Twilight Saga: Edward Cullen (INFP)

Edward Cullen’s character from the Twilight film series doesn’t get nearly as fleshed out as it does in the book. However, based on what there is to work with, we are fairly certain that Edward fits the INFP personality type best. We considered other possibilities for Edward beyond INFP, such as INFJ like some people believe him to be. However, there appears to be no significant evidence of Fe, in addition to him appearing to be a feeler. Of course, bear in mind that Edward Cullen from the books may not be an INFP. Movies can and often do change a character’s intended personality type. Hopefully, this analysis makes sense. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Fi:

“Beautiful? This is the skin of a killer. I’m a killer.”

“I don’t want to be a monster.”

“You know, your mood swings are kinda giving me whiplash.” – Bella about Edward

Edward is driven by his values, which is why he views himself in such a negative light. He has convinced himself that he’s without a soul, and doomed to live a meaningless existence, resulting in him being a generally sullen and depressed individual. At the beginning of their relationship, Bella asks Edward if Carlisle is the reason why he doesn’t drink human blood. Edward explains that he doesn’t want to be a monster, although it’s pretty clear that is what he sees himself as. He constantly warns Bella away from him in the beginning because of this.

Edward is particularly ashamed of an early stage in his vampire life, one in which he did lean into his murderous instincts. He explains this stage to Bella in a later movie, hoping it would change Bella’s mind about wanting to become a vampire. However, the evil version of him just ends up being the equivalent of a vigilante. He targets people who are morally objectionable in some way, such as a man who is about to prey on an innocent woman. So, even in this state, he still has a reasonably strong hold on his values, even if he’s using darker methods.

Edward is emotionally impulsive, like Bella, which is why the relationship between the two gets intense very fast. Once she learns his secret, Edward quickly opens up to her, and shares his feelings. We considered Fe for Edward, but his abrasive nature and lack of social couth in the beginning (in public) contradicts that theory, especially given his age and experience as a vampire.

Ne:

“That’s all superhero stuff, right? What if I’m not the hero? What if I’m the bad guy?”

“Yes. No. To get to the other side. 1.77245”

“And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.”

Edward’s Ne is not show-cased incredibly well. However, there are signs of it. For instance, Edward has a poetic or dramatic flare to him, which surfaces in his relationship with Bella. In addition, he tends to over-analyze situations, which makes him look overly cautious. For instance, he disables Bella’s vehicle in an attempt to prevent her from seeing Jacob. Edward doesn’t always share his concerns or any potential scenarios that he may be considering, but it’s pretty clear that he’s often in a state of worrying when it comes to Bella.

Edward expects Bella to be inquisitive. When she doesn’t ask some of the questions he expects, he prompts her to do so. (For instance, he tells her to ask what he eats.) This suggests that he would be doing that if in her place. He also tries to convince her to consider alternate scenarios that she clearly wasn’t considering, such as what if he wasn’t the good guy. Along the same strain, when she generally asks for answers (without offering specific questions), Edward responds with random answers to irrelevant or unasked questions. He says, “Yes. No. To get to the other side. 1.77245”

Si:

“I’m nothing if not traditional.”

“Prom is an important rite of passage. I didn’t want you to miss anything.”

“I know the consequences of this choice you’re making. I’ve lived through it.”

“It’s just one rule I want to leave unbroken.”

Edward is both traditional and sentimental, as a result of his Fi-Si combination. He generally values traditions, which is why he pushes Bella to go to prom, explaining that it’s an important rite of passage. However, his traditional nature is much more obvious in how he approaches his relationship with Bella. He has a specific ideal in his head of how courting should go, based on the time he grew up in, and explains this to Bella along with his expectations for their relationship. Having died young in his era, he’s unable to live out his ideal precisely, but he fulfills what he can in his relationship with Bella. For instance, he does the little things like carry her across the threshold on their honeymoon.

Edward generally seems to have struggled to adapt to his existence as a vampire, which is why he’s so against Bella becoming one. Over and over again, he pushes back against her desire to be changed, explaining that he knows the consequence because he’s lived through it.

Te:

“Can you at least watch where you walk?”

Initially, in the first movie, Edward comes across as abrasive and cold. While he’s curious to understand to get to know her better, Edward hides behind his Te when dealing with her. Conversations that he begins with her often start and end abruptly, once he’s said what he wanted to say or asked what he wanted to ask. One moment he’ll be trying to make casual conversation with her, the next he’ll be reacting harshly or acting openly critical.

Edward frequently tries to push Bella into doing what he thinks is best. Of course, he gets mixed results in the process, but that doesn’t stop him. He’s also prone to taking extreme reaction when emotionally triggered, which is why he asks Bella to distract him when driving them away from the group of men that had threatened her.