I’m Luke Summerhayes, and I love Litwick.
Today, most of the dark corners of the world are lit by electric lights. Cities can be seen from skies or even from space as a web of glowing filaments that flicker into existence the Earth rotates away from the sun. The modern lightbulb is scarcely a hundred years old, though, and before that people lit their world for millennia with various forms of fire.
In Europe, old gas lamps are often associated with gothic horror – Dracula and Jack the Ripper stalking Victorian streets in macabre stories both real and fictional. In Japan, ghosts and spirits have long been depicted accompanied, or represented by Hitodama, literally balls of fire. In the edo period, Chochin, the ubiquitous paper lanterns still seen at festivals or outside traditional restaurants were depicted with the natural cracks of age opening up to reveal mouths and eyes as the yokai called Chochin Onbake.
Litwick is a ghost and fire Pokémon which resembles a white candle with a purple flame. It has a little yellow eye, and the melting wax forms a sort of haircut that covers the other eye.
Black
Litwick shines a light that absorbs the life energy of people and Pokémon, which becomes the fuel that it burns.
White
While shining a light and pretending to be a guide, it leeches off the life force of any who follow it.

As is inevitable for a ghost-type Pokémon, the pokédex eventually delves into dead children.
Sword
The flame on its head keeps its body slightly warm. This Pokémon takes lost children by the hand to guide them to the spirit world.
Shield
The younger the life this Pokémon absorbs, the brighter and eerier the flame on its head burns.

The name litwick refers to the wick, the string of a candle, being lit, as it generally is. The Japanese name is Hitomoshi, an interesting little name. As well as sounding a little like Hitodama, it can be interpreted literally as the phrase “lighting a lamp” but it could also refer to the torch-bearer at the front of a funeral procession, or a man being burned to death, depending on the Kanji one translates those syllables to.
According to interviews, this family was originally intended to start with a Pokémon that was literally a Hitodama, just a ball of flame which would evolve into Litwick as a second stage. This form was dropped, which feels appropriate as candles are often the starting point for spooky events, being used to summon things or perform rites.
This beginning moves on to a middle when, at level 41, Litwick evolves into lampent.
Lampent is a metal gas lamp, the purple flame and yellow eyes glowing inside a glass sphere, held by a metal case with a pointed top and armlike side ornamentations.
It’s pokédex entries are also good and spooky.
Black
This ominous Pokémon is feared. Through cities it wanders, searching for the spirits of the fallen.
White
It arrives near the moment of death and steals spirit from the body.
Black 2
The spirits it absorbs fuel its baleful fire. It hangs around hospitals waiting for people to pass on.
White 2

The name Lampent combines lamp, as it is one, and lament, as it spreads tragedy. The Japanese name is Lampler, perhaps a lamp Dracula.
Once upon a time, when the now-defunct first form existed, perhaps Lampent would have been a final form for this family. Now, though, we can expose it to a dusk stone and get Chandelure.
Chandelure has a central flaming ball with eyes like Litwick or Lampent, now with four elaborate chandelier-like limbs. It is ornate and beautiful while still being spooky and menacing.

White
Being consumed in Chandelure's flame burns up the spirit, leaving the body behind.
Black 2
The spirits burned up in its ominous flame lose their way and wander this world forever.
White 2

This all sounds pretty genuinely horrifying, but other Pokédex entries make Chandelure sound quite fun.
Sword
This Pokémon haunts dilapidated mansions. It sways its arms to hypnotize opponents with the ominous dancing of its flames.

Jay, of course, remembers Chandelure from its appearance in a fighting game. Chandelure was a very welcome addition to Pokken tournament, which otherwise had an awful lot of humanoid monsters.
Chandelure has also had a strong career in Pokémon Unite and in actual competitive Pokémon, where exceptionally high special attack combined with being able t0 abuse moves like trick and trick room have seen it take on various interesting niches through the years, often making the top cut at tournaments.
The name Chandelure combines Chandelier with lure, presumably referring to the Pokémon luring victims. The Japanese name is Chandela, combining Chandelier with Candelabra.
This Pokémon family have the interesting ghost and fire type, which until recently was unique, and mix cute, beautiful and scary designs excellently. It’s interesting that it is universally beloved despite being based on an inanimate object, a distinction for which several other fifth gen Pokémon are criticized!
Original music for Luke Loves Pokémon is by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork is by Katie Groves. Funding is provided by listeners at Patreon.com/PodcastioPodcastius. For just a dollar a month, supporters can listen to episodes a week early and also help cover hosting and fees, making it possible for me to keep making episodes every week.
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Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much just for listening.
I love Litwick. And remember, I love you too.