Edward Cullen

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen (born Edward Anthony Masen) is a fictional character in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. He is featured in the books Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse.

Personal history
Edward Anthony Masen was born on June 20th, in the year of 1901 to Edward and Elizabeth Masen.

While nearly dying of the Spanish influenza in Chicago in 1918, he was changed into a vampire by a doctor named Carlisle Cullen as the result of an indirect request made by his dying mother; Carlisle believed that Elizabeth sensed that he was different and asked him to do "what others cannot do" to save her son's life.

As a human, Edward was very sensitive to the thoughts of the people around him, and when he was changed, he gained the ability to hear others' thoughts. After Edward was changed into a vampire, he rebelled against Carlisle's practice of drinking animal's blood after about a decade, though he understood why Carlisle only fed on animals. Since he could read minds, he purposefully sought out and preyed on only the worst of society, which was how he justified his actions to himself. However, after a few years, he became guilt-ridden, realized that Carlisle was right, and returned home. He has not strayed since. (Further reading: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse)

Twilight
The first time Edward saw Bella in Twilight was on her first day at Forks High school. On that day, he noticed that he was, and still is, unable to read Bella's mind. He was considerably frustrated. Later, in Biology (the only class he has with Bella), he is nearly overwhelmed by the scent of her blood, to the point of contemplating slaughtering the entire rest of the class just so that there would be no witnesses to his feeding on her, and the fact that she moves her hair right between her and Edward doesn't help his situation at all. Edward is resentful and angry that Bella could make him lose the control he'd built for years. In hopes of preventing a calamity, he doesn't acknowledge her, even though she is sitting next to him, and when the bell rings, he is the first person out of class. After school, he tries to transfer out of Biology, but when Bella walks into the office, that same desire to drink her blood nearly overcomes him. To avoid doing something he would later regret, he leaves quickly and runs to Alaska.

After a week away, Edward returns to school, determined not to allow the new girl to disrupt the life he and his family have created in Forks. Edward, now prepared to resist Bella's tempting blood, starts to converse with Bella in class, although she notices his fists balled up with tension. But the day after his return, Bella is nearly hit by a van driven by fellow student Tyler Crowley. In a split-second decision, he saves her life using his supernatural speed and strength in public, risking exposure of not only himself but his entire family. Bella witnesses his abilities and becomes suspicious while his family's reactions range from disapproval to fury. Because of Bella's suspicions, Edward ends all contact with her for about six weeks until he can't take it anymore, saying that he's tired of trying to stay away from her. They become friends, sitting and talking together at lunch. While socializing with teenagers of the nearby Quileute tribe, Bella notes that they hint at the Cullens not being allowed on their reservation. She re-unites with Jacob Black, the son of her father's friend and an old childhood friend, and tricks him into telling her tribal legends by flirting outrageously. He says that the Quileutes were believed to be descended from werewolves and that the Cullen family (vampires) moved into the area years ago. They made a treaty with the werewolves: the vampires must not bite or kill a human or enter the reservation, and the werewolves will not expose the vampires for what they are. Bella is shocked and terrified as she finally comes to terms with this strange reality, but by that point they're in too deep. It is too late for either of them to stay away from the other. When Bella is interrogated by Jessica about her relationship with Edward, she tells her they are secretly dating as opposed to a truth no one will believe.

Being with Edward is a lethal risk for Bella because he must constantly fight his desire for her blood, as well as the fact that he could easily kill her without meaning to. He constantly warns Bella against being with him, but she ignores him. His fears become justified when, during a Cullen family baseball game in the woods, a group of 'non-vegetarian' vampires smell Bella. Edward found out that one of them, a tracker called James, decided to kill Bella. Terrified for her safety, the whole Cullen family splits up to confuse James. Alice and Jasper (Edward's siblings) take Bella to a hotel room in Phoenix, where they wait to see if the others have destroyed James, which was their intention. James, however, is clever, and eludes the others and tricks Bella into thinking that he has her mother. He uses this to get her to come to him. He decides to kill her slowly, and this gives the Cullens time to find them, which they do just in time. Even though James has already bitten her, the wound is clean and Edward is able to suck the venom back out of Bella without drinking all her blood. Bella spends several weeks in a hospital in Phoenix recovering from her wounds. Edward feels guilty about the risk to her safety. Bella brings up wanting to be changed into a vampire, but Edward sternly refuses. His reason is not revealed until New Moon. They return to Forks and finish out the school year. Edward takes Bella to prom against her will, despite the fact that Bella has a broken leg. The book ends on a happy note, but Bella and Edward are still at an impasse as to whether or not Bella will be turned into a vampire. ...

