Getting some new screen time for Nightmare Moon (and her maniacal laughing) was sure interesting. But I couldn't help trying to picture adult-Nyx in how she looked. I... I dunno, it's just not right. I mean, okay so Nyx is physically identical to Nightmare Moon apart from the ethereal mane and tail, and probably the fangs. (I dunno, would she have fangs?) I just can't get my mind to accept that as Nyx's appearance. The way she's drawn is just so... what's the word? Bad? They could have done so much better.

I mean, sure, it's the show. But what's with the super-tall, anorexic looking Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis? Also, I've never liked NMM's featherless wings. Am I nitpicking? Sure. But I like Nyx, so I want her to look good.

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I haven't actually done any art for Nyx, but I did do NMM, and yeah, I didn't make her nearly as tall and thin as in the show. She's still obviously taller than an average pony, just not quite so ridiculously proportioned. I also modified the armor obviously. I also did Chrysalis in a similar style.

In the case of Nyx though, I'd think you'd be far more likely to see her without the armor when she's older. She may wear it when she has to but she wouldn't wear it all the time because she wouldn't want to intimidate anyone.

4885027 you drew that?!

You wouldn't by any chance want to illustrate a story, would you?

And no, Nyx only wears the armor when she might get in a fight. Even in the buff, though, she is liable to frighten children.

4884654 I have never understood the whole 'Nightmare Moon doesn't have feathers thing'. She clearly does. Just fucking look at them. Differently shaped wings =/= featherless wings. She also doesn't look 'anorexic'. Then you would be able to see her bones and she'd barely be able to walk. She's proportioned more like an actual horse, with long legs relative to her body size and a longer neck and body with a relatively smaller head.

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She's proportioned more like an actual horse

Um... actual horses do not have size zero waists. Actual horses have very round bodies. I dunno WTF Nightmare Moon is supposed to be, but it's not an actual horse. Also, where the legs meet the body is super thin. When I commissioned the above drawing, I told the artist to make the legs thicker where they met the body, cause initially she drew them more like NMM. That's where the muscles go!

I've got to say I didn't care for the super skinny NMM. Too thin. Apparently the Nightmare is the same as a heavily invested coke habit. Who knew? I wanted to feed her a hayburger or ten.
I like NMM with more normal proportions. Nebula Star's work is excellent.

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Thanks; I've been working on the style I use for MLP art for a while, trying to keep it similar to the show's style while still being unique to me. It was actually the art community that first got me into the brony fandom.

Here's a pretty crazy rendition of Nightmare Moon I came across, This version would definitely give children nightmares:

It's by Turnipberry on Deviant art

I could make the theory that Nightmare Moon uses a spell to make herself look more menacing. That can include having a more intimidating "skeletal" appearance, or perhaps even spider-like. The wings, I don't see why there wouldn't be feathers. The lines may just be too dark to tell the feathers apart. And the fangs could go along with the intimidating spell. And if you take into account the end of Past Sins, Luna mentions that in order to transform into Nightmare Moon, she needed to gather magic to transform. So that would mean that the transformation itself was a spell.

As for comparing adult Nyx with Nightmare Moon in appearance, you just have to consider the conditions. Nightmare Moon intentionally made herself more menacing when she cast her transformation spell. Nyx however never cast a transformation spell on herself. So her appearance was not prone to the hostile emotions that Nightmare Moon had. So I think it's totally believable that the adult Nyx could potentially appear different.

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And if you take into account the end of Past Sins, Luna mentions that in order to transform into Nightmare Moon, she needed to gather magic to transform. So that would mean that the transformation itself was a spell.

You sure about that?

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I actually have two explanations in my stories about why Luna's appearance changed when she became Nightmare Moon, but in both cases, the change in appearance is a side effect. In one of my stories she actually used blood magic, one of the darkest forms of magic, to gain power. But magic gained through violence becomes corrupted; infused with the bitterness and hatred of the souls who's lives were taken and will often twist and change the physical form of whoever it touches, showing them for what they are.

The second explanation is that Luna's connection to the dream realm was greatly strengthened when she became Nightmare Moon, but because her connection was naturally stronger toward the nightmare side, her appearance was changed in order to reflect that.

In any case, Nyx has always been described as appearing like Nightmare Moon and she's never transformed her own appearance. Even when the cult made her into NMM, all they really did was return all her magic and memories to her. And since in Past Sins, Pen Stroke basically said an alicorn's maturity was tied to how much magic they had, having all of her magic returned to her made Nyx an adult NMM.

4884654 Well, that's who she was essentially. She IS Nightmare Moon. At least in how she came to be, so while that WAS her destiny once she was given a new lease on life. Powers stripped to be however she wishes to be. If she gorges down on as many hayburgers and fries while sitting on her bum all day doing Twilight things then you can get a potentially plumpy Nyx.

Nothing is set in stone, though I had no problems seeing a grown Nyx as a similar image to NIghtmare Moon, only a bit more fuller. As for the fangs? Dunno. You can go either way, think of her as part bat if you want. :P

But yeah, Nyx IS Nightmare Moon. The blood from Twilight has no real bearing on her being. That was just used to call Nightmare Moon. Only the spell as you know was cut short. You can go AU if you want, but as much as I generally don't like how she's drawn super serious and in battle armor all the time, I don't see a reason to not believe it to be Nyx. Though that shield is such a crotch though. Would be nice to see her make her own destiny than be some glorified guard. I wish people would be more creative on that front, make AU's after she was given a new lease on life to find her own place in the world.

