Stephenie Meyer has always been on the receiving end of mass criticism for her Twilight saga, and not just for the troublesome concepts it promotes. In particular, the saga's vampire lore and other mythology have been reviled for their inconsistencies, which has led to many fans creating theories of their own to explain these holes. One theory suggests the vampires in Twilight are actually another creature altogether: Faeries.
Posted by a Redditor, this theory questions Meyer’s decision to make vampires sparkle in the sun, when most vampire lore says they burn, catch fire or turn to dust under UV rays. It then notes that faeries are usually depicted as sparkling, shimmering beings, especially in light.
The theory also builds on the amount of time Edward spends in the circular meadow in the woods near his house. Faeries usually live in and around lush, forested lands and faerie circles often crop up near their dwellings.
Finally, the theory notes that certain species of faeries drink blood: In Scottish and Gaelic folklore, a Baobhan Sith is a creature with vampiric characteristics. These blood-sucking faeries are unusually beautiful and terrorize the Scottish Highlands.
If Edward Cullen is a faerie, it would also explain his strange obsession with Bella Swan, since faeries are known for their fascination with humans.
According to most vampire lore, these immortal creatures don't age. They're also blessed with super strength and super speed.
However, the vampires in Twilight also possess certain superpowers, like Alice's ability to see the future, Edward's mind-reading prowess and Jasper's ability to alter others' emotions. This is more in line with faerie lore.
Furthermore, the faerie theory would account for the presence of the Volturi in Twilight. Faeries are famously separated into two main courts who protect the realm: Seelie and Unseelie. In the Twilight saga, the Volturi act as guardians, keeping vampires' presence hidden from the human world -- which often includes sending assassins to eradicate anyone who threatens their existence.
Although it's convincing, this theory isn't flawless. The Cullens just live in a house near the forest to have easy access to fresh animal blood. Before coming to Forks, lived all over the world, including areas that weren't forested. Just because the Cullens hunt in the woods and Edward has a particular penchant for climbing trees doesn’t make them faeries.
Plus, while Twilight’s vampires sparkle, it only happens in the sunlight. Whenever sparkling faeries have been depicted, they typically shine in and out of sunlight. Finally, there is no faerie lore where they bite humans, inject them with venom and turn them into faeries.
It appears Meyer may have merged faerie and vampire lore to make Twilight stand out, leaning more heavily on the former.