Pro Jacob

[Shimmerskin]

Bella did say that Jacob was her soul mate in that normal world where vampires and werewolves don't exist. I can't remember where or what her exact words were, but I'm convinced that they would have been just like Jacob said.

Yay, Dy! Thanks for that. On one hand, it may be a moot point because not even Bella knows if she could have fallen in love with anyone had there been no Edward. She'll never know now. But on the other hand, she and Jacob are so in tune with one another and have such an easy camaraderie and genuine mutual concern that it would seem right and natural for her to develop stronger feelings during the course of friendship. I do think they would be friends first, romantic partners later, if they got together in that alternate universe where vampires don't exist.

I'm so sad for Jacob's sake because he's so very aware of that himself. The only time I cried during my first reading of the series was at the epilogue of EC, seeing through the eyes of an uncharacteristically bleak and hopeless Jacob trying to go fast enough and far enough to outrun the pain. That really hurt.

[InLustWithEC]

[quote="GlitterGirl"Bella & Edward are soul mates on steriods.[/quote]

I love that phrase!

[JadedDawn]

Goodness, I missed so much while sleeping! I am loving all the Jacob talk!

I like the idea that Jacob would have had a better chance with Bella had he chosed the "Alpha male" position. That's very interesting....would people have viewed him a little more equal to Edward's position (not in regards to soul mate-just strictly on some different level). I was always under the impression that Jacob seems destined to take that postion in the pack any way. We've already seen that you can't fight your destiny. I see Jacob becoming more in charge, especially now.

I'm sorry, I don't remember who wrote this, but I completely agree with the comment that Bella and Jacob are soul mates in the "normal world." I brought this up a little in the "Would anyone be overly pi**ed if Bella ended up with Jacob" thread in the Breaking Dawn Forum. I was reading there, and brought up (not very elloquently, because I was a little upset with all the Jacob-dislike) something to the fact that many belittle the love between Bella and Jacob, turning it more into brotherly/sisterly love. I don't believe that. I brought up that when she kisses him, that she sees their children in her mind. Someone argued that it wasn't necessarily their children, but more of Bella seeing the normal, human life she was giving up, more of a generic version. I disagree. I think she saw her and Jacob's future, not just any normal existence. I fully believe they were meant to be, in a world without Edward. Alas, it's not meant to be.


Oh, I can't tell if I write coherently or not anymore. Jacob turns my brain to mush.

[TallMan]

Bella did say that Jacob was her soul mate in that normal world where vampires and werewolves don't exist. I can't remember where or what her exact words were, but I'm convinced that they would have been just like Jacob said.

She didn't say that until after Jacob had become super human.

[TallMan]

I agree, if the Cullens had been there sans Edward. Jacob would have GROWN ENORMOUS and would have been enough. Without it though he would have gone through the normal growth and squeaky voice all males go through and he would have been Bella's little brother. Bella would have seen him in HIS awkward stage. She would have done her two years in purgatory and gone somewhere warm and sunny. Probably never to return to Forks. Man, that book would suck!

[GlitterGirl]

Bella did say that Jacob was her soul mate in that normal world where vampires and werewolves don't exist. I can't remember where or what her exact words were, but I'm convinced that they would have been just like Jacob said.

"I could see what he saw, and I knew that he was right. If the world was the sane place it was supposed to be, Jacob and I would have been together. And we would have been happy. He was my sole mate in that world -- would have been my soul mate still if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world."


Gee, you miss so much while sleeping! It sounds like most of you have made my point while I was gone.

Since life doesn't come with a re-wind button, there is no way for us to *know* what Bella's life would have been like w/o Edward. Well, I guess Stephenie is our rewind button. LOL. Anyway sans Stephenie's direct input, I think she left us a lot of clues. First there's the quote above, but there are other things, too.

<Please forgive the lack of quotes. The one above came from a PP. My 16 yo son has absconded with MN & EC. On an up note, he's probably become the most popular guy at the lunch table, LOL>

From the first time, Bella met Jacob they "clicked". Granted, she is so dazzled by Edward that Jacob suffers from out of sight out of mind, but still everytime she see him she thinks "Gee, I keep forgetting that Jacob kid is pretty darn cool!" During NM, when Bella finally choses to attempt living, Jacob is the one person that she is drawn towards -- he is her "personal sun". What a powerful metaphor! In any other story this would have been the spotlighted, neon arrow pointing "Soul Mate! Soul Mate! Soul Mate!" In spite of Edward's presence (emotional in NM, physical in EC), Bella is still attracted to Jacob -- she's just unwilling to label it for what it is. To me, *having* the ultimate soulmate and still being attracted, heck LOVING another says a lot of what could have been.

Back to Shimmerskin's, question of would Bella been attracted to Jacob if he had been an "ordinary" boy? I don't think Jacob was ever an "ordinary" boy anymore than Bella is an "ordinary" girl. Both lost a parent early in life (I don't consider 2 - 4 weeks a year to be much of a presence or influence). Both were caretakers of their remaining parent. Even without the werewolf heritage, Jacob is still destined to be a leader. Bella might not have been attracted to anyone prior to moving to Forks, but I think that is a combination of both the guys not seeing Bella for what she has become and Bella already being more emotionally mature than the typical teenager.

