Introduction
Dodging light or lasers is a fairly common trope seen in fiction and often the center of debate regarding characters speeds, given that light is the fastest known thing in the real universe. This article will set forth the standards of this wiki in determining what is considered a real "light beam".
Standards for laser/light determination
Most lasers in fiction are not real or provable as real. Often they are supernatural in nature and do not function anywhere close to how real light should. Therefore, lasers/light beams are only accepted as real if they meet, at least, ONE of these criteria:
- The beam is stated to be lightspeed.
- The beam is stated to be electromagnetic radiation.
- The beam refracts in a new material, such as a liquid or the beam reflects off a material that it can be expected to, such as a non-magical mirror.
- It is stated to be made of photons or quanta, by a reliable source
- It has its origin at a realistic source of light, such as a camera
Furthermore, there are a few criteria which show a beam is NOT real light:
- It is shown at different speeds in the same material.
- It is tangible and can be interacted with physically by normal humans.
- They do not travel in straight lines (unless you can prove refraction/reflection, see above)
- The beam is shown or stated to have mass.
- It is stated to move at speeds slower than 299792458 m/s.
Please note that the opposite of these second list of criteria do not prove a beam is at lightspeed, merely that it could be (with the exception of the last criteria), should it meet the first list of criteria. Should there be great evidence in favor of the light being real or lightspeed, comparably minor showing against it being real can be overruled.