History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed

** The banner above the stage has the modern Franchise/{{Batman}} logo on it, plus Nightmare Moon's face in the center a la the 60s Batman logo.

* DudeNotFunny: In-Universe Example: Twilight Sparkle repeatedly calls out Rainbow Dash for using a thundercloud to prank the ponies. Subverted when Princess Luna retaliates by doing the same to Rainbow.

* GaleForceSound: Luna using the Royal Canterlot Voice can have this effect, as seen when Twilight has to adjust her costume after being exposed to it point-blank.

* DidYouThinkICantFeel: Luna while trying to clean up her image gets understandably hurt when most of her efforts fail, which culminates in her WalkOfShame before Twilight thinks of how to help her.

* DidYouThinkICantFeel: Luna while trying to clean up her image gets understandably hurt when most of her efforts fail, which culminates in her Walk of shame before Twilight thinks of how to help her.

* ArtEvolution: Luna now has a mane and tail that flow like Celestia's, instead of the fixed bangs she's seen with in the ending of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony "Elements of Harmony"]]. Her fur is also a darker shade of purple. Overall, she looks a lot closer to her Nightmare Moon persona, but without the evil. This ''could'', however, just represent her becoming older, or regaining her power. LaurenFaust [[http://comments.deviantart.com/4/1603670/2245236163 stated that it represents Luna regaining her power]], [[ShrugOfGod but admitted]], "I just made that up. [[GodDoesNotOwnThisWorld I don't know how the showrunners would explain it]], [[DeathOfTheAuthor but that's how I would.]]" The mane change goes mostly unexplained, but Luna does mention that the Elements of Harmony took away her "dark powers". The idea of a gradual maturation or shift in power is supported when you notice that Luna's forelock is still "solid" rather than flowing, implying the change hasn't been completed yet. And as with the other unicorns/alicorns since "Lesson Zero", Luna's magic is [[ColourCodedWizardry given a darker blue aura instead of generic white]].

* ComfortFood: After her initial attempt to greet the ponies goes south, Luna eats up all the candy left at her statue that the ponies left as offerings. It was a [[BigEater ''lot'']] of candy.

* DidYouThinkICannotFeel: Luna while trying to clean up her image gets understandably hurt when most of her efforts fail, which culminates in her WalkOfShame before Twilight thinks of how to help her.

** Likewise, Pinkie Pie being her usual PoorCommunicationsKills self nearly leads to Nightmare Night getting cancelled because she doesn't tell anyone that she's only pretending to be scared.

** [[FanNickname "Ace"]] the Tennis Pony shows up dressed exactly the same as in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E12CallOfTheCutie Call of the Cutie]]".

** Mrs. & Mr. Cake's costumes are of [[RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure Raggedy Anne & Andy]].

** [[AllThereInTheScript Goldengrape]] with a [[http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i127/blueshift2k5/ponysteve.png fake shark biting him]] is [[http://thecia.com.au/reviews/l/images/life-aquatic-with-steve-zissou-3.jpg Steve Zissou]] of ''TheLifeAquatic''.

** Big [=McIntosh=]'s costume has the [[http://littlewolfblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/ddgavs3dkqozu2enajudmvmeo1_500.jpg poisoned apple]] from Disney's ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' on the cape, placed so as to cover his regular cutie mark.

** Likewise, Pinkie Pie being her usual PoorCommunicationsself nearly leads to Nightmare Night getting cancelled because she doesn't tell anyone that she's only pretending to be scared.

* WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings: Pinkie Pie nearly ruins Nightmare Night for everyone because she thinks its fun getting scared and not realizing that Luna isn't in the right mindset yet to get into this.

* PoorCommunicationKills: The nature of Luna's problem is that everyone still thinks she's evil and she has problems communicating otherwise.

* {{Narm}}: In-universe, the Mayor's attempts to spook the children are, as Spike [[LampshadeHanging points out]], ruined by the fact that she's in a [[NonIronicClown goofy clown]] costume.
-->'''Spike:''' The rainbow wig just kills it for me.

