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Everyone who’s read Twilight remembers the ice queen that was Rosalie. Throughout the books, she’s the most antagonistic member of the Cullen household. She intimidates Bella, and endangers both her life and Edward’s when she shares Alice’s vision of Bella going over a cliff with Edward.
Despite her cool exterior, though (no pun intended), Rosalie, like Esme, has a gentler side. Like Edward, there are also elements of darkness in her character. On learning who she is, and what she’s faced, it’s hard to blame her for being a little jaded.
Before we continue, I’m Riley and this is Otherworldly Fiction. On this channel I nerd out over fantasy books, while offering the odd writing advice. If you’re also a booknerd, or just a Twihard or a Potterhead looking for extra insight on your favourite world or characters, subscribe. I post on Fridays.
Rosalie was born in 1915, and changed into a vampire, at the age of 18, in 1933. While human, she had blue eyes which were almost violet, and as both a human and immortal she was known for her staggering beauty.
It’s important to note that Rosalie has brains to match her beauty. Despite coming across as your standard mean girl, Rosalie is as educated as any of her fellow coven members. She has earned degrees in electrical engineering, business, astrophysics, and medicine (though the last degree was her way of helping Carlisle to keep up with the latest updates in the medical field).
As with other members of the family, Rosalie is into cars. She drives a red BMW convertible, and she’s not above getting her hands dirty or working on the car herself when she feels it needs it.
Rosalie’s human life started in Rochester, New York. Her father was a banker, and his family remained financially successful even as the Great Depression gripped the rest of the country. Rosalie’s fortunes kept her pampered, and somewhat ignorant of the suffering which surrounded her.
Despite their relative wealth, Rosalie’s parents wanted more. They hoped to utilize Rosalie’s beauty in their quest to climb the social ladder. Rosalie was spoiled, reveling in her beautiful clothes, the envy of other girls, and the interest men had in her. The coddling she’d sustained had left her selfish and shallow.
She was even considered the most beautiful girl in Rochester, if not New York itself.
Rosalie, after years of wanting for nothing, found herself experiencing a new emotion—envy. She envied her friend Vera, who had no riches, but instead something money couldn’t buy. Rosalie noticed the warmth Vera received from her husband, something she couldn’t help notice was lacking in her own beau, Royce King.
Rosalie also envied Vera for her baby boy. Rosalie found herself craving a husband who would dote on her as Vera’s had, and a family; for the first time, she had desires which weren’t attached to a price tag.
She became engaged to Royce King the second. His father was the wealthiest man in Rochester, and a lavish wedding was planned. A week before the wedding, Rosalie visited Vera and the baby, unable to help comparing Vera’s husband to Royce. Royce just didn’t show the same affection—yet she pushed down her misgivings, and told herself she would soon have everything she wanted.
Unfortunately, tragedy was coming—to the degree that I should include a trigger warning for sexual abuse. It’s not a pretty story.
On walking home that night, Rosalie encountered a group of drunk men—her fiance among them. Under the influence of drink, Royce revealed a cruel nature. Seeming to forget his attachment to Rosalie, Royce, along with his friends, raped her. She was also beaten, and left for dead.
On finding her in this state, Carlisle was moved to change Rosalie. He didn’t want to see such a young life wasted. Of course, he had his own hopes as Rosalie joined the family; he hoped Rosalie and Edward might fall in love, but the pair fell quickly into the role of bickering siblings.
Though Rosalie resented being a vampire, she found a silver lining in her condition—she could use her newfound strength to enact revenge. One by one, she tortured, and killed, each of her attackers. She left Royce for last, that he might suffer in anticipation of his own fate.
Rosalie never drank the blood of the men who had hurt her; she was disgusted by the idea of any portion of them being within her. Along with Carlisle and Bella, she would remain the only Cullen to never taste human blood while in the vampire state.
She never regretted her revenge, but being a vampire made Rosalie miserable. It represented an end to choices or possibilities. Her form frozen, she could never have children. Any fantasies of growing old, and being surrounded by grandchildren, were now impossible. She also missed her human family, whom she could no longer be in contact with.
After two years, the Cullen coven found itself in Tennessee. There Rosalie found a man in the woods who had been mauled by a bear. Reminded of Vera’s son when she looked at the man, Rosalie decided to save him. She lacked the self control to bite him herself, but her task was hard enough: as the youth bled, Rosalie had to resist the lure of his blood while she carried him more than one hundred miles to Carlisle.
Rosalie was not without guilt for asking Carlisle to change another being into a vampire, given her own hatred of such a life, but she needn’t have worried. Emmett, unlike the majority of the coven, adjusted well to the change—he fell head over heels for Rosalie, whom he’d initially mistaken for an angel, and went on to marry her.
The blissful couple would have several weddings over the decades. Rosalie enjoyed the spectacle of being the bride, the center of attention. The pair would even live on their own, though they always returned to the Cullen family eventually.
Despite receiving her happy ending, Rosalie still felt the absence of that family she would never have. When Renesmee entered the picture, Rosalie fought for the baby; with the girl’s birth, Rosalie had the chance to raise a child and be a part of the type of family she’d craved. With a young niece to coddle, Rosalie finally had everything she’d wished for most.
What stood out to you when it came to Rosalie’s story? Was there anything you didn’t like? Let me know in the comments. And if you enjoyed this video, like and subscribe. Thank you for watching, and happy reading.
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