The Civilized Barbarian Princess

[jordan179]

Disclaimer:  Purely my fanon, though I think it's a rational extrapolation from what's been shown onscreen.

"The Civilized Barbarian Princess"
(c) 2014
by
Jordan S. Bassior

Princess Luna doesn't fit very well into modern Equestria.  Here's the reason why.

Equestria is what I could call a "hyper-civilized" society.  Although it's on the average

Comments

[eric_hinkle]

I really do like this insight into Luna, both as a serious explanation for why she is the way she is and for the humor value of 'Luna the Barbarian Princess', presumably complete with the classic mail peytral.

It was she who had to see the horrors of war close up -- both on her own troops (for even when one is victorious, as she usually was, one takes losses) and on the enemy (and don't think that she forgot they were ponies too).

And that's not even adding in the kinds of things you could have in Equestria thanks to the magic and other, non-pony and sometimes carnivorous races. Griffins have a reputation in fanon as having once preyed on ponies for food; the Diamond Dogs have been shown to be slavers, though it may have just been those few; and there were the dragons

[jordan179]

I really do like this insight into Luna, both as a serious explanation for why she is the way she is ...

The show could never ever go there, not seriously, but think about the implications of the way she was acting and the reactions she expected in "Luna Eclipsed." It wasn't just the Canterlot Voice or the word choices that were utterly terrifying everyone except for Twilight (who may have studied enough history that she understood the effect Luna was trying to achieve), it was Luna's basic cultural assumptions that were out of step with modern Equestria. Which was really, really sad if you think about it. Luna almost gave up and went home -- there's one scene where she's standing alone on a bridge, very obviously trying not to cry. Even when Twilight keeps helping her, she's losing hope ... and she fully knows in that episode that Twilight is being a friend to her.

... and for the humor value of 'Luna the Barbarian Princess', presumably complete with the classic mail peytral.

I think she had some really cool full mail for

[eric_hinkle]

I'll try and answer at greater length later when I have the time, but for right now I want to say that I LIKE that bit of epic verse with the Griffins,,and I hope you do more with it.

Feel free

[luagha]

Feel free to add in the part where Luna gets to enter other ponies dreams at night.

And probably the dreams - and nightmares - of her enemies.

[kc_anathema]

Dear heavens, I am gonna end up writing fanfiction if I read excellent analysis like this.