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.
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
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.
