What's the REAL reason for Luna's change in appearance?

[melody5697 195]

I know the generally accepted explanation is that she had really low magic levels after being turned back to good and that's why she looked like a child, but I just watched Twilight's Kingdom again and I realized that can't be the reason. If low magic levels made her look like that, she would've looked like that or maybe even younger when she didn't have ANY magic. So what's the real reason?

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Because the crew decided they didn't like her S1 design much and wanted to make her bigger and more regal looking. The End.

Edited November 2, 2015 by M'gann M'orzz

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

Maybe it still is the reason, but physical changes like that take a little time.

They were without magic for what, a day? Maybe two?

 

Try maybe a couple months and she and Tia would have reverted back to their pink and light blue forms.

But of course this is all just headcanon. The actual reason doesn't matter too much.

[Gestum 2,493]

Hasbro changed her design. Any questions?

[cmarston1 5,952]

The animators didn't like the design very much and thankfully changed it to something much more appealing.

In Universe I still think Luna regaining magical energy and strength is valid.  

Edited November 2, 2015 by cmarston1

[Yufery 205]

Plenty of possibilities here, however I think it could be that magic allows her to permanently change her physical form. Look at it like the gems from Steven Universe - they're magic allows them to permanently change their primary physical form until they get reverted to their vulnerable gem form again. It could be a similar thing for Luna and Celestia, where they could change their overall physical appearance. Luna simply could've went to her original form as a placeholder while she gathered enough magic to change it to her main form.

 

So basically it's most likely that it takes a lot out of them to magically change their physical appearance. But once they change their appearance, it stays that way, even if they lose their magic, since well it is permanent.

 

We've seen this before, after all. In 'Too Many Pinkies', we see Twilight changing things to oranges. If all magic was taken out of the area, the things wouldn't revert back to their original forms - they'd stay oranges. (It'd be different if a reversal spell was done on it all, though)

[Silver Stream. 708]

Plastic Surgery is the answer

[Castle Bleck 19,174]

Trippy Element-Of-Harmony shenanigans.

[Cimarronboy 247]

What if it was more psychological? Let's look at NMM from a different plane's perspective; Infestation, comparing slugs to nightmares. The nightmare entity had entered lulu through whatever means (slugs use ears) and took control over her as a puppet is control by a puppeteer (or a giant robot with a cockpit, as the slugs are more accurately described). Psychologically luna's mental form was sent to the proverbial back of her mind and took the form it's state most resembled; in this case a foal (slugs it's more like you're in the back of said cockpit and binded so as you can only watch, vocalize, and pretty much do nothing else of your own free will). The elements come in and are effectively used as a wish granting spell. The effect destroys the physical changes nightmare had made and releases lulu from her mental prison. The form she first appeared in was the one she was seeing when the elements worked their magic, hence why she appeared that way. The reason for changing is that she was older, and as her mind recognized that she had been freed she regained the appearance closest to what she'd been (give or take a few years, the slugs they just die (or you die as their vessel), and either your able to escape or you are reinfested with a new slug). 

[green 331]

To sell two different kind of toys for the same character?

[melody5697 195]

Perhaps we should come up with an explanation that could also apply to a character from a MLP book who had a flowing mane that turned into a normal mane when she thought her country was about to get destroyed and nopony would be able to protect it.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I know the generally accepted explanation is that she had really low magic levels after being turned back to good and that's why she looked like a child, but I just watched Twilight's Kingdom again and I realized that can't be the reason. If low magic levels made her look like that, she would've looked like that or maybe even younger when she didn't have ANY magic. So what's the real reason?

 

Real reason? the crew didn't like that idea.

In show explanation? Just roll with Faust's word of god that Luna was having to relearn how to use her normal magic after having her dark magic stripped away. Ignore Twilight's kingdom and just look at the Comic instead where Luna's mane reverts to a Woona style when she lacks confidence in herself to fully utilize her magic.

[Sectus 246]

Not everything needs an in-universe explanation. It was just a design change to make her look less silly.

[melody5697 195]

Real reason? the crew didn't like that idea.

In show explanation? Just roll with Faust's word of god that Luna was having to relearn how to use her normal magic after having her dark magic stripped away. Ignore Twilight's kingdom and just look at the Comic instead where Luna's mane reverts to a Woona style when she lacks confidence in herself to fully utilize her magic.

