Samantha Carter: Mary Sue or Role Model?

[campylobacter]

In the same mimetic vein as the entry posted by fanfic author & friend lolmac Looking for Daniel in all the right places wherein she asks for advice from "ardent Jacksonians" about how to write Daniel, and what's good or bad in the way he's depicted in canon & in fanfic, I'm asking the Samantha-stans, Carter-istas, Sam-fanatics & Stargate fans on my F-List (anons, too!):

How do you write Sam Carter in character?

I've been STUCK on TWO fan fiction stories in which I can't resist writing from this amazing military astrophysicist's PoV, but am having major anxiety that I might get her wrong.

1. What is it about Sam that you love?
2. What makes you squee?
3. What do you most love to see her do?
4. What are the elements of a Sam story that you love the most?
5. What do you really like seeing her do in fic? On the show? Both?
6. What is the most epic of Sam WIN?
7. What annoys and pisses you off when you see it in fan fiction?
8. What are the stupid/shallow/careless misinterpretations of Sam that must be avoided?
9. What qualifies as Sam!Fail?
10. Any other pointers, tips, criticisms, & pet peeves also welcome!

RELATED: Meta: The Evolution of Samantha Carter (or Why I Love Sam) by rachel500
http://rachel500.livejournal.com/165064.html

Comments

Re: Sausage fest.

[gingasaur.livejournal.com]

All I meant by "she's not Einstein" is that she doesn't have the answers to Every Single Problem and it's tiring to continue to see her dismissed for being god-level smart when she's not. If Sam ends up having some magical solution to a problem a couple of episodes in a row, that's called lazy writing. Blame the writers and move on.

they're just the kind of flaws that are easy to miss if you're only focused on Jack & Daniel's penises.

Basically. People make it clear they're perfectly capable of filling in the blanks and rationalizing how something can work and looking for the subtext of the things they're interested in. They're just not interested in trying that for Sam.

Sam hasn't died as often as Daniel. *sporfle*

Yeah, but AU Sams! They drop every minute.

Thanks for playing. :D

Yay, thanks for posting! I love a good barf of Sam feelings.