Equestria: A History Revealed

by Hoofry_Poneigher

Chapter 17: Solitude of the Dreamwalker – Seeds of Upheaval

The Equestrian Civil War was one of the darkest times in Equestrian history. It demonstrates the cracks in Celestia’s “perfect” system, and divided a country into “a conflict between gods”.[103] But before I can get into the real meat of Celestia’s failures, imma have to give some juicy backstory. For one cannot be truly invested in the complex emotions and reasons surrounding the Civil War without an initial understanding of Post-Crystal War Equestria.

While one could hardly call the Crystal War a success by any sense of the word, it didn't stop Celestia, and national love for her excelled as a result. After Equestria’s first-ever "true" war, Celestia’s approval ratings were off the charts, and there was much love for her reign. Celestia’s propagandists must have had a field day, and quickly regurgitated some bs about how their first wartime victory surely spelt the absolute power of Celestia. It was thanks to this that Celestia received nearly all the credit for the “success” of the Crystal War, and was seen by all as not only a god, “but a true hero”.[104] Scholars (with the benefit of those recently released sources) usually point to this as the initial point of contention between the sisters.

While as before, Luna was more than happy to let Celestia soak up the praise (mostly because Luna didn't really do anything), this time, Luna felt that she played a major role in securing the Equestrian victory, due to her (heh) “leadership”, and especially due to her role in the Battle of Windigo Lake.[105] While Luna of course did not feel she deserved all the credit, but the fact that she was barely acknowledged at all and so blatantly ignored by the media and the populace caused darkness to fester in her heart. After all, she felt Celestia had enough praise; surely it was time for Luna to get a piece of that loving action right?

Yet there was nothing. While she brought it up with her sister in a private royal meeting,[106] nothing ever became of her complaint. Perhaps Celestia’s arrogance at this point was at its peak. After all, having an entire nation basically worship you would probably cause you to gain quite an ego. I mean, while no primary sources have ever observed any obvious change in Celestia’s behavior or mannerisms, some even stating that despite of all of this, “she was still the same kind, gentle, and gracious leader we had all come to love”,[107] I know pony nature more than anypony. And I know the type of pony Celestia is. From the short glimpses I saw of her in Canterlot, I think I have a greater understanding of her than anypony of her royal clique. Outside she pretends to be such a do-gooder, but inside lies the black, heartless heart of EVIL! EVIL I TELL YOU!

With the praise towards Celestia seemingly escalating year by year, it surely must have gotten on Luna’s nerves. Day by day, it must have chipped at her soul; her jealousy, her anger. But in Luna’s own recollections in 2013’s “interview of the millennium”,[108] despite it all, she “still loved [her sister] deeply, and…could never stand to hurt her.”[109] Of course, everypony had a breaking point, and as we know in history, it would just be a matter of time before Luna reached hers.

The years 952-1000 were informally called the “Second Golden Age of Equestria” at the time, thanks to a resurgence of the tremendous optimism and trust the ponies placed in their glorious leader. Of course, this name never really caught on; looking back in hindsight, most historians agree there was nothing really “golden” about it (which I would argue applies for the First Golden Age too, but I digress). This time period is instead recognized as a loose powder keg; a countdown towards the end of Equestria’s prosperity[110] (which I would again argue was something that ended longg ago).

In the few excerpts from what little was saved from this era before the full brunt of the “knowledge purges” immediately following the Civil War, Celestia sadly remarked that,

“Luna certainly brought up her feelings of isolation and loneliness. Not only was she ignored by the (in her words) peasantry, but nopony would stay awake to enjoy the beauty of her starry night. Perhaps…I was too foolish to dismiss her doubts. Perhaps I was too blind of a ruler, and more importantly, too terrible of a sister.”[111]

Mmmmm. You have no idea how much joy I feel in quoting that. mmmMMMMmMmm. Feels good, feels good.

