And so the lion fell in love with the lamb- Twilight Series, Stephenie Meyer
Movies and T.V. shows have given me false hope in what I want in a relationship. Most times now, I see triangles, rectangles, and not enough of one singular line, going from girl to boy, girl to girl, boy to boy, etc. And unfortunately a lot of these relationships are toxic and we get sucked into them. As I find out who I am, I’m also learning what I want in a relationship. I want to discuss one of the worst toxic relationships to reach movie theaters, The Twilight Franchise.
Like most of you, I grew up with Twilight. I remember going to the movie theaters and hearing young girls screaming over Jacob as he stripped his shirt off. But as Netflix put the series on there two weeks ago, I took it upon myself to watch it and there were red flags everywhere. Overall, I would give the series a 7.5/10, and I feel that is being generous. Don’t get me wrong, there were great moments throughout the movies, but what gets me is the toxic triangle relationship between Jacob, Bella, and Edward.
I won’t be going into depth with each movie and how this triangle progressively gets more toxic. But if you want that, let me know and I will have that analysis up in a heartbeat. We all have had horrible relationships in the past or currently in one, and it doesn’t have to be in a romantic way. Sometimes we can’t control getting into that toxic environment, but to an extent, we all have the option of trying to get out. And at the end of Twilight, the triangle became more toxic.
I want to look at this relationship from Bella, Edward, and Jacob’s side to try to get a better understanding. So ladies first.
I don’t think Bella was “stable” from the beginning. And when I say stable, I mean she wasn’t in a good place to have a relationship. Her mother was fully invested in her new boyfriend. Bella had to move in with her father, who she only saw once or twice a year. Throughout the films, I saw a dependence or co-dependence with Bella and Edward, which wasn’t healthy, and it really showed during New Moon. Bella was ready to leave her father with a MAN she barely knew and desperately wanting to become a vampire. I don’t think that Bella gave herself enough time to establish who she is as a person before becoming attached to Edward.
At the same time, she was toxic towards Jacob. Any viewer saw that Jacob liked Bella from the start. And I don’t believe that Bella didn’t notice because she’s very socially awkward. But eventually, midway through New Moon and beyond that Jacob LOVED her and she played with his heart multiple times. Was she confused with her feelings for Jacob or did she want to please him “enough” from him to leave her alone? What I do know was that she shouldn’t have kissed Jacob because that gave him false hopes and another broken heart.
Jacob on the other hand was toxic to himself for most of the movies. While it is great to shoot your shot with the young woman you like, how much rejection can you take from one person? And I understand pining over someone; I was persistent with my first boyfriend for a few years (different circumstances), but I backed away a few times because I didn’t want to go through another rejection. Jacob was just persistent to a point where he reeked of desperation. I think that Jacob should have stopped pursuing Bella at the end of New Moon or midway through Eclipse. Bella, time and time again said that her heart lies with Edward. I mean Jacob was still trying at the wedding reception. And it was very embarrassing to watch.
A lot of Jacob’s anger was at Edward and I wonder whether or not Edward should have gotten most of that anger? A lot of times, we place the blame on someone else instead of the person causing the issue. And I’m not saying that Bella was the issue, but Bella should have been confronted more by Jacob. I think that if Jacob and Edward had an actual conversation with each other, they could have had a good friendship. But their emotions for Bella clouded their judgment. But I guess the two reconciled with Jacob imprinting on their daughter. Again, toxic.
Lastly, we have Edward. Edward evolved over the movies and became a character I started to like. But for the record, vampires do not sparkle in the sunlight, they burn and die. For the longest time, I was always Team Jacob because I love rooting for the underdog. But after re-watching the movies, my likeness for Jacob decreased and Edward became more understandable…? Edward tried to not be around Bella, but the constant lying was horrible. If Edward were to have been more straightforward but polite with Bella and said that I don’t want to be anything more than lab partners, then I think Bella would have understood. But as Edward said to Bella “your scent. It’s like a drug to me. You’re like my own personal brand of heroin.” Enough said.
So what are my takes? If you want a real relationship, stop looking at movies and T.V. shows that give you the wrong idea of what a relationship should be like. Yes, any relationship will have its ups and downs, but you shouldn’t have to deal with outside forces or third parties. It’s fine to fantasize about fictional characters, who hasn’t? But if these movies, shows, and books are going to give us toxic relationships, then is it really worth fantasizing over? I say instead of wanting it, learn from the fictional relationships and see what you would do differently. Food for thought.
Until Next Time
– Nadine Bourne
Nadine Bourne's Blog 