Pure Flying Type: Will We Ever Get One?

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It seems pretty crazy, but of all the Pokemon elements, the only one of which a single-typed variety doesn't exist is Flying (and no, Arceus, Kecleon and Porygon don't count). Every other type has gotten its due, even if not originally: Ghosts used to only come paired with a Poison typing, Ice types didn't get a pure type until Gen 3, and even when Steel types were debuted in Gen 2, it again took until Gen 3 to get pure types like Mawile and Registeel.

Entering into Gen 5, I'm hoping we might finally see this final type get a single-typed version of its own, though it's hard to see where they can go from here. Ordinary birds have always been paired with the Normal type (I presume taking the place of what would have originally been the beta Bird type). Even the actual balloon Pokemon line of Drifloon was part Ghost type. The only possibility I can think of is a creature based on the wind itself, or on clouds (though that didn't seem to affect something like Swablu very much).

So what do you folks think? Any chance of a plain ol' Flying type this gen or any other?
 
no...probably never. The only hope i had was the eevee evolutions, but they only appear to occur in the elemental types. The closest to pure flying is normal/flying since the fighting cancels out.
 
I read on Bulbapedia that a likely cause for the Normal/Flying type is because there are no animals that only fly. Birds can walk and stuff. When Pokemon started, the majority were animal based, so the Flying type is more like the Bird type.
 
No, I don't think that'll ever happen. If a Pokemon would be a pure Flying type, it would have to get the Normal type as well (because there's also nothing ordinary about most Flying types; bad reason I know)
 
I can't really see this happening soon. Even that Eagle was Normal Flying. So, yeah.
 
emovampire1 said:
no...probably never. The only hope i had was the eevee evolutions, but they only appear to occur in the elemental types. The closest to pure flying is normal/flying since the fighting cancels out.
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Like I said, regular birds seem forever destined to be paired with Normal; they lose the Fighting resistance but and least gain immunity to Ghosts while having STAB moves that can hit Ghosts. Having a pure Flying type would be nice for those who prefer the former stats.

A Flying Eevee would sure be interesting. Which sounds better: Luffeon or Breezeon? ;P

rbogey said:
I read on Bulbapedia that a likely cause for the Normal/Flying type is because there are no animals that only fly. Birds can walk and stuff. When Pokemon started, the majority were animal based, so the Flying type is more like the Bird type.
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To be fair, you could say that about anything. Vulpix and Growlithe walk on the ground too, so should they be part Normal as well? Plus, it's not like there are animals that only breath fire or send out psychic waves, right? XD

I do get what you're saying. The way I'd put it myself is that different Pokemon may be "of" different types, like their lives or energies revolve around that element. Vulpix would be "of fire", Abra "of the psychic mind", and most Normal Pokemon would be "of the normal world", which birds would definitely qualify for. That's why its hard for me to imagine a Flying Pokemon that's not strictly "of flight" or "of the wind", but a Pokemon like that could exist.
 
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I imagined a pure Flying-type as a sentient feather (or a group of it like a shuttlecock), because feathers are naturally light, and can normally fly. As for the problem of Roost, I would predict that it only affect Pokemon whose secondary type were Flying, and not those whose primary typing was, unlike the way it works now (Flying is erased no matter what with Roost).
 
Someday.

But I don't think the discussion of it will ever cease. I've argued many times that having a pure Flying-type wouldn't be a problem at all -- in fact, they could do it quite easily.

The Flying-type is basically made up of 3 characteristics:

1. Wings
2. Birds
3. Wind

A Flying Pokemon will have 1 least one of those attributes. Some have all 3; some are very niche. It explains how Doduo can be a Flying type while at the same time Drifblim can be one too. Conversely, it also explains why Pokemon like Piplup or Torchic or Vibrava don't have to be the Flying-type.

As for what they could base a pure Flying-type off of, there's all kinds of examples, as long as you don't limit yourself to the conventional thinking of the real world. What thing or idea can be defined by flying? What "something", when you think of it, is completely devoted to flying?

There's animals: Like the albatross, possessing the largest wingspan of all the birds in the animal kingdom, able to soar for hours. Or the hummingbird, rapidly flapping its wings, going forwards and backwards, up and down at will.

There's inanimate objects: Like airplanes, that can be flown by a pilot, mechanical in nature. Or kites or gliders, that glide on the wind, light enough to reach high heights.

There's mythical creatures: Like fairies or pixies, with tiny fluttering wings. They look like floating balls of dust instead of creatures. Never having to touch the ground. Or gryphons, huge beasts that definitely look like they could fly forever.

There's natural phenomena: Like sirrus or cumulonimbus clouds. They float in the sky, a collection of water droplets, at the mercy of the wind. Or tornadoes, huge swirling vortexes of hot and cold air. Even hurricanes.

There's the abstract and fictional: Anything you can think of. A flying umbrella (with a maid attached to it perhaps?). A witch's broomstick. A gyrocopter. Pink elephants. A rocket ship.

