Sue

Sue
Sue
Gender	Female
Age	17
Birthday	January 4, 1992
Grade	Junior as of Table for One
Species	Cat
Breed	European Burmese
Family	Sue's mom (mother);
Debut	Unfit for Education, page 3; May 12, 2006

Sue is a major character in Bittersweet Candy Bowl. A girl who works behind the scenes, Sue's interest in the dramatic doesn't necessarily extend to her social life (or does it)?

Personality

Sue is what you get when you combine a theater kid's drama, a student council president's ambition, and a dungeon master's strategic mind into one unstoppable force of nature. She's the friend who shows up to a group project with color-coded binders and enough enthusiasm to power a small city. While her take-charge attitude and tendency to meddle in others' affairs (especially anything involving Mike and Lucy) can sometimes rub people the wrong way, it all comes from a genuine desire to help... even if her methods resemble a bull in an emotional china shop.

Beneath her confident exterior lies a surprising vulnerability. Sue struggles with feeling like an outsider, particularly when her geeky interests clash with her social aspirations. But that's what makes Sue so endearing - she's an overachiever who doesn't always achieve, a matchmaker whose own love life is a work in progress, and a natural leader who sometimes needs to be reminded that not everything needs her direction. Her fierce loyalty to her friends and unwavering sense of justice make her the person you want in your corner when things get tough, even if she might accidentally turn your simple problem into an elaborate five-act play.

Appearance

Sue is a European Burmese cat with tan fur, brown eyes, and a long tail. While she occasionally wears clothes, she is always sporting a mistletoe necklace.

In the Volume One version of the comic, middle-school Sue wears a single-bead necklace, and her hair has not grown out. In the Omnibus version, Sue keeps this necklace, but she has straight hair cut into a bobbed hairstyle. She first wears the iconic mistletoe necklace in Feline Festivities, and has traded her old necklace for the mistletoe necklace by Under Pressure.

During the Silvershore arc, Sue's blunt haircut starts to grow out into a fluffier bobbed hairstyle, and by her sophomore year, Sue's hair grows out into her recognizable long hairstyle.

Significant Events

Sue is an ambitious writer, penning a school play that she holds auditions for. She's very passionate about the project, working hard to craft the perfect script.^[1] Despite her writing skills, Sue struggles with stage fright and public speaking. When introducing her play to the school, she has trouble maintaining her energy and confidence.^[2]
Sue once ran for school vice president against Abbey. When Abbey went full "zero tolerance" mode about bullying, Sue was appalled and straight-up called his approach "fascist" ^[3] .
Sue is an avid gamer, playing an MMORPG with her friend Stacy. She's very invested in the game, eagerly planning guild events and activities.^[4] Despite being mocked as a "loser" and a "geek" by some of the more popular girls, Sue is determined to prove them wrong. She even tries out for the cheerleading squad in an attempt to boost her social status.^[5]
Sue starts a club for neglected background characters, hoping to give them a voice. This shows her desire for attention and recognition. However, the club quickly spirals out of her control, leading to an angry mob. Sue realizes her jealousy drove her to make poor decisions. [Chapter 36.1]

Master manipulator alert: She somehow convinced McCain to join the school trip just to even out the numbers. Never underestimate Sue's powers of persuasion!^[6]
On a group trip, Sue takes charge after Mike and Lucy fall from a collapsing land bridge. She keeps the group focused on finding help and prevents further dangerous antics. This highlights Sue's leadership skills in a crisis.^[7]

Major Relationships

Amaya

Amaya is Sue's longtime best friend. A silent and proud support, Amaya and Sue share a lot in common - SwordsVale, theater, garage sale hopping(ref), and more. Even though Amaya chooses to be mute, Sue is able to communicate with her regardless; when asked how the two of them even chat, Sue responds "She's far more fun than you'll ever be."(ref) She's even willing to step aside to let Amaya have Mike back when he was a hot button item(ref). Now that's what I call friendship!

Lucy

Lucy and Sue's friendship is the kind that survives everything - including Sue's well-intentioned, yet often disastrous, attempts to "help." Whether she's offering a shoulder to cry on after the bridge incident ^[8], trying to play matchmaker through questionable casting decisions ^[9], or even taking Lucy out to trick or treat(ref), Sue's always there for Lucy, even if her methods are... creative. Their bond only grows stronger after Lucy returns from private school, proving that sometimes the best friends are the ones who stick around even when things get messy ^[3].

