Why the Twilight Saga Isn’t Dead

It’s been fifteen years since the first book of The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer was released, and twelve since the first movie. Despite all this time passing, I have noticed many fans — including myself — continue to return to the series time and time again, and there has been an especially large resurgence since the recent release Midnight Sun. It’s perplexing to me that the widely disliked, and often ridiculed, Twilight works are still beloved by many, even by those who claim it is mediocre at best.

During quarantine I had five Twilight movie marathons, and I even started to re-read the books. I remember the books being a lot better when I was thirteen (no criticism to Stephanie Meyer), and the movies being a lot less.. problematic and hyperbolic. This raised the question: Why was I spending so much time in this fantasy world when there were countless other ones I could choose from? And also, What was it about this specific one that resonated with me so deeply that I couldn’t seem to stay away from it, no matter how much it made me cringe?

The nostalgic factor plays a major role in all of this, as many of us who still watch the series today have grown up with it. There is something about revisiting your past interests that is comforting; it’s as close as anyone can get to time-traveling to the simpler age of adolescence (although I had myself convinced that my life was extremely difficult when all I had to worry about next week’s science test).

Fantasy worlds are not only a way to expand your mind, but can also be used as a form of escapism. Twilight brings forth some ‘heavy’ questions that can lead to debates, both internal and social, for readers:

Would I choose to be a vampire if the opportunity arose?

Am I comfortable with the idea of immortality?

And the notorious.. Are you team Edward or team Jacob? (I’m team Alice).

It’s comforting to return to these familiar questions to escape — or perhaps avoid — some of life’s bigger, more consequential questions that are in need of facing.

And, of course, there are the many fantastical abilities the vampires possess; super speed, invincibility, immortality, magnified senses, and they sparkle (I know that part is often mocked, but I love anything shiny).

Vampires never need sleep either, and thus never have to deal with the irksome feeling of exhaustion that can only be cured with a large amount of caffeine. Imagine how many remarkable things you could do with an extra eight hours added to your day; you could learn to play an instrument, develop your art skills, or write that book you never seem to have the time to get around to. Moreover, vampires get to do this for an eternity, assuming they don’t aggravate the Volturi.

In the real world, however, there is a pressure to make the right decisions and to have things figured out early on because of our limited time. We need to pick which hobbies matter most to us, pushing aside the others, and don’t want to end up switching college majors more times than necessary due to indecisiveness (not that I think many of us could afford that).

Compared to other films and novels I’ve indulged in, Twilight had the most unrealistic perfect ending:

• Bella escaped multiple near-death experiences, the worst being the birth of her hybrid daughter.
• In the final confrontation in Breaking Dawn, Alice’s horrid vision never came to fruition; the Volturi get to continue abusing their authority — leaving the issue unresolved — but at least Carlisle, Seth, and Jasper didn’t die (after all, who likes to witness the deaths of beloved fictional characters?).
• Charlie was reintroduced into Bella’s life, despite her belief that she would have to cut all ties with her parents once she was changed.
• Renesmee’s rapid growth was said to stop eventually, so her family will never have to deal with the grief of losing her to an early old age.
• Jacob also got his happy ending, and although it was a bit.. questionable.. it does allow him to remain in the Cullen family and in Bella’s life.

The characters truly get their happily ever after (it’s no Game of Thrones, if you know what I mean), which has created an ideal for myself and others; an ideal that is not obtainable in this life.

Although it may be unobtainable, it’s something we can still dream of; a world where no one gets left behind, where we never lose a loved one, where we never grow sick with illness or age, and where you are given an infinite amount of the most valuable commodity — time.

But sadly, as we all know, reality is much harsher. Life is fragile, it’s cruel, and the ending is seldom a happy one. Even when things seem to be working in your favor, it’s only temporary; you will lose someone you love eventually and inevitably, and as Bella Swan said in New Moon,

“Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.”

The couple that makes it through so much hardship together will eventually be ripped apart. One day the harsh truth will set in that life is no longer full of possibilities and your time on this earth is coming to a close. You will look in the mirror and no longer recognize who you see, but will find yourself trapped behind wrinkles, grey hair, and frailty.

In the opening scene of New Moon, Bella faced this issue headfirst in a dream. She saw herself as an old woman alongside a still-young Edward, which reaffirmed her decision to be made into an immortal vampire despite the consequences. Although Bella found a way to escape the effects of aging in the Twilight universe, there is no such solution in this one. Mortality is something we each must face, but for a small fraction of time, we are able to escape it within the realm of Stephanie’s everlasting world.

So why do so many return to Twilight? Perhaps because, comparatively, reality is quite disappointing. It’s very human to want to avoid negative truths, and our conscious mind may bounce between acceptance, anxiety, and distraction when we are faced with mortality, especially when it is impending. As a distraction to this we might immerse ourselves into our work, relationships, drama, hobbies, or even by scrolling through TikTok throughout the late hours of the night. But there is no better way to escape an unforgiving world than by entering into another; a world full of possibility, where you can cheat death, and where things always turn out for the best, which — I believe — is done best in The Twilight Saga.