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List of Twilight characters

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File:The Cullens.jpg
The Cullens as portrayed in Twilight: (from left) Kellan Lutz (Emmett), Nikki Reed (Rosalie), Elizabeth Reaser (Esme), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Carlisle), Ashley Greene (Alice), and Jackson Rathbone (Jasper)

The following are characters in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, comprising the books Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

Major characters

Bella Swan

Isabella "Bella" Marie Swan (later Bella Cullen) is a clumsy, accident-prone teenage girl who moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, Charlie. Though many boys are attracted to her when she arrives, she falls in love with Edward Cullen, a mysterious boy she discovers to be a vampire. In an attempt to protect Bella from his lifestyle, Edward leaves her. Bella falls into a depression and is comforted by her friend, Jacob Black. She comes to love Jacob as well, though not as deeply as she loves Edward. She eventually marries Edward and, after a complicated pregnancy, gives birth to their daughter, Renesmee, and becomes a vampire at age 18. After Bella's transformation, she has the ability to shield her and others' minds from mental attacks.

Kristen Stewart plays Bella in the Twilight film series.

Edward Cullen

Edward Cullen (born Edward Anthony Masen) was born on June 20, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, and is frozen in his 17-year-old body. While dying of the Spanish influenza, he was changed into a vampire by Dr. Carlisle Cullen after Edward's mother, Elizabeth, begged him to save Edward as her dying wish. Edward only drinks animal blood and has the special ability to read minds, with the exception of Bella Swan's. He falls in love with Bella soon after she arrives in Forks. Edward knows that he could kill Bella easily, a fact that torments him so much that, in the book New Moon, he decides to leave Forks with his family so they won't be able to hurt her. He returns, however, because he realizes he cannot live without her. Edward marries Bella in Breaking Dawn and they have a child, Renesmee.

Robert Pattinson plays Edward in the Twilight film series.

Jacob Black

Jacob Black is Bella's best friend. He is a Quileute Native American and a werewolf. In Twilight, Jacob plays a minor role, being a forgotten childhood friend of Bella's. In an attempt to learn more about Cullens, Bella flirts with Jacob, and he tells her tribe legends about them being "the cold ones", or vampires. After Edward leaves Bella in New Moon, Bella spends much of her time with Jacob, trying to heal her broken heart and move on. Though at first only a friend, Jacob later falls in love with Bella. Although he spends most of his time in Eclipse trying to win Bella, in Breaking Dawn he imprints —an involuntary process in which a werewolf finds their soul mate— on Bella and Edward's daughter, Renesmee.

Taylor Lautner plays Jacob Black in the Twilight film series.

Alice Cullen

Alice Cullen (born Mary Alice Brandon) is the adopted daughter of Carlisle and Esme, adoptive sister of Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett, and wife of Jasper. Alice is described as being petite and pixie-like, with a graceful gait and hair that is short, spiky, and black. Her special ability is to see the future, an enhanced version of her ability to have premonitions as a human. However, her ability is limited; she is only able to see the outcome of a decision once it is made. Due to this, decisions made in the spur of the moment can not be foreseen. Alice can see futures involving humans and vampires, but is unable to see those of werewolves or half-breeds, such as Renesmee. In Breaking Dawn, Alice theorizes that she can see vampires very clearly because she is one, can see humans somewhat less clearly because she was one, and cannot see werewolves or half-breeds because she never was one. Alice is portrayed as being bubbly and optimistic, and loves and cares for Bella like a sister. She is also close to her brother Edward, and enjoys shopping, make-overs, and throwing parties. Alice's early history is vague, as she remembers nothing about her human life and woke up alone as a vampire. It is eventually revealed that she was born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and was committed to an asylum because she had premonitions. Alice was transformed by an old vampire who worked at the asylum to protect her from James, a tracker vampire who was hunting her. After some research, Alice found her grave and discovered that the date on her tombstone matches the date of her admission to the asylum. Through her research she additionally discovered that she had a younger sister named Cynthia, and that Cynthia's daughter, Alice's niece, is still alive in Biloxi.

Throughout Twilight, Alice uses her ability to see the future and help Bella when she is in danger. The two soon become friends, loving each other like sisters. In New Moon, Alice foresees Bella jumping off a cliff and assumes she is trying to commit suicide, though Bella actually was partaking in the sport of cliff diving. Rosalie, believing Bella to be dead, informs Edward. After discovering the truth, Bella accompanies Alice to Italy to prevent Edward from killing himself. They are successful, but are taken to see the Volturi, who police the vampire world. Through Alice's premonitions, Aro is able to see that Bella will eventually become a vampire and invites her, Alice, and Edward to stay with them. They all refuse and return to Forks. In Eclipse, Alice, who proves to be an adept fighter, joins the fight to destroy a group of rampaging newborn vampires, created by Victoria in an effort to take revenge on Edward. Alice acts as Bella's maid of honor at her wedding in Breaking Dawn and helps care for Renesmee until leaving to search out a crossbreed after the Volturi plan to destroy Renesmee, believing her to be an immortal child. Alice is successful and the Volturi, convinced there is no threat, leave.

Ashley Greene plays Alice in the Twilight film series.[1]

Carlisle Cullen

Carlisle Cullen (also known as Stregone Benefice[2]) is Esme's husband and Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper's adoptive father. His first appearance was in Twilight and his physical age is 23. Carlisle is described to look like a model; he has blond hair, and is slender but muscular. Carlisle theorizes that when a human is turned into a vampire, they will have an enhanced ability from their previous life. He believes he brought compassion from his human life. Carlisle has had centuries to perfect his medicinal talents, therefore making him an excellent doctor. Unlike most vampires, he is not at all tempted by the scent of human blood, due to the over 300 years he has spent holding back his temptations. Carlisle Cullen was the son of an Anglican pastor, born in 1640s London, England, during a time of religious upheaval. His father and other pastors hunted creatures such as witches, werewolves, and vampires, often mistaking humans for them. As his father grew older, Carlisle assumed his role. One night, he was attacked by a vampire and left to die on the streets. Knowing he would be rejected by society, he hid himself and silently endured the painful transformation, emerging as a vampire. Horrified by what he had become, he tried killing himself many different ways, but all failed due to his power. One night, unable to endure hunger any longer, he fed on some passing deer. Subsequently realizing he could avoid feeding on humans, he committed himself to resisting his blood lust and to becoming a doctor.