New Moon
New Moon starts with Bella attempting to keep her 18th birthday a secret from the town and the Cullens family. She is very upset by her birthday because her turning 18 makes her "older" than Edward. She and Edward are still arguing over her becoming a vampire, and Bella doesn't want to be much older than Edward when she changes.(Bella is certain that she will eventually change.) So when Alice throws her a "surprise" birthday party Bella goes along with it just to make Alice happy, and while opening a gift she gets a paper cut. The trickle of blood almost sends Jasper (the newest member of the Cullen Family) over the edge. Anticipating the attack, Edward hears his thoughts and pulls Bella out of the way. In doing so, however, he accidentally hurls Bella into a pile of glass plates, slicing her arms and causing her to bleed profusely. At this point, it takes Emmett to restrain Jasper while Carlisle patches her wounds. Edward has always hated how he seems to put Bella in danger because of what he is and the birthday party showed him just how dangerous vampires can be, so Edward makes the decision to leave in order to save Bella. He convinces Bella he doesn't want her anymore and leaves Forks to travel to Alaska with the rest of the Cullens.

After leaving Forks, Edward mostly just lives an infinitely elongated, depressed and meaningless life curled in a ball, though he does try his hand at tracking so that when he finds Victoria (James's mate) he will be able to track her but he is very unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, back in Forks, Bella has gone completely numb except for the huge hole torn in her from Edward. Every night there are nightmares about him that make her life miserable. Finally, when Charlie is threatening to send Bella to Jacksonville, she goes becomes friends with Jacob Black so that they can fix a pair of motorcycles. Bella wants the motorcycles because she recently discovered that when she puts herself in danger, Edwards voice comes into her head to lead her out of danger. There friendship comes to a sudden halt one day when Jacob becomes "sick." After Jacob should be better, he still refuses to see Bella until eventually one night he comes to visit her and tell her of his secret. After that, Bella is in danger once more and against Edward's wishes.

After some months of living in a ball, Edward receives a phone call from Rosalie. Rosalie tells him that Alice had gone back to Forks because Bella committed suicide (she had been cliff diving).

Shocked, Edward calls Bella's house as Carlisle and asks to speak to Charlie, but Jacob Black answers the phone and says that Charlie is at the funeral (but not Bella's funeral, one of Charlie's close friends), which convinces him that Bella is, in fact, dead.

Unwilling and unable to live without her, Edward rushes to Volterra, Italy, from Brazil and to the Volturi (the "royal family" of vampires) in order to ask them to kill him. When they refuse, Edward decides to force their hand by attempting to expose himself as a vampire inside their own city, which would lead to his immediate execution. Bella, who rushes to Italy with Alice as soon as they realize what Edward is doing, stops him just before he steps into the sunlight, which would have made his skin sparkle and immediately shown he was a vampire. But even though he has not exposed himself, and Bella hasn't gone completely insane, they still aren't safe. Edward has exposed their secret to a human, (Bella) and by the laws of the Volturi she must either die or become a vampire herself. To save them, Alice shows Aro, a leader who has an ability similar to Edward's, that Bella will be changed soon enough...despite Edward's protests--and they are finally allowed to leave.

Back in Forks, Bella at last comes to terms with the fact that Edward really does love her as much as she loves him, and gathers the Cullens (who have moved back) in a meeting where the family votes on whether or not Bella should be changed into one of their kind and enter their family. The majority votes affirmatively, but they all agree that it should not happen until after she graduates from high school. Edward is furious, but later agrees to change Bella himself if she will marry him first (to Bella's utter distaste). Later, Jacob reminds Edward that the Cullens are not allowed to bite or kill a human without violating the treaty.

Eclipse
In Eclipse, Bella is upset by the fact that her best friend and werewolf, Jacob Black, refuses to talk to her. Edward, still trying to draw out Bella's human life, insists on her filling out various applications for college. While bringing over more applications, Edward notices the newspaper's cover story about multiple murders in nearby Seattle. He reveals that his family suspects new-born vampires are about, though they can’t imagine why they aren’t aware of the rules set down by the Volturi. Edward, Bella, and Alice are finishing their senior years. One day at school, Alice sees that Victoria is back in town, searching for Bella. Edward tries to keep this information from Bella. He insists that they take the weekend to go visit Bella’s mother in Florida, using the tickets given to Bella for her 18th birthday by Edward’s parents.

When they get back, Jacob confronts Edward about why he kept this information from Bella, also discussing the treaty’s bounds, as the Cullen’s crossed the territorial line chasing Victoria. Edward tells Bella what happened, revealing that he took Bella from Forks to keep her safe. Bella and Jacob reconcile, and begin hanging out once again, of which Edward disapproves. After convincing Edward that she will be safe with the werewolves, Edward allows Bella to visit La Push once in a while. On one of these visits, Jacob confesses his love for Bella, kissing her forcefully. She responds by punching him, resulting only in a broken hand, as werewolves are almost as durable as vampires. Edward threatens Jacob on Bella’s return from La Push, telling Jacob that if he ever returns Bella injured again, he will be "running with three legs", and that if he ever kisses her without her permission again, Edward will break his jaw for her.