* {{Bathos}}: In-universe, the Mayor's attempts to spook the children are, as Spike [[LampshadeHanging points out]], ruined by the fact that she's in a goofy clown costume.
-->'''Spike:''' The rainbow wig just kills it for me.

** Star Swirl the Bearded is the father of the amniomorphic spell. "Amnio" means bowl, thus "amniomorphic" means shaping a bowl. A bearded wizard that shapes bowls. A [[Franchise/HarryPotter hairy potter]].

* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Mare]]: Twilight appears to be the only one who isn't afraid of Luna (aside from Rainbow Dash, who hardly seems to acknowledge her presence).

* PanUpToTheSkyEnding

* [[ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself For Nightmare Night, I Am Going as Myself]]:

* GoodWingsEvilWings: The pegasi that bring Luna into Ponyville have bat-like wings instead of the usual feathered wings.

** Priness Lunas accidentally "choking" Fluttershy when she was hugging in thanks.

* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Mare]]: Twilight appears to be the only one who isn't afraid of Luna (aside from Rainbow Dash, who hardly seems to ackowledge her presence).

%%* PanUpToTheSkyEnding

* SpikesOfVillainy: Princess Lunas chariot has these. Subverted, however, since Luna's [[ObviouslyEvil being intimidating due to]] culture shock in this episode.

* CowardlyLion: Fluttershy refuses to even answer the door on Nightmare Night.

->'''''DOST NOT THOU APPRECIATE THE EFFORT WE HAVE PUT INTO THIS SYNOPSIS? HAST THY TROPING ENJOYMENT NOT BEEN DOUBLED?'''''

* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: [[ShownTheirWork Generally averted]]. Luna uses "thou", "thee", and "thy" only when addressing single ponies, and "you" and "your" when speaking to multiple ponies. Also when speaking to single ponies, she attaches the "-est" suffix only to verbs where the listener is the subject. She slips up at least once, when she awkwardly changes subjects mid-sentence.
-->'''Princess Luna:''' Child. Art thou saying that thou... likest me to scare you?''[[note]]"Thou likest me to scare you" means that Pipsqueak wants Luna to scare everyone including him (possibly against the others' wishes), but it is more likely was only asking to have himself scared, in which case the correct statement would be "Thou likest me to scare '''''thee'''''." On the other hoof, if Luna was implying that Pipsqueak was speaking for the entire crowd, that everyone wanted to be scared, then the correct statement would be "'''''You''''' likest me to scare you." Although none of this really means anything if her grammar just slipped from puzzlement.[[/note]]

* CallBack:
** Remember when everyone was skeptical of Nightmare Moon being [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon more than an old pony's tale]]? Yeah, [[DiminishingVillainThreat this is why]].
** Twilight Sparkle's pose when her costume is introduced is very similar to her pose in the fashion show in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E14SuitedForSuccess "Suited for Success"]].
** Rainbow Dash is dressed as one of the Shadowbolts, the illusory pegasus stunt team that Nightmare Moon took the form of to try and tempt her away from her friends in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony "Elements of Harmony"]].
** Rainbow Dash is shown pranking Pinkie with the same prank the two set up in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E5GriffonTheBrushOff "Griffin the Brush Off"]]. Speaking of which, Pinkie's forelegs are still exposed (while humans in chicken suits normally have their arms in the "wings"), turning her into a winged quadruped much like Gilda herself, with a pretend beak to boot.
** In the pilot, a triumphant Nightmare Moon dramatically declares "The night will last ''forever!''" In this episode, an angry Princess Luna dramatically declares "Nightmare Night shall be canceled ''forever!''"
** Luna being the only one to recognize Twilight's costume is a reference to Twilight being the only one to recognize Nightmare Moon.

!!Tropes present in this episode (YMMV tropes can be found [[YMMV/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed here]]):

** Rarity's voice actress, TabithaStGermain, has plenty of work as Luna, but Rarity herself never shows up (see DeletedScene in trivia).
* [[AdorablyPrecociousChild Adorably Precocious Colt]]: Pipsqueak is a tiny colt in a pirate costume that says "you're my favorite princess" in the most adorable voice.

