Does Luna Have the Power to Trap Ponies in Endless Nightmares?

[Plato's Pony 455]

Princess Luna has proven to have quite a collection of interesting powers, those of which include her ability to disguise as anything, animate or inanimate, her ability to dreamwalk, and of course, her ability to raise and lower the moon (and the stars, I believe, although not including the sun).

 

However, along with those obvious powers are her slightly more subtle ones.  I put this short list together:

 

 

1. Ability to conjure up past memories of dreamers and put them on display for that dreamer (For Whom the Sweetie Bell Tolls)

 

2. Ability to conjure up experiences that may be fearful to the dreamer.  Basically she can give ponies nightmares (For Whom the Sweetie Belle Tolls)

 

3. Ability to link the subconscious minds of those who are dreaming (Bloom and Gloom)

 

4. Ability to switch dreamers from non-lucid dreaming to lucid dreaming (Bloom and Gloom, Sleepless in Ponyville, and For Whom Sweetie Belle Tolls)

 

5. Ability to keep ponies from waking up from their dreams??? (Bloom and Gloom)

 

 

1 and 2 are very easy to understand and explain.  Luna must be able to tap into the minds of those whose dreams she walks into, giving her godlike qualities.  Basically, she's a lucid dreamer that can walk into the minds of anyone she wants while still possessing lucid qualities.

 

3 was something that I found very interesting.  Towards the end of episode 4 of season 5, *spoiler alert* Luna brings Applebloom to the "dream version" of her clubhouse with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.  The thing is, all three of them (or four, counting Luna) are dreaming, but are able to see each other within the dream.  So basically, all three of them were sharing the same dream.

 

4 is very common theme in Luna's dreamwalking episodes where, at some point, she tells the dreamer that they are just in a dream so then realization hits them in the face and immediately causes them to go from non-lucid dreaming to lucid dreaming.  Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not believe it is possible for someone to go from non-lucid dreaming to lucid dreaming just on their own.  I guess this is the whole reason for Luna stepping into ponies' dreams: to tell them that they are in a dream and that their dreams mean something.

 

5 is something to be determined.  Shortly after Luna makes her beautiful entrance into Applebloom's dream, she briefly mentions how fears of something can make you feel like you were in an endless nightmare.  Connecting this with number 1, this could definitely be a possibility.  But I believe the bigger question to ask is, does Luna have complete control over the sleeping mind?  She's able to manipulate the dreamers' dreams to show them anything she desires, however it is still undecided whether she is able to keep the dreamer from waking or not.  In Scootaloo's dream, Scootaloo begins to wake up while Luna was still counselling her, in which Luna has to end her counselling there and leave her dream.  However, in Bloom and Gloom, Applebloom's dream doesn't end until Luna says "Good idea".  In which case, either Applebloom ended her dream or Luna ended it for her.

 

 

 

So what do you think?  Do you believe Luna has the power to lock Equestria in eternal slumber?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nuke87654 1,849]

I do as she's able to manipulate a person's dreams to where it can take a turn for the worse as For Whom the Sweetie Belle toils shows so if she wanted too, she can attack a person's mind in that regard and leave them in a state they can never wake up from.

[Vemillia Nightshade 2,247]

Well, not to point out the obvious but... *cough* Nightmare Moon *cough*. But the point being isn't if she can as much as does she have the will to? She maybe able to lock ponies into their dreams for prolonged periods, but I don't think she would, on her own, have the moral fiber to trap ponies forever. Even with the ability to possibly trap them eternally. What she does is more or less to teach ponies to face their fears. What better way then to nip it in the butt when you are face to face with your fear.

[colt_following 169]

I think she can!

We've seen how much power and influence she can have. Besides controlling the night, she can dream walk, bring dreams together and DESIGN dreams.

I think she'd be capable of putting someone in a coma!

[ThatOneComrade 1,091]

Haha, sure, why not? Don't think she'd be one to use it, though. Seems like the kind of thing Nightmare Moon would do, you know?

[The Awesome One 1,314]

I'm pretty sure that she can but then again, why would she? Unless she is handing out a punishment to a pony that has done a grave crime who would then be eternally trapped in his worst nightmare for the rest of his life.

 

Also, I'm pretty sure she did this to at least one pony when she was Nightmare Moon.