Blah, I digress though. Imagine her any way you want honestly. We all have different ways on viewing a character.

4890950 Well, perhaps "spell" might not be the correct word. But the story does state that Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon was connected to Luna stealing magical energy from unicorns. Perhaps it wasn't a conscious decision. But it was magic.

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Um... I think maybe you misunderstood my question. I wasn't wondering whether Nyx should look like Nightmare Moon... I was wondering whether Nightmare Moon should look like that. As in, the MLP depiction, as opposed to something a bit more badass and realistically proportioned. Nobody is debating whether or not Nyx should look like Nightmare Moon - of course she should. That's who she is, as you've pointed out. I just think the lack of leg muscles or any sort of waist at all is over-the-top silly.

As for why I commissioned the artwork with battle armor, well, it's for her role. Of course, she's not gonna wear it most of the time. Just when she's out there being heroic. Don't forget what Nyx's role is. Her special talent is to keep others safe from forces that would destroy all ponies if allowed. We're talking genuine hero stuff here, not a "glorified guard".

Personally, I envision Nyx as preferring to be a lover over being a fighter. But she will not hesitate to protect those whom she loves. She might wear the armor while fighting off bad guys, but most of the time, she's with her friends and family. Nyx is a highly complex character. Her emotional sensitivities affect everything. There's no way she should be depicted as simply a hard-ass warrior without that warm, personal side that we find in the original story.

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Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon was connected to Luna stealing magical energy from unicorns

Could you point out for me where that is in the story? I can't seem to recall that being the case.

4892135 Well the art style for the show is overly simplified for animation purposes. Best thing about this fandom is how they interpret the characters in their own style. I think, while I don't dig her in such a role per se, as you said she's more than just some potential warrior badass, but that first one is pretty cool. The mane and tail looks fitting.

I personally prefer to see some mid-level depictions of what she'd look like once she reached S1 Luna's height. That in between stage so many tend to overlook. Filly days is cute, but what about her older teen/young mare depictions? That to me would be what I'd like to see more of. I mean I did a thing about Nyx in one of my blogs about what makes her a potentially charming character. I keep using "potentially" a lot don't I? Well, that's mostly due to not finding many stories that I think really capture or play on the core characteristics that Nyx has, so any story can POTENTIALLY have an awesome Nyx, and it's very subjective, but I think we could really use some art of just her growing into her form.

Anyone seen that Pony to Human chart? Well, something like that but how she goes from filly to Full Maturity chart be pretty darn nice. But yeah, nice commissions you've gotten there. They look really nice.

Far as Nightmare Moon on the show? I don't know. I like the way she looks. Especially in the finale with how she was sitting in that angle, she looked well built there. Then again I've always been a fan of Nightmare Moon, it's what kept me going through the really cheesy Pinkie Pie song. :P

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Filly days is cute, but what about her older teen/young mare depictions?

Unfortunately, there seems to be nearly a complete lack of "teenage" artwork for MLP characters... It's like ponies skip straight from being like the CMC to beign like the mane-six.

There are a couple examples, but it's very rare.

I do plan on writing a story with Nyx at the age of sixteen. I was going to use the above artwork (with Rumble) for it, but if someone can give a better sixteen-year-old depiction, I'm open minded.

Well the art style for the show is overly simplified for animation purposes.

Simple, I have no quarrel with. Everyone else is "simple" in MLP as well. But for some odd reason, NMM and Chrysalis both have pretty ridiculous proportions. Celestia and Luna don't look that bad.

but that first one is pretty cool. The mane and tail looks fitting.

Not bad for $60, eh? Silfoe is a pretty good artist. I recommend her if anyone needs art done.

I mean I did a thing about Nyx in one of my blogs about what makes her a potentially charming character. I keep using "potentially" a lot don't I? Well, that's mostly due to not finding many stories that I think really capture or play on the core characteristics that Nyx has

Well, as I said, she's a very complex character. I made a thread a few months ago on this forum on how I see her as an adult. Writing such a character consistently is a challenge. Hopefully, I can give you that "charming" character you'd like to see.

Especially in the finale with how she was sitting in that angle, she looked well built there.

I'll agree with that. The initial reveal was pretty good. She had that smug confidence and air of complete domination one would expect from Nightmare Moon.

The only beef I have with Nyx's design is how identical the appearance of her Nightmare form is to that of Luna's. I mean, I get that Nyx is Nightmare Moon and all, but so's Nightmare Rarity. And Nightmare Rarity is notable for having a design similar to yet destinct from Nightmare Moon, despite the two being the same being in different bodies. Why can't Nyx's Nightmare form be the same way in that sense?

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It's not a necropost if the topic that was posted in didn't even fall off of the first page of the topic list.

5772648 The inactivity of the group doesn't make the thread any less dead. The last post was 61 weeks ago: sometime around November or early December 2015.

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Most forums' necroposting rules only apply if the topic that was posted in didn't see activity for at least a month AND fell off of the first page of the topic list. There were threads with similar activity and topic listings to this one over on Serenes, for example. The topics over there that was responded to weren't locked because the topics in question didn't fall off of the first page of the topic list.