** Unlike most of the other ponies who dressed up in common costume tropes, Twilight opts to dress up like a historical wizard that she admires, down to the bells, hoof-stitched hems, and '''beard'''. And yes, she looks cute in it.
*** This effectively serves as a bonding moment between the two, when Luna not only recognizes who Twilight's supposed to be dressed as, but compliments her on how well she pulled it off.

* ArtEvolution: Luna now has a mane and tail that flow like Celestia's, instead of the fixed bangs she's seen with in the ending of "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony Elements of Harmony]]". Her fur is also a darker shade of purple. Overall, she looks a lot closer to her Nightmare Moon persona, but without the evil. This ''could'', however, just represent her becoming older, or regaining her power.
** LaurenFaust [[http://comments.deviantart.com/4/1603670/2245236163 stated that it represents Luna regaining her power]], [[ShrugOfGod but admitted]], "I just made that up. [[GodDoesNotOwnThisWorld I don't know how the showrunners would explain it]], [[DeathOfTheAuthor but that's how I would.]]"
** The mane change goes mostly unexplained, but Luna does mention that the Elements of Harmony took away her "dark powers".
** The idea of a gradual maturation or shift in power is supported when you notice that Luna's forelock is still "solid" rather than flowing, implying the change hasn't been completed yet.
** As with the other unicorns/alicorns since "Lesson Zero", Luna's magic is [[ColourCodedWizardry given a darker blue aura instead of generic white]].

* BigEntrance: Luna arriving in the middle of a windy storm at night, pulled on a evil-looking chariot by two menacing guard Pegasi, all clouded in shadows, while Twilight, Pinkie, Zecora, Spike, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Pipsqueak, and four more fillies cower near a statue of Nightmare Moon at the Everfree Forest. She then jumps from this chariot to the ground while her black cloak disintegrates into bats!

--> '''Luna''': '''''BE STILL!'''''

** Twilight Sparkle's pose when her costume is introduced is very similar to her pose in the fashion show in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E14SuitedForSuccess "Suited For Success"]].

* CoolCar: Luna's chariot, drawn by bat-winged pegasi. the vehicle itself would be at home in BrutalLegend.

--> '''Twilight Sparkle:''' …but you have to understand that Nightmare Night is one of the most popular celebrations we have!\\

''[later]''\\

'''Luna:''' Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm.

'''Fluttershy:''' It ''is'' you. Oh, and Nightmare Moon. ''[beat]'' ''*gasp!*'' '''Nightmare Moon!?'''
* DiminishingVillainThreat: Nightmare Moon is a MadGod who tried ''twice'' to plunge the world into eternal night, and almost succeeded at least once. In this episode we've found that she's been reduced in the public image to scaring young ponies into giving her some of their candy.[[CallBack Spike did say that she's just an old pony tale]].
** This is later [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by Twilight Sparkle, convincing Luna to assume her Nightmare Moon persona to declare that their [[MundaneMadeAwesome offering of candy was sufficient to assuage her wrath]]...''this time''.
* TheDoorSlamsYou: Fluttershy, on her [[RuleOfThree third attempt]] to retreat into her house, slams into the door that Twilight predictably closes moments before.
* DramaticThunder: Underscores Luna's grand entrances and more dramatic pronouncements. Also [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by Rainbow Dash when she uses a small thundercloud of her own to prank other ponies... not always with the best of timing as far as Luna is concerned. She gets a taste of her own medicine at the end of the episode.

* [[EverybodyLaughsEnding Everypony Laughs Ending]]: Because everypony is now enjoying Nightmare Night with Luna.

* EvilIsHammy: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]]. Luna ''has'' changed her evil ways, but she has difficulty changing her hammy ways and so ponies see the ham and assume the evil is still in place. In other words, nothing has changed because they can't tell a difference. It's invoked at the end when she puts on the full 'Nightmare Moon' persona; not the real one but the popularized festival one.