For a short time, Carlisle lived with the Volturi, though he eventually left and traveled to the New World. While treating patients with the Spanish Influenza, he met an ill woman who begged him to save her dying son, Edward. Out of loneliness, Carlisle transformed Edward into a vampire, and Edward became his companion. Soon after, in 1921, Carlisle moved to Wisconsin where he treated Esme after her failed suicide attempt brought on by her infant son's death. Carlisle felt compelled to save her and transformed her into a vampire, subsequently falling in love with her, and later marrying her. Carlisle then transformed Rosalie Hale, a young woman nearly killed by her drunken fiancé and his friends in Rochester, New York, and left in the street to die. Later, while hunting, Rosalie found a young man named Emmett who had been mauled by a bear, and carried him over 100 miles to Carlisle. Carlisle then transformed Emmett, since Rosalie was unwilling to do it herself, fearing her blood lust would overwhelm her. After Carlisle changed Emmett, Carlisle and his family moved to Hoquiam, Washington where the Quileute Native American tribe offered the Cullens a treaty: the Quileutes would leave them alone if the Cullen family never attacked any humans or trespassed on Quileute land. The Cullens agreed and lived in relative peace until they had to move on. Between the Cullens' first and second stay in Forks, Alice and Jasper joined his coven as well, having found Carlisle on their own. Throughout the Twilight saga, Carlisle works as a doctor, acting as the coven leader and offering medical advice and help when Bella is pregnant in Breaking Dawn.

Peter Facinelli plays Carlisle in the Twilight film series.[1]

Esme Cullen

Esme Cullen (born Esme Platt and later Esme Evenson) is Carlisle Cullen's wife and the adoptive mother of Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper. She enjoys restoring old houses and her physical age is 26. She has no special power, but has a strong ability to love passionately. Esme is described as having caramel-colored hair; she also has a heart-shaped face with dimples, and her figure is slender, but rounded and soft. Esme was born in 1895 in Columbus, Ohio, where she was treated at the age of 16 by Carlisle after breaking her leg when climbing a tree. She married Charles Evenson, but was abused by him. After finding out she was pregnant, she ran away and gave birth to a son, who subsequently died a few days later. Grief-stricken by his death, Esme attempted to kill herself by jumping off a cliff. Presumed dead, she was brought to a morgue. Carlisle, who remembered treating her years before, was able to sense her heartbeat and transformed her into a vampire. Esme fell in love and married Carlisle soon after. She loves her adoptive children as much as she did her own son, but still grieves that she is unable to bear children.

Esme is present throughout the entire Twilight series, revealing her past to Bella during the Cullens' baseball game in Twilight. Esme treats Bella as her own daughter, comforting her after several traumatic events. In Breaking Dawn, it is revealed that Esme owns a South American island named "Isle Esme" that was purchased for her by Carlisle, and where Edward and Bella spend their honeymoon.

Elizabeth Reaser plays Esme in the Twilight film series.[1]

Rosalie Hale

Rosalie Hale is the adopted daughter of Esme and Carlisle, adoptive sister of Edward, Alice, and Jasper, and wife of Emmett. Her physical age is 18, and she was born in 1915 in Rochester, New York, as the daughter of a banker. Rosalie is described as being the most beautiful person in the world, even for a vampire; she is tall, statuesque, and has long, wavy blonde hair. As a human, Rosalie was described as a woman who had beauty, elegance, class, and eyes resembling violets. Royce King II took an interest in her and soon the two became engaged. Rosalie was extremely envious of her good friend Vera and her baby boy and, while on a visit, noticed that she did not share the same relationship with Royce as Vera did with her husband. Dismissing it, Rosalie later walked home and met an intoxicated Royce and his friends. Royce bragged about his fiancée's beauty, leading to her being beaten, presumably raped, and left to die. Carlisle, coming across her, decided to change her into a vampire. After her transformation, she tortured and killed those who had beaten her, including Royce, but did not drink their blood.

When Rosalie first appears in Twilight she is mean to Bella, jealous of her humanity, and not wanting Bella to choose a life as a vampire. Rosalie is vain, self-centered, and wishes to be human and have children, so much so that she would give up her immortality and beauty for it. In New Moon, she mistakenly reports to Edward that Bella is dead after she supposedly commits suicide, though Bella was actually just partaking in the sport of cliff-diving. Edward thus proceeds to travel to Italy, desiring to have the Volturi kill him. In Eclipse, Rosalie reveals her past to Bella with the hopes that she will choose to stay human. She also joins the fight against a group of savage newborn vampires. In Breaking Dawn, Bella contacts Rosalie after finding out she is pregnant, knowing that Rosalie has always wanted children. She stays by Bella's side throughout the pregnancy, defending her choice to keep the baby. Rosalie acts as a guardian to the child, Renesmee, taking care of her while Bella is going through her transformation into a vampire. When the Volturi plot to destroy Renesmee, Rosalie helps gather vampire nomads to provide evidence that Renesmee isn't a danger.

Nikki Reed plays Rosalie in the Twilight film series.[3]

Emmett Cullen

Emmett Cullen (born Emmett McCarty[4]) is Rosalie's husband, Carlisle and Esme's adopted son, and Edward, Alice, and Jasper's adoptive brother. Emmett is described as being tall, burly, extremely muscular, and, to most humans, the most intimidating of his adoptive siblings. He has slightly curly dark hair and dimpled cheeks.

