*First published on FathersofMultiples.com
What are Your Favorite Quotes from the Star Wars Movies?
“May the Force be with you”?
“Scruffy Nerf herder”?
Maybe you prefer, “You got a boyfriend? A cute boyfriend?” Or… “Ex-squeeze me” and “How wude."
(Surely not those last few.)
Regardless of your favorite, you’ll notice there are plenty of famous Star Wars quotes to choose from! I don’t want to give spoilers away on what my favorite quote is…but my son’s name is Luke, so I get to say it whenever I want! Star Wars has succeeded in becoming not just part of pop culture but truly entering into the world’s vernacular! Many quotes from the movies are, therefore, heard in people’s conversations every day. Here’s our list of the top 20 quotes from the Star Wars Movie franchise.
Remember, you're going to see some spoilers, so watch and read at your own risk.
20. “Jyn, I’ll be there for you. Cassian said I had to.” – K-2SO from Rogue One
Hilarious line from a great and funny performance, throughout the Rogue One movie, by Alan Tudyk. Best line of the movie.
19. “It’s against my programming to impersonate a deity” – C3PO in a hilarious bit during The Return of the Jedi where the Ewoks believed him to be a god.
Now, if you’re looking for my least favorite Star Wars line…besides the Jar Jar ones listed above, the scene in Empire where 3PO falls into the wiring of the Falcon and says, “Help, I think I’m melting. This is all your fault.” That was just a goofy scene that people forget when talking about the newer movies’ goofy scenes. It made no sense. Also, he directed his anger at R2…yet R2 wasn’t even involved…
18. "When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not.” – Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back
Yoda always had the wisdom and inspiring words to dole out. But, he just as often threw out some great, humorous one liners!
17. “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookie.” – Leia Organa from The Empire Strikes Back
Wow, Leia and Han really volleyed the verbal attacks at each other left and right in Empire before they admitted how they truly felt!
Speaking of Han…
16. “No time to discuss this with a committee.” – Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back
Leia fires back, “I’m not a committee!”
15. “Chewie, we’re home.” – Han Solo from The Force Awakens
No better way to announce the return of all your favorite characters to the Star Wars franchise!
14. “You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi from The Revenge of the Sith
How sad and powerful this line is. Sadly, their next meeting doesn’t go any better.
13. “It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.” – Han Solo bragging about the Millennium Falcon (and his own piloting abilities) in A New Hope.
So, don’t call the Falcon a piece of junk!
12. “Scruffy looking, nerf herder!” – Leia Organa insulting Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back
Ouch! And in Leia’s list of insults, Han only took offense to “scruffy looking”!
11. “And I thought they smelled bad…on the outside.” – Han Solo from The Empire Strikes Back
Why do so many of Han’s plans end in bad smells? Garbage compactor anyone? Well, you can’t deny the success of the plans at least.
10. “Judge me by my size, do you?” – Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back
Any little kid being bullied would do well to remember this line. No matter how small you are, you can still do great things. Plus, it always helps if you can kick butt with the Force…
9. “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” – Leia Organa from A New Hope
This is the quote that got it all started. The space adventure to end all space adventures!
8. “There is another Skywalker.” – Yoda from Return of the Jedi
Not quite the bomb that was “I am your father,” this was still quite a shock to many.
7. “Never tell me the odds!” – Han Solo to C-3PO in The Empire Strikes Back
Good ol’ rogue, Han Solo, is brash and daring. It probably wouldn’t help his plans, if you can call them that, if you let him know ahead of time how unlikely they are to succeed!
6. “Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station.” – Emperor Palpatine from The Return of the Jedi.
I’m pretty sure if dropping the mic was a thing in their galaxy, the Emperor would have done it at this point. What ensued seemed surely like it was going to be the downfall of the Rebellion.
5. “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” - Darth Vader from A New Hope
Vader can be a scary dude!
And speaking of the Force … The Force Quotes!
4. “May the Force be with you.” – Pretty much any character from all of the movies and every human on Earth.
Also - “The Force will be with you, always.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi from A New Hope
And – “Use the Force, Luke.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi from A New Hope
** Note – Obi-Wan never actually says “May the Force be with you” in the originals. He doesn’t say the line until his time in the prequels. First time can be seen in Attack of the Clones.
3. “I love you.” “I know.” – Leia Organa and Han Solo from The Empire Strikes Back and flip flopped in The Return of the Jedi.
One of Harrison Ford’s famous ad libs that was better than what had been written! Harrison’s other ad lib involves dysentery during Raiders of the Lost Ark…
2. “Do, or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back
More inspiring and wise words spoken have not been!
1. “Luke, I am your father.” - Darth Vader from The Empire Strikes Back
Actually, as I’m sure someone will explain…this isn’t the EXACT quote. It’s a condensed quote that the world has come to believe is the real quote, and so everyone goes around saying this version. Hey, news articles condense quotes all the time with the (…) in the middle, so why not? Therefore: “Luke…I am your father.”
Honorable Mentions:
“Han shot first!” – New Hope
While this isn’t a quote from any of the actual films, it is now a famous quote ABOUT them. When Lucas decided to tinker with the classic films, some of the updates to the effects were cool. Tinkering with the plot line that made him a billionaire? How dare he. It’s almost sad that he still adamantly explains that Greedo “always shot first, we just didn’t have the effects to show it.” Nope. No way. Han is … was… a scoundrel. He would NOT sit there 3 feet away from a bounty hunter, knowing he’s going to get shot, and wait for it to happen. (And why can’t a bounty hunter shoot straight…just 3 feet away anyway?)
Han’s character would shoot first. That brash scoundrel personality is one of the reasons everyone loves him! Don’t believe me, Mr. Lucas? Take a look at Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indy, who is basically Han in more ways than just the casting, shot the guy who’d just displayed his sword prowess…without waiting to be attacked. Why is it ok for Indy but not Han??
Luke dusts off his shoulder – Last Jedi
While not a quote, this is perhaps the best scene in Last Jedi, so it deserves an honorable mention spot! The boldness shown in this move, the “you’re not quite there yet, junior” aspect of it. THIS is the Luke we deserved for the whole movie.
“You like me because I’m a scoundrel.” – Han Solo from The Empire Strikes Back
Ok, this is the scene that finally paid off the "will-they-or-won’t-they" with THE Star Wars kiss. Shipping wasn’t a titled thing back then, but everyone was hoping for this one. This entry in the list kind of had to be an honorable mention…because of the vast number of Empire quotes selected. But, hey, there’s a reason everyone counts it as the best in the series!
The “Wilhelm Scream”
The Wilhelm scream is a scream sound effect commonly used in movies originating back to a 1951 movie called Distant Drums. In that movie, a character emits the famous scream when attacked by a crocodile. Now…the scream is named the Wilhelm Scream based on a 1953 movie in which the recorded scream was reused for a cowboy named Wilhelm. So, miss-attribution? Too bad they didn’t have the Internet back then to get it right. Regardless of its true origin, the use of the recorded scream has been used in over 300 movies and, as kind of an inside joke, George Lucas has used it in all of his.
So, listen closely, and you’ll hear it in every single Star Wars movie.
So, what are your favorite Star Wars quotes? Did they make our list?
Don't forget to check out our Star Wars Day crafts and suggested viewing order for the Star Wars movie series!