It's been over a decade since the release of Breaking Dawn in bookstores worldwide put an end to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, but fans still can't stop obsessing over the vampires and shape-shifters of Forks, Washington. Internet trolls often joke about how many things are "still a better love story than Twilight," but nearly everyone who actually read Meyer's best-selling books or watched the incredibly successful Summit Entertainment films based on them believes otherwise. In fact, most "Twihards" consider Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's love story to be one of the greatest ever told.
Edward and Bella's attraction to each other was instant and all-consuming, and despite the various setbacks thrown their way—from vengeful rival bloodsuckers to a love triangle with their future son-in-law—nothing and no one was able to stop the couple from attaining their happy ending together at the conclusion of Meyer's epic saga. Some Twilight fans will always wish Bella ended up with her best friend Jacob Black, but it was clear throughout the saga that Edward and Bella were meant for each other. That being said, they still may not have been the perfect couple that some fans choose to believe they were.
Edward's over-protectiveness kept him from respecting Bella's personal boundaries and Bella's dependency on her soulmate kept her from enjoying life whenever they were apart. Issues like these may not have seemed significant back when we first enjoyed Meyer's beloved supernatural-romance saga, but in retrospect, such glaring problems really shouldn't be ignored or forgiven. Here are 20 Things About Bella And Edward's Relationship In Twilight That Make No Sense (And Fans Ignore).
EDWARD WAS INITIALLY DRAWN TO BELLA'S SCENT
Even though most logical individuals agree that it's better to better to fall for someone's personality or mind rather than merely their appearance, people across the world romanticize the idea of "falling in love at first sight" and truly believe that it's possible to find one's soulmate within mere seconds of meeting them based solely off of attraction to their physical characteristics. For Edward, his initial draw to Bella was even more ridiculous—all he had to do to become completely infatuated with his eventual wife was smell her.
Bella's blood was even more alluring to vampires than normal human blood, and Edward couldn't ignore its sweet and irresistible scent. He eventually found Bella to be beautiful and became attracted to her personality as well, but if Bella didn't have such aromatic blood coursing through her veins, Edward may not have desired her so strongly.
EDWARD MAY HAVE SIMPLY WANTED WHAT HE COULDN'T HAVE
All vampires are gifted with hardened skin that shines when exposed to sunlight, enhanced speed, and superhuman strength, but some vampires also benefit from additional powers. When Edward became an immortal, his knack for reading people was amplified into an ability to actually read minds.
When Edward met Bella, he was shocked to discover that she somehow was able to mentally shield herself from his special gift. This made Edward incredibly curious about Bella. Her thoughts were the only ones he couldn't access on his own, and it's entirely possible that his obsession with Bella initially started as him wanting something he couldn't have.
EDWARD CONSTANTLY PUT BELLA'S LIFE AT RISK
When Edward first recognized his feelings for Bella, he fled from Forks in an attempt to keep her out of harm's way. He soon realized he was incapable of leaving her side for long, and convinced himself that he could become Bella's protector instead of her greatest threat. Edward claimed that he would do anything to keep Bella safe, yet he was the primary reason her life was endangered so many times throughout the Twilight series.
James decided to hunt Bella in an attempt to provoke Edward, and when Edward ended James' life, Victoria set her sights on Bella in revenge. Bella's life was also threatened when a paper cut prompted Jasper to try to attack her, and when Edward later attracted the attention of the Volturi. If not for Edward, Bella could have led a normal, danger-free life.
EDWARD LEFT BELLA ALONE AND DEPRESSED
Edward knew from the very start of his relationship with Bella that her life would be far less dangerous without him in it. He ignored that fact and stayed with Bella even after she almost perished at James' hands, but when her life was again threatened by his own adopted brother, Edward finally decided it was best for him to leave Forks and abandon Bella for her own safety.
By the time Edward accepted the truth about Bella being safer without him, she was absolutely dependent on him and unable to live life without him by her side. So, in leaving Bella when he did, Edward made things even worse as he sent her plummeting into a horrible sadness that she was entirely unable to escape from.
BELLA AND JACOB HAD BETTER CHEMISTRY
Bella spent the first several months after Edward left her either going through the motions at school or alone in her bedroom, refusing to accept or move on from their surprising breakup. It wasn't until she started spending time with her friend Jacob Black that she was finally able to find some semblance of happiness again.
Jacob was able to put a genuine smile on Bella's face, and she became as dependent on him as she used to be on Edward. They had great chemistry together, and fans who value being friends with a significant other before entering into a relationship with them found themselves rooting for brooding heartthrob Edward to stay away so Bella could end up with optimistic and caring Jacob instead. Unfortunately for those "Team Jacob" members, that wasn't what Stephenie Meyer had in mind.
