Bella Swan

"Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars—points of light and reason… and then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn’t see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything."

- Edward Cullen to Bella

Isabella "Bella" Marie Swan (later Bella Cullen, born to Charlie Swan and Renée Dwyer on September 13, 1987) is the protagonist of the Twilight series. In the first book, Twilight, she is a 17-year-old girl who falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. In the last novel of the series, Breaking Dawn, she marries Edward and becomes a vampire and member of the Olympic Coven. She is transformed into a vampire by Edward after nearly dying giving birth to their daughter, Renesmee Cullen. Bella is the daughter-in-law of Edward and Elizabeth Masen, as well as the adoptive daughter-in-law of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. She is the adoptive sister-in-law of Alice Cullen, Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale and Jasper Hale.

As a vampire, Bella has the ability to project a mental shield that can protect herself, and others, from the mental powers possessed by other vampires.

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Personality and traits
Bella is described as having a very pale complexion with long, straight, dark brown hair and wide chocolate brown eyes. She also has full lips but her lower lip is fuller than the other, making them uneven. Beyond this information, a detailed description of Bella's appearance is never given in the series. Stephenie Meyer explains that this is because she wanted her readers to "step into Bella's shoes" more easily. However, she has provided a more detailed description of her own interpretation of Bella on her website: she has a heart-shaped face, a widow's peak, a thin nose, and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin and full lips. Her fingernails are stubby, as she has a nervous habit of biting them. She stands at 5'4" and weighs about 110 pounds.

Bella also has a small crescent-shaped scar on her hand where she was bitten by James, a tracker vampire, in Twilight. The scar is described as being pale, always a few degrees colder than the rest of her body, and shines like a vampire's skin when in the sunlight. After Bella is changed into a vampire by Edward Cullen, she becomes even more pale, blood red eyes, and her hair comes down to her waist, her hair becomes darker brown. She is also described to be extremely beautiful.

Bella is described as being exceptionally clumsy, dropping and tripping over everything in sight;however this changes once she is transformed into a vampire. She is deeply in love with Edward Cullen. She also cares for the rest of the Cullen family, her father Charlie and mother Renée, and her friend Jacob Black. She hates dressing up, saying that makeup "is a pain" and that she feels uncomfortable in impractical, elegant clothes. She doesn't like spending money on luxurious items, stating in New Moon to Edward 'not to spend a dime on my birthday', and that fast cars are unnecessary, saying that Edward gave her himself and anything else he gives her would throw their relationship too off balance. She has a very private mind, which is thought to be why Edward is unable to hear her thoughts, and she is determined to become a vampire. She is also said to be a terrible liar, but demonstrates good acting ability in "Twilight" when she makes her father believe that she has dumped Edward and is leaving Forks. Bella also becomes faint at the sight or smell of blood, as demonstrated in Twilight.

Bella has a dry sense of humor, and is understanding and caring. She's also been described as stubborn, and able to block painful thoughts and memories (hence her special vampire ability). She puts Edward before herself, but several selfish tendencies emerge. (As when Bella asked Edward to stay with her instead of fighting the vampires in Eclipse). Stephenie Meyer has stated that Bella's "tragic flaw" in Eclipse is her lack of self-knowledge. This is most obviously illustrated in her consistent denial of any romantic feelings for Jacob Black, despite the fact that she later realizes she is, indeed, in love with him.

Bella, according to Edward on Midnight Sun, has no sense of fear when she finds out Edward is a vampire. Instead of running away, like she should have, she decides to ask lots of questions, actually curious about him, in supreme curiosity. This makes Edward believe that it is not bad luck that follows her around, but that she has no sense of self-preservation.

Powers and abilities
After being turned into a vampire, Bella explains that she has a more clear view of the world. Also, like other vampires, she has superhuman senses, strength, speed, and granite-hard skin. She is also very self-controlled as a vampire, being able to run away from the smell of human blood on her first hunting trip. She also has a special gift, which is to shield her and those around her from other vampires' special talents that affect the mind (such as Edward, Jane, Alec, Kate, Zafrina and Aro). Bella appears to have a gift for being a vampire, even saying that she felt like she was born to be one. Ironically, Bella is very graceful — even for a vampire. In Breaking Dawn Bella uses her shielding power as a giant dome to protect her family and friends. Bella also learns that she can lower her shield and let vampires' mental powers work on her if she so chooses. In Breaking Dawn, Bella can detect minor changes in Renesmee's physical appearance, such as her hair growing a couple of millimeters.

