Werewolves
At the end of Breaking Dawn, a distinction is made in the Twilight universe between the "true werewolves" who transform according to the lunar cycle, and the giant Quileute tribal wolves who can phase at will and retain their mental faculties. Instead, the latter are referred to as shape-shifting humans who assume wolf form.It could have been any animal. As long as they regularly phase into wolves, they never age. They heal quickly, have enhanced physical speed, size, and strength, and can communicate telepathically with one another while in their wolf forms.
Sam Uley
Sam Uley is the Alpha, or leader, and oldest member of the La Push pack. He is first introduced in Twilight, where his aversion toward the Cullens eventually leads Bella to discover that they are vampires, but is given a larger role in New Moon. His father, Joshua Uley, abandoned him and his mother when he was young, and Sam was thus forced to assume much adult responsibility at an early age. He is 19 when he first appears in the series, was the first wolf to phase, and is described as the calmest and most mature of his pack brothers. Before transforming, he dated Leah Clearwater, whom he is said to have loved. But because he was forbidden to tell her what he had become, their relationship fell apart and ended when he imprinted on Leah's cousin, Emily Young, and broke every promise he had made to Leah. According to Jacob, Sam feels guilty for betraying Leah and responsible for the bitter person she has become; he is also pained that his lack of control over his phasing one day led to the deep scars on Emily's face. All of this causes him to hate the Cullens, whom he blames for both his transformation and for causing him to break Leah's heart. The oncoming army of newborn vampires in Eclipse, however, forces him to work together with the Cullens, and at the end of the novel it is suggested that he has begun to trust Carlisle. His fur is pure black when he phases, and he was the largest wolf until Breaking Dawn, in which it is noted that Jacob has grown taller than him. He is not Alpha by blood; that role belongs to Jacob, who initially refused the position although Sam willingly offered it to him. Sam's status as pack Alpha technically makes him, as Jacob explains in Eclipse, the chief of the whole tribe. It also makes his pack brothers subject to any direct commands he gives them, though he dislikes taking their free will away from them and does so only when necessary, such as for coordination during fights. He proves to be highly protective of not only the tribe, but of all humans, and even goes so far as to plan an attack on the Cullens in Breaking Dawn because of the threat he believes Bella's unborn, half-vampire child presents. This sparks a conflict between him and Jacob, causing the latter to split from the pack. At the end of the series, Quil, Embry, and the Clearwaters join Jacob's pack, leaving Sam to lead the remaining wolves.
Solomon Trimble was credited as "Jacob's friend" in the Twilight film, but was widely recognized as playing the role of Sam.[21][22][23][24] In The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Sam is portrayed by Chaske Spencer.[25]
Quil Ateara
Quil Ateara has chocolate-brown fur and is Jacob's best friend and second cousin. He is 16, and is described as muscular and loud. Upon meeting her, he takes an instant liking to Bella, who notes that he has a mischievous grin, and flirts with her. He first appears in New Moon but does not become a wolf until Eclipse. In New Moon Bella notes his depression over being abandoned by Embry and Jacob, who joined the pack and were not allowed to tell him what was going on. Unlike most of the other pack members, he was happy about becoming a wolf because it allowed him to join his friends. Near the end of Breaking Dawn Quil, along with Embry, joins Jacob's pack.
In Eclipse, Quil imprints on Emily's two-year-old niece, Claire. Although this appears to cause a scandal, Jacob explains that there is currently nothing romantic about his feelings, and that Quil will be whatever Claire needs him to be at each point in her life, whether it be a brother, friend, protector, or lover.
Quil is portrayed by Tyson Houseman in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[26]
Embry Call
Embry Call is a wolf with gray fur and dark spots on his back, and is another one of Jacob's best friends. He is described as tall, thin, and shy, and is 16 when he first appears in New Moon. He calls Bella "vampire girl" because of her relationship with the Cullens. His mother is of the Makah tribe, not the Quileute, and she moved to the Quileute reservation while she was pregnant with him; until he joined the pack, it was assumed that she had left his father behind. But because the shape-shifting wolf traits are inherited from father to son, he is therefore the half-brother of Quil Ateara, Jacob Black, or Sam Uley. This causes some stress within the pack, since all three of those boys' fathers were married before and at the time of Embry's birth. Near the end of Breaking Dawn Embry, along with Quil, joins Jacob's pack.
Embry is portrayed by Kiowa Gordon in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[25]
Paul
Paul is a dark gray wolf who is prone to angry outbursts that cause him to burst into his wolf form. At 16, he was the third wolf to phase. He is the most volatile pack member, and becomes so enraged when he learns that Jacob has told Bella about the pack that he bursts into his wolf form and tries to attack her. He later seems to have no ill feelings toward Bella or Jacob, though Jacob, Leah, and some of the other wolves find him annoying. In Breaking Dawn, it is revealed that Paul has imprinted on Jacob's older sister, Rachel. This irritates Billy and Jacob because he is always at their house eating their food, but Billy is happy that Rachel visits home more often because of Paul.
