Read update
- Spanning across the entirety of a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars saga remains one of the biggest brands in entertainment history. The illustrious franchise has been a dominant force for almost half a century and continues to thrive with Ahsoka currently streaming on Disney+.
From the moment Star Wars first hit theaters in 1977, it has been one of the most recognizable and iconic brands in entertainment history. That legend has only continued to grow as the franchise has expanded, with the Skywalker saga representing much of what Star Wars is at its very best; from its wondrous, fantasy adventure to its plucky heroes and, most notably, its many famous quotes.
Whether it was audiences being left shaken by Darth Vader's (James Earl Jones) revelation to Luke (Mark Hamill) that he is his father, or Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) now famous greeting to General Grievous (Matthew Wood), the Star Wars saga has no lack of legendary lines. Each film seems to have one that stands out though, defining the legacy of that picture while cementing itself among the best Star Wars quotes of all time.
Updated on September 24, 2023, by Ryan Heffernan:
Spanning across the entirety of a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars saga remains one of the biggest brands in entertainment history. The illustrious franchise has been a dominant force for almost half a century and continues to thrive with Ahsoka currently streaming on Disney+.
9 "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
Yoda, 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace' (1999)
The return of Star Wars in general was enough to get fans of the franchise excited about the prequels, but one element that was really enticing was the prospect of seeing Master Yoda (Frank Oz) as a prominent figure in the Jedi Order. While the original puppet may have raised some eyebrows, the character's wisdom remained firmly intact.
In his first meeting with a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), Yoda questions the young boy over his fear of losing his mother before elaborating on how that emotion, if allowed to take over, can lead to a life of pain and anger. It poignantly summarizes the life audiences know the young Jedi is going to lead and underpins Anakin's tragic arc throughout the saga.
8 "I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere."
Anakin Skywalker, 'Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones' (2002)
The Star Wars prequels toe an interesting line between retrospective appreciation and ongoing mockery, with the two often being enjoyed in equal measure as fans cast their minds back to the trilogy. While Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones does deserve recognition for its scale and its introduction of the clone army, it must be conceded that it does also contain some iconically bad dialogue.
The most glaring and infamous example of that is the monologue that a love-struck Anakin shares with Padme as they begin to grow close on Naboo. While what he says makes sense from the perspective of the dialogue linking to his childhood on the baron, desert planet of Tatooine, it ultimately fell laughably short striking audiences in the way George Lucas intended.
7 "Hello there!"
Obi-Wan Kenobi, 'Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith' (2005)
While the Star Wars prequels were received as a bit of an unintentionally hilarious meme, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith proved that that reputation wasn't all bad. One of the most well-known lines in cinematic history came from the climactic film when Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) quite literally dropped in on General Grievous (Matthew Wood) and greeted him with a smart alec "hello there."
In addition to being a humorous moment, it also hearkened back to the character's first appearance in the saga when Sir Alec Guinness uttered those two words to greet the droids in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. The greeting has become a character trademark, with McGregor again using the phrase when he met a young Luke Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
6 "The force will be with you. Always."
Ben Kenobi 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope' (1977)
Introducing audiences to the vast story world of Star Wars, A New Hope was loaded with sharp and fantastic lines that provided pinpointed exposition without slowing the pace of the adventure. Inarguably the most valuable character in this regard was Sir Alec Guinness' Obi-Wan (or Ben) Kenobi, the Jedi knight who served as Luke's mentor as he learns of his abilities with the force.
The calming wisdom and faith of Kenobi are epitomized in his final words to Luke in the film when, before parting ways with him on the Death Star, he says "the force will be with you. Always." The words echoed in Luke's ear again during the film's climactic attack on the Death Star, and Guinness' sublime, regal delivery of the line has made it one of the most renowned quotes in cinematic history.
5 "No, I am your father."
Darth Vader, 'Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)
Undoubtedly taking the cake as the most famous line in Star Wars, and maybe even in film history, Darth Vader's timeless quote changed the trajectory of the saga forever. Luke and Vader's lightsaber duel during the climax of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back is Star Wars at its very best, mixing sci-fi spectacle with a passionate, gritty thrill, however, the sequence only grows in intensity when the duel ends.
With Luke's arm cut off, the young Jedi can only crawl away from the imposing villain as he implores Luke to join him and rule the galaxy alongside him before revealing to Luke that he is his father. James Earl Jones' line delivery was utter perfection, and the ensuing, dread-filled music and Hamill's devastated performance helped elevate the scene to one of the most iconic moments ever put to screen.
4 "It's a trap!"
Admiral Ackbar, 'Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi' (1983)
Ample proof that Star Wars has always had a knack for creating a great meme, Admiral Ackbar's (Erik Bauersfeld) famous line has etched the character into the annals of cinematic legend. With the Rebel forces gathering to launch an attack on the Empire's second Death Star after troops on Endor have lowered the deflector shields, they arrive to find that the defenses are still very much intact.
The Rebels' sneak attack on the Death Star quickly becomes a panicked evasive maneuver as Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) deduces what the Emporer has done. Amid the turmoil of veering ships trying to split away and regroup, Admiral Ackbar famously warns his fleet "it's a trap!", making for one of the best quotes from Star Wars.
3 "Chewie, we're home."
Han Solo, 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (2015)
As a Star Wars film that excelled at re-capturing the magic aura of the original trilogy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was defined by its embracing of its nostalgic elements. Few scenes embodied that adoring sentimentality quite like the moments where Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew/Joonas Suotamo) hop aboard the Millennium Falcon for the first time in years.
Presented as a feature piece in the film's trailer, the line signaled not only the return of the original characters, but a return to form for the franchise as well. Charming and fun, it was a delightful moment in the film and one of the more memorable lines from the sequel trilogy.
2 "The greatest teacher, failure is."
Yoda, 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi was a divisive film, but one thing all audiences could surely agree on was the return of Master Yoda as a force ghost was a beautiful moment. With Luke struggling to get through to Rey (Daisy Ridley) as lingering doubts over his failure to train Ben Solo (Adam Driver) plague him, clouding his judgment.
It takes the emergence of his former master to help Luke re-align himself and take heed from his past mistakes. From the scene's very beginning, where Yoda greets a "young" Master Skywalker, the entire scene is a gorgeous reunion between the duo which hearkens back to the divine joy their relationship brought so many viewers in The Empire Strikes Back.
1 "I am all the Jedi."
Rey, 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)
As the final film of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker had plenty of flaws and a lot of them did come from some of the movie's dialogue. However, one moment that worked extremely well came when Rey, alongside a redeemed Kylo Ren, confronted the resurrected Emperor Palpatine with help from the Jedi who came before her.
It was a delight to hear the voices of past actors of the franchises returning to empower Rey in the ultimate battle against the Sith and the dark side of the force. Regarding the film's conclusion, this is the quote that fans should remember best as the summary of the Star Wars Skywalker saga.