The Sun, Moon, & Ascendant are all said to be equal in importance.
The only difference is that the Sun is the ego (outer personality), the Moon is the emotions/feelings (inner personality), & the Ascendant is how you "identify" with yourself, your tastes, physical appearance, how you would say, "I am..." It's a lot about how you feel. It modifies the whole planetary package (Sun, Moon, etc.) in my opinion. How those energies are packaged up, and funneled out into the world... how you say, "hello" to the world, how you feel comfortable presenting yourself. The mask you wear. Your costume.
This has a lot to do with your tastes because it's how you feel comfortable presenting yourself, so it's what you feel comfortable with in general (who you feel comfortable being). It's like the clothes you wear. The suit you choose. How you feel "best suited" up. (kind of completes you)
It's like the Sun is "the car", the Moon is "the engine", & Ascendant is the paint job, accessories, or modifications (leather or cloth seats? sunroof? rims, sound system...?) -All the bells & whistles (or lack thereof). How you choose to "do it up" & package it, if you will...

interesting, very helpful information, thanks.

I agree... that was very well put