They're literally everywhere, even in literature, films, and so on. Therefore, I refuse to apply the term to any characters of any universe or any series anywhere anymore. I know some still qualify (Keira, Bella, Lucrecia, Dr. Manhattan, etc.) but unless they are just OMIGOSHSUESOHNOES, I will have no further say.

I struggled so hard to keep my original characters for my original novels away from Sue/Stu-ness that it got ridiculous. I can't currently even write OCs for established fandoms because I am so tired of "oh, see? She can wield a blade almost as well as Zack, she's a SOLDIER, therefore she's a SUE!" And that female character is a SOLDIER character I want to show to the online community, but I feel as though I can't, because she will be most likely pointed out as a Sue. Even though I took great pains to do otherwise with her.

I found out that some people consider the Master Chief a Stu, Lara Croft a Sue, and so. Okay, so one's a cybernetically augmented super-soldier, one's a aristocrat. They both have reasons why they can do what they do, and besides, that doesn't mean they're perfect. Lara has done stupid things in her time, after all. Sorry, had to get that out of the way.

Is anyone else tired of the Sue Crusades? I know I am. Not every OC is a Sue/Stu, people. There are some fantastic authors who write OCs and are being ignored because the summary happens to say "OC" somewhere in it. And it's not just flaws that make a character, it's how he/she deals with those flaws. I haven't been writing since I was four to not have anything to say about original characters, folks (some of my earliest female characters had "long flowing hair and crystal blue/violet/green/pick-a-freaking-color eyes". Simply atrocious).

What started this rant? I came across YET ANOTHER Sue/Stu thread and realized how ridiculous people will get, and it is becoming very tiresome. I know we're all tired of Sues/Stus swamping our favorite fandoms, but go after the ones who really ARE those types of characters.

I can't come up with anything unique for my stories because I'm afraid of Sues/Stus. I'm even beginning to see the main character in James Cameron's "Avatar" as a freaking Stu now. That's how bad it is. It's gone on long enough, it's gone FAR enough, and I think everyone's sick of it.

Please stop the Sue Crusades. It hurts the real writers.

Thanks for reading.