Carlisle Cullen

"You should see the doctor. It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around."

Carlisle Cullen, born in 1643, is a vampire and the founder and leader of the Olympic Coven. He is the husband of Esme Cullen and the adoptive father of Emmett, Alice, and Edward Cullen, as well as to Jasper and Rosalie Hale. Carlisle is the adoptive father-in-law of Bella Cullen and the adoptive grandfather of Renesmee Cullen.

Carlisle has an unparalleled gift of compassion; this allowed him to perfect his lifestyle as a "vegetarian" among vampires, to the point that he is able to completely resist the temptation of human blood.

Early life
Carlisle Cullen was the son of an Anglican pastor, born somewhere in the 1640's London, England during a time of religious and political upheaval. Carlisle's father and other pastors led hunts for werewolves, witches, and vampires, saying that they were attempting to rid the world of evil and sin, but many a time, these groups would end up killing innocent citizens. As his father aged, Carlisle was put in charge of the raids after these creatures. He was less at ease about killing as his father was, but he was intelligent enough to find a real coven of vampires inhabiting the sewers of London. Carlisle led the hunt after these vampires, and in the chaos that ensued, he was attacked and left bleeding in the street by a vampire. Knowing that he would not be welcomed back home and would be most likely killed, Carlisle hid himself in a potato cellar for his painful transformation, and emerged three days later as a vampire. Carlisle was repelled and horrified by what he had become, and tried various ways of killing himself, including starvation, drowning, and jumping off cliffs. Eventually he was so desperate for blood that while he was hiding in a cave in a forest he attacked and fed on a herd of passing deer. He found that he could survive off animal blood and he considered this much more humane than drinking the blood of a human, therefore killing them.

Carlisle found new life in this fact and over two centuries was able to perfect his ability to resist the blood lust that is caused by the scent of human blood. During these two centuries, Carlisle studied books at night, using his knowledge at daytime and was known as a "nighttime patron of the arts". As a result of his meticulous studying, Carlisle was able to become a brilliant doctor. Carlisle was studying in Italy when he stumbled across a coven of ancient vampires called the Volturi that included three vampires named Aro, Marcus, and Caius. They were much more educated and refined vampires than those living in the sewers of London, but still drank human blood, and even though they attempted to convert Carlisle to his natural food source, they failed to convince him. Carlisle then moved on to the New World where he ended up working night shifts in a hospital in Chicago during the Spanish influenza epidemic. During this epidemic,Carlisle encountered a dying mother named Elizabeth Masen. Her son, Edward was dying of the Influenza as well. Elizabeth begged Carlisle to do anything within his power to save her son as she lay dying. Out of loneliness and armed with the knowledge that Edward was alone in the world, he changed him and Edward became his companion.

Not long after, in 1921, Carlisle moved to Wisconsin where he treated Esme after a failed suicide attempt brought on by the loss of her child. Carlisle felt compelled to save her life, having already treated her for a broken leg in her adolescence, and changed her. He soon fell in love with her, and married her later on.

Carlisle then turned Rosalie Hale, a young woman who was raped and almost killed by her drunken fiance and his friends, who then left her in the street to die. Later, while hunting, Rosalie found a young man named Emmett who was mauled by a bear. She carried him over 100 miles to Carlisle. Carlisle then changed Emmett, and Mary Alice Brandon and Jasper Whitlock joined his coven. Alice and Jasper were together as well, and changed their surnames to Cullen and Hale (though the whole of the coven is still referred to as "the Cullens", despite Rosalie and Jasper's names being Hale.) Much later, Carlisle and his family moved to Forks, Washington where they had previously (before Alice and Jasper joined them) made a treaty with the Quileute Native-American tribe led by a werewolf named Ephraim Black. The treaty stated that the Quileutes would leave the Cullens alone if the Cullens would not bite any human, -let alone kill them- or trespass on their land. Because of the treaty, the Cullens were able to live in relative peace.

