Love it or hate it, Twilight, like most works of fantasy, generates it’s share of questions. When you’re dealing with magic in an age of science, you have to wonder how things work. Twilight, with it’s weird science and double chromosomes, is no exception. There are several questions to be answered in any sequels Meyer might write, and some are stranger than others.
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1) What Will Renesmee and Jacob Create if they…Procreate?
It’s a question I asked the moment the pairing was implied, and one which I hoped to see answered in a sequel series. The biology of werewolves (sorry, shapeshifters), as well as that of their vampire contemporaries is complex. There are special genes which need to be activated, differing chromosome counts, and a tendency for the two factions (vampire and shapeshifter) to hate each other based on markers such as smell aversion.
The wacky science aside, how would the child of a shapeshifter and a human-vampire hybrid turn out? It’s theorized within the book that werewolves (ahem, shapeshifters) choose a mate based on one of two factors: either because said person has a better chance of passing on the gene, or because said person could have the opportunity to create shapeshifters that were stronger and faster than their predecessors. It’s only musing from Carlisle, but why mention it at all if it’s not significant?
Either of the theories indicate that those the shapeshifter imprints on can become pregnant. Renesmee has shown that her body is capable of change. Though she will freeze at a certain age, she will still have human traits. She will remain able to eat human food—the process of digestion involves the reproduction of chemicals and enzymes and so on, which are technically changes.
Presumably, the girl will be ageless but retain the ability to grow in other ways. She can likely gain and lose weight, digest food…it’s not that much of a stretch to imagine she’s fertile, particularly if either of Carlisle’s theories are correct.
That leaves the big question. What kind of a child will the pair make? The theories would indicate the child would be a shapeshifter…but one with vampire traits. What will such a mix result in? What unique traits will the child develop as a result? Will contrasting traits from either species cancel each other out? What will vampires and werewolves smell like to the child—will they feel an aversion to both factions, or a great attachment? Will he or she feel constantly conflicted, being a mixture of two enemies? It’s an interesting conundrum, and one I’m still hoping to see explored in a sequel, which brings me to my next question.
2) Blood Dilution
If a vampire-human hybrid pairs off with another human, will her child also be immortal? As the vampire blood becomes further diluted through the generations, will the ability remain, disappear, or simply lessen? If outright immortality does vanish with time, what kind of grief will a hybrid suffer as he or she watches their descendants (possibly even their own children) age and die?
Another theory is that mortality would return, but that lifespans would be considerably lengthened. It’s possible the offspring of such a match would age more slowly, enjoying a few centuries of life before fading into old age. Could Renesmee usher in a “Dunedain” type race? Could there be others out there with vampire blood who enjoy long life without knowing why? It’s a question worthy of a spin off series, or at least a well written fanfiction.
3) Vampire Bites and Hybrids
It’s something the Cullen family didn’t want to consider when they fretted over Renesmee’s rapid aging, but what happens if you bite a human-vampire hybrid? Does the human part simply get canceled out, turning the individual into a full fledged vampire, or are they supernatural enough to be unchanged, given that vampire genetics, including venom in the males, are already inherent to their biology?
It’s a question that’s touched upon, but it’s difficult to discern whether the Cullen’s worried about hurting Renesmee, or were simply upset over the idea of destroying what was unique about her. This one’s unlikely to be answered, as the destruction of something so rare would be tragic either way.
4) The Bite of a “Real” Werewolf
It’s mentioned in the books that there are “real” werewolves, the classic beasts that change at the full moon and propagate by biting others. Vampires and shapeshifters already have a complex relationship with each other, but where do werewolves fit into this picture? It’s implied they’re strong enough in their beast forms to take on vampires; Caius of the Volturi wouldn’t be so frightened of them if they weren’t!
Still, what happens in such a battle? Vampire venom is poisonous to shapeshifters. Is it also poisonous to werewolves? Is a werewolf’s bite poisonous to a vampire? What happens if a vampire bites a werewolf? Will their werewolf curse cancel the affects out, and lead to illness—or will they remain human enough to turn into…something else? Could they become a hybrid of sorts, becoming a beast that boosts the indestructible skin of a vampire—or could venom even be a cure for Lycanthropy, eliminating the curse along with other biological processes?
Not much is known about “The Children of the Moon,” but it’s hard to believe they were mentioned at random, with not even a faint possibility of a spin off series. Yes, they were included to add flavour to the world, but they also introduce a loose thread, and a series exploring Meyers werewolves, not only on their own but as members of the rest of the occult world, could be intriguing. Even if the Cullen’s don’t feature in such a series, the world is peppered with vampires. A werewolf is bound to run across them…and when they do, what are the results?
5) Werewolves and Shapeshifters
This is the same question, but in regards to shapeshifters and werewolves. Is werewolf “venom” also poisonous to shapeshifters? What about a coupling? Is the werewolf curse passed on? Could a child inherit Lycanthropy and the ability to transform? Personally, I like to picture some mixture of the two. Whether through a bite, or the child of a union, I imagine someone who can only turn into a wolf at the full moon, but who retains their mind. Or, if they don’t, instead of turning into a werewolf, they turn into whatever animal they would as a normal shapeshifter.
The science on my theory doesn’t make much sense…but it would be pretty cool. Who doesn’t want to see a shapeshifter with a moon limit and some loss of memory thrown in? Cheesy or not, I’d pay to see that.
6) A Vampire-Human-Shapeshifter-Werewolf Cross
I’m sorry, but I had to go there. What happens if Renesmee’s kid goes on to meet…a “real” werewolf? What then? How does all of this work? What kind of a child would result? Would we end up with a superhero—someone who had a decent balance of all positive traits—or an abomination, someone who’s mixed blood is so complicated they can’t even function right? It’s possible such a mixture would create something entirely new, like an albino, red eyed wolf that’s wolfy ninety percent of the time and human at the full moon…or something equally nonsensical.
It’s possible I have too much free time, and that nobody else wonders how this would turn out…but what if? It could happen.
7) The Wider World
If “real” werewolves don’t conflate the issue enough, what about other supernaturals? Edward says he didn’t tell Bella about The Children of the Moon because it wasn’t important at the time. If actual werewolves could be glossed over, what other creatures might he neglect to mention? Bella herself asks something like this question. If vampires are real, might all the old myths be true? What if there’s nothing sane or normal in the world?
Meyer might be burnt out on the Cullens, but her world alludes to more. In addition to all the vampires wandering the globe, there are possibly other shapeshifters that could become other animals, and traditional werewolves. The possibilities are endless…as are more instances of screwy genetics.
The world has the potential to be wider, even within the circles of characters established. There are enough unanswered questions from the original books to generate stories (I’m still wondering what’s going on with Leah’s biology), without those threads which point to other monsters altogether.
What are your theories? What do you think would happen if any of these creatures mix, whether in battle or to make children? What other creatures do you think could go unmentioned?
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