Breaking Dawn Read Along: Week 8

And...this is it.  The last post of our read along.  Next week, we can talk general giddiness about the movie and what we're excited to see, but for now, let's discuss chapters 38 and 39:

Chapter 38:

• Chelsea and Jane try to break Bella's shield, but it doesn't work. Bella's shield even withstands Alec's powers.
• Seeing the anger and confusion in the Volturi's faces, Bella realizes that they might have a chance to win against the Volturi if she can incapacitate their offensive forces.
  
  I would be the number one priority, the first one to die, but as long as I held, we were on more than equal footing with the Volturi. (38.38)
  
• As the Cullens and their witnesses divide up their respective enemies among themselves, Aro makes a last offer to the gifted vampires on the Cullen side to join the ranks of the Volturi. Thanks, but no thanks.
• The brothers vote. Marcus and Caius are divided, so the decision to fight is left to Aro. He restates his concern that he gladly would leave in peace if he could be absolutely sure that Renesmee will not pose a danger for the future.
• As if on cue, Alice unexpectedly returns with Jasper, and with three other vampires in tow. Alice introduces one of the strangers, a young man, as Nahuel. It turns out he's a half-human, half-vampire hybrid, just like Renesmee. Unfortunately, his human mother died while giving birth.
• Nahuel reveals that he has three sisters, and that his vampire father is planning on producing more hybrids to create a super race. Although Nahuel is venomous, his sisters, like Renesmee, are not. He also explains that he reached maturity seven years after his birth, and that he hasn't changed since.
• Nahuel's evidence prompts the Volturi to drop their charges and to instead go after Nahuel's father to stop him. They leave.
• The Cullens and their friends erupt in cheers. Bella is overcome with joy at the turn of events:
  
  Happiness expanded it like an explosion inside me – so extreme, so violent that I wasn't sure I'd survive it. (38.172)

Chapter 39:

• Celebrating the victory, Edward explains that it was a combination of things that led to their success, but really it all boiled down to Bella's powerful shield. She saved the day.
• But he mentions that although the Volturi's confidence is shattered, they might come back one day. Their friends promised that they will all stand together against them if that time comes.
• Edward and Jacob have now officially become close friends, and Bella and Edward have made peace with Jacob imprinting on Renesmee.
• When the Cullen friends leave to return to their covens, Nahuel, the vampire hybrid, and his companion stay. Nahuel keeps staring at Bella, which makes her feel uncomfortable. When she tells Edward, he explains to her that it's because she is alive:
  
  He's always thought of himself as an evil creation, a murderer by nature. His sisters all killed their mothers as well, but they thought nothing of it. Joham raised them to think of the humans as animals, while they were gods. It shaped his whole perspective. And, in some ways, he truly hated himself. (39.91)
  
• When he saw Bella, Nahuel realized that being half immortal doesn't mean he's inherently evil.
• Bella's excited to see Charlie again. She's happy that he found a great match in Sue Clearwater – the werewolf's mom with the vampire's dad.
• Most importantly, Bella is happy that she'll be with Edward, forever.
• After they put Renesmee to sleep in the cottage, she reveals to Edward that she's been practicing her ability to push her shield outside of her mind. For the first time, Edward is able to read her thoughts and experience how much she really loves him. "No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you," she tells him. "And then we continued blissfully into the small but perfect piece of our forever."

Ok, first off...ALICE AND JASPER ARE BACK!! Yay, tricksy little pixie!  (Hey, that rhymed!).  Nahuel arrives with them and they save the day by basically sending the Volturi after someone who is actually doing something they're not supposed to.  

Who do you think really saved the day?  Bella with her shiled?  Alice and Jasper for bringing Nahuel back?  Aro for making the "final" decision?   Were you all as disappointed as I was when reading that all this lead up led to a non-battle?  

Jacob and Edward as friends...and soon to be in-laws.  How adorable.  I do love the growing J/E connection that started with the at least partial understanding in the Eclipse tent.  

Charlie and Sue!  I'm happy for them as well...and who would have expected the 'supernatural parents' to get together.  Just keeping it all in the world of understanding, I guess.  

How do we all think they're going to end it?  Will it be another vision like Bella had during the transformation, except of E/B moments?  Do you think it'll be something else?   Just a vision of her conviction somehow?  Who's ready to see Edward's reaction to FINALLY getting to 'hear' Bella?  More vampire sex?  Haha....leave your thoughts...

Welp...that's the end of the re-read.  I've got a post coming early next week for us to get pumped up for Thursday/Friday!  Hope you all had fun and enjoyed re-immersing yourself in the world of Breaking Dawn...this is it ladies...but of course (since it all comes back to Rob...) many more years of following our man's career to all kinds of new heights! 

Thanks again to shmoop for the great summaries and saving me the time of writing them myself.