Twilight and Midnight Sun
At the start of Twilight the Cullens live in Forks, Washington and have lived there for two years. Carlisle presently works at the hospital in Forks, becoming their chief doctor. With his riches that he had accumulated as a successful doctor over two centuries, he bought his black Mercedes S55 AMG.

After Edward saved Bella Swan from being crushed by an out-of-control car, Carlisle treated her. Edward later began to fall in love with Bella, despite his attempts to stay away from her. Bella eventually reciprocated Edward's feelings. Carlisle was happy to see that Edward, who was the only member of his family who hadn't found love, had finally found someone.

During this time, another coven of vampires swept into Forks. When one of them, James, decided to hunt Bella, Carlisle joined his family in hunting James before he could hurt Bella. Bella and the Cullens split up: Alice and Jasper took Bella to Phoenix, Arizona, Esme and Rosalie remained in Forks to protect Charlie, and Emmett, Edward, and Carlisle hunted James. James eventually went to Phoenix and lured Bella out of hiding but was killed by Emmett and Jasper. James still managed to hurt Bella; she suffered a broken leg, broken ribs, many cuts, and a bite on her wrist. After Edward sucked the venom from her, she was able to recover with the help of Carlisle.

New Moon


Carlisle treated Bella after she accidentally paper-cut herself at her 18th birthday party and fell on some glass as Edward tried to protect her from blood-thirsty Jasper. Bella questioned Carlisle on how he could withstand the smell of her blood. Carlisle responded by saying that it is possible because he enjoys what he does, and is pleased when his enhanced abilities help save someone who otherwise would have been gone.

Some time after this, Edward left Bella, claiming he no longer wanted her. In reality, Edward, deeply conflicted, did so to ensure her safety, and still loving her completely. Months later, Edward came to believe Bella was dead, and went to Italy to have the Volturi kill him. Alice and Bella were able to find him in time; however, the Volturi said that Bella either had to become a vampire or die, for she knew too much about the vampiric world.

Carlisle later meets Edward, Alice, and Bella after Bella stops Edward from getting himself killed. He offers his joy and thanks to Bella for saving Edward. Later, when Bella asks the Cullens if she should join them, he gives his vote in favor of turning Bella into a vampire, even saying he will do it himself after Bella graduates, though Edward, who was originally against the idea of Bella becoming a vampire, agreed to do it himself if Bella would marry him first.

Eclipse
At the start of Eclipse, a string of unsolved murders are happening in Seattle, not far from Forks. But Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens, after hearing the news about them, know that a vampire is behind it. Eventually, they realize that someone is creating an army of newborn vampires. When the Cullen's closest allies, the Denali Coven, abandon them, Carlisle and his family form an alliance with the Quileute werewolves. The vampire behind the newborns turns out to be Victoria, James' mate. Her army is destroyed by the combined forces of the Cullens and werewolves while Victoria herself is beheaded by Edward when she makes an attempt on Bella's life during the battle. While this is going on, Jacob is hurt at the clearing when he tries to protect Leah from a newborn. Carlisle treats Jacob, as they would not be able to take him to a normal doctor. After getting Jacob to phase back into human form, they take him back to his house, and Carlisle is forced to re-break Jacob's injuries, as his bones had healed crooked and out of line. Jacob is hostile towards Carlisle as he treats him, but Bella tells Jacob to just accept Carlisle's advice. It is while Carlsile is treating Jacob that he takes a blood sample and does tests with it, on the claim that he is fascinated by werewolves. It is then that he finds out that werewolves have 24 pairs of chromosomes, 1 more pair than a human and 1 less than a vampire.

