If you were a Volturi, what would you make of the Cullens?
We know from “Twilight” that Carlisle stayed with the Italian vamps for a decade or two somewhat soon after he was transformed into a vampire. It sounds like he was Aro’s protégé. But the good doctor wouldn’t dine on humans, preferring to be a “vegetarian” rather than a “humanitarian,” like normal vampires. Aro didn’t mind but didn’t get it either. Surely he thought that C was a loveable, guilt-ridden crackpot by the time he left for America.
who's the dragon and who's the angel?
Really it was probably better that Carlisle decided to leave Volterra. Had he remained, wouldn’t his constant presence tend to challenge one of the fundamental concepts of the vampire lifestyle: humans are necessary and o.k. for lunch? Who needs the added headaches? I do a bit of administration on my day job, and I can tell you, it’s not usually a good idea to have a staff naysayer butting into the business of work. It just causes problems.
So that’s it for centuries. Then suddenly, imagine that you’re confronted by a deranged Edward Cullen, a disciple of Carlisle and all of his goody-two-shoes ways. Not only that, this “son” of the quintessential pacifist vampire wants you to kill him. And once you learn about the case and turn him down, he has the nerve to try to provoke you into the execution anyway?!? How ballsy! If I were Aro, Caius, or Marcus, I’d be vexed.
We all know that “New Moon” closes with Bella rescuing Edward at the last second from his own self destruction. Then when Jane and company calls them back for a final interview with the vampire leadership, Edward has the gall to quote the rulebook to the top powerbrokers themselves. This time he compares Bella knowing about the vampires (remember the first vampire rule is don’t tell humans that you’re a vampire) with the Volturi professional secretary, Gianna, who also knows the secret and is not put to death immediately, either. What nerve! I imagine that Caius is thinking, “We Volturi make the rules; they’re not for some young whipper-snapper to manipulate and throw in our faces!”
It’s no wonder that when the Volturi send some of the guard to Forks to look into the matter of the Seattle killing spree at the end of “Eclipse” that Jane and the others wait a bit to let the battle between the newborns and the Cullen clan happen. I’ll bet Marcus thought, “These Cullens are getting way too cocky and need to be taken down a few pegs. If some of them happen to get killed, well, so much the better.” How alarming to have the guard report back that the Cullens managed to kill all twenty of the newborns, their leader and even take one newbie prisoner, apparently with just the seven of them and one weak, silly human girl and no casualties on their side at all. Impossible! “Not only are the Cullens disrespectful and challenge our moral authority, they may even be stronger than we are!”
“Then to invite us to a wedding between a human and a vampire! What are these Cullens up to?” It was a stroke of good fortune to have Irena show up in Volterra with tales of a vampire child. “Finally, a pretext to go and kick some Cullen butt!”
The last book of “Breaking Dawn” describes a final confrontation between the Volturi and the Cullens. I’ve always wondered why the Volturi escalate so dramatically and bring everyone including the guard, the three supreme leaders and the wives to this showdown. It’s pretty clear that the plan was to exterminate the enemy Cullens. But how about that? The tables get turned again. Carlisle gets all of those blasted witnesses! Bella is a much more powerful shield than could have been anticipated. There are those stinky werewolf shape shifters. And the worst insult of them all, the child, Renesme, is actually growing! “We dragged the whole team out to this godforsaken place for nothing. How humiliating!”
The Volturi ruthlessly wield power for power’s sake. They simply don’t understand this live-and-let-live, internally motivated striving for moral and ethical improvement which the Cullens exemplify. I don’t care how intrigued Aro is with the idea of human/vampire offspring or how sentimental he is about Carlisle. This won’t be enough to satisfy the Volturi. The Cullens have clearly demonstrated that they’re a new power; one that has manipulated threatened and shamed the Italians. “Breaking Dawn” presents a false ending of eternal peace and happiness for Edward and Bella, etc. The battle has been won, but the war has just started…
Do I smell a post-“Breaking Dawn” sequel in the making, Steph?
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<<This is funny, you really flush out the perspective of the Italians! The war may have just started and yes you probably do smell a sequel, if Steph wants to make some more bucks the stage is already set!
Geez louise! The entire purpose of the Volturi is to keep the vampire’s a secret. They don’t care that Carlisle left them. Plus, it sounded like they just kept an eye on him to make sure the secret was kept safe. Carlisle learned a great deal about his knew life from them, but made the decision to go out on his own. I am sure that they constantly kept an eye on him incase he slipped up.
Yes, they also had issues with Edward for trying to expose himself, but when confronted, saw the potential for Bella becoming one of them. Her power was very valuable to them. That’s the only reason that they were let go. The Volturi were old and wise enough to see what she could bring to the empire.
In the end, the Volturi came to stop the creation of the Newborns that were killing too many people in the city (exposing their secret). They just knew that the Cullens lived in that area, so assumed… They also just happened to hear that there was a half human/half vampire child. New to everyone. Carlisle’s possy meant nothing to them. Imagine keeping a secret for 500+ years or so! What would you do?
Of course, Alice saved the day (she rocks) and brought another half and half to the scene. True though, Cullens won the battle, but not the war. They will always be on the run…and the Volturi will always be watching Bella and Renesme. They are both too gifted for their own good.
They came to Forks, not to start war with the Cullens, but to fight and stop the Newborns that were being created in the city.
In the end, the Volturi have plans, but I don’t think Steph is going to do much more with this. She’s already made enough money, Oh hey, she’s over weight and not blonde. Maybe that’s the issue is always presented? Never know?!?