[Sun and Moon Spoilers] What's the deal with Necrozma?

[The Oranguru Way]

According to an NPC, Necrozma 'is black, yet it refracts light'. It seems to be based on a black prism.

Literally, if it refracts light, then it's not perfectly black. So this gimmick is more symbolic than literal. It's name could be a combination of 'necro' and 'prisma', suggesting that the black has something to do with death. But how does death and refraction of light connect?

My idea was that it's symbolic of the atmosphere. It refracts and scatters the light from space (particularly that of the sun) but is black on its own (actually translucent, revealing the blackness of space). I guess since Pokémon games aren't exactly supposed to be scientifically accurate, we don't need to think about atmosphere and space being two separate things. More like 'it's that emptiness over there that's black, empty and deathly on its own but is permeable to the light of celestial bodies'. But hey what do I know.

What're your thoughts?

 

[MKC]

I think he is just black because that's how Prisms are usually represented as even if they are meant to be transparent, might just be a design choice, he still refracts light into colors as a Prism would.
I guess we won't know how he works until we get a bit of info on what he actually is, Gamefreak definitely made sure we know as little possible about him.

 

[The Oranguru Way]

I think he is just black because that's how Prisms are usually represented as even if they are meant to be transparent, might just be a design choice, he still refracts light into colors as a Prism would.
I guess we won't know how he works until we get a bit of info on what he actually is, Gamefreak definitely made sure we know as little possible about him.

Prisms are usually represented as black? =\ Well darn. Shows what I know.

 

[Nah]

It could also be representing black holes, or the void, or the absence of light.

Black holes are basically what happens when a large star dies and collapses on itself. The gravity is so great that even light gets sucked into it. This fits in with Solgaleo and Lunala, who represent celestial bodies that give off light.

The necro part can also fit in, since people see connections to alchemy in the mascot legendaries, and necromancy is another ancient magical art.

 

[MKC]

It could also be representing black holes, or the void, or the absence of light.

Black holes are basically what happens when a large star dies and collapses on itself. The gravity is so great that even light gets sucked into it. This fits in with Solgaleo and Lunala, who represent celestial bodies that give off light.

The necro part can also fit in, since people see connections to alchemy in the mascot legendaries, and necromancy is another ancient magical art.

These actually makes a lot of sense too, Necrozma could easilly be based on the ''Sleeping Dragon'' black hole, that would explain why he looks like a broken Dragon

Spoiler:

The problem is I don't see how a black hole and a prism relate, one absorbs the light and the other one refracts it, quite diferent things.

 

[The Oranguru Way]

It could also be representing black holes, or the void, or the absence of light.

Black holes are basically what happens when a large star dies and collapses on itself. The gravity is so great that even light gets sucked into it. This fits in with Solgaleo and Lunala, who represent celestial bodies that give off light.

The necro part can also fit in, since people see connections to alchemy in the mascot legendaries, and necromancy is another ancient magical art.

Yeah I thought of black holes, except that doesn't fit the refraction thing very well. If anything, black holes do the exact opposite; they absorb all light. Their event horizons do emit radiation but that's different. Also why refer to an object (black hole) with another object (prism)?

I also don't think it's likely that alchemists or alchemy would have had any knowledge of black holes. Experimental evidence was void (heh), and theoretical understanding would need intensive mathematics. Black holes were never heard of before Einstein's GR provided theoretical premise for them (and even he thought it was just a math trick). So if people are right about Game Freak making the new legendaries alchemy-influenced, then I doubt black holes would come into the picture.

I think the absence of light makes more sense. GF uses Pokémon to represent abstract concepts all the time (eg: Kyurem and Wuji).

But who knows, we're probably overthinking everything.

 

[Nah]

Yeah, black holes don't perfectly fit, and the lack of/absence of light makes a bit more sense, but it still kinda works out.

There's at least an underlying theme of light and space between the 3 of them at least.

Alchemy is more what a lot people were saying in the pre-release days, I don't personally subscribe to that idea.