Celestia Confusion - Why the Moon?

[Xievie 498]

I'm a bit confused.. Why was Luna sent to the moon anyways?

 

Sure she was angry, maybe did some evil things, but Celestia obviously isn't stupid.

 

Celestia probally saw how her sister envied her, but why send her to the moon? Talk to her, give her a special day where ponies stay up for her.. Of all things Celestia could have done, send her sister who you can't blame for being angry, to the moon?

 

If Luna was just bait for the Elements if Harmony in the future, the Celestia must be one mean sister.

Edited July 6, 2012 by Suskieshy

[Tupin86 195]

She threatened eternal night. That's enough for banishment, I think.

[Xievie 498]

Yeah, but couldn't Celestia have done something about it that's not so.. Cruel? It's like saying I scold my son (which I won't have in years) for being a hour late than he should be because he was jumped.

 

That's not right, is it? It's not even his fault.

And you can't blame Luna. What Celestia could have done is kind of, compromised? (what are the words i'm looking for?)

[NavelColt 22,880]

They were both young back then. This was a thousand years ago. Celestia probably wasn't as wise as she is now. Something to think about.

 

I think it might have been desperation, and since she couldn't stop her herself or through reason, Celestia resorted to imprisoning her. It could be that the spell happens to last for a thousand years, because that's when the star alignment took place to let her escape, and that Celestia didn't initially think about how long the banishment would take place.

[Xievie 498]

They were both young back then. This was a thousand years ago. Celestia probably wasn't as wise as she is now. Something to think about.

 

I think it might have been desperation, and since she couldn't stop her herself or through reason, Celestia resorted to imprisoning her. It could be that the spell happens to last for a thousand years, because that's when the star alignment took place to let her escape, and that Celestia didn't initially think about how long the banishment would take place.

 

Hmm, you have a point in that.

Now that I looked back, Celestia "Defeated" Nightmare Moon with the Elements. So there was some type of battle.

So I guess one reason was a heat of the moment choice in battle.

[Nas 2,873]

My indirect response:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In all seriousness, that seemed like a very fitting punishment. I'm not sure if it's an ironic twist that she chose the moon (cause...y'know, Luna kinda controlled it?), but I think it's a good payback for such an act.

 

Then again, it could be just classic Trollestia, rubbing the lack of Luna's power in her face. Like “Oh, haha, you can't control the moon anymore, I'll just torture you by embedding you in it for the next millennium. U mad sis?”

[Guest]

I forget this part, but was Luna stripped of her powers? If not, then why hasn't a tie-in with Majora's Mask already been referenced?(Even though it probably has.) Why wouldn't Luna just fly her moonbase elsewhere, thus eradicating Earth v 1.0.2's equilibrium? And seriously, does the moon have any sustenance? How is Luna even alive? Did Celestia teleport provisions on a timely basis? If it was the other way around, would Celestia be stranded on the sun? I mean, banishing someone to the moon who had previous domain over the moon is a little cooky, right? Can I actually form a declarative sentence instead of an interrogative?

 

I guess Celestia sent Luna to the moon because... well, I have no idea. Celestia is overrated. Anypony who can move the sun but be beaten by the power of false love loses brownie points in my book. Luna can do what she wants. Celestia can't do shi*User has been sent to the moon.*

[Strawberry Tart 161]

Well, you have a point there, that Celestia was being mean. But she banished Luna because Luna was pretty much going crazy; she wasn't just angry.

[Starshine 16,333]

Pretty damn sure Lauren Faust once said something about this before...

 

Found it!

 

 

---

 

In my opinion the moon is a part of Princess Luna herself. Think of it as a branch of her inner magic entity, each connected to other in a way that the Moon can be said as her own limb. Sealing a moon goddess in her own body is like sending her off to 'sleep', so there is no 1000 years of solitude, no 1000 years of dolphin ride :­(

Edited July 7, 2012 by Dreamwalker

[Mayuen 77]

Like Dreamwalker mentioned in his post, I find Faust's explanation quite good. I at least saw it as Nightmare Moon sort of taking over Luna using her own jealousy over her sisters glory, making Celestia having no other choice but to banish her to the moon. The theory that the moon is a "part" of Luna make me think that Celestia chose to send her sister there, since she would be able to survive and still mean no harm for the rest of the world, believing that her real sister was still in there somewhere.

[Dreadmallon 353]

Celestia did it for her people.

 

Princess Celestia cares more about her subjects than her own sister, making her a greater leader than we thought prior.

[BetaWolf 97]

Hmm, you have a point in that.

Now that I looked back, Celestia "Defeated" Nightmare Moon with the Elements. So there was some type of battle.

So I guess one reason was a heat of the moment choice in battle.

 

That also raises some questions. Didn't Celestia need Luna with her in order to use the Elements of Harmony? They wielded them together in order to defeat Discord in the past. Maybe it was the combined efforts of Celestia and a few others?

 

I also like Faust's explanation. In episode 2, it seemed like Celestia had intentionally planned everything that happened, from Twilight meeting everypony who represented the Elements of Harmony to freeing Luna from Nightmare Moon.

 

Luna's jealousy is something I'd like to see touched on in Season 3. The issue was never truly resolved.

Edited July 6, 2012 by BetaWolf

[Yellow Diamond 7,569]

Word of Faust is paramount here. I'm inclined to agree regardless as Celestia appeared to have some sense of what was unfolding. Given her conspicuous absence and subsequent explanation to Twilight, Celestia likely sought to indirectly influence the events which unfolded. Again, bear in mind her explanation:

 

I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Night Mare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart.

 

These lines rather strongly insinuate that Twilight and the Elements of Harmony were necessary to break the hold jealousy had over Luna. Celestia was probably strong enough to combat Night Mare Moon, but perhaps lacked the magic to redeem her. This is further reinforced by Celestia's assertion that she and Luna are no longer connected to the elements ("The Return of Harmony Part 1").

 

In short, the Mane Six were necessary for the spell on Luna to be broken.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

It's poetic, and the Moon is the closest celestial body.

 

If you don't know what I mean...

Edited July 6, 2012 by Blue

[ZStrike37 107]

I figure because it's most like how Fausst has said. Luna's jealousy and anger basically created a split-personality or alter-ego, Nightmare Moon. It was not Luna just being evil, it was a different entity altogether. That's how I see it anyway. I don't think Luna had the heart to really put Equestria in danger or hurt others, but NMM would have no problem doing either which is what Celestia thought too, I suppose. Why didn't Celestia use the EoH to just turn NMM back into Luna like Twilight did with the others? Who knows. My thought is that the EoH are meant to be used by more than just one pony; at least two ponies, working together, IN HARMONY to unlock their real power. That's how I think of it, that the EoH are more potent in their power when used in harmony between other ponies, which is why I think it took both Celestia and Luna (and maybe others, who knows until we get a history episode) to defeat Discord and not just Celestia alone.

 

As for why Celestia banished her to the moon. Well, the moon is linked to Luna, more so than I think Nightmare Moon. I think Celestia's reasoning was that the moon would help Luna feel "at home" in a manner of speaking, that she might feel more comforted being near the thing she shares a close bond with. Perhaps Celestia thought the moon might give Luna some strength to fight off the NMM persona.