The reason behind Edward's reluctance to change Bella into a vampire is revealed. He tells Bella that changing her into monster, just so that he will never have to lose her, is the most selfish thing he could ever do. In addition, he believes that vampires are soulless creatures who have no place in heaven. He tells her that if there was any way for him to be human again, he would change for her no matter the price. Edward proposes to Bella once more, and she accepts under the condition that, after their wedding, they'll make love while she's still human.

Jacob and Edward make a treaty to work together to protect Bella from Victoria, who is still attempting to find her. After a while, the Cullens figure out why there is a pack of newborn vampires in Seattle, as Jasper Whitlock has experience with the situation: they are being bred by Victoria for use as an army (newborn vampires, while inexperienced and clumsy, are incredibly strong, even by vampire standards). The werewolves agree to fight the vampires with the Cullens, and a plan is made to rage battle against them, using Jasper's knowledge of newborns and their instincts. While laying down this plan, Edward and Bella decide to spend the night in the mountains after Bella takes her part in the plan.

To lead the newborns, who have already been fixated on Bella's scent, to the meadow where the fight will occur, Bella and Edward go to the meadow, where they meet Jacob. Edward takes Bella over to a spot the newborns will be sure to pass, and has her walk into the meadow, while Edward walks 30 yards parallel to her toward the meadow, to make sure she doesn't get hurt. While walking, Bella begins touching everything she can to make her scent even more abundant. While doing this, she cuts her arm, and begins to bleed. She decides that the blood would be irresistible to the newborns, and begins wiping it on branches and rocks. Once in the middle of the meadow, Edward tends to Bella's wounds. Bella tells him to cover his nose so the scent won't sway his self-control, but he says that it doesn't bother him anymore, revealing that he now has control over his thirst as great as or greater than Carlisle's. After tending to her wounds, Edward has Jacob, whose scent is revolting to vampires, carry Bella to the campsite to mask her scent.

The night is so cold, however, that Bella needs Jacob to come and sleep in her sleeping bag to keep her warm. During the night, when Bella is thought to be asleep, Jacob openly confesses his feelings for Bella to Edward, and the two of them come to an understanding that there are things Jacob can do for Bella that Edward cannot do, such as keep her warm.

In the morning, Edward and Bella begin to discuss some of their favorite nights together and the marriage between the two is brought up. They are interrupted by a loud howl of agony, and Bella realizes that Jacob was listening outside the tent. She sends Edward to find him, worried about what he might do in his pain. When they return, Edward gives them time to talk. Jacob tells her he will commit suicide during battle if she does not kiss him. This is a trick to get Bella to admit she is in love with him and to kiss Jacob. She then begs Jacob to do so. During the kiss, Bella realizes she is in love with Jacob; however it is not of the same love or intensity with which she loves Edward. When Edward returns, he realizes what had happened by listening to another werewolf's thoughts. He tells Bella that he is not angry with her for loving Jacob, and that he understands her frustration (to Bella's utter annoyance).

Soon after, Victoria arrives with her coven of newborns, and the battle begins. Victoria leaves her group in the course of the fight to track down Bella, and arrives at the camp site where Edward, Bella, and Seth, a young werewolf are waiting out the fight. One of Victoria’s newborns, Riley, accompanies her. Seth defeats the newborn Riley, and Edward destroys Victoria. The battle ends, and it is discovered that Jacob has been wounded. Bella goes to visit him, and they come to the uncomfortable understanding that Bella loves Jacob, but cannot live without Edward. Jacob insists that if she changes her mind, he will be waiting.

After Bella agrees to let Alice plan their wedding, Edward decides that he will make love to Bella without getting married, "no strings attached" because she's doing the wedding for everyone elses happiness, but not her own. Bella declines and decides that it is time to tell Charlie of their engagement. The epilogue is seen through Jacob Black's point of view. Edward, without Bella’s knowledge, sends Jacob a wedding invitation, angering him unintentionally. The book ends with Jacob running away in wolf form, intending to "leave Jacob Black behind".

Physical appearance
Like all vampires, Edward is described as impossibly handsome, to the point of being almost godlike. His skin is like granite--pale, hard as stone, and ice cold, but perfect and flawless. If he has recently fed, the dark purple circles under his eyes become lighter--a vampire trait. In the sunlight, his skin sparkles like millions of diamonds. His eyes change color depending on his mood. They are described as a butterscotch when he is delighted and fed and gradually darken to black, like onyx, as he is angered and when he is thirsty. It takes about two weeks for his eyes to darken from their lightest color to pitch black. However, when Edward Cullen was human his eyes were green in color. His hair is described both as a strange shade of bronze and as an auburn, also like his human mother's, and is always in "casual disarray". Edward stands at six feet one and a half inches, and he has a slender (yet still quite muscular) build. At one point in the series, Bella compares Edward's good looks to those of Michaelangelo's "David" or even as "all the Greek Gods put into one".

