Please note: None of the below are actually unanimous disqualifiers. People have fought for, and gotten in, some characters that had at least one of these characteristics. These are just some general guidelines that make it easy to argue more expediently.

An Unattainable is often determined by what he or she is _not_. We have a couple of "standard" tests to see if someone doesn't qualify as an Un.

a) The Boyscout: Is the applicant a Dudley Doright, a Superman, a Captain America, a crusader of the first rank? Forget it. This clean-cut standard of justice is not nearly complex enough for our Unattainables.

b) The Slutpuppy: Cassanova, James Bond, the guy who gets the girl? Sorry, try again. :) Our Uns rarely have open romantic or emotional attachments, nor do they sleep around. They will not usually be susceptible to girl-bait. There are specific exceptions to the "no romance" rule, as explained in the next paragraph.

Uns tend to be shy, repressed, or simply withdrawn with the opposite sex. Very occasionally they are brought out of their shell and become attracted to someone, but they usually fight it or refuse to express it openly (Marcus Cole and Susan Ivanova, Babylon5). They may also be extremely attractive to another character, but not return the interest. They tend towards a near or total lack of headboard-rattlin' scenes, *sigh* but may have the brief grand affair of the heart from time to time (Methos and Alexa, Highlander). These affairs tend to end tragically and/or far too soon, adding to the Unattainable's withdrawal and air of mystery. Once they get engaged or married, someone has definitely attained them, however if that person dies tragically, then they could regain their unattainable status. (We have some characters on the list defined as "Unattainable until the end of this book where the author marries them off.")

c) Too Detached: This can be a hard one to prove, but very occasionally a character honestly will not need anyone or anything. The character of Evil in Time Bandits or of Death in many stories fails this test. It just is, it doesn't need you or anyone. A flawlessly detached character can be cool, but it's still not Un.

d) Too Hot: Q, Wolverine. Temper problems? Unattainables are *cool* characters. Even when they get angry, they don't tend toward yelling about it, and if they blow something up they do it quietly with a small smile. When an Unattainable loses his or her cool, everyone should be frightened, because someone is going to get hurt.

In the end, there can be only one. Oh, sorry, wrong bit. In the end, all these things are headed in the same direction. What we enjoy about Uns is their emotional and motivational complexity. If all motivations are right there on the surface, they probably don't go on the list.

To make this process a little simpler and to avoid repeat nominations of potential Uns, we have complied a listing of nominees who were Disqualified.

That's all, off you go then! Have fun nominating!