HE WATCHED HER SLEEP BEFORE THEY WERE A COUPLE
Some individuals dislike the idea of even their significant other watching them while they sleep, but in romance books and films, staring at someone who is off in dreamland is often meant to be a sign of true love because it's an opportunity to see a soulmate looking peaceful and content. The problem with Edward's observation of Bella's sleeping, however, is that he started watching her before they even got to know each other.
Edward liked to break into Bella's room in the middle of the night and just stare at her as she slept. At the time, the duo weren't even friends, let alone lovers, so this practice really shouldn't be considered romantic. It was disturbing, and even the biggest Edward and Bella fans shouldn't forgive him for this.
EDWARD IS COLD AND STATUESQUE
Edward was one of the most handsome teenagers in all of Forks, so it's no big surprise that Bella became so incredibly attracted to him. His good looks were only enhanced when he became a vampire, but unfortunately, the transformation into an immortal brought with it some serious downsides that fans often ignore when they imagine themselves lying next to Twilight's leading man.
Vampires' skin is incredibly cold due to the lack of blood coursing through their veins, and it is far more impenetrable than normal human flesh. Cuddling up to a vampire would be a similar experience to cuddling up with a marble statue. That's why, when Bella, Edward, and Jacob all shared a tent at the top of a snowy mountain, Bella choose to share a sleeping bag with her best friend over her boyfriend.
EDWARD RARELY ENCOURAGED BELLA TO SEE HER FRIENDS
When Bella moved to Washington to live with her father Charlie in Twilight, she found herself completely alone and without friends at Forks High School. Luckily, it didn't take very long for Bella to meet people like Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley, who went out of their way to make her feel at home.
Bella's human friends were a very important part of her life for her first few weeks at Forks, but when she started getting close to Edward, she completely abandoned them. She went back to them when Edward and the rest of the Cullens abandoned her in New Moon, but once her boyfriend returned, Bella went right back to neglecting her friends. Edward loved being possessive and over-protective of Bella, so he did nothing to encourage her to have a social life outside of just being with him all the time.
HE MADE BELLA FEEL GUILTY FOR WANTING TOGETHERNESS
Edward grew up in the early 1900s, so it's understandable why he's so old-fashioned when it comes to his views on togetherness before marriage. What's far less understandable, however, is why he made Bella feel so guilty all the time for wanting to take their relationship to the next level.
During their first kiss, Edward dramatically backed away from Bella. He continuously told her about his desire to wait until they were married to do anything more than kiss, and anytime Bella implied she wanted more, he embarrassed her or made her feel ashamed of her feelings. At one point, Bella even admitted, "you really make me feel like I'm some sort of villain trying to steal your virtue."
THEIR HUGE AGE GAP
At first glance, Edward and Bella appear to be a perfectly age-appropriate couple. Bella was turned into a vampire when she was eighteen years old, while Edward will forever look like a seventeen-year-old because that was his age when Carlisle Cullen chose to save his life by granting him immortality. Looks, however, can be deceiving.
Edward was actually born in 1901, making him 104 when he met Bella at Forks High School in 2005. Bella was just an awkward teenager, but Edward had been alive for over a century and was thus significantly more intelligent and experienced than his sudden crush. Even if was physically a suitable match for Bella, he was emotionally and mentally far too old for her.
BELLA PUT HERSELF IN DANGER TO "SEE" EDWARD
When Bella discovered that putting herself in harm's way caused a vision of Edward to appear and warn her of the impending danger, she became an adrenaline junkie so she could "see" her ex-boyfriend more frequently. Bella tricked Jacob into teaching her to ride a motorcycle, knowing that if she engaged in risky activities, Edward would appear.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to see a loved one, but Bella prioritized these visions of Edward over her own safety and actually used her best friend in the process. Meyer seemed to want fans to think Bella's actions were proof of her love for her soulmate, but they were actually proof of her unhealthy obsession with him.
EDWARD COULDN'T CONTINUE LIVING WITHOUT BELLA
The extreme dangers of Bella's obsession with Edward were made clear in New Moon when she purposely risked her own life to try to see him, and when she nearly perished as a result of those adrenaline-boosting activities, Edward proved that he was far too fixated on his ex as well.
Edward thought Bella had passed away after cliff diving, and he found himself entirely unable to move on with life without her. He journeyed to Italy with plans to expose the truth about vampires to the public, knowing that the Volturi would eliminate him for doing so. When Bella arrived just in time to stop him, he forgot all of the valid reasons he'd had for leaving Bella in the first place and decided they had to be together forever, because they clearly couldn't live apart from each other.
THEY ARGUED CONSTANTLY ABOUT BELLA BECOMING A VAMPIRE
There's nothing wrong with couples who have a few minor arguments every now and then, but Bella and Edward could never agree about a very important decision regarding their future together. Bella wanted to become a vampire so she could spend eternity with Edward, but he refused to allow Bella to cut her mortal life short and be forced to say goodbye to some of her loved ones for his sake.
