Is Nightmare Moon Luna or not?

[Sepul-Coloratura 764]

I know there is an MLP comic where Nightmare Moon is not part of Luna, just an evil being possessing ponies. (somehow combining with them)

I don't like this description of how Luna became Nightmare Moon. I heard comics aren't canon, but still It's the only detailed description about how she turned into Nightmare Moon.

I believe everybody has both sides of good and evil, their choices and how they act is what makes the difference. I believe it's true in real life and also more interesting in a fictional story that way.

I think Nightmare Moon is just a visual representation of Luna turned evil. I truly believe those two are the same ponies. That's why she felt guilty for such a long time. (To take it more extreme, I like to think Nightmare Moon's appearance is just a historical description not to make ponies fear Luna, and actually Nightmare Moon looked identical to Luna. But it would be too stretched away from the show so I have to throw that headcanon away.)

If Nightmare Moon isn't 100% about Luna's decision, and Luna is being manipulated by an evil being, the story's weight is being watered down. I don't like the 'Just let me do everything. Leave it to me. Let the anger overcome you.' kind of evil. It's so cliched and bland. Not a good storytelling at all. Same reason why I don't like The Pony of Shadows.

Making Nightmare Moon not 100% Luna's fault would make Luna less guilty, but it's just a pity attempt to make their best princess a victim of the situation and make her a less bad pony. It's ironical that her regret as a reformed villain was why people liked her so much at the first place.

What's your thought or headcanon of what Nightmare Moon is?

[DonMaguz 1,023]

A theory I have about Nightmare Moon, the Tantabus and Luna's subconscious powers is...

> The Tantabus is not a foreign entity, it is a manifestation of Luna's subconscious.

> After Luna's return, she suppressed her own guilt with her subconscious powers, creating the Tantabus inside her head and tormenting her in her sleep.

> The Tantabus fed on Luna's guilt and once it grew enough, she subconsciously implanted her own guilt on ponies while doing her job in their dreams.

> Luna mentioned that if it grew enough, the Tantabus could escape to Equestria... there's more to this, she was talking out of experience.

> Back to the times when Celestia and Luna started ruling over Equestria, Luna used her subconscious powers to suppress her jealousy towards her sister, thus creating the Tantabus for the first time.

> Luna was a functional princess, ruling at Celestia's side while her jealousy built up unchecked on her subconscious, feeding the Tantabus.

> Once the jealousy fed Tantabus grew enough, it 'escaped' to Equestria. This is metaphorical speech for "Luna was taken over by her own jealous subconscious".

> As we know from Starlight Glimmer, magic is linked to her emotions. That's no specific to Starlight, but to all unicorns and alicorns (and maybe even earth ponies looking at Pinkie).

> When Luna was taken over by her jealousy, the emotion manifested itself on her physical form with the magic boost a built up emotion like such gives. That was Nightmare Moon.

> Fast forward back to season 5... Luna's suppressed guilt was about to 'escape' to Equestria, taking over Luna's consciousness and becoming Nightmare Moon once again.

[Kadeda 178]

Luna is Nightmare Moon. They are the same person. Her magic transformed her... she can still turn into Nightmare Moon. Equestria girls is the reason that people think it might just be some SUPER EVIL MAGIC cause it started saying that. That's not your sister... that's evil magic.... umm.... yeah it is.