Emmett was 20 and living in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 1935 when he was mauled by a bear. The injuries from the attack were severe and he was found by Rosalie, who had been hunting in the area at the time. Rosalie, who was reminded of her friend's baby having the same curls, dimples, and innocent appearance, carried him over a hundred miles to Appalachia where Carlisle Cullen was, asking him to spare Emmett's life by turning him into a vampire. Emmett joined Carlisle's coven, but initially had trouble adjusting to the family's diet of animal blood. In Twilight, Emmett is at first wary of Bella, but eventually warms up to her. He often teases her for her clumsiness and constant blushing, and votes in favor of her becoming a vampire in New Moon. In Breaking Dawn Emmett jokingly makes innuendos about Bella's sex life, until being silenced when she defeats him in an arm wrestling match.

Kellan Lutz plays Emmett in the Twilight film series.[1]

Jasper Hale

Jasper Hale (born Jasper Whitlock) is the adopted son of Carlisle and Esme, adoptive brother of Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie, and husband of Alice - he takes the name Hale to pass as Rosalie's sibling. He was born in Texas and joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 to serve in the Civil War. Due to his extremely charismatic personality, he ascended through the ranks quickly. Jasper was turned into a vampire in 1863 by a vampire named Maria when he was 20 years old. As a vampire, he gained the ability to manipulate the emotions of those around him. Recognizing his high rank in the army, Maria decided to change him into a vampire to help her claim territory in Monterrey. Jasper's responsibility was to train young vampires and then kill them when they were no longer useful (about a year after their transformation- when their strength began to fade). After about a century of this, he grew weary of the lifestyle and joined an old friend, Peter, and his mate Charlotte. Jasper left the two eventually, not wanting to feed on humans because he could feel his prey's emotions as they died. Alice, foreseeing that they would be together, met him in a half-empty diner in Philadelphia, and together they sought out the Cullen family. Due to his past, where he was able to feed on humans whenever he chose, Jasper lacks strong self-control. However, in Eclipse it is suggested that the "vegetarian" lifestyle is not Jasper's first choice and that this also affects his self-control. He is described as tall with honey blond hair, and is muscular but lean. His body is covered with crescent-shaped scars, after the many years of fighting and training newborn vampires.

In Twilight, Jasper accompanies Alice and Bella when they are hiding from James. He uses his ability to calm Bella when she is stressed or afraid. In New Moon, he attacks Bella after she gets a paper cut, prompting the Cullen family to leave Forks to protect Bella. In Eclipse, Jasper teaches the werewolves and vampires fighting techniques to defend themselves against newborn vampires. In Breaking Dawn, Jasper leaves with Alice to find a vampire-human hybrid, and returns with her to defend Renesmee from the Volturi.

Jackson Rathbone plays Jasper in the Twilight film series.[1]

Renesmee Cullen

Renesmee "Nessie" Carlie Cullen is the half-vampire, half-human daughter of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, born on September 10, three days before Bella's nineteenth birthday in Breaking Dawn. Her name is derived from the amalgamation of the names of Bella's mother, Renée, and Edward's adoptive mother, Esme. Her middle name, Carlie, is a portmanteau of the names Carlisle, Edward's adoptive father, and Charlie, Bella's father. She has the same facial features and hair color as Edward, but has her grandfather, Charlie Swan's, curly hair, and brown eyes like Bella. Bella and Jacob describe her as being the most beautiful person in the world, even though she is so young. Her heart pumps blood, giving her a blush, and her pale skin glows in the sunlight. Her skin is warm and soft to the touch, but it is as strong as a vampire's. Renesmee can survive on either blood or human food, though she prefers blood, and she does not produce venom. Her special abilities are transmitting thoughts to others by touching their skin and penetrating shields, the opposite abilities of each of her parents. Renesmee rapidly grows both mentally and physically, able to speak only seven days after her birth, and by the end of Breaking Dawn she can read, run, hunt, and perform other tasks at advanced levels for her young age. Her intelligence stuns everyone - Bella and Edward especially - as she is able to understand what is happening around her when the Volturi arrive. Jacob Black nicknames her "Nessie" because he considers her full name to be a mouthful, though Bella strongly dislikes her child being nicknamed "after the Loch Ness Monster". However, by the book's end, all the characters adopt this shortened version. She will reach physical maturity after about seven years, when her physical appearance will be around seventeen, and then stop aging.

After Jacob Black imprints on Renesmee, Irina, a vampire from another coven, sees Renesmee and believes she is an "immortal child", a young child who had been bitten by a vampire. She informs the Volturi, as immortal children are not permitted to live, due to their unpredictable nature. Intent on killing Renesmee and all the Cullens, the Volturi travel to Forks. However, the Cullen family members gather witnesses from around the world to prove that Renesmee is not an immortal child. Alice brings another half-breed, 150-year-old Nahuel, who explains that half-breeds pose no danger to the vampires. Convinced that Renesmee is not a threat, the Volturi leave, and Renesmee and her family are left in peace.

Vampires

In Twilight, vampires deviate from traditional myth in many ways, a fact often alluded to in the series, usually for humor. Meyer has said she did not research vampire mythology before writing the series.[5] For example, they are unharmed by garlic, holy items, or wooden stakes; they have reflections, and are able to be out during daylight. Vampires are also capable of eating human food, though their bodies are unable to digest it and they must cough it up later.[6] They do not have to breathe, but typically find it uncomfortable to be without a sense of smell.

All vampires possess supernatural beauty, allowing them to lure in prey. Their skin is flawless and has the texture and feel of marble; in direct sunlight it sparkles. Newborn vampires have bright red eyes, however, if a vampire chooses to drink human blood, the most revitalizing kind of blood for a vampire, then their eyes will fade to a deep crimson over the course of a year. If they feed on animal blood, like the Cullens, their eyes fade to golden in color, over a few months. Regardless of meal preference, all vampires' eyes grow darker with thirst, eventually fading to black, and they only tire from lack of blood. All vampires are described as having superhuman strength, with the ability to uproot trees, throw cars, and crush metal. Newborn vampires are known to be exceptionally strong during their first year because of the excessive amount of human blood still in their systems. Vampires have very keen senses and are able to see and hear clearly for miles and move with such speed that they become a blur to human eyes. They are immortal and difficult to destroy, only permanently killed when dismembered and then burned, as their body parts continue to move even after being detached. Vampires are unable to sleep, and thus spend all days and nights awake. After the transformation from human to vampire, a certain ability becomes enhanced, sometimes resulting in a specialized skill. While not definite, the theory behind these special abilities is that the power is reminiscent of the individual's original personality. Some vampires have no special abilities, and instead have a prominent personality or physical trait from their human life magnified.