So it's because of a lack of confidence? Perfect! That also explains what happened to Duchess Diamond Waves' mane! That must be caused by a really severe lack of confidence, though, since Luna hated herself for the first four and a half seasons.

Not everything needs an in-universe explanation. It was just a design change to make her look less silly.

I don't think she looked silly. She was adorable.

Hey, maybe lack of confidence is why she's so much shorter than Celestia!

Edited November 3, 2015 by melody5697

[Castle Bleck 19,174]

So it's because of a lack of confidence? Perfect! That also explains what happened to Duchess Diamond Waves' mane! That must be caused by a really severe lack of confidence, though, since Luna hated herself for the first four and a half seasons. I don't think she looked silly. She was adorable.

Hey, maybe lack of confidence is why she's so much shorter than Celestia!

 

Actually, it was most likely because the Elements "reset" her.

 

Hating herself, being drained by Tirek, etc. =/= deus-ex-machina Harmony.

Edited November 3, 2015 by A.V.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,284]

After the Elements of Harmony were used to cleanse her of evil...BOOM...puberty worked another kind of magic!

[Scion of Arcadia 69]

After the Elements of Harmony were used to cleanse her of evil...BOOM...puberty worked another kind of magic!

 

So wait, does that mean Luna was banished to the moon BEFORE she hit puberty?! Wow, that is some serious sister rivalry. Then again, if she really was younger back then, it would also give a good reason as to why she hadn't gotten over it yet. She's more adult now and doesn't seem to mind so much that nothing much has changed after her attempted coup.

[Sunny Fox 5,935]

So wait, does that mean Luna was banished to the moon BEFORE she hit puberty?! Wow, that is some serious sister rivalry. Then again, if she really was younger back then, it would also give a good reason as to why she hadn't gotten over it yet. She's more adult now and doesn't seem to mind so much that nothing much has changed after her attempted coup.

No, she was shown as in her current form in Twilight's vision of the past in Princess Twilight, just before turning into Nightmare Moon.

 

As for the original question, the Elements work differently to Tirek's draining of magic. Otherwise, Discord would have returned to stone when Tirek drained him. Therefore, what was shown in Twilight's Kingdom doesn't contradict the original (but unofficial, let us remember) explanation Faust gave.

[melody5697 195]

Actually she could've been banished before she hit puberty (although I think she was around the alicorn equivalent to 14). I firmly believe the flashback potion lied. Take a look at what the flashback potion said happened the night Celestia banished Luna. In the flashback, the Elements of Harmony were in the throne room. Now watch Castle-Mania. The thingy the Elements of Harmony used to be on isn't in the throne room. It's in some entirely different room, and moving it would've been a lot of trouble and completely pointless. Therefore the flashback potion must have lied. Since the potion only responds to alicorn magic, Celestia probably had something to do with its creation, and I think she must have changed some things and ended up changing the location of the Elements by mistake. We all know she isn't earning any points for honesty. I absolutely love the "Lullaby for a Princess" animation, so I like to think that what happened in that animation is what really happened. I have explanations for why Celestia changed all those things, but they're probably stupid.

[Gestum 2,493]

 

 

It's in some entirely different room, and moving it would've been a lot of trouble and completely pointless

I can think of 3 reasons for that.

1. Celestia didn't want to look at them because they reminded her of Luna.

2. Celestia realized that it would be stupid to keep them in a room that's easily accessible.

3. Celestia needed room for a statue or something.                                    

[melody5697 195]

I can think of 3 reasons for that.

1. Celestia didn't want to look at them because they reminded her of Luna.

2. Celestia realized that it would be stupid to keep them in a room that's easily accessible.

3. Celestia needed room for a statue or something.                                    

 

She didn't continue to live in that castle. Half of it was destroyed in the battle.

[Gestum 2,493]

She didn't continue to live in that castle. Half of it was destroyed in the battle.

But did she move out of the castle right away? I hardly think so.

[melody5697 195]

But did she move out of the castle right away? I hardly think so.

I just thought of another problem with the idea of her moving the Elements to a different room so she wouldn't be reminded of Luna. She left Luna's throne in that room. The problem with your second theory is that it didn't look like the room the thingy was in in Castle-Mania was hard to get to. The problem with your third theory is that it would be ridiculous to put a new statue or something there when the castle was destroyed anyway. She needed to use those resources to have a new castle built. Edited November 4, 2015 by melody5697