So... they're not 100% clear on how the whole thing works. She puts the crown on, it magnifies her evil side and turns her into a demon. Once blasted by the Elements of Harmony and returned to her true form, she reforms.

Unlike with Luna/Nightmare Moon, we don't see shards laying around her after her purification.

So, do you consider her demon form a separate entity from her, a manifestation of her evil side like Jim Miller said Nightmare Moon was for Luna? Or is she still Sunset, just corrupted with her evil side magnified?

(also I checked the rules and didn't see anything against two posts in a row)

It's left vague for individual interpretation. I like to think the Demon was a manifestation of all her darkest impulses.

7447729
I actually agree with this response. It makes the most sense

7447726
I think it's... yes and no? During the few minutes of possesion, I'd say she was someone else to a degree... or at least, as much "someone else" as you get when very drunk or on drugs. But I'm not sure quite how thoroughly the Elements cleansed that... does some fragment still dwell deep within her? I'd wager no, but it's not impossible.

That's a good question. On the one hand it could be argued that the demon, like Nightmare Moon, was a manifestation of her darker desires, on the other hand it could be argued that Demon Shimmer is an entirely separate entity, meaning that it was destroyed by the blast from the rainbow laser death ray of friendship. What we saw in the aftermath of the showdown with Nightmare Moon wasn't her fragments, but the shattered remains of her armor.

7447726
I'd argue that it works similarly to Midnight Sparkle.

I think the demon had the potential to transcend into it's own entity (say, if somehow severed from Sunset by "common" magic") - the question is if the Elements left any of it.

7447729
Agreed.

I think they are same person, but different people. That doesn't make any sence. Well... if you are familiar with dmc, I think it's like that. Both V and Urizen are different parts or people of a same person, Vergil. Dante was, kind of afraid of his demon side at the begging and excepted it at the end, and balanced both sides. I'm not saying Sunset is a half demon, what I say is that the crown made her dark thoughts to manifest into demon sunset, and Sunset was left helpless under her demon.

7447865
Like Midnight Sparkle.

7448034
Yeah - it's not clear of some part of her lasted until Legend of Everfree, or if that was just Twilight's fear... or even if there's a meaningful difference.

7447877
It makes sense. This is what Nightmare Moon is - she came out as a separate entity from Luna (according to Jim Miller), but she is directly manifested from Luna's own bitterness and resentment without any outside help so she was a part of Luna and views herself as Luna. (Super Buu is also this to Majin Buu in DBZ and eventually became Majin Buu in his original form where the reformed "original" became the light side, if that makes sense) Even if Luna was trapped inside Nightmare Moon (implied by the "I've missed you so much") it still makes sense why she'd blame herself for Nightmare Moon's actions, and she was still Luna when she first moved against Celestia.

Banner/Hulk can be seen in a similar way.

I think the demon is taking her ambition, her willingness to use others, and her desire for vengance, to a degree that even when Sunset was bad she would never have done. Did Sunset want to rule Equestria? Yes, but I don't think she was willing to kill anyone for it like the Demon was willing to kill Twilight. Was Sunset someone who used others to her advantage? Yes, but to the degree of enslaving them or making them die for her, no. Did Sunset want revenge on Celestia? I get the feeling yes, but with the Demon I feel like she would kill Celestia, while I feel normal unreformed Sunset would just take away her throne and mock her before letting her live a free life as a normal citizen.

7448416
She did make clear she wouldn't hurt Spike, where Demon Sunset tried to kill Twilight. So we know Demon Sunset is more evil than Sunset before turning into a demon.