The Volturi

The Volturi, from left to right: Aro, Caius, Alec from The Twilight Saga: New Moon

The vampire coven known as the Volturi live in Volterra, Italy. They are regarded as "royalty" by other vampires because they have lived for well over three thousand years and act as police, enforcing the rule that vampires' existence remain a secret from humans. They often send emissaries or enforcers from Volterra to prevent overzealous covens and renegade vampires from exposing their kind. They are guarded by several powerful vampires who have been recruited for their powers and skills. Carlisle once stayed with the coven as a guest, but left due to his desire to avoid harming humans and established his own coven in the United States. At the end of New Moon, the Volturi discover that Bella, a human, has learned that vampires exist and demand that she become a vampire or else be killed. In Breaking Dawn, the vampire Irina goes to the Volturi and warns them that the Cullens have created an immortal child after seeing Edward and Bella's daughter, Renesmee, hunting close to the Cullens' house. The Volturi coven travel to Forks to destroy Renesmee, but leave when they are outfaced by the group gathered there.

The Volturi leaders include Aro, who can read every thought a person has ever had once he has made physical contact, Marcus, who senses relationships, and Caius, who has no known power. Aro's wife, Sulpicia, Caius' wife, Athenodora, and formerly Marcus' wife, Didyme, who had the power to make others happy, also act as leaders.[7] The Volturi guard consists of 32 members, including Jane, who creates illusions of pain; Alec, who is able to block the others' senses; Demetri, who can track anyone once he has the tenor of their mind; Chelsea, who can change emotional bondings; and Renata, who can make anyone feel distracted and wandering when they are near her (classified as a "shield"). The majority of the Volturi remain nameless throughout the series. There is also a human secretary named Gianna who appears in New Moon. Despite her hopes to become a vampire, she is killed by the Volturi by the events of Breaking Dawn.[8] The Volturi have invited Carlisle, Edward, Alice, Kate, Benjamin, Zafrina, and Bella to join them, though all have refused.

In The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the cast of the Volturi includes Michael Sheen as Aro; Jamie Campbell Bower as Caius; Christopher Heyerdahl as Marcus; Dakota Fanning as Jane; Cameron Bright as Alec; Charlie Bewley as Demetri; Daniel Cudmore as Felix; and Noot Seear as Heidi.[9] Fanning, Bright, Charlie Bewley, and Cudmore will reprise their roles in the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[10]

James's Coven

James

File:James and bella.jpg
James has just deceived Bella into coming to meet him in a ballet studio in Twilight

The major antagonist of the novel Twilight, James is depicted as a merciless "tracker" vampire who hunts human beings or, in some cases, animals, for sport. Fellow coven member Laurent says that James is unusually gifted at what he does and always gets what he wants, though it is later revealed that a then-human Alice Cullen escaped his clutches some time ago by being turned into a vampire before James could attack. Unlike the Cullen family, he drinks human blood as his food source. Towards the end of Twilight, James is dismembered and set on fire (thus permanently destroyed) by Cullen brothers Emmett and Jasper after he lures Bella to an empty ballet studio and nearly kills her. The shimmery scar left by his venomous bite still remains on Bella's hand as a symbol of his unsuccessful attempt on her life. James is described as having light brown hair and being quite unremarkable and average-looking.

James is portrayed by Cam Gigandet in the Twilight film.[3]

Victoria

A red-haired, cat-like vampire, Victoria is originally a member of James' coven. She plays a small role in the first book assisting James, her lover and coven leader, in hunting Bella Swan. After James is killed, she decides to exact revenge on Edward Cullen by plotting to kill his partner, Bella. However, Bella is sufficiently protected from her wrath by the Quileute shape-shifting wolves. Months later in Eclipse, Victoria creates an army of bloodthirsty newborn vampires in Seattle to rise up against the combined forces of the werewolves and Cullen family. During this battle, both she and her new fighting partner, Riley, are destroyed by Edward and the young wolf Seth Clearwater. Her supernatural talent is self-preservation.

Victoria is portrayed by Rachelle Lefevre in the films Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[3] Bryce Dallas Howard will replace Lefevre in the role for the third film, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[11]

Laurent

A dark-haired, olive-toned vampire, Laurent is a member of James' coven in Twilight. When James and Victoria choose to track and murder Bella, Laurent leaves them and travels to Denali, Alaska, hoping to find solace among a coven of "vegetarian" vampires. However, he never adopts their strict diet of drinking animal blood, and "cheats" by occasionally feeding on humans. During this stay he takes a special liking to a vampire named Irina, though the infatuation is not strong enough to keep him there, as he later returns to Forks in New Moon as a favor to Victoria. During this visit, he stumbles across Bella and tries to kill her, before being ambushed by the Quileute wolves and subsequently destroyed.

Laurent is portrayed by Edi Gathegi in Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[12]

Riley

As a vampire, Riley is tall and muscular with bright red eyes and blond hair. Victoria bites and changes Riley when he is approximately Bella's age in Eclipse. Once Riley ages and gains some control, he helps to lead Victoria's army of newborn vampires. He performs his work faithfully because of his love for Victoria, which she pretends to return. However, in a battle between the army of newborns and the Cullens at the end of Eclipse, Edward voices Riley's concern that Victoria has been lying to him. Edward first tries to convince Riley to stop fighting, but finally kills him with the help of Seth Clearwater.

In the film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Riley is described as a "good-looking college student" and will be portrayed by Australian actor Xavier Samuel.[13]

Amazonian coven

Zafrina, Senna, and Kachiri are members of the Amazonian coven. Zafrina's special ability is to create illusions; however, they do not affect Bella or anyone who is under her protective shield. She builds a strong relationship with Renesmee Cullen, who is said to have liked Zafrina and her "pretty pictures". Zafrina has Bella promise to bring Renesmee to visit her in the future.

