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she not a bitch, she a queen

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why the wolfpack is more relatable & sets a better example in 2020 than the cullens ever did in 2005

tl;dr: because the wolfpack represents america’s changing values while the cullens embody america’s old system of values

throughout the series, smeyer places the cullens on a pedestal & holds them up as the ‘ideal.’ this is because the cullens encapsulate what 2005 america valued & saw as ‘perfection.’

based on what bella finds attractive about the cullens & what smeyer chooses to show about them, here are the american values that the cullens represent:

wealth: not only $$$ as a status symbol, which is used to separate the cullens from the humans. but also using wealth/materialism as a means to say “i love you” (the yellow porsche edward gifts alice, the island carlisle gifts esme, etc.)

european beauty standards: pale skin, light eyes, et cetera, are praised & valued by bella. darker-skinned vampires exist but are “othered” in text.

perfection without effort: perfect memory, perfect motor skills, perfect beauty - all it takes is 3-5 days of excruciating pain. i would describe it as an empty meritocracy (which for some reason boomers LOVE ??)

individualism over collectivism*: the cullens using their time/resources to only benefit themselves. (& bella) *(i genuinely believe this is slight character assassination by smeyer. MOST of the cullens are part of the civic-minded GI-generation & would be raised to be more collectivist, as the majority of the cullens experience generational traumas like Spanish Flu, WWII, Great Depression, etc.)

european culture: the italian volturi defined as being ‘royalty.’ deference to european status quo by the end of BD.

do americans still value these things? yes. do they value them as much in 2020 as they did in 2005? i would argue no. i think for many, the cullens aren’t as sexy, desired, or lusted after as in ‘05 bc they symbolize an outdated american value system.

now, let’s compare these values to the values the wolfpack demonstrates throughout the series:

experiences > wealth: not only does the wolfpack place higher value on experiences (dinner with friends & family, bonfires, storytelling, cliff diving), but they express their feelings for others through actions, not expensive gifts (see: the bracelet charm that jacob carved for bella; leah dunking on bella on jake’s behalf in eclipse)

beauty as a result of personality, not looks: bella describes the physical features of the wolfpack as attractive in an “othering” way. but personality/characteristics & physical features do go hand-in-hand in these descriptions. when bella describes jake as beautiful, she’s taking into account his sunny personality - by contrast, descriptions of cullens/edward are all about physical features.

perfection/gain through effort: a BIG theme of new moon is seeking & accepting (& rejecting) a state of perfection/peace. that’s what the motorbikes symbolize: taking broken, shitty things & putting in the effort to fix them into something fun, new, & exciting. jacob becoming alpha is another example, as it takes a huge personal sacrifice w/ much to gain.

collectivism > individualism: found family trope illustrates the millennial/gen-z value of collaboration, cooperation, & choosing the collective. despite the trouble that bella causes the wolfpack, they still band together to protect her from victoria. emily cleaning & fashioning clothes for the pack is another example of valuing the whole over the individual.

cultural equality: even tho smeyer clearly portrays the cullens as better than, the text does not support her ideas. bella holds the cullens as this aloof, detached bunch that are so out of her league. meanwhile, the indigenous stories told & wolfpack/quileute events held throughout the series consistently guide bella, give her answers, & provide her with a sense of community that doesn’t exclude her based on her perceived imperfections.

tl;dr [the long version]: twilight was popular in 2005 bc middle-aged women who were brought up in a materialistic patriarchal society loved the cullens for upholding the old order of american values & the “rewards�� that come with it (“you too could someday marry a rich, beautiful, perfect ‘bad-boy’ who showers u w/ expensive gifts”).

by contrast, the twilight renaissance loves & values the wolfpack in 2020 bc millennials & zoomers who are coming back to this series with full-fledged opinions/identities about how society should work are attracted to the caring, collectivist, hard-working nature of the wolfpack - & the values of a changing, beautiful, shiny new america that they represent <3

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Carlisle is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing

So, just to clarify vital points demonstrating that Carlisle is a villain, portrayed as a saint and I even get the feelings that he acknowledges how evil he is, yet doesn’t change his racist/unethical shady behaviour from 17th century. Like we have to acknowledge his malicious essence. Feel free to add more please.

He was born and grew up in 17th century London under a heavy Anglican influence. This had to have immense impact on his persona, even though he tries to deny it or whatever. The idea of morals were absolutely twisted: for example Anglican church was heavily involved in slavery and persecuted any other religions.

Imperialist behaviour: the fact that they stayed on the Native land is just absolutely ignorant and vile. Devastating the lives of Native people. He took Jacob’s DNA sample!!!!! That’s the most unethical and dehumanising bullshit ever! As a doctor you’re not allowed to do that nor as a human being, you cannot exploit people for your own interest wtf

Complex of superiority: he literally turned Edward, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie without any kind of consent? That’s just mad.

Objectification of Rosalie/grooming: again, he thought of her as a potential partner for Edward. Not sure whether that was his sole reason to change her. Legacy perhaps of his old upbringing? Where women had literally 0 rights.

Attracted to a minor/pedophilic: he literally was attracted to Esme when she was 16. This is questionable since it was Esme who was clearly mesmerised by him, but since the author is Mormon, wouldn’t be surprised. (Ed.)

Awful morals: He invited racist/Nazi to live with his family. He was somehow able to get blood for Bella from hospital, like wtf mate? You cannot buy so much blood for your daughter in law. The entitlement, seriously.

He is a billionaire

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I love y’all’s headcanon versions of the Cullens, but I deadass hate them in canon.

They had *billions* of dollars and at least a dozen houses all around the world, yet they chose to occupy the historic homelands of a tribe whose lives they knew would be altered by their presence alone.

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Friendly reminder that there are 750 Quileute. Seven Hundred and Fifty. Think. For reference- how big was your middle school? (around that, maybe?) I think we tend not to understand how personal their inclusion in Twilight was. Smeyer took advantage of them. She's rich off of them and their culture. She exploited and misrepresented them. Seven hundred and fifty people. She could look each one of them in the eye and apologize in one afternoon and instead, she sits on 125 million dollars as if her hands are tied.

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i hate so much that the cullens literally have the ENTIRE PLANET TO GO TO AND REALLY DONT EVEN HAVE TO BE A PART OF SOCIETY yet they still return to forks knowing fully well the toll that would take on the tribe. knowing theyd be ruining kids’ lives by making them become shapeshifters and having to become a defender of the tribe just because they’re racist and hate them and just don’t care. Carlisles compassion power MY ASS.

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Carlisle Cullen seeing Esme Platt’s half dead body abandoned in an Michigan morgue (1921, colourised)

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Jessica Stanley in Twilight

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Do you sometimes lie awake at night wondering why the team for New Moon woke up and said “Wigs aren’t important. All wigs are good wigs.” because it haunts me

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the cullens

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Pardon if this has been done before, but every god damn day I think about how in the books Emmett had curly hair.

In real life Kellen Lutz has really nice curly hair. Ex:

And yet we were robbed and given this awful hair style

FOR

THE FIRST

THREE MOVIES

It’s such a bad haircut. It really doesn’t do anything for him and I really can’t wrap my head around it. It’s not like his character had short straight hair in the books.

At least in Breaking Dawn his hair is MUCH better, but it’s more wavy than curly.

I just really think we were robbed of seeing Emmett with his full curl potential.

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emmett & rosalie: the twilight saga

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what if Carlisle had decided to stay with the Volturi?

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Gil Birmingham as Billy Black in The Twilight Saga (2008–2012) 

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isabella marie swan