I definitely think their relationship would have been slow to develop starting as friends and gradually becoming romantic. If anything, Jacob is close to 2 years younger than Bella, which at that age seems huge when the girl is the older one. It probably would have taken seeing Jacob becoming physically a man for Bella to acknowledge her romantic interest.

[Jilconma]

Okay, I just have to say that I love this forum. I am so pro-Jacob, and really am...and please don't stone me for this...way more in love with him than Edward. Everything about Jacob to me is more attractive than Edward. He is warm, large, funny, carefree, protective. He is the sun.

I have to say that "the kiss" in Eclipse is the hottest scene, to me, in all three of the books. Much more so than any of the Bella/Edward scenes. Who wants to make out with a statue? It just doesn't seem like it would be fun to me.

[Shimmerskin]

She would have done her two years in purgatory and gone somewhere warm and sunny. Probably never to return to Forks. Man, that book would suck!

ROTFLOL

[TallMan]

"I could see what he saw, and I knew that he was right. If the world was the sane place it was supposed to be, Jacob and I would have been together. And we would have been happy. He was my sole mate in that world -- would have been my soul mate still if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world."

That's the loophole. In a sane world the vision she has of Jacob wouldn't exist. The vision is of the Jacob in front of her at that moment. Had the vampires not been there Jacob would not have changed into the 6'7" 275 lbs. super human in front of her. She hated forks so much she would not have been around long enough for a solid, smoldering love to form. There would have been a hundred boys in her school in Phoenix to fill the role of a really nice, sweet guy just like Jacob. It was after he started to change that Bella took notice. Now, instantly he is a stud and a very nice man, NOT BOY. A good choice in any woman's eyes. It doesn't hurt that he is great looking either.

[lauralee]

Good point, she is looking at the 25 year old version of Jacob. Could she have gone off to college and then returned to visit Charlie and reconnected, then maybe. I met my hubby at 27. (and he's 4 years younger than I am) I've seen the HS pictures, heard the stories. I would not have been interested.

[TallMan]

Good point, she is looking at the 25 year old version of Jacob. Could she have gone off to college and then returned to visit Charlie and reconnected, then maybe. I met my hubby at 27. (and he's 4 years younger than I am) I've seen the HS pictures, heard the stories. I would not have been interested.

I really don't think so. Bella had put her foot down at fourteen and refused to go to Forks. Charlie had been visiting with her in California for two weeks, in the summer, the past few years. That's why she didn't know the Cullens had been living in Forks for two years. If it had been a sane world the only thing that would have brought her to Forks is Charlie's funeral.

[Shimmerskin]

Lauralee, that makes me wonder what Jacob would have been doing with his life if there were no Cullens, no need for werewolves (although we still don't know everything about why the pack started to or continues to phase, but for the sake of argument let's say Cullens)....

I like your idea of Bella visiting Charlie from college or after college. (Segue: Would she even have lasted two years in Forks without all the excitement? I'm thinking she may have ended up in FL as soon as Renee and Phil got that house, but would have visited Charlie more frequently than in the past). Anyway, what would Jake be doing at age 20? Does he have a scholarship to UofW like Rachel? Has Charlie urged him to attend a police or sheriff's academy? Is he interested in turning his mechanic hobby into a career? Being such a people-person, is he interested in the helping professions?

Would Jacob feel comfortable going off to school and leaving Billy to fend for himself? GlitterGirl made a good point about how Jacob has taken on responsibility for his handicapped father at a young age, though Billy is still fairly independent. Would the tribal council take over responsibility for transporting Billy around and cleaning his house, things like that, so Jake could attend college?

What kinds of leadership opportunities would come his way? Jake strikes me as the type who doesn't go looking for ways to be a leader, but has the capacity to be a very good one.

Would he be a bit of a man about town? He may have an eye for the ladies :wink: (I'm sure we've all noticed the way he looks Bella up and down, but is she the only one he looks appreciatively at? Rosalie doesn't count--everyone looks at Rosalie). I think Jake is a healthy, red-blooded male who would be quite popular in the less insular world of college. Even without werewolf characteristics he was cute as heck, friendly, smart, good-natured, fun...like Tallman says, a good choice in any woman's eyes.

If Bella came to visit Charlie for his birthday, say, and Jake was home for the weekend with just a bit of city polish and confidence looking reeeeeal good on him, and they're all at a beach party with a fish-shaped birthday cake, gag gifts, general hilarity and bonhomie...what might happen? I can see Bella getting restless because she's not really in on all the jokes, and she gets up to walk along the shore in the gathering darkness, and Charlie motions for Jacob to jump up and escort her (she hasn't outgrown her clumsiness), and Jacob is all too happy to comply....

But really, would a guy like Jacob be unattached and free to pursue Bella?! He'd have a girlfriend tagging along on the weekend at Billy's, wouldn't he? And half the remaining population of Seattle would be pining until he got back to the city....