IDW Thread (Spoilers)

@Background Human
 
All I can gather is that it predates NMM (and has legends about it harnessing lunar cycles) and can only control ponies that let it in. See my analysis here: @dynamicv

@441TheSecond
 
Wait, which Robot Master is that? Or is that even one of the Robot Masters?

@Jarkes  
It’s Needleman, from Megaman 3.

@Anonycat
 
There’s also the fact that like pretty much every fan, Nuhfer assumed that NMM was banished ON the moon instead of sealed INSIDE the moon like what was stated in the first episode.

@441TheSecond
 
Ah, I’m not very familiar with the Robot Masters from installments beyond 2 (then again, the Robot Masters from 1 & 2 are the most iconic).

You know, now that I think of it, this is the same villain who, despite possessing PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER!, tried to stop the Mane 6 by:
 

@Dustcan
 
I still think that Luna, deep within Nightmare Moon, WANTED to be freed and deliberately arranged things so that her attempts to “stop” the mane six would allow them to realize their Elements.

@441TheSecond  
I’m not going to lie, man. That reply had me in tears laughing because I rememered that other comment of yours and had been anticipating it since I saw those little… things pop up.
 
@Anonycat  
That why I bitch so hard about the comics now. They started out fucking great. Like, what the hell happened?
 
@Dustcan  
They’ve all been pretty weak though, except the Sombra one. I think that’s the one they ran out of coke on and had to write sober.
 
@PonyPon  
It’s not a good sign, though, when the only thing covering gaping plot holes is speculation.
 
@Jarkes  
The problem there is that they, for whatever reason, decided to not do NMM’s origin story (you know, the story we all wanted) and were like “how can we write a story about her banishment instead”? I’m going to keep holding out, though, that this means an origin story from another source is planned (like, say the show or the alleged upcoming movie).
 
I’m also going to add that, no matter how you analyze the banishment, it paints Celestia in a seriously callous and villainous light. Consider this:  

@Dustcan  
Nightmare does seem to be severely lacking in imagination.
 
There’s comes a time when early-installment weirdness can’t excuse that.

@Jarkes  
I’ve always assumed that, since her entire motive was “wanting the ponies to love her and her night”, that she was reluctant to harm those same ponies even if they were trying to stop her.

From what I remember, Faust wanted to make NMM’s story a long arc to slowly build up everything, but she ended up having to squeeze everything on 2 chapters because Hasbro refused to let her add any continuity to the episodes, as they wanted a series with episodes that could be watched in any order.
 
And so NMM became a completely hollow and innefective villainess.

@Anonycat  
And then this episode stamped out whatever dignity she had left to the point where she might as well be shouting “KOBRAAAA!”.

@441TheSecond  
If they took her that far though, at the very least it would be a bit entertaining :/

@DanielTepesKraus  
Y’now what pissed me off the most?
 
A story where Nightmare Moon uses nightmares to incur distrust and hatred towards Celestia? GENIUS!
 
TOO BAD IT’S ONLY ONE FUCKING PAGE.

I don’t get why people actually think Luna was banished onto the moon rather than becoming a part of it. The Mare in the Moon was her; it represented that she was sealed in it. That’s why it went away when she was defeated.
 
Again, Nightmare Forces are some weird Midichlorian shit. The mystique didn’t need to be explained.

@441TheSecond  
That’s a trend I’ve noticed in the comics, though. Time and time again they’ll get their hands on this brilliant setup or genius plot device and just… not use it.

@Itsthinking
 
Maybe because several previous comics established that she was on the moon? Ignoring those previous issues would be a major discontinuity.
 
Of course it’s only a problem now because hating the comics is the new, hip thing to do.

@dynamicv  
It wasn’t directly stated that she was there on the moon. Therefore there was still wiggle room to say that she was just sealed in it.
 
And cut the “you just hate the comics because it’s cool to do so” bullshit. I am not a fucking slave to public opinion, I can make my own opinions on something.

@441TheSecond  

 
Nightmare Rarity Arc showed the moon was habitable and the Luna micro had Luna playing chess on the moon during her imprisonment. Wiggle room closed.

@dynamicv  
That doesn’t mean that she lived there.
 
And the Luna Micro was a comedic issue. And actually good.

@441TheSecond
 
How do you play chess while being a bunch of lunar craters then?
 
She was physically on the moon.

@dynamicv  
If you only came here to be a troll and try to upset everyone just say it instead of trying to play the smugness card.

@Anonycat
 
For once we agree. dynamicv was making good points at first (giving a pretty good explanation as to how the Nightmare Forces could be a distinct entity AND make it so Luna’s fall was still her own fault), but now he’s acting worse than I was about this stuff, and that’s saying something.

@dynamicv  
Alright, so Nightmare Moon was just fucking playing chess with herself then, the avatar of thousand of years of vengeful rage and Celestia’s biggest regret was just fucking playing chess with itself like a goofy dolt. Have it your way them, much more dramatically cohesive.

@dynamicv  
maybe this will help.
 
exhibit a.  

 
exhibit b. Mare In the Moon, the original title of the episode, name of the prophecy / story that Twilight was reading in the pilot. (Friendship_is_Magic,_part_1)