PLOT

Bella, who has just given birth, awakens from her human-to-vampire transformation and is introduced to her daughter Renesmee. The rest of the Cullens and Jacob stay nearby, and when Jacob acts possessively towards Renesmee, Bella learns he has imprinted on her, making her furious until Jacob explains what imprinting is. Meanwhile, Bella's father, Charlie, has been trying to contact the Cullens for updates on Bella's health. Carlisle comes to believe that they have to leave Forks, Washington to protect their identities - especially because of Charlie. Jacob, desperate not to lose Renesmee, visits Charlie and tells him that Bella is alive and well, but had to change in order to get better. Jacob also tells Charlie he doesn't live in the world he thinks he lives in, but says nothing about vampires. He then reveals his wolf form to Charlie. Charlie then visits the Cullen house and meets Renesmee. Afterward, the Cullens are able to stay in Forks.

Several months pass with Carlisle monitoring Renesmee's rapid growth. On an outing in the woods, a bitter Irina sees Renesmee from a distance and assumes she's an immortal child without asking any questions. Immortal children were vampires who were changed in childhood, and because they could not be trained nor restrained, they destroyed entire villages. They were eventually executed, as were the parents who created them, and the creation of such children outlawed. Irina goes to the Volturi to report what she has seen. Alice sees the Volturi and Irina coming to kill the Cullens, and instructs the others to gather as many witnesses as they can to testify that Renesmee is not an immortal child. Alice and Jasper then leave to try and gather evidence of this. The Cullens begin to summon witnesses, such as the Denali family. One of the Denali, Eleazar, later discovers that Bella has a special ability: a powerful mental shield which had protected her from Edward's mind reading even when she was human, and which she is taught to extend to protect others from vampire powers.

As some of their potential witnesses are attacked and prevented from supporting the Cullens, Carlisle and Edward realize they may have to fight the Volturi. Their witnesses ultimately agree to stand with them in battle, having realized the Volturi increased their Guard by falsely accusing covens of crimes, destroying them and then recruiting the vampires with gifts. The Volturi arrive prepared for battle, led by Aro, who is eager to obtain the gifted members of the Cullen coven as part of his Guard. Aro is allowed to touch Renesmee, and is convinced that she is not an immortal child. Irina is brought forth and takes full responsibility for her mistake, leading to her immediate death. Aro still insists that Renesmee may pose a risk in the future, validating his claim that battle is necessary. Before any violence, Alice and Jasper return and Alice shares with Aro her vision of the battle that is to come, during which both sides sustain heavy casualties, including Aro, who would also die. Aro believes her, giving Alice and Jasper an opportunity to reveal their witness, Nahuel (a half-human half-vampire just like Renesmee). The witness proves that he is not a threat, supporting the notion that Renesmee is not a threat. The Volturi unhappily leave, explaining that there will be no battle today.

Back at the Cullen home, Alice glimpses the future, seeing Edward and Bella together with Jacob and a fully matured Renesmee also together. Edward reads Alice's mind and feels relieved that Renesmee has Jacob to protect her. Alone in the meadow, Bella pushes her mental shield away and finally allows Edward to see into her mind, showing him every moment she and Edward shared together, and the two share a kiss after Bella telling Edward, "nobody has ever loved anybody as much as I love you", and both Edward and Bella say they will love each other and be together forever.

CAST

Kristen Stewart as Bella Cullen (née Swan)

Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen

Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black

Mackenzie Foy as Renesmee Cullen

Ashley Greene as Alice Hale (née Cullen)

Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale

Peter Facinelli as Carlisle Cullen

Elizabeth Reaser as Esme Cullen

Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen

Nikki Reed as Rosalie Cullen (née Hale)

Billy Burke as Charlie Swan

Maggie Grace as Irina – Denali coven

Michael Sheen as Aro – Volturi coven

Jamie Campbell Bower as Caius – Volturi coven

Dakota Fanning as Jane – Volturi coven

Christopher Heyerdahl as Marcus – Volturi coven

Casey LaBow as Kate – Denali coven

MyAnna Buring as Tanya – Denali coven

Lee Pace as Garrett – Denali coven

Christian Camargo as Eleazar – Denali coven

Mía Maestro as Carmen

Noel Fisher as Vladimir

Joe Anderson as Alistair

Cameron Bright as Alec

Angela Sarafyan as Tia

Rami Malek as Benjamin

Booboo Stewart as Seth Clearwater

Daniel Cudmore as Felix

Ty Olsson as Phil

Alex Meraz as Paul

Judith Shekoni as Zafrina

Charlie Bewley as Demetri

J. D. Pardo as Nahuel

Wendell Pierce as J. Jenks

Julia Jones as Leah Clearwater

Lateef Crowder as Santiago

Andrea Powell as Sasha

Toni Trucks as Mary

Andrea Gabriel as Kebi

Austin Naulty as Werewolf

Kiowa Gordon as Embry Call

Chaske Spencer as Sam Uley

Bronson Pelletier as Jared

Marisa Quinn as Huilen

Omar Metwally as Amun

Valorie Curry as Charlotte

Tracey Heggins as Senna

Marlane Barnes as Maggie

Guri Weinberg as Stefan

Erik Odom as Peter

Tyson Houseman as Quil Ateara

Gil Birmingham as Billy Black

Lisa Howard as Siobhan

Bill Tangradi as Randall

Patrick Brennan as Liam

Amadou Ly as Henri

Janelle Froehlich as Yvette

Masami Kosaka as Toshiro

Cam Gigandet (James), Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria; original film and New Moon), Bryce Dallas Howard (Victoria; Eclipse), Edi Gathegi (Laurent), Jodelle Ferland (Bree Tanner), and various other actors from the previous films make archival cameos during the pre-credits montage accompanied by a duet version of Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” with Steve Kazee as the second voice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

commonly referred to as Breaking Dawn: Part 2

based on the 2008 novel Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer and the fifth and final installment in The Twilight Saga film series, the second of a two-part adaptation of the novel and following the first part of Breaking Dawn in 2011