Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn

The Twilight Saga: Comprises the four-book series Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Written by Stephenie Meyer whose inspiration comes from a dream she had June 2, 2003. She woke up and started writing the novel which had become #1 New York Times Bestseller in 2005 and had inspired the production of a movie series.

Bella, a 17-year old clumsy teenage girl whose parents were divorced, lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her mom, Renee and step dad, Phil, a baseball player who by the nature of his work, travels a lot. Her mom would always want to go with him but is just hesitant leaving her alone. She felt that she is making her mom unhappy so she figured she has to stay with her dad for a while.

Her dad, Charlie, is the chief of police in Forks, Washington, a small town where there is constant cloud and rain. She has distaste to any cold, wet thing. Charlie gave her a 2^nd-hand 1953 Chevrolet trunk as a home-coming present. She uses it to go to Forks High School where she is in a junior class and which she is only the 358^th registered student. She is a new girl in school and has been a subject of curiosity so she easily got friends like Jessica, Mike, Eric, Laura and Tyler. She also met Edward, a mysterious but gorgeous guy who became her classmate and lab-partner in Biology class. At first, he was mean and aloof but he easily got tired of avoiding her. He figured Bella’s scent is like her personal brand of heroine, he can’t stay away from her anymore.

One usual rainy day, Tyler is driving his way to the school’s parking lot when he suddenly lost his control of the wheel and almost crushed Bella to death. But Edward got to her so fast and pushed the van away. Bella was not hurt but was just mystified by how Edward did it. At first, he wouldn’t admit anything but Bella didn’t let go of the thought. She was consumed by his mystery that she would often dream about him. Bella’s insistence hesitate Edward to befriend her but later found themselves helping and spending time together in and out of school.

Bella’s suspicion resurfaced when she went for a walk in La Push beach with Jacob, her childhood friend whose father, Billy was her father’s closest friend from whom her Chevy was bought. One of Jacob’s friend mentioned that the Cullens don’t come to that beach. She pushes Jacob to tell the story behind it and it was Quilette legends and the treaty that his great grandfather - Ephraim, made with the Cullens, “the cold ones”.

It triggered Bella’s curiosity so she did her own research on the subject. The facts she found on the net and Edward’s bizarre abilities heightened her suspicion of him being a vampire. She bought a book from a local shop in Port Angeles to verify her theory. But on her way back, she was chased by men. Surprisingly, Edward was there to the rescue. It was their first time alone together and she got the chance of asking him of this another unusual incident. Edward was finally explaining things, he admits that he can read minds apart from her which remain quite inexplicable. And he confirmed that Jacob’s myth is true. Bella then realized that she was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Since then, they have been spending time together. They began to show their relationship in public. Some people are not happy with their relationship like Jacob’s father Billy, who after a very long time could still not forget about the treaty. And Rosalie, Edward’s blond sister who is not happy sharing their vampire secrets with any human.

One day, Edward took Bella for hiking. In the meadow he showed Bella why the Cullens won’t go out in the sun and why he seemed to hate her the first time they’ve met. How tortured he was for the fear of hurting her if he’ll lose control of himself. But Bella told him, “I’d rather die than stay away from you”. Then, they had their first kiss.

Edward introduced Bella to his family, his father Carlisle – a doctor, his wife Esme – an archeological architect, his siblings Alice – who can see the future, Jasper – who can control other’s emotions, Rosalie – who exudes beauty and his big brother, Emmett – who’s the strongest. They however were not biologically related, they were physically linked by blood and venom. Their family is different from their kind, they only hunt animals for food, a “vegetarian diet” as they call it. As Edward makes Bella familiar with them, he invited her to play baseball with his family. But three nomads passed through the open field where they play. Laurent, the leader of the group came along with the red-haired vampire Victoria who’s affectionate with the third one, James – the tracker.

Laurent and Carlisle was done talking diplomatically when James sensed Bella’s scent. He posed to attack her but Edward acted in defense. This sets off James to track Bella. The Cullens were trying to confuse James with his scent but the latter called Bella on the phone saying he has her mother as a hostage. Worried about her mom, Bella decided to deal with the situation alone.