American nomads

Peter, his mate Charlotte, Mary, and Randall are American nomads. Peter is Jasper's good friend, and helped Jasper escape his previous life as a general of newborn vampires. Though he feeds on human blood, he does not agree with the execution of newborns after they have outlived their usefulness. In the past, Jasper lived with Peter and Charlotte, but chose to leave because of his ability to sense his human prey's emotions.

Denali coven

Eleazar and his mate Carmen, sisters Tanya, Irina (deceased), and Kate, and later Kate's mate Garrett are members of the Denali coven. Like the Cullens, the Denali coven practices a diet of drinking animal instead of human blood. They are on good terms with the Cullens, though the relationship is stressed during Eclipse when they refuse to fight Victoria and her army. Tanya is their leader and is described as having strawberry blonde hair, and once expressed an interest in Edward Cullen, though he turned her down. Carmen speaks fluent Spanish and was the first to listen to and not fear Renesmee for being a half-breed. Eleazar, a former member of the Volturi guard, speaks fluent Spanish as well and has the ability to vaguely identify the gifts of other vampires. Garrett is a tall, rangy vampire with ruby eyes and long sandy hair that he keeps tied back. He is an adventurer, and alludes to being an American Patriot. He joins the Denali coven in Breaking Dawn and becomes Kate's mate. Kate is described as beautiful and blonde. Her special ability is the production of an electric current over her skin that can shock and incapacitate attackers. She assists Bella in learning to use her new ability to mentally shield those around her.

Sasha, Vasilii, and Irina were former members of the Denali coven. Sasha, who created Tanya, Kate, Irina, and Vasilii, was executed by the Volturi for creating an immortal child, Vasilii. Vampire law prohibits creating an immortal child, as they are unpredictable and have no self-control. For this reason, both Sasha and Vasilii were destroyed. Laurent was Irina's mate, and she holds a grudge against the Quileute wolves for destroying him. She arrives to make peace with the Cullens in Breaking Dawn, but before speaking with them, she sees Renesmee and mistakenly assumes she is an immortal child. Irina reports the Cullens to the Volturi. After determining that Renesmee is not an immortal child, the Volturi destroy Irina for her mistake.

Egyptian coven

Tia, Amun, Benjamin, and Kebi are members of the Egyptian coven. Amun, the mate of Kebi, is shown to be very unhappy to stand witness for the Cullens in Breaking Dawn. Benjamin, the mate of Tia, has a high awareness of what is right and wrong. His special ability is to control the elements of nature, air, earth, fire, and water. Benjamin's ability is unique in that it involves physical manipulation, as opposed to illusions of the mind.

European nomads

Alistair, Charles, and Makenna are European nomads. Alistair is good friends with Carlisle, though he does not visit him often. His special ability is tracking. When he is called to be a witness for the Cullens, he leaves before he has a chance to do so out of fear of the Volturi. Charles is the mate of Makenna, and his special ability is to sense if a statement is true.

Irish coven

Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie are members of the Irish coven. Liam, the mate of Siobhan, is very protective of Siobhan and Maggie. Siobhan's suspected special ability is to alter the course of a situation through willpower. Maggie, a redhead, has the ability to sense if someone is lying. They were called upon to witness for the Cullen clan in face of the Volturi in Breaking Dawn.

Romanian coven

Vladimir and Stefan used to rule along with other Romanian vampires about 1500 years ago. The Volturi overthrew them, however, and destroyed their castle. After the rebellion, it became apparent that Vladimir and Stefan were the only survivors of their coven. They hold a grudge against the Volturi, and are willing to do anything for revenge.

Werewolves/Shape-shifters

File:Werewolf pack in twilight.jpg
The werewolf pack in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. From left to right: Jared, Paul, and Sam, with Bella directly in front of Paul.

At the end of Breaking Dawn, a distinction is made in the Twilight universe between "true werewolves" who transform according to the lunar cycle, and the giant Quileute tribal wolves who can phase at will and retain their mental faculties while transformed. Instead, the latter are referred to as shape-shifting humans who assume wolf form. As long as they regularly phase into wolves, they never age. They heal quickly, have enhanced physical speed and strength, and can communicate telepathically with one other while in their wolf forms.

Sam Uley

Sam Uley is the leader of the La Push pack. His father, Joshua Uley, abandoned him and his mother when he was very young and thus Sam was forced to assume much adult responsibility at an early age. Before becoming a wolf, he was romantically involved with Leah Clearwater, his high school sweetheart. His relationship with her started to fall apart after his transformation because he was forbidden to tell her what he had become. Their relationship ended when Sam imprinted on Leah's second cousin, Emily, and broke every promise he made to Leah. According to Jacob, Sam feels guilty for betraying Leah and responsible for the bitter person she has become. When he phases, he is pure black and the largest wolf, until Breaking Dawn when it is noted that Jacob has grown taller. He is the pack Alpha, but not by blood; that role is Jacob's, who allowed Sam to lead the pack until Breaking Dawn.

Solomon Trimble was credited as "Jacob's friend" in the Twilight film, but was widely recognized as playing the role of Sam.[14][15][16][17] In The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Sam is portrayed by Chaske Spencer.[18]

Quil Ateara

Quil Ateara is a member of the wolf pack and is Jacob's best friend and second cousin. He is described as being very muscular. He first appears in New Moon but does not become a wolf until Eclipse. Unlike most other pack members, he was happy about becoming a wolf, since it allowed him to join his friends and understand what was going on. As a wolf, Quil has chocolate-brown fur. Near the end of Breaking Dawn Quil, along with Embry, joins Jacob's pack.

In Eclipse, Quil imprints on Emily's two-year-old niece, Claire. Although this appears to cause a scandal, Jacob explains that there is currently nothing romantic about his feelings, and that Quil will be whatever Claire needs him to be at each point in her life, whether it be a brother, friend, protector, or lover.