There's all sorts of untapped potential for Flying. It gets my goat sometimes when people say it's impossible to perceive the Flying-type as anything other than a secondary addition. It has its own merits, Game Freak just needs to get on the ball.
 
I was thinking sort of a cloud with an eevee head on it as our first full flier.
 
I love the hypocrisy of thinking that it is never too late for a pure Flying type to be introduced, whereas a new type has long ceased to be an option. There are people who think that for some odd reason.
 
It could have the same body shape as a typical Eeveelution, but its body would be made out of clouds. I really hope we get a Flying Eeveelution in Gen V and that they don't make it part Normal.

Unown Lord said:
I love the hypocrisy of thinking that it is never too late for a pure Flying type to be introduced, whereas a new type has long ceased to be an option. There are people who think that for some odd reason.
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Well, I'd say the arguments FOR a new type are just as pervasive as those AGAINST it, the same goes for pure Flying. Really, the argument against a new type is most commonly that the current types pretty much cover everything, while there really isn't an argument against a pure Flying. It's not unnecessary like some perceive a new type as unnecessary, it's just something that hasn't been done, for no apparent reason. I personally would embrace a new type if I thought they could do something with it, and am actually a supporter of the popular Light-type (Psychic is not in any way, shape, or form the opposite of Dark, but that's an argument for a different thread). We just need a pure flying. We need every type and type combination possible, simply for diversity's sake. There's no reason for a Cosmic type, or a Sonic type, or a Wood type, or anything crazy like that, but there is a reason for a pure Flying-type: if we CAN do it, why HAVEN'T we? It's there, use it. That's just my opinion.
 
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♥告げ口心臓♥ said:
We just need a pure flying. We need every type and type combination possible, simply for diversity's sake. There's no reason for a Cosmic type, or a Sonic type, or a Wood type, or anything crazy like that, but there is a reason for a pure Flying-type: if we CAN do it, why HAVEN'T we? It's there, use it. That's just my opinion.
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A pure Flying type would not add diversity; compared to the many Normal/Flying types, the only differences would be resistance to Fighting moves and lack of immunity to Ghost ones. Design-wise, I'm sure that said Pokémon's appearance could be tied to some other type, unless it were literally the embodiment of the wind, in which case it wouldn't have much going for it.

But I digress. I'm not against the idea, but I don't see its great appeal, or why anyone who thinks that new types are outside the realm of possibility would still be latching onto the prospect of Flying being a primary type. It's not as if anything truly interesting would come of it, like say, what one would expect from the ??? type being associated with a Pokémon.
 
Unown Lord said:
A pure Flying type would not add diversity; compared to the many Normal/Flying types, the only differences would be resistance to Fighting moves and lack of immunity to Ghost ones. Design-wise, I'm sure that said Pokémon's appearance could be tied to some other type, unless it were literally the embodiment of the wind, in which case it wouldn't have much going for it.

But I digress. I'm not against the idea, but I don't see its great appeal, or why anyone who thinks that new types are outside the realm of possibility would still be latching onto the prospect of Flying being a primary type. It's not as if anything truly interesting would come of it, like say, what one would expect from the ??? type being associated with a Pokémon.
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I guess my point is, we have this type already, we've had it all along, so why don't we have a Pokémon that's all about it? There is absolutely no reason for there not to be a pure Flying-type, whereas I can see someone arguing that we don't need new types. Sure, a pure Flying type wouldn't necessarily be better than a Normal/Flying type, but it's different. But I also support new types (specifically the Light type), so I'm not picking sides here.

And a ???-type Pokémon would be pretty cool although I can't imagine what it would be. They should have made Arceus a ??? type, since Normal isn't really fitting. Although Arceus would also be a good candidate for the Light type as well.
 
As V Faction said, the possibilities are endless. The Pokémon world is very diverse. But even with more than 500 Pokémon we currently have, the potential for new Pokémon is as great as ever. Including the Flying type.

One of the attributes of Pokémon are the things that connect it with the real world. But at the same time, the point behind it is looking beyond the limits we know in our life. There are tons of birds perfect for the concept, but it doesn't have to be a bird. It can be anything. It's really a great thing about Pokémon: there practically are no limits. It starts where our world ends, and its own ending is nowhere in sight. That's one of the reasons why the franchise is still going strong, and will be for years to come.

So yes, I do think we'll get a pure Flying type eventually. If not in gen V, then some time in the future. And it could be anything. A bird, a mythical creature. Maybe it will be an Eeveelution. Or something we never even thought of. Because everything is possible in the ever-expanding world of Pokémon.
 
I think a bird like pokemon (but not nessicarilly just a bird) would be a good canadate. It's primary feature could be that it has no feet/legs, and its first pokedex entry can mention that "this pokemon loves to fly, many live their entire lives without landing".
 
I do believe they will do it one day. Maybe not in this generation, but Gamefreak will break very old traditions in order to sell new games. They did it with TMs already, so why not something like this?
 
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