The Twilight Saga is one of the most successful fantasy sagas of all time, which currently includes six books and five film adaptations. Years after the release of the first film in the series, Twilight, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga continues to stir discussion and debate, with perhaps none more fierce than Team Edward or Team Jacob. This question still burns bright in the minds of devout fans of the books and the film adaptations. At one time, it was so heavily debated that it sparked online fights, placed friendships on the line, and spurred middle-aged women to cut in line at Comic-Con International.
The Team Edward or Team Jacob debate even spawned a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit when Taylor Lautner, who played Jacob on Twilight, hosted SNL. Although Twilight clearly picks Edward as the favorite, Jacob certainly has merit. Now that time has passed since the first wave of Twilight fandom, the intensity has died down. However, with the release of Midnight Sun in 2020 and a Twilight TV show adaptation in the works, interest in the Twilight series has reignited. Because of that, the question can be more objectively approached and offer older and newer fans of the saga a better perspective on the subject of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob.
Updated on July 2, 2024 by Robbie Robinson: The age-old debate that, somehow, never grows truly stale. Twilight gets better with age in the sense that it becomes more interesting to dissect with each year that passes. This article has been updated to include Bella’s faults concerning her relationships as well as to get this article up to current CBR standards.
Twilight Fans Have Many Valid Points for Both Team Edward and Team Jacob
Both Characters Have Some Rather Unsavory Traits
Although Edward Cullen ended up with Bella Swan, many fans thought that Edward wasn’t the best match for her. This spawned the Team Jacob vs. Team Edward debate. Many fans have trouble with Edward’s personality and demeanor. Edward is overbearing, overprotective, and altogether intense. Edward is also over a hundred years old, which is clearly too old for Bella, who is only a teenager. Some of Edward’s actions can be considered a bit creepy and stalker-like. However, that same intensity attracted Bella to Edward in the first place, so this worked in Edward’s favor.
While Edward seems controlling and a tad bit manipulative, it all comes from a place of care for Bella. Edward even leaves Bella and moves away in New Moon to protect her and allow Bella to have a normal human life. As a vampire, Edward understands how fragile human life is and wants to protect Bella at all costs. Even when she tries to convince Edward to turn her into a vampire, Edward vehemently disagrees. Edward thinks Bella should be able to fully live and experience her human life before committing to an eternal life with him. Most vampires miss their human life and have many regrets, which Edward doesn’t want Bella to go through.
Compared to Edward, Jacob Black seems like a more reasonable choice for Bella — especially in New Moon, when Jacob gets to shine after Edward leaves Bella. Jacob proves to be a much warmer, more cheerful individual than Edward. Jacob encourages Bella to pursue her goals, no matter how dangerous, such as when she wants to learn to ride a motorbike. Jacob is attentive, and they have a lot more in common.
Jacob could also live a human lifespan with Bella, which means she wouldn’t need to fundamentally change her biology to be with him. She wouldn’t have to sacrifice anything, which many fans point to when comparing Edward and Jacob. Aside from him being a werewolf, Bella doesn’t need to deal with too much drama or danger, unlike her relationship with Edward. However, Jacob can be manipulative, too, particularly when trying to pursue Bella, even when she’s made it clear she wants to be with Edward. In Eclipse, Jacob becomes childish and demanding, forcing Bella’s hand multiple times.
| Edward’s Pros | Edward’s Cons |
|---|---|
| Edward understands and matches Bella’s intensity. | Edward can seem a little creepy and obsessed with Bella. |
| Edward is mature and knows a lot about the world. | Edward is too old for Bella, who is only a teenager. |
| Edward shares Bella’s love for classical literature and music. | Edward can be selfish and possessive. |
| Edward gives Bella a life of adventure and new experiences. | Edward constantly risks Bella’s life, even if he doesn’t mean to. |
| Edward wants what’s best for Bella, even if it means leaving her. | By choosing Edward, Bella has to leave her human life behind. |
Twilight’s Team Jacob Never Stood a Chance
Bella Never Wanted to Be With Jacob
While Jacob could’ve been a great partner for Bella, he never stood a chance. Bella’s heart was Edward’s from the moment Bella set eyes on the vampire. Bella enjoyed Jacob’s company and truly loved him and cared for him, but she was never really in love with Jacob. Jacob ultimately imprinted on Bella and Edward’s child, Renesmee. This plot point is more than a little creepy, but it immediately took Jacob out of the competition for Bella’s affection.
It also explained Bella and Jacob’s attraction, as it was in their destiny that Jacob would eventually imprint on Bella’s child. And even if he had imprinted on Bella instead, Jacob wouldn’t have ended up with her. For all the reasons that Jacob hated Edward, Bella loved him. The fact that Jacob could never understand this is why he could never understand Bella, either.