* FacePlant: The result of Fluttershy's The Door Slams You moment mentioned above.

--> '''Luna:''' TWILIGHT SPARKLE HAS SPOKEN OF THE SWEETNESS OF THY VOICE! WE ASK THOU TEACHEST US TO SPEAK AS THOU SPEAKEST!

* GiantSpiders: Luna's unorthodox method of playing the spiderweb-beanbag-toss game involves turning the stuffed spiders into animated enormous arachnids and making them crawl onto the web.

* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist By Her Own Petard]]: Rainbow Dash tries to scare Twilight Sparkle at the very end of the episode, but Luna ends up turning the tables on her.

* [[IKissYourHand I Kiss Your Hoof]]: Luna extends her forehoof to the Mayor and a few other ponies, apparently expecting this gesture of fealty, and is very insulted when it doesn't happen.
* [[IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat I Thought Everypony Knew That]]: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] by Twilight. She clearly expects everyone to recognize her costume (despite information on him being in a book titled 'Obscure Unicorn History'), but only Princess Luna recognizes her, likely because she [[Really700YearsOld met Star Swirl herself!]]
* [[ImAHumanitarian I'm An Equitarian]]: Most everypony believes this of Luna, thanks to the lingering rumors around Nightmare Moon.

--> '''Pinkie Pie:''' I'm a chicken! BA-CAW!

-->'''Luna''': ''Child. Art thou saying that thou... likest me to scare you?''[[note]]"Thou likest me to scare you" means that Pipsqueak wants Luna to scare everyone including him (possibly against the others' wishes), but it is more likely was only asking to have himself scared, in which case the correct statement would be "Thou likest me to scare '''''thee'''''." On the other hoof, if Luna was implying that Pipsqueak was speaking for the entire crowd, that everyone wanted to be scared, then the correct statement would be "'''''You''''' likest me to scare you." Although none of this really means anything if her grammar just slipped from puzzlement.[[/note]]

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: Averted; Luna compliments Twilight's ''Starswirl the Bearded'' costume for being obsessively accurate.

* NotHelpingYourCase: Oh, Luna, you and your [[NoIndoorVoice loud]], [[PowerEchoes reverberating]] voice.
* NotWhatItLooksLike: Definitely Princess Luna's BigEntrance.
** Also some of Luna's actions, most notably "choking" Fluttershy.

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Pipsqueak at times.

* PanUpToTheSkyEnding
* PerkyGoth: Luna seems to have much... creepier tastes than her big sis, if her terrifying chariot, menacing guard Pegasi, and overall BigEntrance are anything to go by.
* PoorCommunicationKills: The nature of Luna's problems.

* ReformedButRejected: Doesn't result in a return to villainy, but Luna does lose her temper.

* RoyalWe: Luna, as required by her (outdated) royal protocol. [[LampshadeHanging She says it herself]].

* RunningGag: Nopony seems to know what Twilight's costume is except Princess Luna.
** Also, Pinkie Pie and the kids running off screaming after seeing Luna do something that's {{not what it looks like}}.

* TimeForPlanB: Twilight says this. It even works for a while.

* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Zigzagged, then played straight again. Everything Twilight suggests on-screen works for a while, but gets sabotaged a few minutes later. Everything she promises to explain "on the way", however…

* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: [[ShownTheirWork Averted]]. Luna uses "thou", "thee", and "thy" only when addressing single ponies, and "you" and "your" when speaking to multiple ponies. Also when speaking to single ponies, she attaches the "-est" suffix only to verbs where the listener is the subject.
** She does slip up at least once, when she awkwardly changes subjects mid-sentence.

** Luna also seems to be confused about the appropriate use of the RoyalWe, using it to refer to herself rather than the throne or the nation. She does occasionally refer to herself in the third person as "thy Princess", which is appropriate when the RoyalWe is used correctly.
* YouMeanXmas: Basically, "Nightmare Night" is Halloween in all but name. It even holds an "X-Mas" version of the full "Trick-Or-Treat" jingle.

