'Twilight' characters have fans choosing favorites

March 4, 3:06 AMTwilight ExaminerAmanda Bell

Previous Next

239 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Twilight Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Fans of the Twilight series have a lot to choose from when contemplating favorites among the various characters. Each carries a certain charm and draw that separates him or her from the coven or pack.

For instance, the character Edward Cullen has earned himself a place amongst reader and film-goer favorites.

He, a vampire, is a seventeen-year-old body with a century-old mind (and - as Bella and Carlisle, amongst others, would suggest - soul), who has been resisting the taste of human blood for decades (and improving his resolve in that regard all the while). He becomes tempted (an understatement), however, when he meets Bella. Bella's blood, to Edward, has an irresistible smell that "sings" to him. In a twist of fate, though, she becomes the one thing that Edward couldn't stand himself to harm. Throughout the series, his grace and charm echo like literal magic, leaving readers completely absorbed in his every word.

Bella Swan, too, has her own set of fans. An absolute klutz who despises the cold and rain, Bella finds herself in Forks, Washington, clinging to the coolest thing of all - the "skin" of Edward Cullen.

Bella's perspective on everything from love and place to comfort and self-esteem, in a sense, is the raw and honest embellishment of a piece of many women's mentalities. Her big brown eyes see her new world in a way many readers can identify and empathize with when reading the series.

Jacob Black is also a character that many fans favor highly. While his role in the first book and film, Twilight, is rather slight, his continued presence in the series introduces and involves a whole other layer of mythology and fantasy. By the time New Moon rolls around, Black has become one of the most important in the entire series - an inescapable part of the protagonist Bella Swan's life and future.

Like Bella, Jacob also becomes a narrator - for a third of Breaking Dawn - and though his voice is a bit dark and angered at times, those segments also serve to show a cool tenderness to his soul and affection for Bella.

His big secret? He's a shape-shifting werewolf who can morph into action at the drop of a... well... pair of pants, or, perhaps, the shred of a shoe or two. At times, the tension between he, his gang of fellow wolves, and the Cullen family is palpable, with their entire system of treaty-based order on the edge of a knife. One constant in Jacob's presence, though, is his unending regard for Bella.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen is, for all intents and purposes, Edward's father. He is also the patriarch and creator of the entire Cullen coven. His existence is entirely devoted to the preservation of mankind, it is revealed, and his strength at resisting any impulse to drink human blood has allowed him to exact his interest in helping people by practicing medicine at an emergency hospital.

His strength of character and morality is untarnished in the series' events, and he serves as the center of strength for his friends and family at many points of glory, but he remains humble and completely giving.

Esme Cullen, Carlisle's wife and matriarch of the Cullen coven, is a sweet and maternal character in the series, who is supportive and encouraging to her family at almost every given moment. Never wavering from her genuineness and compassion for others, she is also at no loss for strength and courage either. For these reasons and more, many Twilight series fans have a soft spot for Esme.

Emmett Cullen is a bear-chasing, car-jumping, fear-of-no-fight asset to the Cullen family during its various trials and tribulations throughout the series. Always donning a mischievous smile, Emmett shows no mercy to his opponents and no fear for loss ... though one does get the better of him in a certain arm wrestling match.

Rosalie Hale, Emmett's significant other, is a nare-do-well-to-Bella beauty queen with a hidden agenda in her pocket at all times. Clever though she might be, Rosalie seems to be a thorn in the side of Bella, Edward, and Jacob on several occasions. Yet, she does have her redeeming qualities. If it weren't for her, we might not have met our beloved Renesmee (not pictured for obvious reasons), for example. Rosalie's past, when revealed in Eclipse, explains a lot about her personal propensities.

Alice Cullen, on the other hand, needs no back-story morale boost to earn her a spot on the list of fan favorites. Spunky, stylish, lovable, and hard-working, Alice always seems to be up to something in the Twilight series. Busying herself whimsically, this little soothsayer plays a huge fun role in the series, up to the very end. It doesn't hurt that Alice dances her way around the series with utter grace.

Jasper Hale, last but certainly not least, is the newest vegetarian to the bunch. Though his initial reaction to Bella was trepid, and later ones were, well, a little thirsty, Jasper's history proves to be quite astonishing, not to mention useful in the later books. His inner strength and courage become revealed slowly as the storyline progresses, and his charisma proves all the more powerful.

Photos: Summit Entertainment

Join Twilight Examiner on:
Facebook • Twitter • MySpace