Towards the end of the century, the Celestia administration was nonetheless having a field day with Celestia’s image. Multitudes of posters, events celebrating her power, and the glowing adoration of the citizenry filled her day with pride and joy (and probably some sick kind of thrill, after all, I bet Celestia just loves looking down on other ponies). I think I might’ve even seen some vintage Celestia lunchboxes out there.[112] But this probably just caused Luna’s anger and bitterness to grow even more.

Celestia, obviously too uppity, important, and busy to spend time to truly talk with her sister took its toll on the relationship of the royal siblings. More and more, Luna found herself isolated by the one pony she loved and trusted no matter what. And towards the end of the century, Luna found herself truly and utterly alone.

But still, her spirit did not yet break. Historians have attributed this to the strength of her spirit, and what love remained for her sister.[113] Her heart truly must have been in turmoil, the love and care in her heart was surely lessening by the minute; it was fighting a losing battle with her growing bitterness and jealousy.[114] But of course, I disagree with those idiots one hundred percent, and instead attribute it to her simple stubbornness. I mean seriously, just turn evil already so I can bash Celestia some more. Honestly, some ponies can be so insensitive of others.

Luna found a way to handle her loneliness by awakening her nascent power of dreams, finally finding a way to be in the company and love of other ponies as they slept. And in a Celestia-free world, this probably would’ve worked. But unfortunately, we are not so lucky.

Luna instead found herself at the anger of the citizens. Immediate concerns over privacy were brought up, and Luna was subjected to a class action lawsuit by the very citizens who she had tried to befriend.[115] Anger over this breach of state power by this (I’m paraphrasing here) “weak-sauce, inverted colorscheme Celestia wannabe”,[116] and how she dared to even look like Celestia were major points brought up in the trial. As I stated before, the pro-Celestia movement was at an all-time high; the general populace did not want to waste their time with what they perceived to be an “inferior, shorter yet lankier looking version of Celestia”.[117]

The trial certainly brought shame to the royal family (and by royal family, as the royal family consisted only of two ponies, I am of course referring to the sole shame of 50% of the family). While it was never shown publicly, surely Celestia had some harsh words of reprimand for Luna during the ordeal. Celestia was extremely busy during this time (with foreign matters that will be discussed in the next chapter), and as such, Luna’s actions here were both shameful and damaging to her administration. Perhaps they even had multiple arguments behind the scenes. After all, Celestia's lack of understanding over Luna's situation and true feelings, and the fact she seemed to care for her sister less and less in favor of her own duties surely deteriorated their relationship even further.

Celestia was the preceding head of law of time (as she was the head of everything, due to her cult of personality), and therefore oversaw the trial directly. During the trial itself, while Celestia was said to have “an understanding tone” during the situation, her body language, from the eyes of an observer, seemed to be “agitated and stressed”,[118] as if she wanted to get the trial over with as soon as possible. Continuing on from the whole “shame upon Equestria” trait that the trial held, understandably, this testimony would make sense. But what was peculiar in the court records was that Celestia continued to listen to each one of the plaintiffs’ complaints, of which there were many (complaints and plaintiffs that is).[119] However, she gave little time for Luna to speak on her own defense, and it seemed that Celestia already had the verdict in mind before the trial even began. As such, it would be understandable for Luna to infer that Celestia cared more for her citizens than herself. While she surely knew Celestia had a duty to uphold as the supreme ruler of Equestria, such knowledge would not make the pain hurt any less.

In Luna’s opinion, the fact that Celestia would so easily turn against her own sister in favor of her citizens was “a deeper stab in the back than [she] could have ever imagined. And the court's final ruling in favor of the citizens, as well as their abject condemnation of [her] in front of the entire nation was the greatest betrayal [she] had ever felt, and it only stung more that it came from [her] own loving sister.”[120]

With regards to the source this quote was taken from, how Luna was able to cover such deep and painful topics in just one minute, I’ll never know (I only have the transcript of the interview after all). Maybe she just spoke really quickly or something.