They meet in the ballet studio where she used to take classes as a kid. Finding out that she was tricked, she tried to escape. James got mad and broke her leg. As she was agonizing in pain, Edward came before the others to defend her. They fought but James found a chance to bite her. Edward almost finished him off when the others came to help. The venom was starting to spread in Bella’s blood. Here, Carlisle provoked Edward to choose whether he wants Bella to stay human or let her be like them. He chooses the former, he don’t want Bella to be like a monster as he sees himself.

After that horrifying incident, Edward took Bella to the prom with one foot on cast. Bella don’t want to go but Edward didn’t want her to miss any of her human’s life important passage. Here, she is trying to convince Edward to change him. But he is so stubborn on keeping Bella human. He has a pessimistic view of his vampire world (at first, but Bella later changes his perspective on it). And yet Bella wants to be like him, for in this way, she can be with him forever.

Bella had a dream, she saw her grandmother in her dream. That’s what she thought, but it was her in the mirror, old, wrinkled, wasted, beside her is Edward, exuding no reflection but still the same as he was, young, enticing and eternally 17. He whispered “Happy Birthday”.

She woke up terrified and the memories of the dream dragged her down the whole day. It was quite a premonition, it is her 18^th birthday. The Cullen family arranged a birthday party for her. Bella didn’t like attention and gifts and she don’t want Edward to spend money on her. For the Cullens, money is something that you acquire when you have unlimited time. As for Bella, she has nothing to reciprocate with, anything Edward gave her on top of himself just threw them more out of balance.

She was opening Edward’s gift when suddenly she had a paper cut and a single drop of blood leaked from the tiny cut. Jasper being new to their “vegetarian diet” was having a hard-time resisting human blood so he was induced to attack her by his vampire instinct. Edward threw himself at Bella causing her to tumble down the floor and caused glass splinters on her arms. Emmett and Rosalie grabbed and pulled Jasper behind who later felt guilty and ashamed of himself.

After the accident, Edward began to be buried in deep regret and guilt until he gradually detached from her. He made her believe that he has accepted that their relationship won’t work because he’s always putting her in danger. He broke up with Bella believing that breaking her heart will make her safe again.

Bella succumbed in deep pain. She wouldn’t eat, drink or move. “She’s like a living dead”. Charlie her dad, had to call her mother Renee to take her to Florida. But Bella fly into a fury, she threw her clothes everywhere and screamed that they couldn’t make her leave and then she finally started crying. She doesn’t want to leave Forks because she’s hoping he’ll come back for her.

Time passes. October. November. December. January. She went back to school and work but her eyes were blank. She was empty and she’s screaming in her sleep.

Through her dad’s persuasion that she started seeing her friends again, including Jacob Black who has a secret admiration for her. She finds comfort in him. Edward’s absence causes her friendship with Jacob grew and deepened.

Jacob fixed and revived a couple of motorcycles that Bella bought from the junk. He introduces her to his friends, Quil, Embry and Sam Uley. Bella looks forward to riding the motorcycle and cliff diving with Jacob. For doing something dangerous, Bella could imagine hearing Edward’s voice, reminding her not to do anything stupid or reckless.

Then Jacob becomes suddenly unavailable. She was always alone and couldn’t stand staying in the house by herself. Without him, there would be no one to distract her from everything that she’s been repressing so the pain started creeping up again. She went to the woods, to the meadow where she used to be with Edward. Then Laurent showed up, wondering why Edward left her unprotected. As he was about to consume her, a huge rusty brown werewolf appeared and run after Laurent and the other wolves run along.

She was surprised and confused why the wolves attacked Laurent instead of her. At the same time, she’s wondering about Jacob’s absence. Why he was ditching her for his friends. So Bella went to his house to confront him and asked about his mysterious activity with Sam Uley. She didn’t get the straight answer but Jacob gave her a hint and she has seen it to be true. That Jacob is a werewolf and his friends were part of the pack.

To make amends, he promised her to go cliff diving one day but he has been busy with the pack. Bella needed a distraction from the pain so badly that she went cliff diving alone. She almost drowned if Jacob hasn’t saved her from the strong waves.

