What if Nightmare Moon was the result of using the Alicorn Amulet?

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

Much like how the artifact fed on Trixie's rage, resent, and jealousy on the ponies and Twilight, Luna was shown to be already jealous of her sister's larger influence among her subjects than her. Rather than come to terms with it, she somehow uses the amulet to strengthen her power to show Celestia that she isn't the one to be just thrown off to the side... but at what cost?

 

As we already know, she turned into Nightmare Moon - the embodiment of a mare who was driven by the lust for power and the desire to reign supreme over her subjects. Sound familiar? 

 

That sounds a lot like Trixie's attempt to overthrow Twilight as "best pony" (for the lack of a better term). She was power hungry, tyrannical, and all because she was bitter and jealous. Likewise, Luna tried to overpower Celestia but was foiled by the Elements of Harmony. In both cases, they were both bitter that they paled in comparison to whom they were trying to one-up. Twilight "humiliated" Trixie back in Boast Busters, and Luna already felt patronized because of her sister's presence, her night not being appreciated by not many ponies.

 

So, discuss.

[NavelColt 22,881]

Unless it's specified that if you wear the amulet long enough that you then 'stay' corrupted, or obtain a dark aura that can consume you, I don't think it's possible seeing as the amulet's effects die when you remove it.

 

Also, the amulet makes you 'cruel'. NMM wasn't very 'cruel', she was just fixated on making it permanent nighttime, which though could be argued as 'cruel', is very low key in comparison to how Trixie acted, and how Sombra was.

Edited December 3, 2012 by ~Chaotic Discord~

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

But the amulet couldn't be taken off unless the one wearing it agreed to, I doubt that she'd become NMM and took it off afterwards xD

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

Also, the amulet makes you 'cruel'. NMM wasn't very 'cruel', she was just fixated on making it permanent nighttime, which though could be argued as 'cruel', is very low key in comparison to how Trixie acted, and how Sombra was.

 

Because Hasbro didn't allow for anything other than the regular Educational/Informational tag to be tossed around in the show before well into its second season. Now that it's removed, they have much more to work with. It does appear rather inconsistent.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Could be true, although as above posts have stated NMM did behave very differently than Trixie. Although I suppose the amulet could corrupt people in different ways depending on their personalities.

However there are too many inconsistencies for me to make sense of this being the reason for Luna's corruption, such as

Why would Luna put the amulet on?

How did Luna get it off?

Why did the corruption permanently affect her after removal of the amulet, when it only seemed to stay in Trixie for a short time?

 

I am curious though if we will ever be able to make sense of Luna's turning evil.

[BronyFTW 19]

Scarily enough, the pieces all seem to fit.

 

Well, well, well.

 

I think we may have stumbled across the plot of our Season 3 Luna episode.

 

This will be great. I do love me a prequel.

[Zygen 6,066]

Well actually I don't really think it works out like that, because as soon as the person who wears and uses the amulet takes off the amulet you lose the power and the evil influence.

Plus it makes you more ruthless and power hungry, not jealousy and being overcome with the feeling of inferiority to your sister. She wasn't really power hungry, she at first wanted people to spend more time and love her and her night, and not just the Daytime. Then she became a bit obsessed over the idea and it consumed and transformed her.

 

And again the amulet was not worn by Nightmare Moon. Therefore the theory has that huge hole in it.

[BronyFTW 19]

Well actually I don't really think it works out like that, because as soon as the person who wears and uses the amulet takes off the amulet you lose the power and the evil influence.

Plus it makes you more ruthless and power hungry, not jealousy and being overcome with the feeling of inferiority to your sister. She wasn't really power hungry, she at first wanted people to spend more time and love her and her night, and not just the Daytime. Then she became a bit obsessed over the idea and it consumed and transformed her.

 

And again the amulet was not worn by Nightmare Moon. Therefore the theory has that huge hole in it.

Perhaps there are multiple types of amulet.

 

Why should Trixie's be the only one?

 

Surely as a princess Luna would have had access to any of these amulets?

[Zygen 6,066]

Perhaps there are multiple types of amulet.

 

Why should Trixie's be the only one?

 

Surely as a princess Luna would have had access to any of these amulets?

Its a possibility, but nobody has ever mentioned any other amulets, typically speaking also amulets tend to need to be worn for their effects to work. Normally you don't have amulets you wear and "absorb their powers"

Its possible I guess, but since none of such amulets have been mentioned or present its not a theory I could really believe.

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

But the amulet couldn't be taken off unless the one wearing it agreed to, I doubt that she'd become NMM and took it off afterwards xD

Something could have happened similar to what Twilight and Zecora along with the Mane 6 did to make Trixie take off the amulet. If not that, The EoH seemingly are the most powerful force in Equestria, so it might be able to overcome the Alicorn Amulet.

[himanuts 165]

Luna becoming Nightmare Moon due to practicing and delving into dark magic makes much more sense that her transformation happening thanks to the Amulet. Luna was overtaken by a dark force. And the Amulet's effects only last while one is wearing it.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Nah, I don't like that idea very much. I think Luna used to have far more power than she does now, more than what any magic amulet could give her. Nightmare Moon was the culmination of all the bitterness and resentment she had for her sister and her more "popular" day; basically the dark side of Luna. The amulet is something else.

[Arcanel 3,041]

Also, the amulet makes you 'cruel'. NMM wasn't very 'cruel', she was just fixated on making it permanent nighttime, which though could be argued as 'cruel', is very low key in comparison to how Trixie acted, and how Sombra was.

I can agree with what you said before, and I too find it very unprobable that it happened. However, NMM's "cruelty" would probably be seen not inmediately, but in the future. After all, ponies would start trying to beg her to give some sun because plants start to die, food won't grow and such, to which Nightmare Moon would probably tell them to scram, which would ensue in ponies starving and such, and probably dying in the end. That right there is a big act of cruelty IMO.

[Princes Cadance 345]

I doubt it because I'm sure there's more than one way to replicate the effects of the amulet or have the same ones. Anyway since the show has never mentioned any reason we can only assume.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

I highly doubt that would be possible, as the effects go away when you take it off.  Plus it makes the user rather cruel as well, and NMM didn't seem that bad compared to Sombra or even Trixie.

[MallowMelt 17]

I think it might have been just Luna's inner rage and torment from being stuck up on the moon for so long X___X

Now that I think about it, when Luna speaks, she always says we, as in, both of her good and bad sides, since she already knows there are two parts of her, maybe she just let one take more control over the other without complete recognition of it. Also, I'm really surprised Celestia never told Twilight or anyone close to her who was important about this amulet  you know, for future watching out for it? Unless she didn't know about it....

[PonyPowaX1000 69]

Well I think the amulet gives the pony wearing power, but just superficially as it can be taken of not really any depth where as Nightmare Moon was corrupted by her own negative feelings

Edited December 18, 2012 by PonyPowaX1000