(In an effort to breath some life into this group, I've made this thread.)

Since she took over in this timeline, how do you think her rule has affected everyone in Equestria and beyond, besides the obvious transition to living in eternal night?

What are her relations with other countries? In the main timeline, we see Celestia often meeting with diplomats from other pony nations, does Nightmare Moon do the same?

How are the various cities/towns/settlements affected? The big cities would be able to cope the easiest with the new ruler and permanent time of day, but what about places like Appeloosa or Ponyville? Does Cloudsdale make rainbows for the night?

Lastly, how are Cadance and Shining Armor affected by her? Is Cadance still a princess? Has the Crystal Empire returned or not?

5052372
Her relations with other countries with be probably formal at best. Nightmare Moon's primary goal was to make Equestria acknowledge her and love her. She would most likely just get other countries to acknowledge her rule and then leave them be. Plus the diplomats we see Celestia meeting are from Saddle Arabia, Equestria relations with the only other acknowledge country (Yakyakistan) on the other hand, are not so great. Griffonstone is implied to be part of Equestria (given it and the Crystal Empire, it appears that Equestria is a collection of smaller kingdoms and lands), but either way their relations were completely non-existent. So much so that the most recent book that Twilight had on Griffonstone was horrendously out of date. The only confirm diplomatic change was with dragons and that was simply Rarity commenting that no pony should associate with them. Which is rather much like how it is on the show, with the exception of Spike. The comics have a whole town of friendly dragons in Fillydelphia, but that does not answer the question of why no pony has researched them.In fact, it makes it worse. Every interaction a pony has had with a dragon other than Spike (who was raised by ponies) has been, well, bad. The cave dragon, the Everfree dragon and Garble's dragon crew has ended with conflict between dragon and pony.

As for the eternal night thing, I'm not sure if there is an eternal night, since everything is still alive, abundantly so, at a time about two years after Nightmare Moon took over. As for towns, we know how Ponyville was affected. It was overtaken by the Everfree Forest since it now extends all the way to Twilight's castle. Cloudsdale probably still oversees the weather and rainbows do happen at night (they're called moonbows since they are made by moonlight, not sunlight)

If they do not oppose then I believe very little would change for Cadance or Shining, save for having to make oaths of loyalty and Nightmare Moon replacing Shining Armor with someone else. But since it's them, Cadance and Shining Armor are probably working some resistance to oppose her and get Celestia back or, failing that, put Cadance on the throne. Nightmare Moon might have put Cadance in charge of the Crystal Empire (since its her magic that makes the Crystal Heart work), after it returned. It was Sombra's magic that made the Empire disappear and return, it's would have been unaffected by Nightmare Moon's takeover. But then again, Nightmare Moon might decide that giving Cadance the Empire would give her too much power and appoint a new ruler instead while Cadance just works the Crystal Heart. It is unlikely that she would let Sombra have the Empire (as his goal was to spread misery and fear throughout Equestria) and he would have tried to overthrow her.

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Plus the diplomats we see Celestia meeting are from Saddle Arabia,

She also met with diplomats from Maretonia in the season 4 premiere.

As for the eternal night thing, I'm not sure if there is an eternal night,

Sure there is, it's the whole point of her ruling in the first place.

As to how everything survives this, I'd imagine that she would have a spell that makes the moon radiate warmth and psuedo sunlight during what would be the daylight hours.

But since it's them, Cadance and Shining Armor are probably working some resistance to oppose her and get Celestia back

How exactly would they get her back at all? She's been banished to the moon, the only way to escape is through prophecy like Moon did.

5053394
Most likely Cadance and Shining Armor are looking for a way to get and utilize the Elements, which sent Nightmare Moon to the moon. If it can send something to the Moon then it can probably get something off as well. Nightmare Moon was also able to send Celestia to the moon and I is very unlikely that she can use the Elements. It may require powerful magic, but there is most likely a way to get things on/off the moon. Also, Cadance and Shining Armor may try to force Nightmare Moon to bring Celestia back if they defeat her.

Either way, in case it is a long shot there is also the second option: for Cadance to take the throne once Nightmare Moon is defeated.

5053448 Shining, who's best spell is a shield. Cadance, who along with Twilight, barely defeated a giant Taztelwurm.

I'm sure they'll do just fine against the pony who banished Celestia to the moon with her own magic.

5053480
Try, never said anything about them succeeding! True be told it would probably be a small resistance. More stealth and cloak and daggers than anything else. An all out open rebellion would take longer than two years. Plus we only see Nightmare Moon's castle. For all we know the rest of Equestria is very open to Nightmare Moon's rule (given that is is technically a legitimate ruler via Luna). Unlikely, but possible.

5053615 Cloak and daggers? Against the one pony who embodies the night far more than any other?

Sure, that'll go well.

5052372

As far as the surrounding towns in Equestria go, agriculture would have to switch primarily to mushrooms, unless magic could be used to grow traditional crops. Not out of the question. Imagine fields glowing an unnatural ultraviolet in the darkness. Who knows - maybe harvests would be more bountiful? I think the townsfolk would learn to accept Nightmare as their rightful Queen. Really, she just wanted them to love her and appreciate the night. She probably wouldn't act too tyrannical and risk discouraging them.

To other countries (leaving the eternal night thing aside), it would be just another transition of power. Trade would continue. There would probably be some militarization based on Nightmare's persona. I strongly doubt any ruler would be more likely to attack Equestria - quite the opposite. If they don't have magic, they'd better learn to like mushrooms.

Moonbows are certainly possible. I imagine Nightmare would encourage their creation, as it would add to the night's beauty and prove nothing was really lost when the day became a thing of the past.