[Pastel 7,627]

5. Ability to keep ponies from waking up from their dreams??? (Bloom and Gloom)

I don't think she can: in Sleepless in Ponyville, it looked like she was forced to leave Scootaloo's dream because she was about to wake up.

 

EDIT: Oh, you said it, well maybe that in Bloom and Gloom, their dreams were just far from being over.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Blobulle

[Dark Horse 12,795]

Wouldn't be surprised.. she could at least claim to be able to do this and have everypony terrified of falling asleep if she ever wanted. I know I wouldn't doubt her.

[Steel Accord 6,658]

I see what you did thar, nice reference to a well made game.

 

I don't see why she shouldn't be able to but I can scarcely imagine Luna doing such a thing.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

Well if you folks want to hear this:

 

 

Apparently, Luna's ability to dreamwalk wasn't an ability she naturally had but learned from the forces of Nyx on the moon during her banishment if the latest Fiendship is magic one on NMM has anything to say about. Not sure if I liked that to be honest.

 

Edited April 22, 2015 by Nuke87654

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Well if you folks want to hear this:

 

 

Apparently, Luna's ability to dreamwalk wasn't an ability she naturally had but learned from the forces of Nyx on the moon during her banishment if the latest Fiendship is magic one on NMM has anything to say about. Not sure if I liked that to be honest.

 

 

 

 

Well, like Nuke above said, they had this kind of plot from the newest Comic; apparently, the first thing Luna did (or, cough "Nightmare moon", since the comic treats Nightmare moon as if she is a different entity holding Luna prison inside herself or something, based on how Celestia talks to here :/) was try to trap everyone in equestria in nightmares of Celestia Being Tyrantlestia.

 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

I don't see why not. She has the ability to manipulate the dreams of others in certain ways, and letting that power have a certain risk helps to give it some credibility, IMO.

 

Well if you folks want to hear this:

 

 

Apparently, Luna's ability to dreamwalk wasn't an ability she naturally had but learned from the forces of Nyx on the moon during her banishment if the latest Fiendship is magic one on NMM has anything to say about. Not sure if I liked that to be honest.

 

 

I'd have to read the comic again, but I thought the idea was intriguing; at least.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

I don't see why not. She has the ability to manipulate the dreams of others in certain ways, and letting that power have a certain risk helps to give it some credibility, IMO.

 

 

I'd have to read the comic again, but I thought the idea was intriguing; at least.

 

Here's another kicker if what I remember from the comic is true:

 

 

If what I remember to be true, then Celestia already knew about the existence of the Nyx and likely how to dreamwalk before Luna did. Which only leaves me wondering of just how ineffectual Luna was before her banishment as this comic implies her to be.

 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

Here's another kicker if what I remember from the comic is true:

 

 

If what I remember to be true, then Celestia already knew about the existence of the Nyx and likely how to dreamwalk before Luna did. Which only leaves me wondering of just how ineffectual Luna was before her banishment as this comic implies her to be.

 

 

 

I don't think it really points to her as being useless in that sense. It's hard to really guage what all she knew and what all she was capable of. It's possible that she had other capabilities; just that the abilities the Nyx displayed were particularly useful.

 

Personally I like the idea of her taking an idea she was going to use for evil then use it for good.

 

 

Just speculation; of course.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

 

I don't think it really points to her as being useless in that sense. It's hard to really guage what all she knew and what all she was capable of. It's possible that she had other capabilities; just that the abilities the Nyx displayed were particularly useful.

 

Personally I like the idea of her taking an idea she was going to use for evil then use it for good.

 

 

Just speculation; of course.

 

It is useful and it is nice that she uses it for good now. My issue mainly stems in this new characterization for Luna clashing what I thought previously and still pondering if it was good changes or bad at the moment, and other elements in the comic I'm still thinking it over.

 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

 

It is useful and it is nice that she uses it for good now. My issue mainly stems in this new characterization for Luna clashing what I thought previously and still pondering if it was good changes or bad at the moment, and other elements in the comic I'm still thinking it over.

 

 

 

Personally I don't find it either good or bad, though I do find it to be interesting. I'll have to give it some thought, and it's a nice way to tie into the Nightmare Rarity arc with the moon creatures, but yeah. I can understand your view. :3