Vampires have traditionally been seen as predatory beings that feed on human blood, but fantasy has become more intriguing, with 19th-century literature opening the way for a new kind of these fascinating creatures. A plethora of vampire films and shows have been released over the years, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dracula, and Forever Knight. However, nothing quite captures the essence of vampire-human romance like The Twilight Saga, which spanned five films between 2008 and 2012.
The Twilight Saga illustrates a beautiful love story between a seventeen-year-old Bella Swan and a hundred-year-old vampire, Edward Cullen. However, as is the case with everything in the franchise, there is more to this than meets the eye. Aside from the sublime chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart, The Twilight Saga is well-known for emphasizing family bonds, particularly those among The Cullens.
We are aware that the Cullen family has been active since the early twentieth century, but many fans remain perplexed about their powers. While it is common knowledge that vampires are fast, strong, and have a superior sense of smell, some are special cases, with abilities ranging from telepathy to extraordinary strength. Keeping that in mind, here is a detailed breakdown of the Cullen family’s powers.
Edward Cullen
Ability: Telepathy
As the main male protagonist of The Twilight Saga, Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson, has a little edge over others due to his telepathic skills, which allows him to read people’s minds. While not as effective as the Volturi leader, who can sense everything from emotions to memories, Edward makes good use of his abilities. For example, the stronger the bond with a specific individual, the greater his telepathy range becomes. So, if he were to use Alice’s visions or Renesmee’s projections, no enemy could outsmart him in battle. Naturally, Edward’s closest companion, Bella, is immune to his powers.
Bella Swan
Ability: Mental Shield
Remember how we mentioned Bella being immune to Edward’s telepathy? Despite their strong love for each other, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has the remarkable ability to resist any type of mental attack, save for a few. After becoming a vampire, her abilities were greatly enhanced, as she was able to share them with others and temporarily remove the shield, allowing Edward to read her mind. The only downside to her ability is that she is not immune to physical attacks. Therefore, she often finds herself in trouble when strong opponents appear. But, hey, Edward would rip his enemies to bits if they were to consider harming her.
Renesmee Cullen
Ability: Tactile Communication
Renesmee inherits the best of both worlds, with an ability that combines both Edward’s telepathy and Bella’s mental shield. The hybrid vampire and the youngest of the Cullens can communicate her thoughts with others upon contact. Furthermore, mental shields are rendered ineffective when she uses her power, as evidenced by her breaking through Bella’s mental shield in Breaking Dawn. However, she must directly touch the individual to use her power, so it isn’t as effective against other vampires as they are highly nimble and cunning. It is unclear whether her penetration ability can break past physical shields like Renata’s, but considering she is a hybrid vampire, it is a possibility.
Alice Cullen
Ability: Precognition
Alice has one of the most interesting and life-altering abilities: precognition. Her powers are based on the visions she receives through the source. For example, she predicts Bella’s future in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, informing the Voluturi that they don’t need to worry about Bella’s knowledge of their kind because she will soon be alone. While she can focus on multiple visions at a time, her ability to interpret them varies from time to time. Her precognition ability also led her to Jasper and the Cullen family, which ultimately changed her life for the better. Having said that, like any other power, her precognition has certain limitations, such as the inability to see into the future if the decision related to the event has not yet been made.
Jasper Hale
Ability: Pathokinesis
Jasper Hale’s Pathokinesis allows him to influence the emotions of those around him, making him a powerful member of the Cullen family. During the late 1800s, he frequently used this ability to command the newborn vampire army he formed with Maria, and even Bella’s shield cannot block it. Therefore, it is safe to assume that his Pathokinesis has the power to manipulate any enemy. Unfortunately, the influence he exerts only lasts as long as the user is around, meaning he can’t utilize it for long. Add in his lack of self-control, and Jasper Hale may be heavily underappreciated in both films and books.
