The Sun and Its Many Followers

Throughout history there have been dozens of cultures and religions that worshipped the sun as a deity, so it isn't surprising to see that in the world of Runeterra. What I want to know is, what's the difference between Leona, imbued with the Aspect of The Sun, and the Ascended, beings who gained their near infinite powers from the Sun disc?

My personal theory is that since Leona was given the power of the sun from the direct source, the Aspect of the Sun itself, she didn't receive any ill will or consequences for it. With the Ascended on the other hand, my belief is that by using the Sun disc to gain their powers, they got it through an indirect source, and if anything actually stole their powers from the Sun, so it cursed them, giving them power at the cost of becoming semi-monstrous animal human hybrid mutations, with exception of Xerath who just became a mass of energy.

Please comment and tell me what you think