"The Dragon Type Explained"

"Alolan exeggutor is a tree, why is it a dragon?" "Altaria is a bird! Not a dragon!" "Why isn't Charizard/Gyarados dragon type?" I have heard these so many times that I feel the need to clear some misconceptions regarding the dragon typing. So let's go through the more controversial/confusing dragon-type pokemon and let me attempt to explain the reasoning behind their typings.Goomy -- the goomy line is based on sea slugs, or the wiwaxia, an ancient animal that Pyukumuku resembles. So really, Goomy has nothing to do with dragons. The only justification is a pun on the blue dragon sea slug. And in fact, as you read on, you will find that Game Freak loves puns when it comes to dragon types (and many other things really).Altaria -- ah, the infamous dragon type bird. It is dragon type for the same reason as goomy, because of a pun. Altaria's Japanese name is Tyltalis, and "Tyl" is actually a star in the constellation "Draco" (which supposedly looks like what it's named after just like many other constellations). Ever wondered why the move Draco Meteor, which is bascially a meteor shower, has anything to do with dragons? Well now you know.Garchomp -- Garchomp (and its pre-evolutions) are based on sharks, so why the dragon typing? Well first of all, many pokemon that resemble dinosaurs are given the dragon typing, because 1. dragons are sometimes depicted as dinosaur-like, and 2. in chinese and japanese, dinosaurs are literally called "terrifying dragons". Going back to garchomp, sharks are pre-historic animals and they lived during the same time as dinosaurs. There are dinosaurs that look like sharks and vice versa. Hence, garchomp is basically half shark and half dinosaur.Alolan Exeggutor -- yes, it is a coconut tree. But hear me out. The shape of the coconut tree's leaves (and most other palm trees) closely resemble "dragon trees" grouped under the genus Dracaena, which literally means "female dragon" in Ancient Greek. A common species that I can name is Dracaena fragrans, and the shape of its leaves really do resemble the coconut tree. So like Goomy and Altaria, we have yet another dragon type based on a pun.Mega Ampharos -- another pun dragon. Ampharos' japanese name is "electric current", but it sounds the same as "electric dragon". So, they made it dragon type. Otherwise, the Mareep line really are sheeps.Kingdra & Dragalge -- both based on seadragons, which are in the same family (Syngnathidae) as seahorses. So yea, puns. And I guess Kingdra looks like a dragon but really it's a seahorse/seadragon.Flygon -- another pun dragon. How many of these are there? Dragonfly, need I say more? And to those who say the japanese word for dragonfly is probably not close to dragon, the japanese name of flygon is still flygon, so they made flygon with the english word "dragonfly" in mind. (However, Flygon is actually not based on a dragonfly given its pre-evolutions. It is an antlion, which looks like a dragonfly.)Turtonator -- like garchomp, turtles are prehistoric and close relatives of dinosaurs. Many scientists have discovered links between some turtle species and dinosaurs.Tyrantrum -- for the reason I have mentioned above, dinosaurs are often given the dragon typing.Noivern -- while it's based on a bat, it's also based on a wyvern, a type of dragon in mythology.*Lastly, regarding the pokemon that are not dragon types but should be, like charizard/gyarados/etc.. The answer is simple, a pokemon can only have two types, so what could they have done? You can argue that every single evil pokemon should be given the dark typing, like mewtwo, with its pokedex entry going on about how it has the most savage heart. Or all levitate pokemon should be given a second or third flying type. How do you like a psychic/flying/dragon latios? Ultimately, GF has to make a choice when giving pokemon types, a single pokemon can have several plausible typings, and it's merely an arbitrary choice on their part! via /r/pokemon http://ift.tt/2t62fHY