I know for sure at one point in this thread that the light element can’t work as a Pokémon type due to overlaps.
But if there is one thing that I may want to be clear, is that I am not sold at all with the whole “Fairy = Light” argument, at least not in appearances.
An issue I have with this argument is that it’s not at all consistent about this aspect. While moves like Moonlight, Light of Ruin, Dazzling Gleam and Geomancy uses light, other moves like Draining Kiss, Play Rough, Spirit Break, Disarming Voice, Charm, Fairy Wind and Nature’s Madness don’t feel like light is involved in those.
Doesn’t help that the icon of Pokémon GO until Sword and Shield, where Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl depict the type icon instead portrays a pair of wings with two feet, not unlike a fairy. The Gen 8 icon can be misleading due to new players potentially mistaking it for the “light-type” despite Fairy having heavier emphasis on the fae and magical folklores.
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(Source: Bulbapedia, Fairy (type))
If the fae and the light are two main elements of Fairy-type, light-based Pokémon like Xurkitree, Volbeat, Watchog, the Light trio (Solgaleo, Lunala and Necrozma, over Psychic), the Shinx line, and others will have the type by this logic, but that is not the case. Aspects of light are also present in various types, which I’ll say is a better argument why a Light-type would be better off as akin to sound.
- Fairy represents magical light, like in the mentioned moves.
- Grass and Fire use and produce natural light with Solar Beam + Solar Blade in Grass’ case.
- Electric can produce both natural and artifical light, and is related to light but too distinct to work as two elements in one.
- Psychic have an inconsistent but nonetheless notable use of cosmic or supernatural light, especially prominant with the aforementioned Light trio.
- Ghost also plays with supernatural light via Confuse Ray.
- Normal also produce natural light via Flash.
That’s not forgetting with the word “beam” also synonymous with the word laser, which is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, so it can argue that Hyper Beam, Aurora Beam, Signal Beam, Charge Beam and Meteor Beam involves light. Two additional moves, both from Scarlet and Violet, deserve a special mention:
- Fickle Beam explicily states that “The user shoots a beam of light […]” despite being Dragon-type, and it’s called Fickle Laser in Japan.
- Mighty Cleave (and Japanese name being Powerful Edge) doesn’t imply light, but it’s move description also states “The user wields the light that has accumulated atop its head to cleave the target […]”, which is surprising given it’s a physical Rock-type move.
The type I agree that fits best for secondary aspect of a type? Steel.
This may sound confusing, but here’s a list of all special moves regarding Steel:
- Doom Desire: Hits the target with strong, concentrated bundle of light.
- Flash Cannon: Self-explanatory.
- Make It Rain: Not light-based due to using solid golden coins. The only one of the six that cannot be considered light-based at all without stretching a definition of a word.
- Mirror Shot: As the name implies, it reflects light to damage the target.
- Steel Beam: This name is also self-explanatory.
- Tachyon Cutter: Not light-based based on name or description, as it’s based on particle of blade. You can argue that the particles of the blades are actually refracted light given the animation, but that might be stretching it.
Four out of six of these only Steel-type special moves involve light in one way or another, and it makes sense since metal can directly reflect or refract light akin to mirror, which is why Mirror Shot is Steel-type. So for more Special-oriented Steel-type moves to work, they can involve light with mirror-like skin / armor or directly manipulate light itself, and reducing overlap between Electric, Psychic and Fairy in that aspect. That, and liquid metals like mercury, which is surprisingly not a thing as a move or concept beyond the Meltan line.