Aro, the leader of the Volturi who "collects" vampires with powerful talents, was so intrigued that Bella could block out mental powers (even as a human) that he twice offered her a place among his guard. She refused both times.

Family
Bella is the wife of Edward Cullen and the mother of Renesmee Cullen, as well as the daughter of Charlie Swan and Renée Dwyer and the step-daughter of Phil Dwyer and the daughter-in-law of Edward and Elizabeth Masen. She is the adoptive daughter-in-law of Carlisle and Esme Cullen and the adoptive sister-in-law of Alice Cullen, Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale, and Jasper Hale.

Bella is very close to her mother, though she sometimes feels like she is the mother and Renée is the child. Her mother has always put her relationships with men first, although has been very clear that she wants Bella to remain independent. Bella was born in Forks but raised in Phoenix with her mother, as Renée left Charlie soon after Bella was born.

Bella's relationship with her father is also very odd. After Renée took her away to Phoenix, the only time Bella would see Charlie was in the summer. Even at a young age it became clear Bella hated Forks, and when she visited Charlie would take her fishing, which Bella also hated. Bella moved to Forks to live with her father in Twilight to give her mother space with her new husband. She finds it much easier to live with her father, since he respects her privacy, even though he has shown to be protective of her since he is the chief of police. She takes care of him by making his dinner every night. Her father is very protective and therefore very suspicious of Edward Cullen.

Edward Cullen
Bella's mate is Edward Cullen, a vampire who has renounced drinking the blood of humans. When they first realize their feelings for each other, Bella loves him unconditionally, believing Edward to be absolutely perfect, and does not consider herself worthy of his love. She often describes him as god-like in appearance, like the Greek hero Adonis, and hopes that by becoming a vampire she will become beautiful and graceful like him and his family, the Cullens. Edward disapproves of this and always reassures her that she is more than worthy, and has his heart. Bella sometimes thinks of Edward as an angel. Edward proposes to Bella in New Moon and she eventually accepts in Eclipse, looking down on the prospect of marriage but not entirely opposed to it. As part of a deal with Edward, she promises to marry him if he promises to make love with her and then change her into a vampire. She sees this as the only part of the marriage to look forward to.

In Breaking Dawn, the fourth book in the series, Bella overcomes her fear of marriage and happily marries Edward, becoming Bella Cullen. During their honeymoon on a private island, Edward and Bella consummate their marriage and conceive a child -- a vampire hybrid child. During the birth, complications occur and Edward, after delivering their baby via caesarian section, is forced to inject Bella with his venom, thereby changing her into a vampire, to save her life.

After Bella's transformation, she and Edward become equals and can experience a vastly easier life, though they find it very hard to satisfy their sexual desire for each other. At series end, Bella and Edward live happily together, presumably forever, as husband and wife with their daughter, Renesmee.

Jacob Black
Jacob Black, a Quileute and the son of Charlie Swan's friend, Billy Black, also loves Bella and spends a lot of time with her during the period of Edward's absence. While Edward was away, Bella found that Jacob's presence soothed the "hole" in her chest that resulted from Edward leaving her. Being around Jacob brought a measure of happiness back to Bella's life, though he was unable to replace Edward. Bella felt that Jacob was a good friend, and that he was her own "personal little sun" which would beam happiness in every direction wherever he went. When Jacob underwent his transformation into a werewolf, it put a distance in their friendship.

In Eclipse, Jacob acts upon his romantic feelings for Bella, and tries to convince her to leave Edward for him. Jacob thinks that, since he is more human than Edward, he will be safer for Bella to have a relationship with. Edward sees this, but is still willing to fight for her. Jacob forcefully kisses Bella, resulting in her punching him, breaking her hand and almost ending their friendship. Sometime later, Jacob overhears that Bella and Edward are engaged and makes Bella kiss him, saying that if she doesn't he will get himself killed. She does so, and realizes that she is in love with Jacob. But Bella soon realizes that her love for Jacob is not as strong as her love for Edward. She later tells Jacob that she has chosen Edward over him, breaking his heart.

