So, to give you a solid answer: Bella Swan is 17 when she moves to Forks. She is 18 for New Moon and most of Eclipse. She becomes a vampire at 19. She then stays 19 forever. Edward stays 17 forever. So they’re visually the same age, but history-wise? He’s a fossil.
Is it a little weird? Yes. Is it the whole point of the story? Absolutely. Bella doesn’t want to be a human teenager. She wants to be an immortal adult. That’s her whole character arc.
Next time you watch the movies, just remember: when Bella is stressing about her prom dress, Edward has already lived through the Great Depression. It’s a wild ride. And I still can’t decide if I’m rooting for them or running for the hills.
Thank you for coming to my slightly uncomfortable TED Talk on fictional age gaps. You’re a real one for reading this far.