To be fair, Edward and Bella have a lot of things in common: they like classical literature, share the same taste in music, and have real, deep conversations. Although Jacob and Bella seem like an intelligent choice, if they had ended up together, Bella might have felt bored after a while. Jacob is also a bit immature for Bella, something that’s particularly evident in Eclipse. Jacob seems like the kind of person who is completely content with where he is and who he is as well. Because he is immortal, Edward is constantly learning new things and experiencing everything he possibly can.
| Jacob’s Pros | Jacob’s Cons |
|---|---|
| Jacob wouldn’t make Bella leave her human life. | Jacob is content with his life in Forks, unlike Bella. |
| Jacob doesn’t put Bella in danger by being together. | Jacob can be manipulative and refuses to accept Bella’s rejection. |
| Their relationship doesn’t break any rules. | Jacob eventually imprints on Bella’s child. |
| Being together doesn’t cause any drama. | Jacob can be a little immature, while Bella is very mature for her age. |
| Jacob can lead a mortal life with Bella. | Bella doesn’t want a simple, normal life. |
Bella Has A Few Major Cons Herself
She’s An Obsessive Girl Who Dreams of Having An Obsessive Boy
Jacob and Edward aren’t the only two with rather intense obsessive tendencies. Bella clearly has severe separation anxiety and can hardly manage a day alone. This was especially evident when Edward left Bella in New Moon. She gets a break for that one because her heart was broken, but then she fell into some dangerous adrenaline-pumping activities to get Edward’s attention. Fans can go back and forth with the boys’ manipulation tactics on Bella, but she’s also an enforcer of such behavior. Edward nearly gets killed by the Volturi because he believes Bella died while jumping off a cliff. That certainly wasn’t one of Bella’s greatest moments.
While it can be argued that Bella never led Jacob on and truly only ever treated him as her best friend, she uses his crush on her to her own benefit. She’s very hot and cold with him, which is understandable when Jacob oversteps, but it’s not necessarily fair to him. Bella really only wants Jacob’s attention when she’s at her worst or when Edward isn’t around. It makes sense why Jacob gets so frustrated with her because she basically tosses him aside the second the Cullens are available. She’s a terrible friend, to be honest. That’s evident even in her withering relationships with her high school friends. Bella is so obsessed with Edward and the Cullens that nothing or no one is ever more important.
Though it’s far more fun to choose which monster-boy heartthrob is the better choice, it’s also important to look at who Bella is as a character. She’s not entirely innocent in the muddled affairs of which relationship is more unhealthy than the other. Bella very much plays into those toxic possessive behaviors that both of the boys exhibit. In a way, it sort of nullifies the debates surrounding that topic regarding who is the better man for her.
Why Twilight’s Team Edward Wins
He’s the Perfect Match For Her
While The Twilight Saga adapts Stephanie Meyer’s books fairly accurately, there are some major changes from book to screen.
For Bella, a curious, inquisitive girl, Edward is, without a question, the better choice. Although the vampire/human barrier was a huge obstacle, Bella had no problem overcoming that, especially if it meant she could be with Edward forever. Despite his cold personality, Edward warms up around Bella.
Everything Edward does, he does for her. With his intense personality comes his intense love for this human girl he so desperately wants to protect. Midnight Sun, a retelling of the first Twilight book from Edward’s perspective, highlights how much Edward cares for Bella. Edward’s feelings for Bella are just as intense and fast-growing as Bella’s feelings for him. Fans get more details and background into his feelings and thoughts, eventually proving that Edward and Bella were meant to be.
Bella craves this type of fairy tale intensity and more than a normal human life, which Jacob cannot provide for her. Bella herself also proves to be intense and loves deeply, something only Edward understands and relates to. The idea that she can travel, learn, and live with Edward is much more appealing than remaining in Forks forever with Jacob and his werewolf pack. Jacob enjoys the simple life Forks can provide him, while Bella dislikes the small town until she meets Edward. Additionally, Edward has always spoken about Jacob with respect, while Jacob made a point of repeatedly belittling and speaking ill of Edward, something that showcased his immaturity next to Edward.
While both men have pros and cons, Twilight’s Team Edward wins. Team Jacob has valid points and often seems like the better, smarter choice. However, Team Edward has always been the right choice for Bella. This debate will remain as long as the Twilight Saga is around with reboots and a passionate fandom. The new TV series adaptation of the Twilight series will probably ignite this debate once more and will most likely add new pros and cons to both teams as well. There will always be people who back Jacob over Edward. But, at the end of the day and the end of the Twilight series, Bella ends up with Edward.
