One major thing in the Guide which was different than what I was expecting was how the Cullens and the Denali met.  Because in 2008, SM gave an interview to Italian Twilighters and talked a little about the Denali clan:

Carlisle ran into the three main sisters earlier on, but they were just sort of looking into the vegetarian thing. They didn’t start out that way, for years and years they were the reason behind the myths about the succubus.

They really like human men, but those humans were meals after all. After awhile they started to develop a conscience, it didn’t seem right to have them as food, so they sort of evolved into vegetarian, whereas Carlisle was always that way.

From this, it sounded like Carlisle met them before he had a family, and maybe helped them on their path to vegetarianism, since he met them when they were “just looking into it.”

But the Guide tells a different story, in which Tanya discovered vegetarianism herself, totally independent of Carlisle’s discovery, and they didn’t meet at all until the 1930s and the Denali were already experts at vegetarianism when they met.

I have to say I like the first version better.  The idea of innocent, pious Carlisle hanging out with a trio of highly-sexualized succubi really amuses me.

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Tanya and Carlisle are totally shipping Kate/Garrett. 

BD2 Commentary - Mental Powers

I agree with him here—there really wasn’t any way NOT to do it, otherwise it would end up looking really ridiculous with all these physics just staring at each other intensely to convey using their ~powers.  But it does take away a bit from the idea that Bella’s shield only protects from mental attacks.  There really was no good way to go about it. 

Well male back story is easy:  Carlisle.  His back story is the reason he’s my favorite and he’s my favorite because I think he’s the most interesting.  (I like Carlisle/Esme and I’ve thought Facinelli was gorgeous since I saw him on Six Feet Under, but neither of those things are why I love Carlisle.  They’re just nice bonuses).  He was my favorite when I first read the books.  There’s some significant history fail (London didn’t have sewers then but I have a fix for that), but just the whole idea that he was essentially a devoutly religious vampire-hunter yet hasn’t spent eternity as a miserable, angsty wreck and instead used his ‘curse’ to help people just makes him endlessly fascinating to me and such a breath of fresh air after all the “woe is me, I hate myself, I am cursed to forever stalk the night, sadface” good vampires I keep reading about.

In terms of back story, Alistair is probably a close second.  In terms of coolest/most interesting power … Aro.  I think that’s why Aro is insane honestly.  Vampires have perfect memories and he hears every thought a person has ever had.  So he has not only his own 3000+ years of memories, he has everyone else he has ever touched too.  I can’t even imagine that.  No wonder he is bonkers!

Favorite female back story… I’m going to go with Kate, only because what SM wrote in the guide was king of what I was imagining anyway.  I sort of imagined Kate had been a female warrior-type and to find out she had been a bodyguard to a princess of her clan was pretty close to what I had in mind.  Siobhan’s is interesting too although the rape and kidnapping, ugh, but I liked the idea that her father trained her to be a blacksmith and when he died she took over.  That’s pretty cool.

For female powers, hmm, I dunno.  Corin’s is kind of interesting with the addictive aspect.  I could sort of see that springing from her being in her human life just one of those people it felt good to be around and the dark vampire twist on that is that it makes you feel bad to be away from her.  I like when the downsides of powers are explored or at least hinted at rather than just like YAY X-MEN POWERS!! Like if Kate couldn’t touch Garrett without zapping him then maybe it would be more interesting to me lol (and it would be like the opposite of poor Lee Pace in Pushing Daisies.  Sort of).

Edward and Alice could stay the same, I guess.  Bella could keep her shield but she couldn’t project it—that was too convenient.  Maybe she can protect only a certain radius around herself or something, but not everyone on the field.  Jasper’s power never really made sense to me—being charismatic doesn’t mean you make others people feel how you want.  I’d give him something more the the traditional vampire ~charm that sort of makes people compelled to obey.  Like being hypnotized, he can’t make you do something you wouldn’t normally do, and it doesn’t work on some people with strong wills, but in general he could persuade and influence people to a slightly supernatural degree.

I’d give Rosalie something like Heidi’s power.  I think strength is fine for Emmett.  I think Carlisle is happy not being able to do anything X-Men-ish and he’s thankful for “compassion” but I’d let him have speed over Edward since he was the one who chased down vampires in his human life.  Likewise I don’t think Esme would necessarily want anything super amazing, but if anyone deserves a shield that can protect everyone she loves, it’s Esme. 