A devastated Jacob remains at odds with Edward and Bella after this. Eventually, Jacob imprints on Edward and Bella's daughter, Renesmee, ridding him of his heartache for Bella. Bella and Edward were furious and, after hearing that he nicknamed her after the Loch Ness Monster, Bella lost control of her anger and tried to kill Jacob. But she soon regained self-control, and Bella, Edward, and Jacob made peace. Jacob and Bella remain best friends.

Renesmee Cullen
Renesmee is Bella and Edward's biological daughter. After making love on Isle Esme with Edward in Breaking Dawn, they conceive a child. The mothers of these particular kinds of children never survive. Knowing this, Edward tries to convince Bella to save her life by having an abortion. Bella refuses to do so, as she has come to love the child. Edward's hatred towards the child ceases when he hears the child's thoughts to find that the child already loves her parents. Now with communication, the child tries harder not to hurt her mother. After a painful childbirth and transformation, Bella learns that Jacob has imprinted on Renesmee, angering her at first, but later accepts it when she learns Jacob's imprinting is involuntary, and that Renesmee loves Jacob as well. Bella and Renesmee love each other instantly.

Angela Weber
Angela Weber, kind and shy yet insightful, was among the friends Bella made after moving to Forks. Although she is a minor character in the books, she becomes Bella's best friend, comforting Bella in her depression in New Moon and attending Bella's wedding in Breaking Dawn.

Mike Newton
Mike Newton is a generically popular boy at Bella's new high school who is instantly attracted to Bella. He is friendly and Bella thinks he possesses traits like a golden retriever: his happiness and loyalty in walking her to class and speaking with her every day. Mike frequently tries to ask Bella out, but she always declines. He becomes jealous when he realizes that Bella and Edward Cullen are dating.

In New Moon, after a movie date with Bella, Jacob and Mike, Mike has seemingly given up on Bella, and tells her that "girls are cruel". Mike develops a new romantic relationship with Jessica Stanley when he accepts that Edward is Bella's boyfriend. In "New Moon", Bella tries to rekindle their friendship after four months of "being a zombie" after the Cullens leave Forks. Mike becomes her friend again, although not with the same enthusiasm and also never forgets his fondness of Bella.

Mike apparently never got over his infatuation for Bella. At Edward and Bella's wedding reception, Edward commented that Mike was having improper thoughts about her again.

Tyler Crowley
After nearly killing Bella in a car accident, Tyler feels obligated to make things even. He unsuccessfully asks Bella out to the turnabout dance. After Bella declines, insisting that she must go to Seattle that day, he insists on taking her to prom. He tells the whole school and convinces most of the students that he is taking Bella to prom, much to her annoyance. He shows up at Bella's house on prom night, only to be told over the phone by Edward that she would be unavailable every night as far as anyone but himself was concerned.

Eric Yorkie
Eric, like Mike Newton, immediately took an interest in Bella when she arrived in Forks. Bella described him as being the "overly eager" chess club type, and he was one of the three boys (Mike, Tyler and himself) who asked Bella to the spring dance, though she declined all three. He develops a rivalry with Mike Newton, and later a dislike for Tyler as well. His friendship sways and mostly falls after Bella goes through a depression in the absence of Edward and the rest of the Cullen family.

Criticism
Kirkus Reviews stated that during Twilight, "Bella's appeal is based on magic rather than character" and that during New Moon, Bella's personality is "flat and obsessive". Laura Miller of Salon.com said, in regards to Bella and Edward, that "neither of them has much personality to speak of." In an article for the National Review website, Gina Dalfonzo said the Bella goes from being "self deprecating" as a human to "insufferably vain" as a vampire. She also stated that Bella gets what she wants and discovers her worth "by giving up her identity and throwing away nearly everything in life that matters." Natalie Pompilio of The Philadelphia Inquirer noted Bella as selfish for "putting aside friendships and family for her Edward obsession."

Etymology
Bella is a short form of Isabella. Bella means "beautiful" and Isabella means "My God is a vow". Bella also means "pretty" in Italian. Stephenie Meyer said on her website that Isabella is the name she had planned to name her daughter, if she had one.

Behind the scenes
On November 16, 2007 it was announced that Kristen Stewart was to play the role of Bella in the Twilight film. Meyer stated that she was "very excited" to see Stewart play the part.

Appearances

 * Twilight (First appearance)
 * Twilight (film)
 * Midnight Sun
 * New Moon
 * New Moon (film)
 * Eclipse
 * Breaking Dawn