The Origin of Princess Luna's Mysterious Dark Power?

Luna alone couldn't have been the sum of Nightmare Moon's entity. Some external evil force must have given her extra power... I identify exactly who and what this force is by analyzing the hidden clues strewn across the nine seasons of MLP:FiM. But what do you think brought about Nightmare Moon... and what is up with her cutie mark? Tell me your opinion.

I devised this theory back in 2017 while "A Royal Problem" and "Shadow Play" were fresh in my mind, but only decided to finally start making it into a video in early 2019. However, I was forced to cease production for a few months and some of the material became outdated over time, so I hurried to finish the moment I got back to work.

Video clips are taken from Luna's Determination, Lullaby for a Princess, Duo Cartoonist, and MLP:FiM. I also featured IDW comics, and created quite a bit of the artwork used in this video myself.

Other materials used in this video:

[Neopteryxx]

my theory: luna has a skin disease
edit: Tysm for pinning my comment! I really appreciate it! :)

[niko]

It's a theory, but that black spot allows Luna to enter the dream world

[coytax]

It’s not an error when they switched cutiemarks celestia has white skin and luna’s moon cutie mark is white so animators added the black splotch so people can see the moon.

[ramashraykumar]

My theory:

The black spot represents the anger, jealousy while the moon represents the dreamwalking and raising the moon. In an episode when the princesses transfer their magic into twilight the black spot didn't go, while in another episode when starlight changes their cutie marks, the black spot goes with the moon causing the anger/jealousy change Celestia into
We also know that luna was guilty about damages/sadness she caused, so when she transferred her magic she didn't want the jealousy to go into twilight (making her but when starlight changed the cutie marks, the black spot/jealousy went with the moon without luna noticing but when she noticed it was too late and therefore it affected

[unsolvedmystery]

hey, look at celestia's cutie mark she also had stains there when she transformed into daybreaker, yet its color was orange, and had a fire like shape.

[Blue-rzcv]

Imagine waiting 1000 years for revenge just to get a brief cameo

[lunaracolyte]

With how the black spot is described, it almost sounds like a representation of psychological scarring. Something so deeply rooted could've effected the destiny of her cutie mark

[bananaberry]

If u look at the episode where day breakers existence was made her cutie mark has a orange spot. It was because of her transformation. So it could have the same explanation on Luna. She turned into nightmaremoon and that had a side effect on her cutie mark.

[Mel-ituk]

In A Royal Problem, I think the only reason why the splotch moved with the moon is because you wouldn't be able to see just the moon on Celestia, since she is practically white. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[nehka_]

It’s actually explained in the less known Mlp comic books, The Nightmare Rarity series specifically, you should read it, and it answers the question in a way

[Jeffthecreepyastafan]

I believe nightmare Moon was never distoryed only pushed back into the darkness of Luna's mind. Nightmare Moon is a part of Luna made from her jealousy, anger, doubt, and her goal for anypony to love her like her sister simmer to Celestia for daybreaker for Celestias deep lust for power, control, domination and a desire to be loved by all. I believe all alicorns have this side to them as a way to test themselves to hold back the dark emotions inside of them and focus on the friendship and harmony of equestria and the world.

[AmberAugustReal]

I’m starting to think when starlight gave the moon and splotch to celestia by swapping them, that created daybreaker

[jacobsamuel]

when Celestia was doing Luna's duties when she turned into daybreaker she also had an orange spot too maybe Luna's black spot shows her old destiny where she becomes into Nightmare moon and when she has the black spot she can turn into nightmare moon whenever she wants too

[aycxia]

The other thing is, when we see Daybreaker, theres also a mark there similar to Luna’s that looks like fire. This suggests that If Celestia turned into Daybreaker and back she also would have the mark.

[Cookiethekitty-xlcz]

i honestly think that the black splotch on luna's flank was just to make her character design more interesting. and it was intended to be a birth mark. but when starlight did the spell the editors realized that the moon on luna would blend in with celestia bc their both white. so they added luna's birth mark onto her.

[lukasschumann]

It could represent her added duty for watching the dreams to night after she learned this from the dreamcreatures on the moon. She currupted and nearly destroyed them all. After beeing good again she had to take care of the dreams, but never before she was Nightmare Moon. I think it was told in the MlP: FIENDship is Magic Series of the Comis.

[UmbraMG]

Daybreaker has the same splotch, but orange, welp that confirms this theory.

[soulslvr]

Due to how Nightmare moon has a simular splotch. Id have to say that the splotch represents a different side of Luna's coin when the other isnt present. When Luna is there the splotch is black representing Nightmare Moon and when Nightmare Moon is present her splotch is purple which represents Luna. And since Nightmare moon and Luna have the same talent of them raising the moon its possible that when Starlight switched the cutiemarks and the talents and the rolls of the sisters it could be possible that she accidentally also placed Nightmare Moon's talents into Celestia as well. Which aslo explains why Celestia seems so familar with Daybreaker despite her being in Starlight's dream. Its because instead of Nightmare Moon it was Daybreaker or an entity that is simular to Daybreaker was in her head during the day which is why Celestia was saying how it was so hard to keep an eye on the dreamrealm. Not because it was hard no she could handle the dream realm it was the thoughts that were truely hard to overcome

[LordCthulhuTheDestroyer]

Remember the dream episode? I think the splotch is the darkness she still holds within her. Even though she let go of it her guilt and need to punish herself, the shadow and its darkness remain. Or perhaps it really is just a scar of sorts... A symbol of how she's grown, but of the burden she still continues to carry from what she did. This is similar to something you said in your video, and it could be the right path if not the first thing I mentioned, which makes the most sense to me personally. But this is definitely quality entertainment right here.

[Cantersoft]

My theory is that all this video did was confuse people.