Music / Lullaby for a Princess

"Lullaby for a Princess" is a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fan-song created by Ponyphonic in 2012. In 2015, Warp Out released a fully animated video for it.

The song is a lullaby that Celestia sings to Luna, who is trapped in the moon. The lyrics express Celestia's sorrow about having to banish her own sister and being unable to see the problem until it was too late, as well as her love for Luna, still strong despite the younger princess' rebellion and transformation into Nightmare Moon.

It turned out to be a hit, and spawned many covers (not only in English), as well as two Answer Songs, following the same melody, with lyrics showing Luna's perspective: "Luna's Reply" (by msikarishipper) and "Luna's Soliloquy" (by Faux Synder). It also has multiple parodies and covers, such as a Warrior Cats version about Bluefur/Bluestar and Snowfur.

See also "The Moon Rises", ponyphonic's previously released song covering Luna's point of view before and during her transformation into Nightmare Moon.

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Lullaby for a Princess contains examples of:

The Song

• Cain and Abel: Luna/Nightmare Moon and Celestia, respectively. Albeit a far more tragic example than most.
• The Chains of Commanding: Celestia has to fight and eventually banish her beloved sister for the sake of her little ponies, and rule Equestria for the next 1,000 years, all alone.
• Distant Duet: When combined with any of the answer songs.
• Grief Song: More precisely, Celestia's grief after having to banish her little sister.
• It's All About Me: Celestia believes that she was so enamored by the adoration of the populace that she didn't notice Luna's suffering until it was too late.
• It's All My Fault: For what Luna did, Celestia doesn't blame anyone other than herself.
• Lonely at the Top: After Luna's banishment, Celestia having to endure the following 1,000 years without her sister.
  The years now before us
  Fearful and unknown
  I never imagined
  I'd face them on my own
  May these thousand winters
  Swiftly pass, I pray
  I love you, I miss you
  All these miles away...
• Morality Ballad: Quite subtle, but the lesson is there – pay attention to your loved ones, or you may lose them.
• My God, What Have I Done?: The whole song, actually. Celestia is singing a lullaby for her sister, hoping it'll help her sleep, while at the same time begging for forgiveness for letting her down and not realizing she was suffering until it was too late.
• My Greatest Failure: How Celestia feels about having to banish Luna.
• Non-Appearing Title: Celestia does refer to the song as a "lullaby" but never does the line "lullaby for a princess" ever appear.
• Pyrrhic Victory: Celestia saves her kingdom and her little ponies from the threat of Nightmare Moon, but her victory is hollow as she feels no joy at having to banish her own sister for 1,000 years and is plagued by guilt over not being able to prevent Luna's fall.

The Animation

• Beam-O-War: The Celestia vs. Nightmare Moon fight.
• The Cameo: Snowdrop's cutie mark appears on a tapestry in the background of the scene where Luna is crying in her room.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Downplayed. The battle isn't entirely one-sided, but Nightmare Moon would've clearly won if Celestia hadn't used the Elements.
• Don't Make Me Destroy You: During the struggle, Celestia is taking her opponent seriously – but at the same time, she doesn't want to hurt her little sister. Nightmare Moon, blinded by rage and fury, sees no reason to hold back. Thus, no prizes for guessing what happens when Celestia crash-lands near the Elements of Harmony.
• Drowning My Sorrows: Implied by the numerous empty bottles in Luna's room, just before the argument scene.
• Expository Hairstyle Change:
  • After using the Elements of Harmony on Nightmare Moon, Celestia's previously pink mane becomes the way it's seen in the show.
  • Also applies to Luna upon her transformation into Nightmare Moon.
• Get Out!: As Luna cries alone in her room, Celestia appears in the doorway and tries to comfort her. Luna angrily points her hoof toward the door.
• Godzilla Threshold: Celestia only uses the Elements of Harmony as a last-ditch resort when Nightmare Moon is about to destroy her.
• Gut Punch: Near the end of the video, a baby Luna is sleeping in her bed, and Celestia magically pulls the blanket up over her. Then, the shot changes to an older Luna, with Celestia's magic tucking her in again, and finally to her empty bed while Celestia's outside lowering the Moon; symbolically tucking her younger sister in.
• Locked into Strangeness: Using the Elements of Harmony caused Celestia's naturally pink mane to turn into its current colour.
• Match Cut: The moon with Nightmare Moon's image on it fades into a moon-shaped ornament on a mobile above a baby Luna's bed.
• Off-Model: Celestia is missing her chestplate in the panning shot that comes after the fight scene, even though she was wearing it in all the other "present-day" scenes, including the shot immediately after the panning shot.
• Parting-Words Regret: Implied. The last conversation Celestia and Luna has before the latter's transformation into Nightmare Moon is an implicitly bitter (but wordless) argument that ends with Luna angrily shutting Celestia out of her room.
• Shout-Out: Immediately before the argument scene, a tapestry with Snowdrop's cutie mark is seen on the wall of Luna's bedroom. "The only one who ever truly knew my night", indeed.
• Skyward Scream:
  • Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon is accompanied by one of these.
  • Celestia lets one out just before the bridge, after looking up at the moon (now with her sister's face on it), and futilely struggling to hold tears back.
• Tears of Remorse: Celestia sheds a lot of them throughout the video. First, after an argument with Luna, then during battle with Nightmare Moon. Finally, when her sister is banished to the moon, they stream down her face as she screams in despair.
• This Is Going to Suck: When Celestia realizes that — due to her unwillingness to hurt her own sister — she is going to lose the Beam-O-War with Nightmare Moon momentarily, she closes her eyes, clenches her teeth and braces for the impact.
• Total Eclipse of the Plot: A solar eclipse is taking place in the background as Celestia and Nightmare Moon fight.