Thanks for the kind words!



I actually picked that phrase carefully.

"Coup de grace" doesn't necessarily mean the blow at the end of the fight. It could just mean a mercy killing of something weak or feeble. This was a blow that could be given by anyone. In the aftermath of medieval battles it could be administered by camp followers to wounded soldiers or anyone else. It is also a term used to kill sick and wounded animals. And (at least in English) the term means putting a end to something.



There were two main reasons why I chose to use the term in the title.



The first reason is because in the cartoon Nightmare Moon is trying to put a end to day and usher in a era of endless night, the image has the night (well OK space but bear with me) in the bottom and a bright light above, I was trying to bring in the idea that in some godlike manner she was about to end the light.



The second reason is related to the mercy killing, she is about to kill a person. I tried to give the feeling that the viewer is already on the ground but I don't know if I was completely successful. Perhaps the did fight Nightmare Moon and it was completely one-sided and she's just drawing her sword. But in my mind to Nightmare Moon the person is like a weak and sickly animal. It's mercy just to kill them, the mortals are going to die anyway. All of the pain and anguish of mortal life, it's best just to snuff it out and get it over with for them. I was trying to channel that sense of superiority that goes with the phrase, most people don't think of it, but it is really interesting.

A stronger person is deciding to kill a weaker person for their own good. The stronger party has judged the weaker and decided that whatever struggle they are going through, it isn't worth it. The stronger party has judged this person's life and it's outcome and decided to speed things along to the end. Their existence must end. They need to be killed.



I really don't have any problems with the idea of mercy killings in real life, but the fantastical idea of there being a immortal being killing mortals as mercy killings is interesting. After all, in x amount of years they are all going to die anyway after suffering through the trials and tribulations of life, why not just speed things along for them?



If she was battered and bruised it would have told a different narrative, a interesting one, but one that I didn't want to do for this image.