Kate’s would be like Jane’s but requires touch.  Take out the electric current on her skin aspect and just make it giving pain via touch and we’re good.  She’s from an era that predates electricity, it’s a strange power to have.  I mean how did she describe it before tasers existed?? Benjamin… I don’t know.  He was basically a street magician, right?  Vampires already can move so fast I don’t know how sleight of hand would help him… maybe he has a power for distraction?  That’s what magicians do basically, make you focus on this while they are tricking you with that. 

BD2 Commentary - Denali


I think the climax would have been more effective if these character had been introduced in earlier books/movies somehow.  Why not have tweaked things and have some of these friends show up for the wedding in BD1 along with the Denali?  Maybe not the nomads, but the more civilized covens could have worn contacts.  Peter and Charlotte could have been introduced in Jasper’s flashback in Eclipse, etc. 

Abridged Breaking Dawn - Denali

I’m curious to how that would work out, too.  Kate’s never tried monogamy before, so there might be some bumps in the road along the way.  I think it’s implied that they will be mates and have happily ever after vampire love, but I think realistically they’re going to have to work through some lifestyle issues.  He’s not used to staying in one place and she’s not used to staying with one man. lol.

“I’m sorry, I said I wasn’t ready.”

“Dude, you’re not motivating her.”

“You wanna try?”

Okay, songs.  Hmmm.  There are the obvious ones that everyone always picks like some party song for Alice or “Who Let the Dogs Out” for the Pack or “Doctor, Doctor” for Carlisle so I’m going to try and be a little more creative here. lol.

“The House You’re Building” is sort of a Carlisle/Esme song or really the Cullens in general: You are a shelter for every misfit soul/We are the four walls and you’re the cornerstone/You are/And you’re the solid rock that we are built upon.

Most fans would probably see this as a Bella/Edward song, and it does speak to that human/vampire dynamic of “OMG BELLA I AM A MONSTER I AM DESTROYING YOUR LIFE” but I also associate it with Carlisle turning Esme given my own biases lol  Precious

Speaking of Edward’s angst and guilt, how about I Crush Everything?  Everything I want I take/everything I love I break.  The giant squid doesn’t want to be a monster,  you guys, he wants to be part of the world! SMR’s suggestion: Do I Creep You Out?

Since I love Carlisle because he got over himself and did something useful with his life instead of bitch about how much he doesn’t want to be a vampire, I associate a different sort of songs with him than the “omg he’s so hot” songs.  A couple:  Little Victories, Hands (I won’t be made useless/won’t be idle with despair/I’ll gather myself around my faith/for light does the darkness most fear).  Also like Go the Distance from Hercules.  But if you want a lulzy one, how about Son of a Preacher Man?

I think “Strong Enough” is a good one for Rosalie (or Rose/Emmett I guess).  Rose is one of my favorites but I can’t imagine she’s an easy person to love—props to Emmett for being able to see past it and weather her storms and love her anyway.  Or Bitch.  I also see some Rosalie in 32 Flavors (God help you if you are an ugly girl/’course too pretty is also your doom/’cause everyone harbors a secret hatred for the prettiest girl in the room).  See some Carlisle in that song too.

Pretty People for the Cullens walking into the cafeteria.  I cannot help it that I’m so good-looking/I cannot help it that I have the perfect body/Yes everywhere I go I get all the intention.

I Can’t Decide for Aro.  Although Michael Sheen once said he picked Seasons in the Sun for Aro’s theme song. lol.

Electric Feel for Kate, duh.

I always think of I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You for Alice/Jasper. lol.

Desperado for Jasper maybe?  Could also maybe work for Alistair? (And maybe ‘Nowhere Man?’ for him).

Leah can have any angry break-up song—preferably with a “But I’ll get over it and get on with my life” edge.

Jacob, how about “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues?” Or maybe that’s more for poor mundane Mike Newton. lol.  (Jimmy Olsen loves Lois Lane… but obviously her interest lie elsewhere…)

Attn: Fans of minor character ships!

I bring you Peter/Charlotte, Tia/Benjamin and Kate/Garrett kisses.   Also whatever the Amazons are doing.