon," "characterization rape," or "character rape"). The terms are also used when a significant (and disliked) change has been made to the canon world or characters, such as when a former hero is vilified or a usually-chaste canon character is easily seduced by a fan-created "Mary Sue" character.

Canon Sue (in original source)

A "canon Sue" may also refer to a character whose canon portrayal itself is seen as a "Mary Sue," rather than a character who has been altered in fan fiction. Typically, this refers to a character accused of being overly idealized or having other traits traditionally associated with fan fiction "Mary Sues," such as being "special" by having a gratuitously tragic past, unrealistic skills, or a seeming inability for the character to do wrong.

Self-Insert

Self-insertion is used to describe clear (and usually seen as indisputable) cases where the author has directly inserted a version of themselves into the story in lieu of a wholly or even partly original character, generally going so far as to use the same name or pseudonym for character and author. Though some author surrogates have sometimes been thought to "work" in fiction, self-inserts, as a rule, are frequently seen as the most blatant "Mary Sues," especially when heavily idealized. Some online fan fiction archives have a ban on any story which involves self-insertion, especially sites which disallow any fan fiction involving a nonfictional person, such as Fanfiction dot net.

Villain-Sue

Traits of the "Villain-Sue" include replacing, befriending, or being romantically involved with the canon villain, defeating canon characters with ease, having frequent suicidal thoughts (but despite these, not killing herself), being secretly redeemable, having a tragic past that somehow excuses her adult transgressions, and letting the canon characters live when she could kill them—not out of bad qualities such as wanting to see them suffer or taking all of them as prisoners, but because she really isn't that bad.

Sometimes a "Villain-Sue" becomes a hero (usually close to the end of a story), saving the characters from a much worse menace. Once she is a hero, the canon characters rarely question her motives and accept her a member of the group.

Tests

Tests known as "Mary Sue Litmus Tests" have been written to help writers (especially inexperienced ones) gauge whether or not their character is a Mary Sue, as well as bring the Mary Sue concept to writers' attentions. These tests list traits commonly associated with "Mary Sues," and matching more traits results in a higher score. Once the score is high enough, the character is said to be a likely "Mary Sue." Most tests include a disclaimer noting that even characters with extremely high scores can be executed well enough not to be considered a Mary Sue, and that the test is primarily meant as a guide for better characterization.