Stephenie Meyer Would Change When Edward Cullen Says 3 Words To Bella Swan in ‘Twilight’; It Should Have Happened Much Sooner

Twilight came out in 2005 and it’s been a nonstop phenomenon ever since. It, of course, went on to famously spawn five movies starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as well, and that’s its own powerful part of the franchise. 

It gets a lot of hate, whether it’s because tween and teen girls like it a lot or because it’s about sparkling vampires — among actually valid reasons — but it has its moments. Especially when it comes to the books, which give a ton more detail. And if author Stephenie Meyer could go back and change something, she would have Edward declare something to Bella a lot sooner.  

Stephenie Meyer released ‘Midnight Sun’ from Edward’s point of view this past summer

Meyer took a much closer look at Twilight, the first novel in the series than many authors might at their debut book. She released Midnight Sun this past August, and it’s a retelling of the first book from Edward Cullen’s point of view. 

Of course, in doing that, Meyer had to stick to every single piece of dialogue and decision that was made with the first book. Which, again, was written over a decade ago. She’s had a lot more time with these characters, and she knows them inside and out now. Not to mention, she’s thought about these situations a lot more since then. 

In doing so, she came across one pivotal conversation that occurs in the book far too late for her liking. If she could change it, she’d move it up. 

Edward Cullen would have ‘absolutely’ said 3 words sooner to Bella Swan

What is it? Well, when Meyer spoke to Bustle in August ahead of Midnight Sun’s release, she said that she’d have Edward tell Bella that he loved her sooner. 

“When I was writing Twilight, things felt right,” Meyer said. “But then I realized [Edward] absolutely would have told [Bella] he loved her sooner. There’s no way he wouldn’t have. There were certain points where I’m like, ‘Yes, he would have said it right here.’ And I can’t change that. And that’s very frustrating.”

It’s actually funny to read it now, as the reader who knows exactly what’s going to happen. Not just a few chapters ahead, but literally books ahead. Years ahead in the lives of these characters. To hear Edward go on and on about how he can’t understand why Bella doesn’t see herself as amazing or why she doesn’t just understand that he loves her when he hasn’t actually voiced it out loud is beyond frustrating. 

It actually has readers realize how in the dark Bella was about a lot of Edward’s true feelings. This makes his leaving in New Moon more believable because she was just always so on the fence when he was just so guarded and not forthcoming with his feelings. 

“Part of the struggle of writing [Midnight Sun] was there wasn’t much room for me to readdress and to make changes. I’ve been locked into the story,” Meyer also said. “I knew what Edward was thinking and feeling [when I was writing Twilight]. So for me, there aren’t a lot of surprises, and I wish that there was more room for changes.”

Port Angeles was really the big turning point in Bella and Edward’s relationship

Of course, that’s the nature of writing something like this, unfortunately. But where would she have put that scene, you may ask? She would have put it after that fateful night in Port Angeles. 

“He definitely would have after he saved her in Port Angeles,” Meyer said. “He addresses that mentally where he is kind of surprised, as he thinks over their conversation when he’s talking to her again, that he didn’t say it.”

In the novel, he actually doesn’t say it until right before the baseball game, before everything goes south and Bella has to flee to Arizona because of James. But it’s there after Edward almost loses Bella to those goons in Port Angeles that he comes to that realization. And where he should have voiced it out loud, in Meyer’s opinion. 

“He’s like, ‘Oh, is she not aware?’” Meyer continued. “But still, I feel like if I had the freedom to rework it instead of just telling his side, there would have been some fun changes.”

That night is a big one for revelations, though. Because even though Edward doesn’t voice his epiphany, Bella does. That car ride home is when she tells him that she knows he’s a vampire.

Midnight Sun is still a fun way to get into those intricate, brooding moments in Edward’s brain. Like this: when he keeps the “L” word tucked away in his brain for far too long.