While Luna’s actions here may have seemed selfish and one would probably perceive her to be quite the drama queen, it is important to note here that Luna’s actions here were simply out of desperation. She was feeling truly isolated by all around her, and was just trying to reach out to somepony, anypony, who would listen. She certainly must have been sinking into a deeper and deeper depression, and the one pony she had relied on for over a lifetime seemed to have finally publicly turned her back on her. Keeping this in mind, one can easily understand why she was so hurt by Celestia’s actions here.

With the end of the trial, perhaps due to her sympathy for her sister, or perhaps just thanks to due process, instead of charging her with multiple counts of invasion of privacy, Celestia instead signed a new bill into law, the “Universal Right to Privacy Regarding Dreams and Other Apparitions of the Mind 998”, effectively forbidding Luna from interfering with the dreams of other ponies, except that of little orange fillies who may be in need of guidance.[121] Why she included that oddly specific clause, who knows. Maybe in an attempt to reach a compromise. Obviously Celestia could not prosecute Luna like a common criminal. As unpopular as she was, she was still an alicorn princess, and to do so would place doubt in her strength and show weakness in the alicorn regime. Which was especially significant now, as Equestria began to take the world stage with its international presence and stronghooved actions, in regards to the Griffon Republic (actions of which shall be discussed in the next chapter).

But nonetheless, even with this "compromise", the outcome of the trial clearly established that Luna was in the wrong, and placed her insecurities and loneliness on display for all of Equestria to see. Let me tell you, if she didn't have self-esteem problems before, she sure did now.

I cover the trial in far more detail in my other work, “An Abhorrent Offense: Princess Luna and the Invasion of Privacy” (please buy now) so I won’t waste any more time here discussing it. But the main point I’m trying to raise by mentioning it, was the trial’s effects on lighting the fuse to war (which by-the-by, is the thesis to “An Abhorrent Offense: Princess Luna and the Invasion of Privacy”[122]).

Luna understandably did not take the whole event well. In her own view, not only was she insulted and made a spectacle of by the Celestia-worshipping citizens in the trial, but she felt that her own sister had finally and ultimately betrayed her. Before, while she had nopony to help her, she still believed in Celestia’s love for her. It was what kept her from the darkness. But with the conclusion of the trial, and the self-perceived notion that Celestia had turned her back on her forever, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Can straws do that? Is it really that easy to break a camel’s back? Do you think that would work on any creature? This provokes further study…

Ahem. Back to my point, Luna, now utterly humiliated and perceiving herself to be fully betrayed by her sister, now had no reason to obey. Celestia and the rest of Equestria, in their hubris, had started something whose effects would be forever felt in history. A storm was coming. And there was no way it could be stopped.

Comments

[ZealousChristian24]

EVIL! EVIL I TELL YOU!

... You weren't held enough as a child, were you?

Honestly, some ponies can be so insensitive of others

Oh, really?

Keeping this in mind, one can easily understand why she was so hurt by Celestia’s actions here.

Loose-y... Is this genuine empathy from you? I'm pleasantly surprised!

This provokes further study…

NO, BAD CHANGE! Huh, and you were doing so well, too.

Though, geez, if even half of what our drug-crazed psychopath of a narrator wrote id true, I feel seriously bad for Luna!

[Starburst Gleam]

I actually felt sympathy for Luna. (Well, I often do, but here especially) I think Loose Change here is obviously a fan. She needs someone with the power and abilities to take over Celestia, her scapegoat, and who better than Luna? Cadence, heck no that pink pony princess got nothin. Twilight is pretty much a mini Celestia to her. Loving this!

[Stainless Steel Fox]

If anything of Loose Changes' sources for the Trial of Luna are true, it's clear that Celestia bucked up big time. Well, I guess even a broken clock can be right twice a day.

[nightcrawlerfan]

Hey, it's Apollo Justice!