Alice saw Bella jumping off the cliff in her vision. She rushed in a panic, she suddenly visited her to confirm her false assumption. But it’s too late, Rosalie already informed Edward about this. He thought Bella was dead and he couldn’t live in a world where Bella don’t exist. So he went to Italy to ask death from the Volturi. The Volturi is a vampire coven with an inherent royalty to rule and protect the vampire world.

His plea for death was not granted so he planned to irritate the Volturi by exposing his vampire skin to sunlight which will prove their existence and thus violate the Volturi’s greatest rule. Alice and Bella went to Italy in a hurry to save Edward. They need to beat the clock before it’s too late. Bella and Edward were reunited but they have to face Volturi’s judgment for what rule they have broken.

It was then that they’ve discovered that Bella has a shield from all the vampire’s formidable gifts/talents that can be used to destroy others. Edward violated Volturi’s rule by allowing a human like Bella to know their existence. But Aro, one of the three leaders of the coven, convinced the others to forgive them conditionally with the promise that they will eventually turn Bella into a vampire believing that she has an exceptional potential gift.

Their love rekindled as they moved back home. But Bella is worried about the Volturi’s condition knowing that Edward has all his plans centered on keeping her human.

So she summoned Edward’s family to put her mortality to a vote. In the end, the majority favored Bella and that Carlisle would initiate the change. But Edward proposed to postpone the change saying that Bella needs to finish high school and move out of Charlie’s house first for her family’s interest.

Everything went back to normal except that Charlie got Bella grounded for missing in three days, the time that she was in Italy saving Edward. But she got even more grounded when Jacob betrayed her telling Charlie of the motorcycling hobby she once have. Jacob did this in purpose so that she wouldn’t be allowed to spend time with Edward anymore. Jacob is not happy seeing her with Edward. Aside from the fact that vampires and wolves were enemy clan, he can’t understand why Bella still chooses Edward over him in spite of everything. So Bella and Jacob had an invisible gap.

Jacob was angry about Bella’s choice but not enough to change anything. He didn’t surrender the friendship and the possibility of having more than that. On the other hand, Bella is guilty and frustrated that she can’t have them both, one as a lover, the other one as a friend.

Meanwhile, Victoria is making newborn vampires in Seattle but the Cullens have no idea that it was her doing the chaos, a part of her plan to avenge her partner James’s death.

Bella and Edward went to Jacksonville to visit Renee. Jacob learned that the two had gone out of town for three days and was alarmed. So he checked on Bella if she’s still human. Jacob went to Forks High School and confronted Edward in Bella’s presence. He is demanding the reason why Edward didn’t informed Bella that the Cullens and the wolves encountered Victoria in the woods. That they almost caught her if the pack wasn’t distracted by Emmett’s crossing the treaty line to run after Victoria. Edward did this to protect Bella and not have her worry about anything that will not put her in danger.

The two lovers haven’t had the time to discuss the incident in school but found a way to compromise about not hiding things from each other. This doesn’t prevent Edward from keeping Bella protected. When he’s away hunting, he would asked Alice to guard Bella by bribing her with a yellow Porsche (like the one she stole in Italy to save Edward) it’s more of a gift actually for watching over her.

Bella, feeling deprived and irritated, escaped out of school with Jacob to have fun. Edward realized that he can’t restrain her from seeing Jacob so he agreed to let Bella see him for some times that he’s away. That is also one way of keeping her safe specially these times, that someone is sneaking in her house stealing some of her stuff and clothing to catch Bella’s scent.

Realizing that Bella seems to be in danger again, the Cullens and the pack rearranged some boundaries so they can catch anyone who gets too near Forks.

Graduation is fast approaching. Bella saw Edward worrying, she is too. She worries that Edward might not want her when she’s changed. When she’s not soft and warm anymore and do not smell the same. While Edward thinks it’s selfish to allow her to risk her soul. He said, “If there were any way for me to become human for you – no matter what the price was, I would pay for it”.

