Jacob Black

Origin

Jacob Black appears like your average everyday teenager. Raised in  La Push, Washington, he is a member of the Quileute tribe, a Native American peoples who have occupied the region as far as 1885, when the Treaty of Quinault River was signed. They are in the immediate vicinity of  Forks, Washington. The Quileute have many myths and legends which Jacob would often hear about growing up. One popular legend Jacob is often told about involves how the Quileute tribe’s ancestors were wolves, and even to this day, the wolf is considered brother to the tribe, and as such it is forbidden to kill any. Jacob’s early childhood was harsh, with his mother being fatally wounded in an automobile accident when he was just 9 years of age. His older sisters Rachel and Rebecca, volunteering themselves to aid in Jacob’s raising and upbringing alongside his father Billy Black. At some point both his sisters moved to other states, leaving Jacob to care for their father, who had become wheelchair bound due to diabetes. Although Jacob had always been skeptical of the myths and legends of his tribe, when an old childhood friend Bella Swan returns to Forks, and the Jacob learns more of the Cullen family include a rivalry with Edward Cullen over Bella’s affections, he is forced to confront some truths about his tribes past and heritage. When vampire scent is picked up by members of the Quileute tribe, and presents a threat to the tribe, a transformation period will ensue. When several nomad vampires begin terrorizing Forks, it prompts several members of the tribe, including Jacob to transform into a werewolf, able to switch between his human form into that of a giant brown wolf, and back.  
 

Creation

Jacob Black first appears as a part of the Twilight franchise, originating with a series of novel’s written by author Stephenie Meyer, the first, Twilight released in 2005. Since then the character and story has been adapted for various mediums. Movies, where the character is played by Taylor Lautner. In 2010 the franchise churned out a graphic novel adaptation, published by Yen Press, it is written by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim with art by Young Kim  
 

Character Evolution

Jacob Black’s character is slightly altered throughout each depiction across multiple mediums. in the original novels he is a lot larger, and physically imposing. In the graphic novel version, the characters role is somewhat more simplified, with less actual scenes with the lead character Bella. What is consistent through all the various mediums stories is that the character is introduced as a minor character whose role steadily deepens and becomes intertwined with the main characters, ultimately giving Jacob a larger and more important role overall.        
 

Major Story Arcs  

The Beach at La Push

Bella Swan and many of her schoolmates had decided to spend the day at a beach at La Push. Its overcast, but the group are excited. They also happen to met up with a childhood friend of Bella’s Jacob. Jacob and Bella split off from the main group to talk privately and catch up. Jacob had interacted with Bella a few times since she had been back, but this was one of their first opportunities to really talk at length. Bella uses this time to learn and find out more about the myths of the area, although she masks her curiosity as far as how her questions center on Edward Cullen and her theories on what he might be. There is some subtle flirtation, although Jacob appears to have some sincere interest in Bella.       
 

Transformation

Jacob begins to spend more time with his friend Bella, after she experiences a depressive period after Edward Cullen and the Cullen family move from Forks. She had grown sullen and vacant, but her friendship with Jacob had started to make her more lively. For Jacob who had been harboring a crush on Bella, being able to offer comfort and companionship to her is something he enjoyed, teaching her how to build and ride motorbikes. This period of stability is upset when Jacob dramatically pulls away from Bella. He has started to undergo the process of becoming a werewolf, and this significantly impacts on his life. He draws closer to his fellow werewolves, forming a tight knit grouping, even as so far as being connected to all of them telepathically. Eventually Bella manages to find out the secret he has been hiding, and the two resume communication. Jacob had also changed larger physically, and spent a lot more time with the Uley pack. His werewolf companions led at the time by Sam Uley.   

Powers and Abilities 

Jacob Black is a Shape-shifter from the Quileute tribe. As such he generally is known to shift into what would resemble a traditional werewolf, complete with traditional werewolf powers. Jacob whether in his wolf form, or human form post initial transformation, has enhanced speed, reflexes, agility, durability and strength, as well as having an abnormally warm body. In his werewolf form, Jacob’s strength increases considerably, and may even be a match for some vampires. His speed likewise increases, allowing him to be faster than many vampires, and faster than even cars or motorbikes. Jacob possesses a type of telepathy that applies to other werewolves only. This psychic bond can also enable the Alpha of the pack to control and order members of the pack. Jacob is the Alpha of his pack of werewolves.     
 

Other Media

Movies

Twilight (2008)  
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)  
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)  
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012) 

Novels

Twilight (2005)  
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2006)  
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2007)  
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2008)