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==Description==
 
==Description==
Bella considered this power a 'glitch' in her head whilst she was still human; [[Edward]] had teased her that he could only read AM minds, and that she was on FM. There is known to be another [[vampire]] with the same general kind of talent, though with different characteristics. The reason behind this "shield" is that Bella has a "private mind", a place where no one can harm her. It also made Bella very desirable to [[Aro]], who likes to "collect" vampires with special abillities for the [[Volturi]] guard.
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Bella considered this power a 'glitch' in her head whilst she was still human; [[Edward]] had teased her that he could only read AM minds, and that she was on FM. There is known to be another [[vampire]] with the same general kind of talent, though with different characteristics. The reason behind this "shield" is that Bella has a "private mind", a place where no one can harm her. It also made Bella very desirable to [[Aro]], who likes to "collect" vampires with [[Special abilities|special abilities]] for the [[Volturi]] guard.
   
 
Once she is turned into a vampire though it is identified as an ability by [[Eleazar]], who has the gift of identifying others' abilities, though he was blocked by her power. This basically lead him to identify her power anyways.
 
Once she is turned into a vampire though it is identified as an ability by [[Eleazar]], who has the gift of identifying others' abilities, though he was blocked by her power. This basically lead him to identify her power anyways.

Revision as of 20:12, 16 August 2010

01Bella Swan

Bella Swan; the shield

Mental Shield is the ability to block out all mental abilities that affect the mind. Bella Swan is the only known person with this exact ability.

"The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like a living thing - I could feel it, from the apex to the edges."
―Bella on her absolute control of her shield[src]

Description

Bella considered this power a 'glitch' in her head whilst she was still human; Edward had teased her that he could only read AM minds, and that she was on FM. There is known to be another vampire with the same general kind of talent, though with different characteristics. The reason behind this "shield" is that Bella has a "private mind", a place where no one can harm her. It also made Bella very desirable to Aro, who likes to "collect" vampires with special abilities for the Volturi guard.

Once she is turned into a vampire though it is identified as an ability by Eleazar, who has the gift of identifying others' abilities, though he was blocked by her power. This basically lead him to identify her power anyways.

With the help of Kate and Zafrina, Bella learns to control and use her shield, eventually shielding more than one person at once. This came in useful in Breaking Dawn when she domes her shield to protect her family and friends, meaning they could not be attacked by Jane or Alec, or any of the Volturi guard. Bella also learns to remove her shield to allow mental powers to work on her, such as Edward reading her mind at the end of Breaking Dawn.

As a vampire, she can willingly shape the shield in any way she wishes. While her shield is out, an extra shield will be produced to protect her. Also, it works as a one-way glass; it can shield anyone from outside mental abilities while allowing those she shields to direct their powers outward. She also mentions that whoever she shields becomes a part of her, allowing her to sense whom she is protecting without having to look. When she shields Jacob Black and Sam Uley; she finds their packs shielded as well, because they are telepathically connected with each other in wolf forms.

Limitations

Though this shield is powerful, it has many limitations. For instance, it cannot shield against a physical attack, allowing for an intruder to attack directly.

Bella initially had a very hard time pulling up her shield, describing it as an elastic recoil. This obstacle mainly comes from her subconscious desire to protect her mind above all else. Once she learns to let go of that desire, she learns to use it fully and completely.

The only person to penetrate this shield is Renesmee, who can place images and thoughts in Bella's mind through a single touch. This is because she has the exact opposite abilities of her parents.

In Eclipse, it is explained why Alice and Jasper's abilities are thought to be able to work on Bella when all other vampires abilities so far have proved ineffective. Alice explained that her ability to see the future is only seeing outcomes caused by decisions and not the thoughts behind those decisions. Jasper's ability is said to work on Bella because it actually changes one's mood and does not just create a mental illusion. Many people believe this argument makes no sense, believing that she actually sees the decisions.

She also can't block Marcus's ability to read relationships because he reads the emotional bonds between people; Alistair's magnetic pull to living things; Benjamin's control over the natural elements; James's tracking sense; and Siobhan's ability to affect the outcome of a situation.