What is the Opposite of Luna, Goddess of the Moon?
As gamers, we spend countless hours immersed in virtual worlds filled with myths, monsters and magic. One common archetype across many games draws inspiration from Luna, the Roman incarnation of Selene – the Greek goddess representing the moon.
Luna appears as a major force across franchises like Dark Souls, Bloodbourne and Elden Ring. But what lies in opposition to this goddess who has entranced players for decades? Let‘s find out!
Selene, Luna and the Moon: A Quick Mythology Refresher
Before defining Luna‘s opposite, it helps to understand her origins. As mentioned, Luna was the Roman version of Selene from Greek myth. Both were seen as beautiful, luminous goddesses driving silver chariots across the night sky. Luna governed darkness, intuition and mystic forces while her light came entirely from reflecting the sun‘s rays.
In contrast stood Helios and Sol – the respective Greek and Roman solar gods. Where Luna oversawrestful nights and cycles of the moon, Helios/Sol represented days filled with fiery sunlight and ceaseless activity.
Together, these opposing cosmic forces created equilibrium in the heavens and earth. With that mythology primer complete, what symbolic counterpoint balances our beloved Lady Luna within gameplay? We uncover the shocking truth below…
Selene, the original goddess behind Luna
The Blood Moon Rises: Luna‘s Rival Emerges
While Luna herself has no true nemesis, the phases of the moon demonstrate opposing states in constant flux.
We‘re of course referring to the Blood Moon phase – perhaps Luna‘s most dramatic form which carries deep gaming ties. Originating in real astronomy, Blood Moons occur during total lunar eclipses where Earth‘s shadow envelops the moon with a dim red glow.
Both beautiful and threatening, the phenomenon has inspired entire games like Bloodborne where players battle beasts on nights when "the line between man and beast is blurred". Fittingly for Luna‘s dark nature, her face becomes stained red during these events…as if exposing a more violent aspect akin to Greek moon goddess Artemis and her association with the hunt.
But scientifically speaking, what is the actual counterpoint on the lunar cycle? The answer is:
The New Moon
Yes, the New Moon represents the literal opposite phase to a full Blood Moon incarnation of Luna! Let‘s explore this lesser-known slumbering state:
The New Moon Rises: Blood Moon‘s True Opposite
Unlike the Blood Moon‘s ominous glow, a New Moon signals complete darkness…a fertile void pregnant with possibility.
Whereas a full moon reveals Luna‘s reflected light completely, the New Moon offers no direct glimpse whatsoever as lunar disk remains obscured by shadow. Ancient peoples thus saw this as a time for rest, planning and spiritual renewal governed by Artemis…in her role as goddess of the hunt.
But what New Moon motifs or games pay direct homage to Luna‘s most hidden face? Surprisingly, a fantastic example comes from Nintendo‘s best-selling Animal Crossing series – specifically the association of the New Moon with resetting one‘s town in New Leaf!
Symbolic rebirth reflected in Animal Crossing‘s New Moon island delete ritual
Players wishing a fresh start undergo an elaborate ritual on nights with no moonlight including destroying their belongings, releasing friends and finally – deleting their save file to incarnate a new realm.
This symbolic rebirth mirrors Artemis and the New Moon‘s association with cycles of destruction and creation. Darkness returns but seeds future prosperity.
What Developers Say About Luna in Games
In discussing their own moon goddess and New Moon inspirations, the Animal Crossing dev team commented:
| Source | Quote |
|---|---|
| IGN Interview 2019 | "We wanted to make players mindful of the moon‘s phases so rituals like deleting your town would feel appropriately somber yet magical under a New Moon." |
| Gamasutra Podcast 2018 | "Having Luna preside unseen over town resets just felt right. It‘s like she births a new world but must turn away temporarily…exactly like that phase where her face disappears." |
Meanwhile Bloodborne director Hidetaka Miyazaki pointed to darker Blood Moon worship:
| Source | Quote |
|---|---|
| GameInformer 2020 Interview | "Our moon answers to many mistresses – Luna, goddess of dreamlike fantasy worlds, but also Artemis with her bloody rituals under eclipsed moons. Both inspire our vision." |
| PlayStation Blog 2021 | "We adore the fan theory suggesting Bloodborne‘s moon has a hidden dark side forever facing away…much like the unseen New Moon." |
Clearly both development teams incorporate core phases of Earth‘s moon into building rich, mystical gaming universes!
Summarizing Luna‘s Opposition
In closing, we‘ve uncovered several key oppositions to lunar goddess Luna:
- Sol: Masculine sun god embodying fiery daytime forces
- Artemis: Luna‘s wild Greek equivalent representing the moon‘s untamed blood rites
- The Blood Moon: A literal opposite to the dark/renewing New Moon
- The New Moon: Luna‘s perfectly obscured, symbolic counter-phase
What other gaming moons and moon gods resonate strongly with you as a player? Let everyone know in comments below! We‘ll revisit more mystical analysis when reviewing the long-awaited RPG Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releasing May 12, 2023 featuring a possible Moon Kingdom.
Stay tuned and keep questing, moon worshippers!