Quil is portrayed by Tyson Houseman in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[19]

Embry Call

Embry Call is a wolf with gray fur and dark spots on his back, and is another one of Jacob's best friends. He appears briefly in New Moon and Eclipse. Embry calls Bella Swan "vampire girl" because she hangs out with the Cullen family. His mother was a woman of the Makah tribe, not the Quileutes; since the shape-shifting wolf traits are inherited from father to son, he is therefore the half-brother of either Quil Ateara, Jacob Black, or Sam Uley. This causes some stress within the pack, since all of these men's fathers were married before and at the time of his birth. Near the end of Breaking Dawn Embry, along with Quil, joins Jacob's pack.

Krys Hyatt was recognized as playing the part of Embry in the Twilight film, though his role was uncredited.[20] Embry is portrayed by Kiowa Gordon in the The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[18]

Paul

Paul is prone to angry outbursts which cause him to burst into his wolf form. Paul is one of the bigger wolves, and has dark gray fur. He is the most volatile pack member, and becomes so enraged when he learns that Jacob has told Bella about the pack that he bursts into his wolf form and attempts to attack her. He later seems to have no ill feelings towards Bella or Jacob, though Jacob, Leah, and some of the other wolves find him annoying. Early in Book 2 of Breaking Dawn, Paul is shown to have imprinted on Jacob's older sister, Rachel. This annoys Billy and Jacob because he is always at their house eating their food; however, Billy is happy that Rachel is staying at home longer because of Paul.

Paul is portrayed by Alex Meraz in the The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[21]

Jared

Jared was the first werewolf to phase after the pack's leader, Sam Uley. In Eclipse he imprinted on Kim, a girl he sat next to in school. Before he was a werewolf he never paid any attention to her, but after his transformation he looked at her once and imprinted.

Bronson Pelletier portrays Jared in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[18]

Leah Clearwater

Leah Clearwater is the only known female shape-shifting wolf in the history of the Quileute tribe. She transforms into a wolf during the events of New Moon, around the same time as her younger brother, Seth. This transformation is believed to be what caused the heart attack and subsequent death of their father, Harry. She dated Sam Uley for years, until her second cousin Emily came to visit and Sam imprinted on her. Sam thus left her for Emily, leaving Leah broken-hearted. As a result, Leah is very bitter and cynical, and constantly antagonizes the pack by thinking about things that the others want to avoid dwelling on. She also likes to antagonize Jacob by bringing up the fact that Bella plans to marry a vampire and become one herself, when it is clear that Jacob is still in love with Bella, whom Leah openly dislikes.

In Breaking Dawn, Leah joins Jacob's pack with the intention of breaking free of Sam since she is still heartbroken. She helps protect Bella and the Cullens, despite her extreme hatred for vampires. She shares several beliefs and insecurities with Jacob, such as why Sam imprinted on Emily, her regrets that she might be menopausal, and her inability to rise higher in pack rank due to her gender. As she spends more time in Jacob's pack, she becomes happier and makes notable changes in her attitude, becoming less troubling and negative. Later in the book, Jacob and Leah's feelings toward each other have become a trusted comradeship, in which she stands up for him, protects him, and becomes his second-in-command. As a human, Leah is described as beautiful by Bella. As a wolf, she is smaller than the others, light gray, and the fastest in the pack.

In 2010's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Leah will be played by Julia Jones.[22]

Seth Clearwater

Seth Clearwater is Leah's younger brother and a member of the La Push pack. He has sandy brown-colored fur. He transforms into a werewolf during the events of New Moon, around the same time as his sister, Leah. In New Moon and Eclipse he is shown to idolize Jacob Black, and is said to remind Bella of a younger Jacob. During the newborn attack in Eclipse, Seth stays with Bella and Edward, due to his young age of only fifteen, to act as a connection to the pack. When Victoria and Riley appear, Seth fights and destroys Riley with Edward's help. In Breaking Dawn he is shown to have developed an unlikely friendship with Edward, and attends his and Bella's wedding. Seth remains a constant presence throughout the final book in the series. He is initially the only wolf to feel completely comfortable being around the Cullen family. He also has, according to Edward, very honest and pure thoughts, something that endears him to the Cullens, and Edward in particular. When Jacob splits from the pack, Seth quickly joins him because he opposes Sam's plan to attack the Cullens. For most of Breaking Dawn Seth is Jacob's second-in-command, until he is replaced by Leah at the end of the novel.

In 2010's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Seth will be played by Boo Boo Stewart.[22]

Collin and Brady

Collin and Brady are two of the youngest wolves in the pack. In Eclipse, they are said to have phased at the age of thirteen, and they later make an appearance in Breaking Dawn as part of Sam's pack.

Others

There are seven additional wolves present at the end of Breaking Dawn. These unknown wolves are believed to be very young because of their oversized paws. The alleged reason for their transformations into wolves is the presence of many visiting vampires at the Cullen residence during this novel.

Ephraim Black

Ephraim Black, great-grandfather to Jacob Black, was the last chief of the Quileute tribe. He was a shape-shifter himself, and the Alpha of a pack of three, which included Levi Uley and Quil Ateara Sr., the great-grandfather of Jacob's friend Quil. He created a treaty with the Cullen family which maintained that the wolves would not expose the Cullens as vampires as long as they did not bite any humans.

Humans

Charlie Swan

File:Charlieswan.gif
Billy Burke as Charlie Swan in Twilight

Charlie Swan is Bella Swan's father and works as a police officer in Forks. His hobbies include fishing with Harry Clearwater and Billy Black, as well as watching various sports on TV. Charlie married Bella's mother, Renée, just after they both graduated high school, and they soon had Bella. Renée divorced Charlie not long after and moved to Phoenix, Arizona with Bella. Bella later mentions that Charlie still has not quite gotten over her mother. He became accustomed to living alone, except when Bella visited him in the summer. When Bella is seventeen, she moves to Forks to live with him after her mother remarries. Initially, Charlie accepts Edward as his daughter's boyfriend, but after the events of New Moon he blames Edward for Bella's deep depression after he left her. Charlie is grateful to Jacob Black for his friendship with Bella during that difficult time, and he makes it clear that he'd rather Bella choose Jacob over Edward. At the end of Eclipse, Bella and Edward agree to tell Charlie about their engagement. At the beginning of Breaking Dawn, he is shown to have reluctantly agreed to the marriage. Charlie stays in Bella's life after her transformation; though he comes to suspect that Bella and the Cullens are not quite human, he is never informed that they are vampires. Nevertheless, he is introduced to his granddaughter, Renesmee, and is shown to be very fond of her. At the end of Breaking Dawn, he and Sue Clearwater have developed a romantic relationship.