The iconic couple argued about this over the course of several books, and Edward decided that if Bella truly wanted to become a vampire, she had to marry him first. Bella was quite young to get married and she still didn't have her feelings for Jacob entirely sorted out, but she said yes just to finally put an end to their disagreement.
THEIR HONEYMOON WAS VERY DANGEROUS FOR BELLA
Edward always made it clear that he wanted to wait until marriage to take the next step with Bella, but his virtue apparently wasn't the only reason he felt a need to wait. When the couple finally tied the knot and continued their marriage, Bella woke up to find her body covered in bruises.
Jacob was furious when he found out how much danger Edward had put Bella in during their first night together as husband and wife, but Bella didn't seem to recognize or care about any of that. She had been harmed, but Bella was just happy to have finally taken the next step with Edward.
THEY COULDN'T AGREE OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP THEIR CHILD
As if it wasn't bad enough that Edward and Bella could never agree about Bella's future, when Bella became pregnant with Edward's child, the newly-married couple found themselves arguing yet again. Bella wanted to keep the baby, but Edward accurately pointed out that doing so could be extremely dangerous and end his wife's life prematurely.
In the end, there was no real compromise—Bella got her way and Edward was forced to watch helplessly as the human-vampire hybrid Renesmee drained the life from her mother from within the womb. Luckily, by turning her into a vampire at the exact right moment, Edward was narrowly able to save his wife's life.
EDWARD FORCED BELLA TO LIE TO HER PARENTS
When Bella was turned into a vampire, Edward and the rest of the Cullen family had to look after her to make sure she adopted their "vegetarian" diet and wouldn't be a danger to the people of Forks—particularly her father, Charlie. When they decided she was finally ready, the Cullens advised her to lie to Charlie about why she'd been missing for several weeks and hide the fact that she'd had a child in that time.
The Volturi forbade vampires for telling the truth about their existence to humans, but they likely never would have found out if Bella simply confided in her father and swore him to secrecy. Edward's insistence for Bella to deceive Charlie was unfair, and if Jacob hadn't revealed the existence of supernatural beings to him, Bella likely would have lost Charlie from her life forever.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP ENDED BELLA'S LIFE
When Bella and Edward first started developing feelings for each other in Twilight, Edward tried putting an end to their budding relationship because he feared that getting close to Bella would put her in danger. He was right. Just over a year after they met, Bella's life was ended, and whether or not she was okay with that shouldn't matter. She will never be able to physically grow old and lead a normal life with her friends or family members, and that's entirely Edward's fault.
Bella chose to keep Renesmee knowing the dangers involved in doing so, and she wanted to become a vampire anyway, but the fact of the matter is that she technically passed away at eighteen years old because of Edward.
THEY ACCEPTED JACOB AS THEIR DAUGHTER'S FUTURE PARTNER
Bella and Edward could never agree about anything significant throughout their relationship or the first few months of their marriage, but when Bella's best friend and former love interest imprinted on their baby daughter, the couple suddenly found themselves on the same side of one of the most bizarre Twilight debates ever.
Bella initially and rightfully freaked out about the thought of Jacob falling for her child, but when Edward explained the complexities of imprinting, she calmed down and accepted that someone she once thought she had romantic feelings for will one day develop such feelings for her daughter. Most fans refused to accept the idea of Jacob becoming Bella and Edward's son-in-law, but they were surprisingly cool with it.
THEY NAMED THEIR DAUGHTER "RENESMEE"
Bella and Edward made a lot of decisions over the course of four novels and five films which fans still debate about. Edward's decision to date Bella in the first place even though he knew he could endanger her was definitely questionable, as was his decision to leave her for that same reason immediately after Bella's birthday. Bella's decision to lead Jacob on and use him for several books also didn't go well with some readers or viewers. Some fans think the couple married too young, some think Bella should have ended up with Jacob, but the couple's most controversial choice was definitely the one to name their daughter "Renesmee."
Bella came up with the name after merging her mother's name, Renée, with Edward's adopted mother's name, Esme. It was a nice and thoughtful idea, but even the most devoted Twihards still dislike it.
BELLA AND EDWARD'S RELATIONSHIP WAS HARMFUL
Bella and Edward's love story involved a lot of twists and turns which made their happy ending together at the conclusion of the series incredibly satisfying to most fans, but that doesn't mean they were ever a truly healthy couple.
Edward made Bella feel guilty for craving togetherness with him and for wanting to spend time with Jacob. He pressured her to get married right out of high school, by making it clear that tying the knot with him was the only way she'd get to become a vampire or sleep with him. When the couple finally did take the next step, he physically hurt Bella during their honeymoon. Once she got pregnant, he tried vetoing her decision to keep their child. Edward may have been well-intentioned, but he was an abusive partner and fans shouldn't ignore that.