It’s been a huge year for Bella and the gang, as the Twilight franchise has finally come full circle. Now that the dust has settled and our favorite wolf-in-shebekits can finally get on with their lives, it’s time to reflect on the year that was, with E! News’ annual end-of-year recap, The Year in Review.
We’ll start with a massive thank you to our readers for making this year so special. We may not always agree on everything, but we can always rely on our readers to provide us with some truly memorable moments.
Here are our top five moments from 2018.
Bella’s Big Reveal
Bella’s big revelation in Twilight is one of the most iconic moments of the entire franchise. When the Cullens arrive at your local movie theater, you’ll know exactly what is meant by “bump into each other at random moments throughout the day.” It may not seem like it at first, but there’s plenty of bumbling along the way before this epic reveal.
Vampire Bill may have wanted to keep his identity a secret, but in the end, she’s the one who gave the game away. With a little help from her family, she breaks the bad news to her parents – and then watches as they embrace their newfound relationship with Eve, a grown-up they’ve known for all their lives.
This scene is so emblematic of Bella’s journey. When she first meets the Cullens, she’s a bratty teen who has just found out about vampires. As the story progresses and she begins to see the benefits of being a vampire, she grows into a more mature and compassionate young woman. The audience has a front-row seat to this transformation, as the camera lingers on Bella’s face as she shares this life-altering news with her mother and father.
Breaking Dawn — Part 2
The second half of Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is full of tense drama, jaw-dropping moments, and a cliffhanger that won’t quit. We’re not going to lie: this is one of the more stressful installments in the entire franchise. But it’s also one of the most important, as it closes the book on an era and allows the characters to grow and change in preparation for the next cinematic chapter.
This storyline picks up immediately after the events of Breaking Dawn — Part 1. While most of the original cast returns, several characters from the first film have now aged into adulthood, with all of the accompanying mental and emotional changes that comes with aging.
The two-hour premiere opens with a bang, as we jump directly into the middle of the action. After a brief respite following the events of the previous film, we dive right back into the struggle for Bella’s soul, as she wrestles with her vampire side once more and finally makes a choice about her relationship with Jacob. The entire season is full of angst-ridden tension.
We’re not sure how many times we can watch Bella agonize over Jacob’s betrayal, but it’s safe to say that it doesn’t get any more heartbreaking than it is in the Season 2 premiere. As Bella struggles to comprehend the situation, she repeatedly demands to know why he would do this to her. But of course, we know the real answer: he loves her and he feels like she doesn’t love him back.
Although it’s been years since these films were released, it still feels like watching them is like watching a contemporary drama. The dialogue is snappy and the story moves at a brisk pace. If you’ve seen the original Twilight film, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about – it’s the same storytelling approach that Joe Bennett used back in 1999.
Breaking Dawn — Part 1
We were all excited for the release of Breaking Dawn — Part 1. After five long years, we were going to get our first look at what happened after Bella’s fateful decision in 2011. We knew it was going to be an emotional ride, but we weren’t prepared for just how much emotional baggage this film would carry.
When the film finally arrived in theaters, it became clear that this was going to be more than just a story about vampires and werewolves. We were watching the gradual decline of the Roman Empire, as depicted through the eyes of a young girl.
There are several scenes in this movie that will have you in tears, but we’ll always remember them for different reasons. First of all, there’s the scene where Bella breaks down and reveals to her mom that she’s a vampire. After that, there’s a beautiful scene where Bella and her mom watch the sunrise together, as they share an amazing mother-daughter moment. Then there’s the very sad scene where Bella’s dad leaves for work and she has to watch as he drives away. But the scene that will stay with us longest is undoubtedly the one where Bella’s mom commits suicide.
It was a truly shocking scene and one of the most tragic events in cinematic history. Many people have said that this scene alone is why they love the Twilight franchise and made it one of their favorite films. We couldn’t agree more.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Finally, we come to the most recent entry in the Twilight franchise — and it’s one of the most exciting films we’ve ever seen. When we heard that R-Pattz was going to play Freddie Mercury, we were beside ourselves with excitement. His portrayal of the legendary Queen frontman is nothing short of phenomenal and will have you on the edge of your seat the entire film.
It’s been ten years since we last saw Freddie Mercury, and in that time, his songs have continued to inspire rock stars and music lovers alike. Now, we get a chance to finally say goodbye in style, as R-Pattz brings the legend to life on the big screen. It would take a brave man (or woman) to sit through the entire film without shedding a tear — including R-Pattz himself, who has admitted to getting choked up during a particularly moving rendition of “We Will Rock You.”
One Direction: End Of Year Party
We were also very excited to see what direction the boy band, 1D, would take this year and how they would celebrate having 100 million followers across all social media platforms. Their “End Of Year Party” was a veritable feast of pop culture references and exciting live performances. Be sure to check out their Instagram (@onedirection) to see some of the epic costumes, elaborate sets, and jaw-dropping dance moves that they used in the video.
Avengers: Infinity War
Finally, we can’t forget about Avengers: Infinity War, the culmination of the ten-year-long series that is finally here. To say that this film is epic would be an understatement — not only is it the largest movie ever made, but it manages to perfectly balance all the different factions of Marvel’s massive ensemble cast while telling an incredible, character-driven story. It’s no wonder that it has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
This year has been a wild ride, to say the least, and it’s been a thrill to see the impact that these films have had on popular culture. Now that the characters are moving on with their lives, it’s time to see what 2019 will bring. We can’t wait to share more iconic moments with you all in the new year!