Original by Melissa Wilson

Adapted by Aralanthiriel

Summary: Want to avoid boring your readers to death with yet another boring Mary-Sue Lord of the Rings fanfic? Take this test to find out!

*Note: This is *not* a direct attack on any particular author/fanfic. In fact, most of this was written by Melissa Wilson before most of the LOTR fanfics here were even written. I have simply adapted it so it would suit the LOTR fanfics better.

This test will mainly work for female original characters.

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]

Is the character's name an Elvish version of your real name/Your Elvish name? [5]

Is the character's name some deviation on the name of an already-established character? [1]

Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common name or word? [1]

Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had? [1]

Does the character have more than one name? (i.e. a nickname or a pseudonym that other you 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]?

Is the character the same gender as you? [1]

Is the character an elf/half-elf? [5]

Is the character not subject to limitations normally put upon someone of this species (e.g. immortal humans)? [4]

Is the character a teenager or in her early twenties? [1]

Is the character an immortal elf who looks like she is in her early twenties? [2]

Is the character the age you would like to be? [1]

Is the character incredibly beautiful? [1]
- With just one tiny flaw that isn't really a flaw [1]
- No matter what happens (battle, torture), do they remain beautiful anyways? [1]
- Is their beauty unsurpassed (even by Arwen, Galadriel, etc.)? [5]
- Is the character renowned for their beauty? [3]

Does the character have skin which is dramatically pale, dusky or golden? [1]

Does one or more LOTR regulars find the character incredibly attractive? [2]
- Are all the female characters immediately envious? [1]

Does the character have an unusual eye color for no apparent reason?[3]
- Do the eyes flash/change colour? [1]
- 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 a distinctive, pleasant smell to them? [1]

Does the character wear beautiful, flowing gowns/robes? [1]

Is the character the long-lost child/descendent/sibling/relative of a LOTR regular? [5]

Was the character adopted or did she otherwise live with people who were not her parents as a child? [1]
- Was the character an elf raised by humans or vice versa? [2]

Is the character a member or a friend of a hitherto unknown species/group? [1]
- And is the last surviving member of that group? [1]

Did the character have a tragic youth? [3]
- Did it involve rape/sexual abuse? [1]
- Was the tragic youth due to Sauron/Orcs? [1]
    - Was the character the sole survivor after an Orc attack? [1]
    - Is the character now motivated by revenge? [1]

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]

Is the character royalty of any type? [3]
- That she/he does not originally know about? [3]

Does the character have a dark past/secret? [2]
- Does love eventually overcome the character's evil side? [5]

Is the character from the modern era, magically transported to Middle-Earth? [10]

Does the character have a very good singing voice? [2]
- Do even the elves find her voice enchanting? [5]
- Or maybe the character is not so good at singing, but everyone else finds this endearing anyways? [1]

Does everyone end up liking your character? [1]

Do LOTR regulars act out of character just to make the character look good? For example, Legolas acting clumsy/drooling over the character. [5]

Does everyone laugh at the character's jokes/wisecracks? [1]

Is the character incredibly wise? [1]
- Wiser than Gandalf, Ancient Elves, etc.? [1]
- Does she dispense sage advice? [2]

Does the character have telekinesis/psychic powers? [1]
- Are those powers unknown? [2]

Does the character have healing powers? [1]
- But the character is not an elf/elf-related? [2]

Do animals (especially fuzzy ones) instinctively like the character? [1]
- Do plants/trees like the character as well? [1]
- Can the character talk to animals/plants? [1]
- But the character is not an elf/elf-related? [5]

Does the character have amazing skills? [1]
- Are those skills better than the LOTR regulars' skills? (For example, someone who is better at archery than Legolas) [2]
- Does the character use those skills to save a LOTR regular? [5]

Can the character mysteriously know exactly what the LOTR regulars are thinking? [2]

Does the character somehow save Middle-Earth? [5]
- The character saves Middle-Earth when many others have failed? [10]
- Dies saving Middle-Earth? [5]
    - Is heavily mourned afterward? [1]

Does the character have a special weapon? [1]

Can the character speak Elvish (Quenya or Sindarin or some other dialect)? [2]

Can the character speak many languages of Middle-Earth? [2]

Can the character learn new skills very quickly? [1]

Does more than one LOTR regular fight for the affection of the character? [5]

Does the character fall in love with and/or have sex with Legolas/Some other character? [5]
- Because you want to have sex with Legolas/Some other character? [1]

Is the character a long-lost LOVE of one of the LOTR regulars? [3]

Does the story end with the character's wedding? [2]
- Is the wedding attended by many LOTR regulars? [1]

Does the character give up her love for some noble, high purpose? [5]

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]
- Are you getting incredibly offended at what I'm saying right now already? [3]

Do you ever pretend, just to yourself, that you are the character, with the same strengths and abilities? [1]

Do you introduce the character on the first page of the story? [2]
- Is the introduction lengthy (longer than 1 paragraph)? [1]
- Does the introduction consist mainly of physical descriptions? [1]

Do you tell the story from the character's point of view, all or mostly?[1]

Does the character somehow manage to change another character completely? [2]

Does the character hold a "key" or have important information that drastically impacts the fate of Middle-Earth? [5]

Can the character do no wrong? [1]

Does everyone in the fanfic immediately worry about the character when something happens? [1]
- Is it needless worry? [1]

Do you plan to write many more stories revolving around this character? [1]
 

Total Points: approx. 215