Talk:Royal guards/@comment-78.133.26.228-20111023090222/@comment-76.17.182.70-20111106005917

Regarding the bat winged guards pulling Luna's chariot... They may be magic disguises, provided by Princess Luna, or they might be something all together real. They sorta reminded me of the Thestrals from Harry Potter. The thestrals are equine creatures that have bat like wings, are associated with death, and have heads with reptilian features and eat meat.

In the episode, her guards have bat like wings, "dragon" eyes like Nightmare Moon's (comparable to Spike's slitted eyes), and the whole theme of the holiday revolves around disguising oneself in costumes and giving Nightmare Moon an offering of candy to dissuade her from eating YOU!!!

With that in mind...

EXCERPTS FROM THE HARRY POTTER WIKI

--- Luna Scamander (née Lovegood) (born c. 1981) was a witch and daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood and his wife. Her mother accidentally died while experimenting with spells when Luna was nine, and Luna was raised by her father, editor of the magazine The Quibbler, in a rook-like house around the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. Luna attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1992 to 1999 and was sorted into Ravenclaw house. In her fourth year, Luna joined Dumbledore's Army, of which she became an important member.

Luna was the only child of Xenophilius and Mrs. Lovegood. Luna's mother was accidentally killed experimenting with a spell that she created when Luna was nine years old. Thus, Luna was subsequently raised by her father. As she witnessed her mother's death, she was able to see Thestrals from that point onwards.

Luna introduces Harry to the Thestrals; she offers a young Thestral an apple, which was turned down, before offering it a bit of raw meat with an accepting smile.

At one point in the story, after escaping from the Inquisitorial Squad and regrouping in the forest, Luna reminded Harry about the Thestrals and suggested using them to get to the Ministry of Magic. She then mounted her Thestral side-saddle, "as though she did this every day." She also helped Ron, Hermione and Ginny mount their Thestrals, as the animals were invisible to them. ---

Do I smell a harry potter reference, or is Luna's bat winged guards pure coincidence?