Bella
Isabella (Bella) Swan is Edward's first and only girlfriend, but they generally use the term "soul mates", as they figure that the ordinary human terms for love do not adequately describe the deep connection they feel.

Edward fell for Bella despite his apprehensions, and constantly struggles to keep her safe. Edward has a strong attraction to Bella's blood--she is referred to as his 'singer', because of how her blood "sings to him"--making it extremely difficult for Edward even to be in her presence. Early on in Twilight, Edward struggled to stay away from and ignore Bella in an attempt to protect her, but he eventually caved in and fell in love with her. He insists on keeping a close watch on her to make sure she is safe, and even admits to watching her sleep at night (and listening to her sleep-talk while sitting beside her).

Eventually, Edward becomes able to resist her blood and forms a romantic relationship with her, by using a method he likes to call "mind over matter". Edward loves Bella deeply and would do anything for her, even going so far as to try to commit suicide after hearing about her 'death' (via his sister Rosalie, after Rosalie heard of it from their other sister Alice), refusing to live without her. This experience caused Edward to be revolted at the very thought of drinking Bella's blood. As much as he loves her, Edward refuses to change Bella into a vampire, despite her strong desire to become one, because of his strong beliefs is that vampires are the damned and soulless and he fears that Bella would be subject to the same fate. However, at the end of New Moon, Bella brings the matter to a vote with the other Cullens, and it is decided that she will be turned into a vampire after graduation by Carlisle. However, Edward strikes a compromise: he will change her himself if she will marry him first. Bella doesn't want to get married, but decides she will if Edward agrees to change her and sleep with her, as she is "unwilling to give up that human experience". Thus, Edward promises to sleep with her and turn her into a vampire only if Bella marries him first, as he wishes to protect their virtue as was custom during his human life in the early 1900s.

Interestingly, at the end of Eclipse, Edward decides to drop Bella's side of the compromise but Bella refuses, saying she wants to do this in her own definition of "right", which is essentially to marry Edward first and allow her family and friends to be present at the wedding to say goodbye before she becomes a vampire. When Edward and Bella are about to leave the meadow after their "chat", Bella decides to go and tell Charlie that she is engaged to Edward.

Rosalie
Rosalie Hale was changed into a vampire by Carlisle Cullen after he found her near death in the street. He had originally hoped she would be a companion for Edward. He never showed anything but sibling-feelings for her and she him. Rosalie instead, fell for Emmett, who she found later, in the woods.

Tanya
Tanya is a strawberry-blonde vampire who lives in Denali, Alaska with her family (similar in dietary ways as the Cullens). It was revealed that she showed interest in Edward when they first met, but he rejected her politely. Edward reassures Bella that Tanya poses no threat, nor had she ever, to Edward's affection for Bella, teasing her that he prefers brunettes.

Vampiric traits
Edward, like all vampires, possesses superhuman strength (sufficient to lift a large van, as demonstrated in Twilight), speed, durability (sufficient to take a high-speed impact by said van without any physical damage whatsoever), endurance and agility. Edward is the fastest of the Cullens, easily able to outrun any other member of his family (or any other vampire, for that matter). Edward can also read the minds of anyone within a few miles of himself as a side affect of his nature (Bella is the one single person who is immune to this ability). Some vampires have special talents such as Edward's, but not all do. He can also cease breathing for as long as he desires when needed, since breathing is not a necessity for vampires (though Edward has stated that it gets uncomfortable to stop breathing, due to habit, and the fact that it is linked to their sense of smell). Like other vampires in the series, Edward is not adversely affected by sunlight, but avoids it, as it causes his skin to sparkle. These vampires are incapable of sleeping, and receive nutrients only from blood. He and his family resist the temptation to drink human blood, a vampire's natural food source, choosing instead to drink the blood of animals.

Vampires release venom when they bite their prey. If this venom is absorbed into a human's bloodstream, they will undergo the excruciatingly painful process of transforming into a vampire over the course of approximately three days, depending on the location of the bite relative to the heart. When the "heart stops beating" then the transformation is complete. When a vampire bites someone, a crescent-shaped scar is left where the person was bitten.

Movie portrayal
On December 11, 2007, it was announced that Robert Pattinson will portray the role of Edward Cullen in the upcoming film adaptation of Twilight. On the author's website, she stated that she is ecstatic with Summit's choice for Edward.