Theory: What defines a Fairy type

[reynard]

So I've been looking over the new Fairy types, and I think I have some ideas about the physical characteristics that distinguish Fairy types, and why researchers in the Pokemon universe would have given the type the name "fairy".

First, the name. One of the Pokemon to change to Fairy type was the Clefairy line. Here's what I think happened. Let's say you have some researchers who are looking at and defining the DNA sequence of various Pokemon lines. Not unusual, right?

Well, I say that when they were examining DNA from the Clefairy line, they realized that it contained a set of genes that they'd never seen before. Previously Clefairy had been presumed to be a Normal type because it didn't seem to fit with any other type. What they ended up finding was the sequence of genes for an entirely new type. Examinations of other discovered Pokemon, and examinations of several Pokemon of the Kalos region, revealed that there was indeed a new type of Pokemon.

And they decided to name it the "Fairy type" because it was discovered via the Clefairy line, which is the one Fairy type to resemble the traditional image of a fairy.

Now the rest of this I am writing up in the spirit of things like TV Tropes's Fanon Pokedex.

Based on data from the Fairy Egg Group, I can say that Fairy types are typically smaller than other lines, and may typically be a head with arms and legs as far as body shape. Pink seems to be a dominant color.

Fairy types are similar to Dark types in that they use tricks to defend themselves, status effect moves. But they also employ a lot of defensive moves. And their tricks are used to pacify or confuse attackers, but not necessarily to hurt them.

So Fairy types seem to me to be on average of a more passive temperament, and not predatory. They don't want to fight, and most of their particular abilities reflect that. Dark types on the other hand focus on hurtful status effects. Fairy types may also not be very durable, so tactics like this are probably used to keep them from getting hurt, similar what I have theorized on here about Dark types.

Their advantage over Fighting types could be explained as this: Their attacks usually manage to stop a Fighting type before it can make contact, similar to how I think Dark types work, and how Psychic types work. Of course this means their resistance doesn't apply if an attack actually hits them.

I theorized that Dark types have a higher than average intelligence, and Fairy types may be like that too. Their advantage over Dark types may be because they can match or outmatch the Dark types at status effect tricks.

And that's all I have. What do you all think? I'd really like feedback.

 

[Te-em]

My view on the fairy-type is that these Pokemon are supernatural, but not the way esper Pokemon are with psychic powers, but in another way. One of their attacks seems to do emotional damage and, as you say, their attacks may cause confusion, probably emotionally. I think while espers try to affect the target's mind, use telekinesis and put up magic barriers, fairies focus mostly on emotions or mood and using the powers of nature. Gost Pokemon causes hallucinations and such I think. Dark Pokemon, when it comes to special attacks, use their dark thoughts and dark emotions to attack. They may also affect emotions, like angering the target.

These four types all use some sort of psychic or supernatural powers. Fairies are closest nature. I also think that fairies are a kind that try to be appealing or lure people, considering that some of them look like sweets. Nor do they look very menacing.

The name fairy may come from that they are supernatural creatures. They are not ghosts, so that type is excluded. Dark Pokemon are more like demons, because they focus on evil stuff. Psychic Pokemon look too much scientific. What is odd is that Yuxie and the rest are not fairies, even though two of them are based on a pixie and a gnome.

 

[Pokémon Spectrum]

The term "Fairy" has a double meaning: the standard "Tinkerbell" style fairy and the Medieval definition, which is a generic term for any mythical humanoid creature, which includes the aforementioned "Tinkerbells," gnomes, goblins, trolls, ogres, elves, nature sprites, and mermaids. Therefore, the Fairy type's advantages over Dragon, Fighting, and Dark can be explained as thus:
Fighting: Many of these creatures are either magical in nature or physically stronger than a human, which most Fighting types are based off of. It would be incredibly difficult to fight any of these creatures off with your bare hands, meaning that you would most likely lose.
Dark: In Japan, the Dark type is called the Evil type. As such, Dark-type moves are either dirty, underhanded tactics (Bite, Sucker Punch, Feint Attack) or utilize sinister auras (Dark Pulse, Night Daze). In many older tales, fairies are seen as benevolent, albeit sometimes mischievous, creatures, and have been known to help guard against the likes of demons and other evil creatures.
Dragon: (This one's a bit more of a personal observation, not so much based on folklore as it is on what I've noticed) As stated above, fairies include creatures such as trolls and ogres, which are strong enough to fight a dragon single-handedly, as well as elves and goblins, which are known for being crafty, and would more than likely be able to outsmart a dragon with relative ease.

Now for the weaknesses:
Steel: Creatures such as trolls and ogres were generally feared by the public, and as such a knight or other warrior would go to slay them with their sword. Also, I've heard that fairies are traditionally vulnerable to iron, so...
Poison: Fairies as a general term include beings such as nymphs, sprites, and other nature spirits. Being nature spirits, they would be susceptible to the effects of their environment being polluted.

 

[Hex Maniac]

I'd say that reason why there's a fairy type in the first place is relatively simple... probably the same reason why all the other types exist. Someone thought of it and decided it would be a cool idea, especially as a means to introduce some more balance in the game (like reducing the power of Dragon types).

When I heard there was going to be a Fairy type, I expected them to be much more ambiguous, like in old folk tales where they can run the gamut from generally nice and helpful to dangerous and doing things like stealing babies. I guess they went for a cheerier kind of Fairy across the type, which makes some sense considering there's already a Dark type, and it's probably because that's how they're depicted in most of pop culture aimed at kids (and if what the post above mine says is accurate, then on Japanese folk stories and beliefs).

They all seem to be more or less cute in appearance and fairy moves have a lot in common, the same way that there's a lot of similarity among moves of other types and even the appearance of most pokemon of that type. It's just a game decision really.

That said, your theory/headcanon is a neat one and you can fill in the gaps in things that aren't presented to us in the story in any way you want. I don't think any of us can give you feedback, because the only thing we can discuss is what may have led the team to design those pokémon a certain way and game mechanics, not in-universe explanations that we're not given and which are left up to us to imagine in whatever way we want.