Breaking Dawn
In Breaking Dawn, Carlisle attends Edward and Bella's wedding. He later calls Edward during their honeymoon, but Bella answers the phone. She tells him that she might be pregnant, and after being informed of her symptoms, Carlisle agrees. Edward brings Bella back to Forks so Carlisle can perform an abortion, but Bella already feels a bond with her unborn child and insists on giving birth. When Edward is talking to Jacob, he tells him that Carlisle would have gone along with him in aborting the hybrid, but Esme was against it, and Carlisle would not go against her. After Bella gives birth to Renesmee, Carlisle and the entire family immediately become attached to the newborn baby. Renesmee also leads to the treaty with the werewolves being stronger when Jacob Black imprints on her. When the Volturi hear of Renesmee, they believe she is an Immortal Child, and gather the entire guard to destroy Carlisle and his entire family. Over the month it takes for the Volturi to arrive, Carlisle and the Cullens gather a number of witnesses to testify that Renesmee is not an Immortal Child. Their efforts are successful, and the Volturi flee. Carlisle and his family's allies suspect that the Volturi may attempt to avenge their humiliation in the future, and Carlisle says they will stand against them again if that time comes.

Physical appearance
Carlisle is described as looking like a model; the perfection of beauty. He has blond hair, is six foot two inches, and was 23 when he was changed. He was described as a movie star and Charlie (Bella's father) said that many nurses could not concentrate on their work while he was around. But as soon as Carlisle was settled and married to Esme, Charlie said that these admirations were quickly hushed in the hospital. Carlisle is slight but muscular. It is also stated in Breaking Dawn that he looks like Zeus's "younger better-looking brother."



Personality and traits
Carlisle's most prominent personality trait is his compassion. Stephenie Meyer has said that his "compassion-motivated self-control is really so incredible that it almost crosses the line into 'superpower.'" His loneliness in the years before he changed Edward and his love for his "children" also indicate that, like Esme, he is very family motivated. Carlisle also is a very patient man. He also doesn't judge.

Powers and abilities
As a result of Carlisle being a vampire, he has many enhanced abilities such as running at high speeds, incredible strength, and incredible compassion. Carlisle came up with his own theory as to why certain vampires such as Edward, Alice, and Jasper have enhanced abilities. He believes that all people who become vampires bring something from their previous, human life into their new, vampire existence. Carlisle is also immortal, and has had centuries to perfect his medicinal talents, therefore making him an excellent doctor. Unlike most vampires, he is not at all tempted by the scent of human blood due to the over 300 years he's spent holding back his temptations. He also uses the scent of blood to help him in the workplace, often using his "curse" to his advantage. He also believes that every vampire that is created, in their old life, their strongest ability is enhanced. What he brought into his next life was his compassion, through his incredible compassion granted him the ability of self-control.

Esme Cullen
His wife. She is very kind-hearted, easily letting Bella into the family because of losing her child when she was a human. She has a soft spot for Edward, him being her first 'child'. From Carlisle's actions when he found Esme a decade later when she tried to commit suicide because she lost her first son. It is clear that she made a strong impression on him during that first meeting. Proven as well, is how much he truly loves her and was willing to change her into a vampire because he didn't want her to die and suffer any longer. It is unclear how long it took the pair to fall in love, but it is known that their relationship formed "quickly and easily". Her ability to love passionately helped her to devote herself to her husband's lifestyle. Even though eighty years have passed since Carlisle found Esme, their love has never faded.

Etymology
Carlisle is a Celtic name meaning "strong". This could refer to Carlisle's strong resistance from human blood. The Old English origin of the name is 'Castle Tower', a clear indication of Carlisle's fortitude and the source of his family's own strength.

Behind the scenes
It was announced on February 19, 2008 that Peter Facinelli would play Carlisle in the Twilight movie. Though he recognized that Carlisle might have had an English accent, he did not use one when filming Twilight because he thinks Carlisle would have adapted to his surroundings and dropped the accent to avoid attention.

Appearances

 * Twilight
 * Twilight (film)
 * Midnight Sun
 * New Moon
 * Eclipse
 * Breaking Dawn