The Edward Moment In The Twilight Series Fans Agree Went Too Far
It's been nearly nine years since "Breaking Down — Part 2" wrapped up the cinematic "Twilight Saga." Nine years since the sparkle-loving Team Edward faced off against the wolfish Team Jacob. Nine years since Edward (Robert Pattinson) gave Bella (Kristen Stewart) the immortal kiss.
The "Twilight" franchise, like the Stephenie Meyer book series it's based on, has both a vocal army of fans and detractors. Fans loved the old Hollywood "damsel in distress" motif, while detractors felt Bella's infatuation with her vampiric classmate set a poor example for young girls. Some were unsettled by the CGI baby in the franchise's last installment, whereas some loved seeing the culmination of Edward and Bella's star-crossed love. There is, however, one area in which both sides find substantial common ground. In the first film of the series, the century-old Edward Cullen engages in some very problematic behavior that is as unsettling as it is inappropriate.
Edward Cullen has serious boundary issues
When Meyer created her vampires, she abandoned some of the myths established in Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and continued in modern depictions of vampires in works by Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris, and Stephen King. In addition to shining bright like a diamond when exposed to sunlight, Meyer's vampires don't retreat into coffins at the first hint of dawn. In fact, Meyer's vampires don't sleep at all. Without the need to hibernate for half the day, the "Twilight" vampires use those extra hours to immerse themselves in art and music ... and apparently high school.
While we won't judge the "younger" Cullens' decision to spend their days in high school, the same can't be said for one of Edward Cullen's extracurricular activities. Shortly after meeting Bella, Edward begins the creepy habit of watching her sleep, without her knowledge or consent. Lovesick vampire or not, breaking into a relative stranger's home to watch her sleep is way out of line. Even if Edward had known Bella for more than a few days, his behavior is textbook stalking. Worse yet is Bella's reaction to learning that Edward watches her "almost every night." Instead of seeing the obvious red flags, she is more concerned with what Edward might have overheard when she was sleep-talking.
In the companion novel "Midnight Sun," which tells the story of the first novel "Twilight" from Edward's perspective, Meyer clearly tried to soften Edward's criminal behavior by explaining that while watching Bella sleep, Edward also helped out around the house, killing spiders and oiling squeaky windows. With all due respect to Meyer, Edward's nighttime Mr. Fix-It activities do not ameliorate his repeated break-ins and obsessive stalking. Hopefully, as new generations discover "The Twilight Saga," they'll recognize that certain aspects of Edward and Bella's relationship are unhealthy and unacceptable.