The Twilight films have a quite divisive reputation. People either love them or hate them, and then there are those who love to hate them. But despite some cringey parts, there are some great things to be said about the saga. One of the most fascinating parts of Twilight lore is the backstories of each member of the Cullen family and how they became vampires. It may seem pretty straightforward — they get bits, they turn into a vampire, they become pro baseball players, etc…
We all know Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) story. She returned to Forks, met Edward (Robert Pattinson), became completely enamored with him, and after just mere months of dating, practically begged him to turn her. She eventually got her wish after the traumatic birth of her and Edward’s daughter, and he bit her in order to save her life. But what about the rest of the Cullens, including Edward — how did they become vampires? The books are where you really get to sink your teeth into the lore, whereas the films only give backstories for Rosalie (Nikki Reed), Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), and Edward. But even those get more in-depth in the books, and the stories are fascinating. Let’s bite into it.
Carlisle Cullen
The leader and founder of the Cullen clan is Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), who was born in 1640, making him the oldest of the Cullens. His father was a monster hunter who hunted witches, werewolves, and vampires. As his father grew older, Carlisle took over, but was less inclined to kill due to a strong sense of empathy and compassion for people. After discovering a coven of vampires that lived in the London sewers, Carlisle led the hunt for them, during which he was attacked and left bleeding in the street. Ashamed by becoming the very thing he and his father tried to escape the world of, he tried to kill himself in many different ways. He was, of course, unsuccessful, and when the thirst for blood got unbearable he eventually fed off a herd of deer. This led him to realize he could survive off of animals instead of humans, thus adopting a “vegetarian” lifestyle that would become the backbone of the Cullen clan.
However, it wasn’t always easy for him to live this way, as he was once a part of the Volturi — a high-power coven in Italy. He was drawn to their disposition and refined ways, and stayed with them for two decades. During this time, the Volturi tried in vain to turn Carlisle towards their “natural” food source of human blood. Carlisle resisted though, and after he left the coven, he spent the next few centuries perfecting his ability to resist the scent of human blood. This, and his compassion for people, allowed him to eventually become a doctor.
Edward Cullen
Born in 1901, Edward was the next member of the Cullen clan. He, along with his mother and father, contracted the Spanish Influenza in 1918. His father died in the first wave of the illness, and his mother succumbed later on. Before passing, she begged for Carlisle to do whatever he can to save Edward, saying: “What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward,” insinuating that she knows he is a vampire. After Edward’s mother died, and Edward himself grew worse, Carlisle snuck him out of the hospital back to his home, where he turned him.
A little while into his early vampire years, Edward separated himself from Carlisle and Esme (Elizabeth Reaser) and used his mind-reading power as fuel to seek out horrible people. One of his victims was Charles Evenson, who was Esme’s abusive ex-husband. He eventually returned to Carlisle and Esme, having regretted his choice of feeding on lesser humans. Esme and Carlisle soon became parent figures to Edward, and the rest is history.
Esme Cullen
Born in 1895, Esme is the matriarch of the Cullen family, having married Carlisle. Her journey to becoming a Cullen started when she was 16 years old when she fell out of a tree and broke her leg. She was treated by none other than Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Nothing came of it, of course, and Carlisle left town shortly after treating her. At the age of 22, in an attempt to please her parents, she married Charles Evenson, unfortunately learning he was a mean and abusive man. He was eventually drafted into World War I, but shortly after he returned Esme discovered she was pregnant and ran off so as not to raise her child in an abusive home. Her baby unfortunately passed just two days after it was born due to lung fever, and Esme, devastated by the loss, jumped off a cliff in an attempt to end her life. By the time she was found, she was in such bad conditions that she was taken straight to the morgue. Carlisle, however, noticed that her heart was still beating just the faintest bit, and recognized her as the girl he treated all those years ago. Not able to just let her die, Carlisle turned her then and there. Esme accepted her new life much easier than Edward did, and immediately fell for Carlisle, marrying him shortly thereafter.
