Vulnavia: Mute and/or Hypnotized?

Vulnavia arguably doesn't need to speak, as she exists only to serve Phibes (not very PC I know, but true within the confines of the Phibes movies). However, more intriguing is the fact that Vulnavia apparently isn't human. If you rewatch the opening scene of The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Vulnavia initially appears in a blaze of light. In the sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again, she's first seen emerging from an otherworldly portal, having been summoned by Phibes. At the conclusion of the film she disappears into the same portal and judging by Phibes' remarks, she's going to join him and Victoria. So clearly she doesn't need to travel down the River of Life like Phibes does. My guess is that she's some kind of supernatural entity or spirit.

The jeweler who made the amulets indicated that she didn't speak much, but she did speak. She also screams when the acid hits her.

As for her being supernatural, she DID die at the end of the first film.

Just watched it today. It holds up surprisingly well.

Vulnavia has always been a mute. But watch out for Sophie!

Just watched the film for the first time today. Personally, I was under the impression she might've been another of Dr. Phibes' creations (like the musicians). When she's tearing up the place with the axe near the end, she looks rather robotish (robot-like?). Since we didn't see what she looked like after the acid hit her, though, there's no way to really be sure.

I believe that Vulnavia was just a young woman that had some mental disorder. She seems very feminine and fashionable, yet totally cruel and cold. She was probably intruiged with Dr Phibes and his ritualistic strange world, and maybe she was supposed to inherit his wealth. If I remember correctly, she was actually the real owner to Anton Phibes whole estate, as it was in her name (not stated) which implies inheritance after Dr Phibes is gone. But most probable she is just intruiged by the religious nature of Dr Phibes different rites, everything she does can have some kind of ritual interpretation.

"So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

If I understand correctly, the movie novelization implies Phibes had her under hypnosis.

IIRC in the early drafts, Vulnavia was going to be one of Dr. Phibes' clockwork robot people.

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You wanna live forever?

Watching the film again tonight I wondered anew at what reasons Vulnavia might have had for becoming Phibes's assistant - she was, after all, helping a man to commit murder.

"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."