All vampires in the Twilight universe have special abilities, and the ones Jasper Cullen has can be very dangerous. Here’s what his powers are.
Every vampire in The Twilight Saga has powers, but out of all the Cullens, Jasper has the most intriguing and dangerous one. Vampires continue to be one of the most beloved creatures in pop culture, and while they have been adapted to all types of media for years, Stephenie Meyer took the world by surprise with her unique take on these creatures in her debut novel Twilight. The book marks the beginning of a series of four novels chronicling the romance between vampire Edward Cullen and mortal Bella Swan, who had to overcome a variety of obstacles so they could be together.
The Twilight books were a worldwide phenomenon but they also drew a lot of criticism, though that didn’t stop them from making the jump to the big screen. The Twilight Saga was released between 2008 and 2012, with the final novel, Breaking Dawn, divided into two movies. The movies expanded the already solid and loyal Twilight fanbase but also left the audience with a lot of questions about the characters, especially the vampires and their powers. Meyer’s vampires have superpowers, as when they are transformed, their strongest traits are enhanced, but these can be confusing when seen on the big screen, as is the case of Jasper and his fascinating yet dangerous abilities.
Jasper Hale is one of Edward’s “brothers” and adoptive son of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Jasper has a complicated backstory, as he is one of the few survivors of the Southern vampire wars and aided his creator, Maria, in the creation of a newborn vampire army, all of which made him violent. Jasper changed his ways when he met Alice and joined the Cullen clan, becoming a “vegetarian” and learning to control his instincts, even if he still struggled at times (like when he tried to attack Bella when she got a paper cut at his place ). Jasper is one of the Cullen’s most skilled members, as he’s the family’s best fighter, the second fastest (after Edward), and the second strongest (after Emmett), but it’s his supernatural power that makes him stand out: pathokinesis.
Jasper’s strongest trait when he was a human was his charisma, which once he became a vampire translated into pathokinesis, which is the ability to sense and change the emotions of the people around him. Jasper mainly uses this power in the Twilight books and movies to calm people down as to avoid fights and end a situation of peace, but before he joined the Cullens, he used it to control Maria’s newborn vampire soldiers. His powers are also one of the few that can pass through Bella’s mental shield as he’s feeling feelings, so it’s not exactly a power that affects the mind, although it can have serious consequences. If Jasper constantly manipulates the emotions of those around him, he can end up creating a false reality for them as they are feeling what he wants them to. Like the powers of most vampires in the Twilight universe, Jasper’s has some limitations, as the effect of his manipulation can only last for as long as his targets are within his range.
Jasper’s powers are clearer and used more often in the Twilight books than in the movies, although it can be argued that he used them in specific moments throughout the movies but it was never explicitly pointed out. Jasper is one of the most interesting characters in the Twilight universe and who, unfortunately, was left aside through the whole series, but he managed to win a place in the hearts of readers and viewers.
