Earnest Cullen

"*You're what she wants. It will work out, somehow.*"
—Earnest to Beau
**Earnest Cullen**, born in 1895, is the patriarch of the Olympic coven. He is the husband of Carine Cullen and the adoptive father of Archie, Eleanor, and Edythe Cullen; as well as Royal and Jessamine Hale, and Beau Swan. He had a daughter named Grace, who died at the age of two.

In 1921, after losing his daughter, Grace, Earnest attempted suicide, but his attempt was unsuccessful. Later, Carine transformed him into a vampire on his deathbed. Some time later, the pair fell in love and married, starting to build a family of like-minded vegetarian vampires around them. Earnest possessed an unparalleled capacity for passionate love for those around him, which allowed the members of his adoptive family to consider him as the greatest paternal figure in their lives. His *Twilight Saga* counterpart is Esme Cullen.

## Biography

### Early life

Earnest was born in 1895. He came across Carine Cullen in his adolescent years and was touched by both her beauty and her generosity; Carine was subsequently touched by Earnest's heart. They never met again after Carine moved away.

Earnest eventually grew up and married a woman, who was an alcoholic. They had a daughter together, naming her Grace. When his daughter was two years old, his drunken wife forcefully took her to a cliff and jumped off. Earnest witnessed the entire experience, and was devastated by the death of his daughter. After his daughter's death, Earnest felt that he no longer had a reason to live and jumped off to follow her in death. When he was found, his condition was so bad that they didn't even attempt to revive him. He was immediately brought to the morgue, although his heart was still beating faintly. Carine was working in the area at the time, and recognized him as the happy young man she once encountered a decade ago. Since there was no conventional way to save his life, Carine decided to change him into a vampire.

Earnest easily accepted his new life, and it did not take long before he and Carine fell in love and got married. In time, Royal and Eleanor were transformed by Carine as well, and Archie and Jessamine joined the family, becoming his surrogate children, though Earnest has a special place in his heart for Edythe Cullen because she was the first of his new children.

### *Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined*

*Main article: Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined*
Earnest first appears in *Life and Death* when Edythe takes Beau Swan to meet her family at their home outside. He and Carine are both warm and welcoming towards Beau, and Earnest welcomes him with open arms, acting as though he were already part of the family. This is due to his gratitude of the happiness Beau had brought to Edythe. Knowing his daughter had created a song inspired by her love for Beau, Earnest asks her to play it for him on the piano, which she does.

The Cullens later invite Beau to play baseball with them, and he and Earnest act as umpires. Before the game begins, Earnest tells Beau a little about his human life and says that he is thankful that Edythe and him have come to love, as she was his first and favorite adoptive child. He even stated that he had always worried that she would never find true love. When Joss's coven arrives, the Cullens try to pass Beau off as a vampire, but Joss catches his scent and attempts to attack him. All the Cullens spring into action to protect Beau, much to the nomads' amazement. Joss's coven leaves and the Cullens return home, though Joss and Victor have begun to hunt Beau. Earnest swaps clothes with Beau so that they could try to disguise his scent. Earnest remains in Forks with Royal to protect Beau's father during his escape to Phoenix with Archie and Jessamine.

## Physical appearance

"*He seemed about the same age as Dr. Cullen, maybe a few years older, and had the same pale, perfect features as the rest of them. He had wavy hair, the color of caramel, a few inches longer than mine. There was something really…* kind *about his face, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was that made me think that.*"
—Beau, on Earnest
Earnest is physically the oldest member in the Cullen family, being changed at the age of 26. He is described as being shorter than Beau, with wavy caramel-colored hair that was a few inches longer than his.

## Personality and traits

Earnest is an extremely warm individual who is gifted with the ability to love the people around him passionately. He has always had strong paternal instincts, which is why he is able to open his heart so easily to his family. This is due to the death of his first and only child when she was barely two years old, during his human life. Earnest, like his *Twilight* counterpart Esme, is a very domestic individual.

As a career and hobby, Earnest enjoys renovating old properties. Throughout his years as a vampire, he has studied and earned degrees in architecture.

## Powers and abilities

Besides the regular physical attributes of vampires, Earnest's ability to show passionate affection to the people around him was enhanced upon transformation.

## Relationships

Earnest is the domestic father figure of the Cullen family, the birth father of Grace and the husband of Carine Cullen. He is the adoptive father of Archie, Eleanor and Edythe Cullen, Royal and Jessamine Hale, and Beau Swan. Earnest has particular care for Edythe, being the first of his adoptive children.

### Grace

"*My only child—my Grace. She died when she was barely two. It broke my heart—that's why I jumped off the cliff, you know.*"
—Earnest reminiscing Grace
Grace is Earnest's deceased daughter. His first wife was an unstable alcoholic. One night, she went on a drunken rampage, took Grace and jumped off a cliff with their daughter in her arms; Earnest loved Grace more than his own soul, so this broke his heart and drove him to jump along.

Even after decades of vampirism, Earnest has never quite gotten over losing his daughter, which is what made him such a passionate character.

### Carine Cullen

Carine Cullen is Earnest's second wife, and also his creator. They first met in the 1910's, where they left a strong impression on each other. Carine's affection for Earnest was strong enough to motivate her turned him into a vampire when she found him dying after a suicide attempt following the loss of his child ten years later. After she explained to him about what he had done; he took the news quite well, and it did not take long before they married.

The relationship between Carine and Earnest is built on a strong spiritual and intellectual bond, aided by their intense love for each other. Earnest has never regretted becoming a vampire as he is able to spend eternity with someone whom he loves, and Carine's own love for him has never diminished.

### Edythe Cullen

Edythe Cullen was Earnest's first adoptive daughter, and was turned into a vampire by Carine shortly before he was. They care for each other deeply and Edythe hates to cause him pain.

Earnest admits to Beau that Edythe means more to him than the rest of his "children" because she was his first adoptive child, and also because she reminds him of the daughter he once had. Throughout their years together he had worried that Edythe would never find her soulmate, until Beau came along. Earnest welcomed Beau into the family right away and treated him like another son. Earnest fondly criticizes Edythe and says that she is too much of a gentle soul, as she told Beau that he fell off a cliff rather than jumped.

### Royal Hale

Royal Hale was Earnest's first adoptive son.

There are no exact details between Earnest and Royal's relationship, but they do care for one another and will do anything possible to protect each other.

### Eleanor Cullen

Eleanor Cullen was Earnest's second adoptive daughter. She joined their "family" in 1935 after Royal found her being mauled by a bear and brought her back for Carine to change her, as it was the only option to save her.

Although Eleanor can sometimes be a handful, Earnest loves her as much as he loves his wife and his other "children".

### Archie Cullen

Archie Cullen is Earnest's second adoptive son. Not much is known about Earnest and Archie's relationship, but Earnest loves Archie as much as he loves his other children, and they are willing to do anything to protect one another.

### Jessamine Hale

Jessamine Hale is Earnest third adoptive daughter. Not much is known about Earnest and Jessamine relationship, but Earnest loves her as much as he loves his other children, and they are willing to do anything to protect one another. Jessamine was close to her family, but never quite became as affectionate as her mate.

### Beau Swan

"*You're what she wants. It'll work out… somehow.*"
—Earnest to Beau.
Beau Swan is Earnest's newest adoptive son, engaged to his daughter Edythe.

When Beau first came into the Cullens' lives, Earnest noticed the change in Edythe and was delighted to see her show affection toward another person; he was pained to see Edythe without a companion in life, as she was his favorite child. After Edythe and Beau started a romantic relationship, Earnest accepts him into the family and loves him as much as his other adopted children.