BD 2 Climax / Ending Controversy

Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie is getting closer, less than 50 days as I write this. We've seen the trailers and some stills and heard/read interviews with the actors, director, author, screenwriter. There are two issues that have generated some buzz.  The climax confrontation with the Volturi and the ending of the movie. 

In the trailers it looks like there is an actual battle between the Cullen side and the Volturi guard. This did not happen in the book. Some people wanted a physical battle in the book and felt let down by how it played out as a mind game / court room drama. It still amazes me that people expected something different with the 'battle' between two mind readers and a chess board on the cover. So what happens in the movie? A big change from the book? 

We've been told that Ms Meyer approved the changed ending. And therein lies the key - ending, not climax. I admit it took a couple of readings of the interviews for that difference to sink in. Before it did I did submit some not nice comments, that were not posted by a couple of web sites. Thank you for that. 

It has been suggested that the battle is a vision of Alice. But there are wolves in it and Alice can't see the wolves. It has been suggested that it is a dream or nightmare of someone. That could be Renesmee or one of the wolves, most likely Jacob or possible but less likely a 'day dream' of a vampire. 

It hasn't been suggested that I've read, but another possibility occurs to me - it could be campfire 'story telling'. We have stills of the Cullens and friends around a campfire waiting for the Volturi to arrive and likely telling stories and / or planning strategy. Bill Condon could have chosen to have that presented visually along with a voice over talking about it.

One of the things missing from the 'battle' in the trailers is Bella's gift of shielding. That did not manifest itself fully until the actual confrontation. So no one dreaming or talking about the 'battle' beforehand would have that information to put into the action. That was another piece that calmed my fears about the 'big change' from the book. I am still concerned, but hoping that one of these two possibilities is how it is handled. 

That brings us to the part that Ms Meyer has approved of - the ending. The book ends with Bella lifting her shield so that Edward can read her thoughts and she goes through some highlights of their time together. A nice montage from the earlier movies would be a good way to present this. But it has been said that the ending is expanded, an added scene. Hints lead to possibility of some future scenes of Renesmee and Jacob; maybe what Bella and Edward think may happen or what Jacob hopes will happen. That was done briefly when Jacob imprinted on Renesmee in BD P1. That would leave things open for a possible next installment being R&J's story. This does not bother me. Don't forget to stay through the credits for whatever scene is presented there. 

I have decided to at least find out where and when and how much the marathon will be locally. Tickets go on sell in couple of days. Twilight Lexicon will be having their Breaking Dawn P2 event in Tennessee. There are so far two web sites doing 'win tickets to premiere', I've entered both, info and links on TL. There are special edition of magazines coming out. A new BDP2 movie cover of paperback is out. The other licensee's will be providing lots of other TWS and BDP2 items to buy. Things to look forward to while we wait for the movie release date. Things to do while waiting -- read fan fiction, reread the books, watch the DVD extras or watch the movies if not going to the marathon. Until then we are at 48 days and counting.