Luna Eclipsed
| Luna Eclipsed | |
| Generation 4 | Season 2 | Episode 4 | |
| My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic | |
| |
| Original Airdate | October 22, 2011 |
| Writer(s) | M.A. Larson |
| Director(s) | James "Wootie" Wootton |
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| Lesson Zero | Sisterhooves Social |
Luna Eclipsed is the fourth episode of the second season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It features Princess Luna's first major appearance since the pilot episodes, and introduced a redesigned animated model for her.
Contents
Synopsis
Twilight Sparkle and Spike are preparing for the Nightmare Night festival, a holiday revolving around the legend of Nightmare Moon, who is stated to gobble up ponies who do not offer her candy. Twilight is in costume as Starswirl the Bearded, an ancient unicorn magician, while Spike wears a dragon costume. After handing out candy to trick or treaters, the two head to the festival being held in town.
The festival features a number of games and events. Pinkie Pie, in a chicken costume, leads a group of young ponies, indignantly claiming that she is not too old for free candy. Later, Zecora tells the legend of Nightmare Moon. As the young ponies prepare to offer their candy to the statue of Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna abruptly shows up, frightening everyone.
While Princess Luna desires to improve the festival and its portrayal of her, she unintentionally scares everyone with her outdated manners and protocol, which include antiquated language and the use of the "Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice" (which apparently involves shouting at the top of her lungs). Feeling rejected by the ponies continued fear, Luna leaves the festival. Only Twilight is able to realize that Luna is having difficulty adjusting to modern culture and goes to speak with her.
Twilight gently explains to Luna about the effect of her outdated habits. She decides to take Luna to Fluttershy, whom Twilight believes can help Luna adopt a more restrained form of speech. Fluttershy is terried of Nightmare Night in general, forcing Twilight to use magic to get her outside. After feeling that her tone has improved, Luna hugs the wind out of Fluttershy, scaring the ponies once again.
Luna returns to the festival, and attempts to join in the games, having little idea what fun is. However, her continued attempts to bond with the ponies only serve to scare them. Angered and offended, Luna cancels Nightmare Night forever. After this, Twilight lectures Pinkie Pie, who had been leading the fearful reactions. Pinkie Pie responds that it is fun to be scared, giving Twilight a plan that will help the ponies accept Luna.
At the Nightmare Moon statue, the younger ponies sadly prepare to offer their candy to Nightmare Moon. The statue suddenly comes to life, scaring them. The statue then shapeshifts in Luna, who had actually disguised herself. Luna disagrees that Twilights plan will work until one young pony hestitantly asks Luna to come back next year and scare them again, even if Nightmare Night doesn't come back. Luna is astonished at this, and realizes that the ponies like to the scared on Nightmare Night. Touched, Luna reinstates Nightmare Night, earning the jubilation of the young ponies.
Twilight is then heard narrating a letter to Princess Celestia. Luna is shown successfully mingling with the citizens, pulling pranks and playing games. The episode ends with Luna playfully causing lightning to strike Rainbow Dash, who had been scaring people with a similar prank most of the night.
Trivia
- This episode features a redesigned Luna, who is taller, with a darker blue coat and a translucent wavy mane similar to her sister's. An earlier script featured Luna's old design. Part of Luna's old mane style can be seen at times during the episode.
- Rarity was included in an earlier script, where she would have given Luna a pink makeover to improve her image. Rarity's parts were apparently cut for time, and Rarity does not appear in the finished episode.
External Links