* AbsenteeActor: The Cutie Mark Crusaders appear in several scenes, but they never speak.

* [[AdorablyPrecociousChild Adorably Precocious Colt]]: Pipsqueak
* {{Adorkable}}: Luna's rather endearingly awkward.

* TheAtoner: Luna throughout the episode.

* BecomingTheMask: Pinkie Pie gets ''way'' too into character as a chicken.
** At one point she even manages to ''lay an egg''!
* BigEntrance: Luna arriving in the middle of a windy storm at night, pulled on a evil-looking chariot by two menacing guard Pegasi, all clouded in shadows, while Twilight, Pinkie, Zecora, Spike, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Pipsqueak, and four more fillies cower near a statue of Nightmare Moon at the Everfree Forest.

* ContinuityNod: The whole premise of this episode mirrors [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E9BridleGossip "Bridle Gossip"]] -- Luna's debut even has her in a cloak and hood like Zecora, whose costume could be described as an evil enchantress. The fact that Zecora is considered part of Ponyville society now foreshadows the ending.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Luna. Bonus points for actually being royalty.

* DiminishingVillainThreat: Nightmare Moon is a MadGod who tried ''twice'' to plunge the world into eternal night, and almost succeeded at least once. In this episode we've found that she's been reduced in the public image to scaring young ponies into giving her some of their candy.
** Well, [[CallBack Spike did say that she's just an old pony tale]].

* [[EverybodyLaughsEnding Everypony Laughs Ending]]
* EvilIsCool: An InUniverse variation. Luna just embracing the horror aspects of Nightmare Night is what wins her over with the kids.
* EvilIsHammy: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]]. Luna ''has'' changed her evil ways, but she has difficulty changing her hammy ways. Invoked at the end when she puts on the full 'Nightmare Moon' persona.

* GiantSpiders: Luna's unorthodox method of playing the spiderweb-beanbag-toss game involves turning the stuffed spiders into actual enormous arachnids and making them crawl onto the web.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: In-universe, Luna suffers from this. While she ''did'' try to bring about [[TheNightThatNeverEnds infinite night]] as Nightmare Moon, the [[ImAHumanitarian "eating other ponies"]] thing is new.
** Zecora (or any other storyteller in the last millennium) might have just made that up due to RuleOfScary.

* LargeHam: Luna! See ChewingTheScenery above. [[ExaggeratedTrope Exaggerated]], [[DiscussedTrope discussed]], and, in the end, [[SubvertedTrope subverted]].

* LoveHungry: Luna, but she learns better.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Pinkie Pie's behavior towards Luna. She ''knew'' that Luna wasn't evil anymore and was trying to fit in with everyone else, yet pretended to be scared of her because "sometimes it's fun to be scared", which only served to rile up the younger ponies who were genuinely terrified of Luna and needlessly upsetting her in the process.

** Ever since this episode, the fandom refers to writing in all-caps as "Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice".
*** Sometimes rendered in shorthand as "the Royal Capslock" or "Canterlock".

** Unlike most of the other ponies who dressed up in common costume tropes, Twilight opts to dress up like a historical wizard that she admires, down to the bells and hoof-stitched hems. And yes, she looks cute in it.

* ChekhovsClassroom: Twilight gives a nice little lecture to Spike (and the audience) about Star Swirl the Bearded. His name starts to crop up in places later [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11HearthsWarmingEve this]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime season,]] and a book with stars and swirls appears in the closing shot of the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2 Season 3 Premiere.]] This book plays an even more important role in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E13MagicalMysteryCure season finale.]] And when an exhibit of Starswirl artifacts [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E11ThreesACrowd comes to Ponyville in Season 4]], she completely geeks out over it.

** Probably falls under AcceptableBreaksFromReality though; Luna speaking authentic 1000-year-old English would mean nobody (including the audience) would even be able to understand her.
** Also, the MLP universe doesn't necessarily have the same pattern of changing languages that ours does.