As allowed, Bella went to Jacob for a visit. He took it as a chance to tell her that he’s not giving up. He’s insisting that Bella wants him too, just that she hasn’t realized it yet. When Bella started to object, Jacob kissed him forcibly. She punched him in the face but only had her hand broken.

Time moves fast. Edward, Alice and Bella graduated from high school. Alice set up a graduation party at Cullen’s house. She invited all of their classmates. Jacob came in with a graduation present for Bella, a silver bracelet with a tiny wooden carving, a miniature wolf. During the party, Alice saw a vision again, she saw that the newborns were headed to town. The Cullen’s no longer hide the facts to the pack. With the same intent to protect the land and its people, the Cullen’s and the wolves (Quilettes) formed an alliance. They will be fighting together instead of fighting against each other.

Jasper has combat skills and experience in his past human life. He led the two groups in practicing their strategies and fighting plans. Bella didn’t want Edward to be involved in the fight, she’s too afraid to risk his life.

Before the anticipated fight, Bella stayed at Edward’s place for two days. There, she is convincing Edward to make love with her before she is turned into a vampire. But Edward was firm to his conditions that she would have to marry him first before he changed her into a vampire and they would try to make love after the wedding. Actually, he was just afraid that any unconscious move can crushed Bella’s bone into pieces.

Soon, the newborn vampires attacked them in the field. Bella’s theory was right all along, it was Victoria causing the turmoil. Bella also fears for Jacob’s life so she asked him to kiss her so that he would not go. She felt guilty after but Edward didn’t get mad at her at all.

After a while, the fight was over. They won over the newborns and Edward dismembered Victoria’s body. But the Volturi came by to check what was causing the mess. There, they find that Bella is still human. But the Cullen’s promised that “the date” was set.

Meanwhile, Jacob was hurt, though werewolves heal fast, he was still treated by Carlisle. While he was healing, Bella visited him and was torn to realize that she also has feelings for Jacob but not enough to choose him over Edward. The latter become worried about her sobbing that he thought she was making the wrong choice. But Bella assured him and said, “Edward, I know who I can’t live without”. Then they agreed to push on the wedding. Bella allowed Alice to do the arrangements as the latter is so ecstatic doing so. They set the date, August 13^th, a month before Bella’s 19^th birthday.

On the other hand, Jacob was agonizing with the fact that the two were getting married.

Bella hadn’t expected Edward taking advantage of their deal. He has given her so much like replacing her Chevy truck with a “Mercedes Guardian” as a “before-wedding” gift. It’s a car with 4000 lbs of body armor and a missle-proof glass, something that is mostly designed for Middle East diplomats, arm dealers and drug lords. She is so accident-prone that Edward has to keep her safe, of course he is always getting overboard when it comes to protecting her. But for Bella, the best part of being a Cullen was not expensive cars and impressive cards.

As Bella and Edward receives her parent’s blessing, Jacob on the other hand, was brooding over his heartache, he ran away from home. But Bella was checking up on him from time to time.

While everyone gets busy on their wedding preparations, especially Alice, Bella was anxiously anticipating her first year as a newborn vampire and yet eagerly excited about Edward’s fulfillment of his side of the bargain.

The night before the wedding, Bella dreamed of a beautiful and adorable boy, a toddler who in her dream she was trying to protect from the Volturi but was shocked to realize that the child has killed all her loved ones.

She needed to shake off the nightmare, it’s her wedding day today. Alice makes Bella looked stunning while Rosalie braided her hair. The wedding went perfectly well, her family, the Quilettes, her cousins-in-law – the Denali vampire clan, her classmates, everyone she loved were there. Edward surprised her by secretly inviting Jacob to come. She was completely happy.

Soon they went on to Isle Esme, it was a private island off the coast of Brazil that Carlisle gave Esme as a gift. Esme offered them to borrow it as a wedding gift. The new couple will be spending a couple of weeks in the island for their honeymoon.

One morning, as Edward just came back from hunting, Bella vomited and throw up several times after. She thought she was just food poisoned. Back home, Alice saw a vision that she is with a green-eyed, angel faced child in her arms. She called Edward’s phone immediately but the latter is frozen on the floor shocked by Bella’s pronouncement that her period is five days late. To check their presumption, Edward decided they’re going home immediately after speaking with Carlisle.