Charlie is portrayed by Billy Burke in Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[23]

Renée Dwyer

Renée Dwyer (née Higgenbotham; formerly Renée Swan) married Charlie Swan right after high school, but left with their baby, Bella, and divorced him soon after. Renée is an eccentric, silly person who will brave new things (like skydiving) and come to her senses later. Bella always felt that she was the mother of their relationship, having to guide Renée away from doing ridiculous things, and Renée considered Bella as her middle-aged child. After Renée remarries a much younger baseball player, Phil Dwyer, Bella unselfishly sends herself to live with her dad in Forks so that Renée and Phil can travel together. Edward describes Renée's mind as being insightful and almost childlike. In Breaking Dawn, Bella is scared to tell her mother about her engagement to Edward, but Renée believes Bella to be more mature than other teenagers her age and gives them her blessing. Bella says she and her mother look alike, but that Renée has shorter hair and laugh lines. In Twilight she lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and in Jacksonville, Florida, throughout the rest of the series. After Bella becomes a vampire she does not visit her mother, knowing Renée would never adapt to her change as Charlie did.

Renée is portrayed by Sarah Clarke in the Twilight film.[12] Clarke will reprise her role in the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Harry Clearwater

Harry Clearwater was an elder of the Quileute tribe, having died from a heart attack during New Moon. He left behind a wife, Sue, a daughter Leah, and a son, Seth. Once Bella learns that Jacob is a werewolf, it is Harry and Billy Black who invite Charlie Swan to La Push to entertain and protect him from the vampires.

Harry is portrayed by Graham Greene in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[9]

Billy Black

Billy Black is Jacob Black's father, born and raised in La Push, and an elder of the Quileute tribe. He is described as being heavyset, having a wrinkled face and russet skin, and having black hair and black eyes. His other family members include his two daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, and his deceased wife, Sarah. Billy Black is directly descended from the last chief of the Quileute tribe, Ephraim Black, who was his grandfather. Among Billy's best friends in Forks is Bella Swan's father, Charlie Swan. Billy, who is crippled from diabetes[24] and confined to a wheelchair, sells his truck to Charlie to give to Bella. At the end of Twilight, he employed Jacob to persuade Bella to break up with Edward Cullen. He becomes a semi-regular character throughout the remaining series.

Billy Black is portrayed by Gil Birmingham in Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[12]

Tyler Crowley

Tyler Crowley is one of Bella's classmates. In Twilight he nearly hits Bella with his van, but she is saved by Edward. Afterwards, Tyler is desperate to make it up to her and bombards her with constant apologies and asks Bella to a school dance, to which she refuses. He mistakenly assumes she will go to their prom with him and tells the rest of the school, only to hear from Edward that Bella will be unavailable to anyone but himself. His constant attention towards Bella causes Lauren, who is interested in him, to resent Bella.

Tyler is portrayed by Gregory Tyree Boyce in the Twilight film.

Lauren Mallory

Lauren Mallory is a silver blonde, fishy-eyed student at Bella's high school. Despite being popular herself, she becomes jealous over the attention Bella receives after she moves to Forks, and she remains hostile toward her for the rest of Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. She is particularly jealous when Tyler Crowley, on whom Lauren has a crush, pays attention to Bella. Lauren Mallory also tends to speak in a rather sneering tone, which Bella notices when she overhears Lauren talking about her.

In the films, Lauren's character was combined with Jessica Stanley, who was played by Anna Kendrick.[25]

Mike Newton

Mike Newton is a friendly boy who initially has a crush on Bella, though Bella does not return his affections. In Twilight, he is described as a "cute, baby-faced boy" with "carefully" spiked "pale blond" hair. He crushes on Bella throughout the series and often asks her to accompany him on dates, though she always declines; he is also shown to be quite bitter and jealous over Bella and Edward's relationship. In New Moon, Mike goes to the movies with Jacob and Bella and tries hard to compete with Jacob for Bella's attention. Mike's family owns a local sporting goods store, which serves as Bella's only job in the series. Mike and Jessica date in Twilight and are together again in "Breaking Dawn" at Bella and Edward's wedding, where Edward irritatedly comments that "Mike's having difficulty with improper thoughts about a married woman," suggesting that Mike is still attracted to Bella.

Mike is portrayed by Michael Welch in Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.[3]

Jessica Stanley

Jessica Stanley is Bella's classmate and her first friend in Forks. She informs Bella about the Cullen family on her first day at school. She tends to be more interested in Bella's popularity than Bella's actual character, and is sometimes jealous of Mike's attention toward Bella. In an excerpt from Midnight Sun, Edward hears that Jessica's thoughts toward Bella are actually quite rude, and that she only befriended Bella to share in her attention.[26] Jessica is described as a "chatterbox" with curly dark hair. She and Bella have a falling out in New Moon due to Bella's depression and increasingly reckless behavior due to Edward's departure, but their friendship ends on a good note at graduation during Eclipse. Jessica appears briefly in Breaking Dawn as a guest at Bella and Edward's wedding, which she attends with Mike.

Jessica is portrayed by Anna Kendrick in the Twilight film.[27]

Angela Weber

Angela Weber is a classmate of Bella's who is described as being a tall, shy, quiet, and very kind girl. In an excerpt from Midnight Sun, she is revealed to be among the few of Bella's newly acquired "friends" that does not exploit Bella's appeal to their own advantage.[26] She has light brown hair and soft brown eyes. She respects other people's space, a characteristic much appreciated by Bella and she has a gentle disposition. Angela plays a minor role in Twilight, but becomes Bella's best (completely human) friend during the events of Eclipse. She has a strong relationship with her boyfriend, Ben Cheney. In Breaking Dawn her role is limited; her father reads Bella and Edward's vows at their wedding, and she catches Bella's bouquet.