Mike

Sue's relationship with Mike is like trying to help a friend who insists they don't need directions: frustrating, but ultimately coming from a place of care. She's there searching frantically when he falls from the bridge.^[10] , but also isn't afraid to call him out when he's being difficult about his relationship drama ^[11]. Classic Sue - always trying to fix things, even when Mike won't make it easy. She was one of the many girls who once harbored feelings for Mike, but the thought alone now is horrifying to her(ref).

Daisy

These Girlies Be Hanging Out

Paulo

Sue and Paulo have a contentious relationship, with Paulo often mocking and antagonizing her. In "Casting Call", Paulo interrupts Sue's play rehearsal to ridicule her efforts and the group's dedication to the project.^[2] When Sue is hurt by Stacy ignoring her in "Popularity Contest", Paulo takes the opportunity to further insult her, calling her a "loser."^[12] Despite their friction, they coexist within the same friend group, as seen during Lucy's surprise party planning ^[13] .

Minor Relationships

Stacy

Picture this: two best friends united by their love of virtual dragon-slaying in SwordsVale, torn apart by the age-old enemy of genuine friendship - high school politics.^[4] When Stacy starts playing the popularity game and leaves Sue hanging, it hits harder than a critical hit in their favorite MMORPG.^[14] But here's the thing about real friendship - it can survive a few failed saving throws. Through some honest conversations and genuine soul-searching, these two manage to find their way back to each other without having to sacrifice who they are ^[15] .

Jessica and Rachel

In a surprising twist that breaks every teen movie stereotype ever, when Sue tries out for cheerleading, Jessica and Rachel actually turn out to be... nice? While Katie's busy playing the "you can't sit with us" card, these two welcome Sue with open arms, proving that sometimes the popular crowd can surprise you ^[8] .

McCain

Sue and McCain share a close bond, with McCain often acting as a voice of reason and support for Sue. In "Out of the Frame", they share a moment of vulnerability and mutual understanding, hinting at a growing romantic connection.^[2] He's there to offer support when her grand plans inevitably go sideways ^[10] , and there's definitely something brewing between these two, though Sue doesn't care to admit it(ref).

Sue and McCain were being set up to date without anyone in the main cast noticing! As the comic evolved, McCain's gimmick stuck out like a sore thumb, and he was relegated to minor appearances to keep him in readers' memory in order to deliver the punchline. Demands on why McCain was rarely present, however, led to the relationship's end and McCain's departure from the comic. This is referenced in Everyday Life, where Sue mentions breaking up with her boyfriend over the summer (ref).

Augustus

Susan and the Creepnado

Gallery

Appearances by Volume

Sue in the Omnibus 1 version of Out of the Frame.
Sue in the Omnibus 1 version of Casting Call.
Sue in the Volume Four chapter Curtain Call.
Sue in the Volume Five chapter Local Area.
Sue in the Volume Six chapter Model Girlfriend.
Sue in the Volume Seven chapter Unwanted Gift.

Outfits

Sue's outfit in Feline Festivities.
Sue dressed as Ema Skye in Mischief Night.
Sue in pajamas in Pillow Talk.
Sue's outfit in At Loose Ends.
Sue's outfit in Happy Hour.
Sue cosplaying her SwordsVale character in Guest of Honor.
Sue dressed as Carmen Sandiego in Witch Hunt.
Sue wearing the Roseville High cheerleader uniform in Popularity Contest.

Trivia

Sue's full name is Susan, a name she's never referred to besides by her mother</ref> and McCain when he's trying to be serious with her ^[14] .
Sue was originally created in 2000, making her one of the few characters that predates modern Bittersweet Candy Bowl.
Despite her go-getter attitude and love for theater, Sue still seems undecided about future careers.
Around the Volume Four era of Bittersweet Candy Bowl, Sue seems particularly interested in developments between Mike and Paulo. It would seem her interest has weaned the more it's developed.
In the Bittersweet Candy Bowl popularity poll, Sue ranked 9th in 2021, 10th in 2022, and 8th in 2023.

Sue

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