The Twilight Saga created a universe full of characters that fans have come to know and love, many of which are only in supporting roles.
The arrival of The Twilight Saga films created a worldwide pandemonium that has rarely been seen outside the Harry Potter franchise. Fans quickly became infatuated with the characters of the vampire love story, sparking debates such as “Team Edward or Team Jacob?” that echo the arguments among fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
While many fans are set in their ideal choice for Bella’s romantic interest, others find that their favorite characters are outside the main cast entirely. As the Twilight universe expanded, several side characters proved just as fascinating as the main characters. Fans often find these minor characters just as, if not more, likable than the main crew.
Jane
From the moment that her character was introduced, Jane became one of the most hated side characters in TheTwilight Saga. Jane may be a lower-ranking member of the powerful vampire council, The Volturi, but she is easily the cruelest, taking pleasure in the pain and torment of others.
Jane’s special ability allows her to manipulate the minds of others, creating the illusion of pain without requiring physical force. Unfazed by Bella’s cries for mercy, Jane repeatedly tortures Edward until Aro commands her to stop, cementing her position as one of the most disliked characters in the series.
Victoria
In contrast to Jane’s cold and calculating manner, Victoria is instinctual and chaotic in her hunting of Bella and the Cullen family. Victoria’s ability to hide and evade danger was heightened after she became a vampire, making her one of the toughest enemies for the Cullens and Sam’s wolf pack to defeat.
In the novel, Victoria was much more cautious when it came to approaching unfamiliar covens, but Twilight depicted Victoria as an eager participant in James’ hunt and torment of Forks. While Victoria has an interesting and storied past in the books, her singular obsession to avenge James’ death makes her one of the least likable characters in the film series.
Jessica Stanley
Not many of Bella’s human friends are likable characters, with the majority of her classmates creating cringe-worthy situations that are difficult to watch. While Jessica isn’t the typical mean girl character, she comes fairly close by passive-aggressively putting down other students to compensate for her insecurities.
Jessica initially befriends Bella as an excuse to keep a close eye on the girl catching the eye of every boy in school. Often kept in check by Angela, Jessica gradually becomes a genuine friend of Bella’s. While Jessica is a difficult character to like, her quips provide comic relief and make her more palatable than others.
Aro
While Aro is one of three Volturi coven leaders, he effectively has the last word on all coven decisions, making Marcus and Caius more figurative leaders than literal. Fascinated by vampires with special abilities, Aro spent decades trying to convince vampires like Edward and Alice to join the Volturi and cement his place of power.
Despite Aro’s ruthless control over the vampire population, his affection for Edward and Alice makes him slightly more appealing. Michael Sheen’s performance as Aro makes up the majority of the character’s likability with his unique intonation and eerie laugh that contributes to the mystery of the Volturi leader.
Leah Clearwater
Leah’s character easily deserved more screen time to explore her unique status as the only female Quileute to ever become a shape-shifter in Sam Uley’s wolf pack. Leah is blunt and sarcastic most of the time which can make her unlikable to passive viewers of The Twilight Saga, but the reasons behind her anger make her much more interesting.
After being broken up with by Sam, Leah is forced to watch his new relationship with Emily, hearing all about it through their telepathic connection. Leah’s passion and loyalty are what make her a likable character. Despite the heartbreak she feels, she stands by her brother and remains unwavering as a beta in Jacob’s pack.
Laurent
Laurent is first introduced as a member of James and Victoria’s coven, tagging along as the nomads terrorized the citizens of Forks. While he seems to be a villain at first, Laurent quickly proves that he wants nothing to do with James and Victoria’s agenda by warning the Cullens about James’ hunting skills and his plan to hunt Bella.
Laurent is calm and sophisticated in comparison to his chosen coven mates, with a voice that instantly puts others at ease. Although he moves between covens constantly, his character is never fully villainous or heroic. Laurent’s alliances are always shifting to whoever can best benefit his survival, making him one of the most fascinating and likable characters.
Benjamin
A member of the Egyptian coven, Benjamin is one of the most powerful vampires in existence with the ability to manipulate the four elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. Benjamin’s power made him susceptible to those who wanted to control him for their own gain, including the Volturi.
Rami Malek’s portrayal of Benjamin made him an instant fan favorite and one of the side characters with the most main character potential. Within moments of meeting Renesmee and the Cullens, Benjamin is able to charm them with his kindness and impressive powers, becoming an invaluable part of the fight against the Volturi.
Charlie Swan
Charlie Swan is a favorite among Twilight fans, sporting one of the best dad mustaches in movie history. Similarly to Bella, Charlie struggles to express his emotions and tends to be a loner. Charlie’s gruff demeanor and sarcastic tone add a level of comedy to his scenes that helps to counteract the otherwise dramatic plot.
Amidst the chaos that comes with a supernatural romance filled with vampires and werewolves, Charlie provides a much-needed dose of reality to put the story into the context of the real world. Charlie’s smart remarks and disapproving glances toward Edward Cullen make his character that much more likable.
Seth Clearwater
Seth is the younger brother of Leah Clearwater and the youngest wolf to transform over the course of the series. Seth’s status as the baby of the pack matches his playful personality perfectly and makes him the easiest character to love. The enthusiasm that Seth shows in Jacob’s wolf pack is a reflection of his undying loyalty.
Although Seth doesn’t get as much screen time as other side characters, he leaves his mark on The Twilight Saga by selflessly fighting for his friends and supporting the Cullens in their fight against the Volturi. Played by the adorable Booboo Stewart, Seth’s character was guaranteed to be one of the most likable from the moment he appeared on screen.
Angela Weber
Angela was easily one of the best side characters in The Twilight Saga and certainly the most likable of Bella’s human friends. From her first introduction, Angela’s quirky style and sweet nature is apparent. While Jessica and Mike seem to have ulterior motives to their kindness toward Bella, Angela is never disingenuous.
The shy, soft-spoken photographer portrayed by Christian Serratos blossomed over the course of the films, becoming more confident and showing her sense of humor in scenes. Angela quickly became a fan favorite, making it clear that Angela’s friendship with Bella should have been explored more in the films as it was in the books.