Jacob learned that the couple had gone back because Bella is sick. He went to Cullen’s house to confirm that Bella was sick, very sick and pregnant, abnormally pregnant. Edward asked Jacob to talk to her and make her see reason that ‘the thing”, the nudger as Bella calls it, was hurting and killing her and yet she won’t allow Carlisle to take it out of her. Bella won’t listen to him anymore, she is willing to die protecting the baby. Worse, Rosalie, Emmett and Esme are backing her up.

He wanted to blame and fight Edward for allowing it to happen, that he should have thought about it before. But Jacob saw the scorching agony in his face. The Cullens didn’t know that it is possible for vampires to conceive a child with a human, but not in a sadistic way as with the incubus or succubus. Jacob (Jake) also tried to rationalize things with her but she wasn’t really listening.

On the other hand, the wolves pack was threatened by the danger that the unborn child may pose. They want to kill the creature inside her even if it meant killing her too. The safety of their tribe and its families were more important to them than one human life which is Bella’s. Jacob and Seth Clearwater (the youngest wolf in the tribe and had become Edward’s friend during the previous alliance) defended her saying that they should recognize Bella’s sacrifice and it’s against their code to take a human life. But Sam Uley, the recognized leader or “Alpha” as they call it, is willing to push the plan. No one can dispute Alpha’s decision except Jacob, he has the genetic rights to be the Alpha, it’s just that he never wanted to lead the pack and live his life with this responsibility and obligation. Sam was chosen by the tribe/pack to lead because he is the first one to discover their extraordinary nature. Jacob refused Sam’s command and turned his back on the tribe.

Jacob rushed to warn the Cullen’s before the pack could get together and stopped him. Seth followed and supported him. Jacob and Seth alternately guards and run patrols over the white “Cullen’s house and its perimeter. The Cullens felt grateful for their deed that they would prepare human food and clothing’s for them. Soon, Seth’s sister – Leah joined Jacob in. She doesn’t like the vampires, she’s just trying to protect her brother and the other thing is that her loyalty is no longer with Sam. She loved Sam but she doesn’t want to be his pathetic ex-girlfriend.

Soon, Bella gave birth but the baby broke many of her bones and lost a lot of blood that Edward has to forced venom into her heart and all over her body to save her life. After some time, she opened her eyes to see that she was now a totally different person. The venom healed her injuries and turned her into a newborn vampire. She was luminously beautiful though her eyes would blaze like vicious red flames for months. She wasn’t allowed to see her newborn daughter, Renesmee until her thirst is positively under control. Their baby is half human, her heart beats.

Bella went for her first hunt, Edward accompanied her. Now she fully understands all of Edward’s mystery, the speed, the strength and the clarity of his vision and other senses. After draining a couple of animals, Bella eagerly return for Renesmee.

She was warm-blooded though her heart beats faster than a human’s. She has exactly the color of Bella’s eyes, Edward’s bronze hair and her skin is impenetrable as a vampire skin. She’s progressing at an immense pace. She had a gift, she can communicate and show what’s on her mind by touching your face. She can do the exact opposite of what Edward can do. She used to bite people around her but she’s not in any way venomous.

Bella began to notice why Jacob is overprotective of Renesmee. He had imprinted on her. (Imprinting means an involuntary response when a werewolf found his soul mate) Bella got so mad that she almost attacked Jacob if not for Seth’s mediation, the latter suffered his arm.

Meanwhile, Jacob and Sam discovered that Alphas could speak to each other while in their wolf form, so they could hear each others thought. Sam had finally understood how absolutely everything was changed. Jacob took him (in human form) to Carlisle and the treaty has been renewed.

One big worry down, but another seemed more urgent, Charlie. Charlie knew all along that Bella picked up some rare disease in South America and that she’s quarantined. They couldn’t tell him the truth because it would be very dangerous for him. Unexpectedly, Jacob talked to Charlie and told him that Bella were back in town and weren’t sick anymore. He told him about the werewolf thing as a prelude to prepare him to see that Bella has changed. Bella and Edward got furious about Jacob’s interference but surprisingly, Charlie showed a positive response, one thing that they are very hopeful for.