Angela is portrayed by Christian Serratos in the Twilight film.[12]

Eric Yorkie

Eric Yorkie is a classmate of Bella's who immediately became interested in her when she moved to Forks. He is described as an "overly helpful" chess-club type, is very tall, has a poor complexion, and has "hair as black as an oil slick". He resents Mike's similar interest in Bella, and, later in Twilight, is seen walking away after Mike is hit with a snowball. He invites Bella to a school dance, but she declines, and he goes with Angela Weber instead. Eric is valedictorian of his graduating class.

Eric is portrayed by Justin Chon in the Twilight film.[27]

Emily Young

Emily Young is Sam Uley's fiancée and second cousin to Leah and Seth Clearwater. While dating Leah, Sam imprinted upon Emily when she visited and began pursuing her. She is described as having copper skin, raven black hair, and three long disfiguring scars running down the right side of her face and down her arms as the result of Sam phasing into a wolf too close to her. The left side of her face is extremely beautiful, as she was before the scars. These scars pull one of her eyes down and also tug on the side of her mouth, causing her to have a scowl on one side of her face. Despite this, Emily seems to bear no resentment towards Sam or any other members of the pack. Bella feels that Emily is the mother figure to the pack because she often cooks their meals and they feel very comfortable and open in her house.

Emily is portrayed by Tinsel Korey in the The Twilight Saga: New Moon film.[9]

Sue Clearwater

Sue Clearwater is the widow of Harry Clearwater, who died in New Moon of a heart attack. Sue has two children, Seth and Leah, who are both werewolves. In Breaking Dawn, Sue starts spending a lot of time with Charlie and occasionally cooks him meals after Bella moves out of his house. Near the end of Breaking Dawn, Bella hints that Sue and Charlie are romantically involved.

J. Jenks

Jason Jenks (alias Jason Scott) is a middle aged, balding attorney and forger of legal documents. Alice sends Bella to him when it seems likely that Renesmee and Jacob will need to go on the run to escape the Volturi. Jenks, having previously worked with Jasper several times, has a great fear of the Cullen family due to Jasper's belief that "some kinds of working relationships are better motivated by fear than by monetary gain." Bella employs Jenks to forge birth certificates, passports, and a driver's license for Jacob and Renesmee, and over the course of their relationship he starts to become more comfortable around her than he is with Jasper. An honorable man, he initially expresses reservations about giving Bella the documents she requests, under the belief that she intends to use them to kidnap Renesmee from her father, despite his fear that this might earn him the Cullen family's retribution. Bella assures him that this is not the case, and she decides afterwards to take over all relations with Jenks in order to spare him any further stress that Jasper might cause him.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Larry Carroll (2008-02-19). "'Twilight' Character Film Portrayals". MTV. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  2. ^ Personal Correspondence #5 | Twilight Lexicon
  3. ^ a b c d Larry Carroll (2008-02-14). "'Twilight' Finds Its Latest Victims: Nikki Reed, Rachelle Lefevre Added To Cast". MTV. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  4. ^ Cullen, Emmett | Twilight Lexicon
  5. ^ "BookStories Interview with Stephenie Meyer". BookStories. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  6. ^ "Stephenie Meyer website; Twilight movie". Stephenie Meyer. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  7. ^ StephenieMeyer.com | Twilight Series | Breaking Dawn FAQ
  8. ^ Denise Martin (2008-08-08). "'Twilight': Stephenie Meyer lets her inner fangirl loose at the 'Breaking Dawn' concert series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  9. ^ a b c "Summit Entertainment Starts Production on The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (Press release). Summit Entertainment. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  10. ^ "Summit Entertainment Starts Production on The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" (Press release). Summit Entertainment. 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  11. ^ Steven Zeitchik (2009-07-29). "Howard to replace Lefevre in 3rd 'Twilight' film". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  12. ^ a b c d "Full Cast & Crew". Hollywood. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  13. ^ Tanner Stransky (2009-07-17). "'Twilight' third pic 'Eclipse' begins casting with Australian unknown Xavier Samuel". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  14. ^ "Role in Twilight lets student shine". Dailvanguard. 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-03-05. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  15. ^ Larry Carroll (2008-11-18). "'Twilight' Premiere: Robert Pattinson Loses His Hearing, Taylor Lautner Gets An Indecent Proposal". MTV. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  16. ^ Rebecca Murray. "Twilight: Taylor Lautner and Solomon Trimble Interviews". About.com. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  17. ^ Christina Radish (2009-02-02). "Solomon Trimble Keeps His Possibilities Open". Media Blvd. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  18. ^ a b c Susan Wloszczyna (2009-04-21). "Wanted: Birth and brawn". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  19. ^ Jenny Davies. "Meet the New New Moon Cast - Wolf Pack". ReelzChannel. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  20. ^ Hardwicke, Catherine (2009). Twilight: Director's Notebook. New York: Little, Brown and Company. p. 42. ISBN 0316070521.
  21. ^ Alex Meraz: Life On The Set Of 'New Moon'. Access Hollywood. 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  22. ^ a b Nicole Sperling (2009-08-18). "'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' beings production today". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  23. ^ Creators.com: Tyson Beckford Enjoying Men's "Supermodel" Success/"Reno 911's" Lennon Delivers the State of the State
  24. ^ Twilight Lexicon | Personal Correspondence #7
  25. ^ Larry Carroll (2008-09-16). "'Twilight' Tuesday: Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg Was Inspired By 'Brokeback Mountain'". MTV. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
  26. ^ a b StephenieMeyer.com | Twilight Series | Midnight Sun
  27. ^ a b Larry Carroll (2008-02-07). "'Twilight' Gives The Green Light To Anna Kendrick, Justin Chon For Book-Turned-Movie". MTV. Retrieved 2008-02-18.