- The scene in "Twilight" in which Bella and Edward make their relationship official is underrated.
- The way the characters react to the new couple feels reminiscent of any other high school film or TV show.
Catherine Hardwicke's "Twilight" has many memorable moments: The epic baseball scene; Bella Swan and Edward Cullen's steamy first kiss; Mike Newton sprinkling his wet baseball cap on Bella and asking her, "How you likin' the rain, girl?"
But there's one underrated scene that lives rent-free in my mind: Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) hard-launching their ill-advised relationship in the parking lot of Forks High School.
Nowadays, people reveal their romances on social media. There's no shortage of options, though some platforms are arguably trendier than others. But when "Twilight" was released in 2008, social media was in its infancy. Instagram, Snapchat, BeReal, and TikTok didn't exist.
Instead, hard launches were done in person, and no couple nailed it better than Edward and Bella. The image of the vampire's arm around Bella, as they strut together to their homeroom, is burned in my memory — largely because it's one of the few moments in the entire series that doesn't take itself so seriously.
In a fantastical movie about vampires and werewolves, the scene is a quintessential high-school moment
Not long before this scene, Bella confronts Edward about being a vampire. Despite Edward having the sparkling skin of a killer and describing Bella as his "own personal brand of heroin," they disregard their predator-prey dynamic and make their relationship official at school.
In the parking lot, Edward, already hearing the thoughts of everyone around him, opens the passenger door of his silver Volvo, smirking. Bella steps out right as Mutemath's "Spotlight" starts to play.
Even though Edward has repeated high school dozens of times since being turned into a vampire, in this scene, he's rid himself of monotony. It's one of the rarer moments in the first movie where he's not brooding or being borderline creepy. In later movies, he talks about his soul with a heavy seriousness, but here, he's uncharacteristically nonchalant, remarking that he's going to hell with the same breeziness as any ordinary rule-breaking teenager.
It doesn't matter that he's a bloodthirsty vampire and she's a fragile human. At that moment, he's just the rich, mysterious guy with sunglasses, perfectly coiffed hair, and a winning smile. And Bella is the ordinary girl who, to the confusion of their peers, has managed to catch the attention of the hottest guy at school.
a scene from twilight that changed lives: pic.twitter.com/RCHN0eeOZG
— twilight renaissance | fanpage (@twilightreborn) November 21, 2023
When a relationship is hard-launched in teen movies and TV shows, kids often pass judgment or voice their opinions. When it happens in "Twilight," it strips the movie of its otherworldly nature for one brief second, grounding it back in reality. Bella's pal Eric (Justin Chon) looks perplexed by the new development; Angela (Christian Serratos) emits the "you go, girl" facial expression of a supportive friend; Edward's adoptive sister Rosalie Hale (Nikki Reed) glares with obvious dissatisfaction.
Anything that the people of Forks know about the Cullens is intentional. They all agree to keep a low profile, remaining secretive and aloof. So, Edward deliberately parading his new relationship in front of everyone is an act of pure, unadulterated teen rebellion.
But this moment isn't just about making Edward and Bella's romance official. It underscores the absurdly quick evolution of their dynamic from distant biology lab partners to official boyfriend and girlfriend.
Like any great gossip, the revelation that Edward and Bella were together came out of nowhere to their fellow students. There was no progression or indication to an outsider that this seemingly mismatched, incompatible pairing would happen.
As the camera pans around at all of their stunned faces, I feel like one of them, drinking up every second of this teenage tea. If this is the version of high school the Cullens are attending, I can see why they keep enrolling.