At this time, Bella was wondering why everyone was suddenly smiling at her. Alice handed her a brass key with an oversized pink satin bow tied around it. Everybody greeted her “Happy 19^th Birthday!” The Cullens gave her & Edward, a lovely fairy tale-like stone cottage nestled into a small clearing in the forest.

Bella is enjoying her new-found strength as well as her surprisingly good sense of self control, not normal for a newborn vampire. She was so happy and ecstatic about her new life being married and being a mom though she is so worried by Renesmee’s rapid progress. The child called her Momma when she was one-week old, walked when she was almost three-weeks. At three months, she could not only walk, run and dance, she could even read too.

Another thing that Bella is so worried about is the unsubtle reminder in Aro’s congratulatory note that came along with his wedding gift. The Volturi needed to see that she was immortal, that the Cullens had been obedient to Volturi’s order and that they needed to see this soon.

Bella thought there is only one way to keep their lives safe. She plans to go and see the Volturi absolutely alone but Edward won’t allow her. He knew that Aro was a collector of most priced treasures especially of beautiful, gifted and unique immortals.

One day, while Bella, Renesmee (Nessie) and Jacob was into a narrow field, hunting, she saw Irina watching them from a distant. Irina was Tanya and Kate’s sister, her cousins-in-law from Denali, who have lost their mother to the Volturi’s justice. She saw Irina became furious when she saw Jacob in his werewolf form, she recognized him as the one who killed Laurent, her closest friend, who tried to consume Bella in the woods. Irina informed the Volturi about Renesmee and the Cullen’s alliance with the wolf’s pack. Volturi’s reaction to this kind of infraction was automatic, it was already decided and they were all sentenced to death.

Emmett urges them not to lose hope and fight for their lives. He suggested making the Volturi stop and listen. Esme supported him, Rosalie seconded and said that they need to show witnesses.

The Cullens gathered as many friendly vampire covens as they possibly could. They have Tanya’s family, the Denali’s, Siobhan’s coven, the Amazons, some of the American and European nomads, the Egyptian coven, the Irish and the Romanian covens. They have probably the largest friendly gathering of mature vampires in immortal history. They were beginning to be a little bit hopeful.

The night before New Year’s Eve, it started to snow, a cue Alice told them in her vision of the time the Volturi will come. All of them gathered in the clearing, their witnesses to the sides, behind them were the werewolf’s pack. Carlisle spoke to Aro in their behalf and said that no one has broken their law, that the Volturi can ask any of the witnesses of the truth about the child and offered them to see Renesmee. Aro was convinced that the child is more of a human than that of an immortal.

However, Caius, one of the three leaders of Volturi coven, accused Carlisle that he has encouraged an alliance with the wolves (their mortal enemies) and that he let them know their vampire existence. Edward defended the pack saying that they are not werewolves but more of shape-shifters, they inherent their skills genetically and they do not continue species by infecting others the way true werewolves (and vampires) do.

Caius then punished Irina for bearing false accusations against the child and the Cullens. Aro concluded that there is no broken law but it doesn’t mean to say that the child imposed no danger. At this time, Alice and Jasper who left prior the conflict, returned with Nahuel, a 150 year old vampire-human crossbreed like Renesmee. He testified that a half mortal, half immortal like him do exist peacefully.

It was then that the Volturi leave, every one rejoiced. The Cullens went back home together with their guest witnesses and bid them goodbye. Edward, Bella and Nessie headed home, to their cottage – “a place of perfect peace”. They carried Nessie to bed as they set the mood for a little celebration. Bella wanted to try something, she tried to open her mind shield so that Edward can read her thoughts and memories. She did it, Edward heard what she was trying to share, and it was all of her human memories made special because of him. And then they’ve kissed. They have endless time together, they have forever.

Credits:

All pictures and videos are originally from Summit Media Entertainment.