As for Cadance and Shining, they were too strongly allied to Celestia. They would likely be banished, deposed, exiled, or some combination thereof. They would probably revolt and be defeated handily. Or hoofily? The Crystal Heart could be snatched away by some agile batponies, and then what do they have? The power of love?

Nightmare Moon could put a stop to that with a single snap of her jaws.

5053904

As far as the surrounding towns in Equestria go, agriculture would have to switch primarily to mushrooms, unless magic could be used to grow traditional crops. Not out of the question. Imagine fields glowing an unnatural ultraviolet in the darkness.

As I suggested in another comment, maybe she put a spell on the moon to act like a sun of sorts during what would be the daylight hours. I don't see something like that being too far out of her abilities given what magic in that universe can do, even with simple spells.

Really, she just wanted them to love her and appreciate the night. She probably wouldn't act too tyrannical and risk discouraging them.

Exactly, all her hatred was pointed towards Celestia and the sun, no one else.

I strongly doubt any ruler would be more likely to attack Equestria - quite the opposite.

Yeah, because unlike Celestia, she is willing to get off the throne and actually do something when important events happen in her nation.

To see an alicorn on the battlefield is a terrifying sight, especially if it's Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon could put a stop to that with a single snap of her jaws.

Or with a stomp of her hooves:

5053904 I majorly dig the mushroom idea. I've got a Nightmare-verse story that I want to add an underground mushroom farm to. I think most ponies would get sick of them after a while, but they would probably be the only consistent source of food.

More of my headcanon: I think a lot of NMM's time would go into quashing sun-worshipping cults, as well as groups of unicorns working to develop synthetic sunlight spells. Maybe there would even be a big underground market for sun-grown foods, and certain risk-taking nobles might even sponsor the more successful underground operations so they'll be able to indulge in the goodies on a more frequent basis.

There's no way NMM could channel the Elements herself, but she'd definitely want to keep them locked away. This could create something of a stalemate with the world: She's the single most powerful magical creature around, but she's done something that everypony totally hates if they're being honest. So there are always those who want to skulk around and try to overthrow her, which she combats by filling her ranks with pegasi who've been coerced into accepting transformation into Thestrals.

Cadance and Discord seem like prime assassination targets. Sombra and the Empire could be more problematic. Maybe she can broker a deal with Sombra, or maybe she simply overpowers him and either lays waste to the Empire or just leaves it to rot?

5054260

and certain risk-taking nobles might even sponsor the more successful underground operations so they'll be able to indulge in the goodies on a more frequent basis.

I'm sure that any nobles caught doing so would be given a fair treatment in the eyes of the law, completely fair. It's not as though their ruler is one for harsh punishments or anything.

Besides, you can't hide anything from her anyway, she's the one who can go into ponies' memories at a whim when they sleep. She truly is all knowing in her kingdom.

Cadance and Discord seem like prime assassination targets. Sombra and the Empire could be more problematic. Maybe she can broker a deal with Sombra, or maybe she simply overpowers him and either lays waste to the Empire or just leaves it to rot?

I do feel as though she would let Cadance rule the Crystal Empire, but under a very watchful eye. Trade with the empire would benefit Equestria a lot, and she would be a fool to let that to go to waste. Also, they could be a valuable ally in troubled times.

Thanks to her return being the first big event of the timeline, I highly doubt that the field trip the CMC takes to the castle maze will happen, which means that Discord will likely never be set free to begin with.

Sombra however, will definitely die, and Moon will be the one to kill him.

5054415

you can't hide anything from her anyway, she's the one who can go into ponies' memories at a whim when they sleep. She truly is all knowing in her kingdom

I like the idea, but I worry it could make her too OP to tell an interesting story. If there's literally no chance of opposing her, then where's the tension?

Hmm, maybe she can read everyone's mind, and so she knows how much everyone around her is suffering, which discourages her because she really does believe that the night is beautiful and the world is better shrouded in eternal night. So maybe the suffering of her subjects causes her to doubt whether what she's doing is good, and maybe she doesn't like to read ponies' minds anymore because she knows that they all hate the world she's built...

5055890

If there's literally no chance of opposing her, then where's the tension?

Why should she be opposed in the first place? I'm so very tired of this notion that if she rules she must be opposed, as if her rule couldn't be a vast improvement over Celestia's in many ways.

So maybe the suffering of her subjects causes her to doubt whether what she's doing is good, and maybe she doesn't like to read ponies' minds anymore because she knows that they all hate the world she's built...

I hate this too.

Most of the stories that have her win either have someone opposing and eventually usurping her, or her showing doubt, both of which are very annoying to me.

There are few that actually explore what Equestria and the world would be like under her rule, and that's a shame, as the world building opportunities are many with her as ruler.

We know how the world is with her defeat in the series premiere, but the huge amount of changes that come with her victory are fascinating to explore, at least to me anyway.

5056211 I agree the world building possibilities are endless. And I do think some ponies would adapt and thrive.

I struggle to think that's going to be the majority, though. And those who can't adapt will have everything to lose, which tends to breed conflict.

5056311 Using a spell to make the moon a simulated sun would make adapting to eternal night far easier for everyone.

From what we've seen in the season finale, everyone seemed content with living in eternal night, no complaints were found.

Hell, Moon even has her castle open to tourists, that should say a lot about the state of the world in that timeline.

I see her as a very strict ruler, subjecting the jobless and petty criminals to forced labour, with heavy punishment for serious or violent crimes or rebellion. Many ponies like her because of this. She will need magic to stop Equestria freezing solid after a few months, and to provide food for her subjects to buy. Ponies will need access to clocks.