Paul is portrayed by Alex Meraz in the The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[27]
Jared
Jared was the first wolf to phase after Sam. In Eclipse he imprinted on Kim, a girl he sat next to in school who had always had a crush on him. Before he was a wolf he never paid attention to her, but after his transformation he looked at her once and imprinted.
Bronson Pelletier portrays Jared in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[25] Though Jared's personality is never really explored in the novels and he remains somewhat of a background character, it has been noted that Jared's portrayal in the films reflects Pelletier's own joking, light-hearted personality.
Leah Clearwater
Leah Clearwater is the only known female shape-shifting wolf in the history of the Quileute tribe. She is the smallest wolf, has light gray fur, and is the fastest in the pack. At the age of 19, she transforms into a wolf during the events of New Moon, around the same time as her younger brother, Seth. This transformation is believed to be what caused the heart attack and subsequent death of their father, Harry. She dated Sam Uley for years until her second cousin Emily came to visit and Sam imprinted on her. Sam thus left her for Emily, leaving Leah broken-hearted. She puts up a brave face, though, and in Eclipse it is suggested that she intends to serve as bridesmaid at Sam and Emily's wedding. Despite this, she is disliked by her pack brothers for her very bitter and cynical attitude. She constantly antagonizes the pack by thinking about things that make the others uncomfortable, such as Embry's paternity.
In Breaking Dawn, Leah joins Jacob's pack with the intention of breaking free of Sam, since she is still heartbroken. She helps to protect Bella and the Cullens, despite her extreme hatred for vampires and her open dislike for Bella. She shares her insecurities with Jacob, such as the reasons for Sam's imprinting on Emily, her regrets that she might be menopausal due to her transformation, and her inability to rise higher in pack rank due to her gender. As she spends more time in Jacob's pack, she becomes happier, makes notable changes in her attitude, and is less negative. Later in the book, Jacob and Leah's feelings toward each other become a trusted comradeship, though they conceal their fondness for each other by constantly bickering.[28] She displays quite a bit of loyalty to him, and even angrily confronts Bella about her unfair treatment of Jacob and the pain she has caused him. By the end of the novel, Leah has replaced Seth as Jacob's second-in-command.
In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Leah is portrayed by Julia Jones.[29]
Seth Clearwater
Seth Clearwater is Leah's younger brother. He transforms into a wolf during the events of New Moon, around the same time as his sister, Leah. He has sandy-colored fur, and at 15 he is among the youngest of the pack. In New Moon and Eclipse he is shown to idolize Jacob Black and is said to remind Bella of a younger Jacob. Like Quil, he is excited by his ability to transform into a wolf and not unhappy with it, as his other pack brothers are. During the newborn attack in Eclipse, Seth stays with Bella and Edward due to his youth and acts as a connection to the pack because of the wolves' telepathic ability. When Victoria and Riley appear, Seth fights and destroys Riley with Edward's help. In Breaking Dawn he is shown to have developed an unlikely friendship with Edward, and attends his and Bella's wedding. Seth remains a constant presence throughout the final book in the series. He is initially the only wolf to feel completely comfortable being around the Cullen family, and becomes friendly with them by the end of the series. He also has, according to Edward, very honest and pure thoughts, something that endears him to the Cullens, and Edward in particular. When Jacob splits from the pack, Seth quickly joins him because he opposes Sam's plan to attack the Cullens, whom he has become fond of. For most of Breaking Dawn, Seth is Jacob's second-in-command, until he is replaced by Leah at the end of the novel.
In the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Seth is played by Boo Boo Stewart.[29]
Collin and Brady
Collin and Brady are two of the youngest wolves in the pack. In Eclipse, they are said to have phased at the age of thirteen, and they later make an appearance in Breaking Dawn as part of Sam's pack.
Others
There are seven additional wolves present at the end of Breaking Dawn. These unknown wolves are believed to be very young because of their oversized paws. The reason for their transformations is the presence of many visiting vampires at the Cullen residence.
Ephraim Black
Ephraim Black, great-grandfather to Jacob Black, was the last chief of the Quileute tribe. He was a shape-shifter himself, and the Alpha of a pack of three which included Levi Uley and Quil Ateara Sr., the great-grandfathers of Sam Uley and Quil Ateara, respectively. He created a treaty with the Cullen family which maintained that the wolves would not expose the Cullens as vampires as long as they did not bite any humans.
Personally, my favorite werewolf is Seth. He's just so sweet.
