@Background Pony #0A25
My apologies for not referencing them, but I’d hardly call things like the comic’s take on dragons a minor inconvenience. The series repeatedly stated ponies know very little about dragons, then along came a story in the comics where we have a whole society of them living in one of Equestria’s major cities. I recall a lot of controversy occurred during this as fans debated whether such a thing existed in the animated series. Then came the episode that introduced the dragon lands and confirmed again that in the series dragons normally have nothing to do with ponies and ponies knew little about them.

Then we have stories like Discord going on an adventure with the CMC and befriending them, only for us to later find in the “Make New Friends but Keep Discord” episode that the CMC do not like him.

I also recall there being a comic where Luna and Celestia switched jobs, which if it happened in the animated series would make the “A Royal Problem” episode’s premise impossible.

I don’t read the comics much so others can probably list the contradictions easier, and such people’s comments have convinced me over time to regard the comics as a separate canon whenever they contradict the series.

Even though Word of God has repeatedly stated that the comics are canon, even though we have stuff like this?  

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Because it was a reveal that took place in the comics, which many have not read, and has yet to have any effect on anything in the animated series.

I didn’t forget the words so much as can’t find any signs they have any bearing on the animated series’ version of Nightmare Moon.

Also, my whole point about how the series has presented evil transformations is that they can occur unintentionally, with negative traits in a given character proceeding to basically run out of control and drive them mad.

I’m all for them revealing some evil entity that can cause Nightmare Moon-style transformations

but episodes like this one just seem to reaffirm that such a being had nothing to do with those transformations in the animated series

and rather that the transformations are a inherent danger of having power as great as Luna’s and Celestia’s.

You haven’t actually given any reason for anyone to believe that these supposed “major contradictions” aren’t merely a result of your own headcanon trying to deal with minor inconveniences between a cartoon and its Expanded Universe. This isn’t even getting into the fact that the cartoon itself isn’t even continuity-heavy in the first place.

The reveal already happened. Back in 2013 no less. Why insist otherwise?

You forgot the words “and being lied to by a demonic spirit, and deals with the devil, and demonic possession” after the word “jealousy.” And besides, don’t you think that your statement​ that she never intended to transform like that conflicts with your initial claim that she transformed using her own magic, in addition to supporting what we’re​ told in the comics and by Lauren Faust?

Of course not, but its been well established in MLP that out of control magic can corrupt a character and make them act in ways they never would when in their right mind. The magic doesn’t even have to be evil, just more than the character is ready for (as has been done three times now in Equestria Girls).

The difference is that unlike in Equestria girls where absorbing too much magic from outside was the problem, in this episode Daybreaker implies that getting consumed with your own magic can also transform you if you are powerful enough.

And given how often the series has contradicted the comics

do you really think that after all this time they will eventually come out and suddenly reveal there was an outside evil force corrupting Luna?

The show has never shied away from addressing corruptive influences, so why has Luna’s transformation never been called anything but her own fault?

She got forgiven easily because she never intended to transform like that, it was a byproduct of selfish and jealousy, but not murderous intentions that led to insanity that the Elements eventually freed her of.

And you can’t really tell me with a straight face that Luna loathed her own sister​ so much that she tried to kill her.

@Background Pony #0A25
The comics don’t count for the animated series whenever the animated series contradicts them.

In this case Luna and others have never once referred to her transformation into Nightmare Moon as having had anything to do with any outside forces, evil or otherwise.

Instead its been repeatedly stated it was Luna’s own feelings and powers

and nopony speaking of it has ever even hinted at outside forces being involved.

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I don’t know about you. But that black mist doesn’t look like anything that Luna could conjure up, nor would she want to conjure up anything like that. Especially given how it manifests in this image, and her reaction once it comes into view on-screen. (That same black mist is chonologically later seen coming off of Nightmare Moon’s remains after Nightmare Moon herself was defeated by the Mane 6.) Couple this together with what Lauren Faust said on the matter, and the fact that she was so easily forgiven for NMM’s actions, and the pieces start to fall into place. And besides, what fueled the transformation =/= what triggered the transformation. And you can’t really tell me with a straight face that Luna loathed her own sister​ so much that she tried to kill her. Especially when Journal of the Two Sisters shows that the two were very close.
 

Luna has only ever blamed herself for the transformation

One would think if they had any intention of making Faust’ original idea for Nightmare Moon canon then they would have mentioned it by now, instead of repeatedly indicating otherwise.

@Background Pony #0A25

@IceKitsune: Nightmare Moon isn’t the result of Luna holding nothing back, though.

But is that the case? The show has never before tried to explain the precise mechanism that caused the transformation (the comics don’t count).

That is we know Luna became bitter and jealous, we know she transformed, but it was never stated that those feelings alone are what transformed her (after all Luna was jealous and bitter for quite a while before transforming). This episode implies that instead those feelings could have convinced her to embrace her full power, and in turn get corrupted by it (as its a established trope in the series by now that taking on more magic than your mind is prepared for tends to turn you into an insane villain).

@IceKitsune: Nightmare Moon isn’t the result of Luna holding nothing back, though.