You can’t stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting. – Shmi Skywalker, The Phantom Menace
Yes, another line from the Prequels, and from The Phantom Menace no less, but again this line speaks to what the Star Wars saga is ultimately about: the power to change.
Nevermind that Anakin’s fear of change is what led him to the Dark Side, ironically changing everything about him, but Star Wars is about change from beginning to end. Anakin changes to Darth Vader, Luke changes from a whining farmer to humble Jedi, Han Solo changes from a cocky, selfish smuggler to heroic Rebellion leader. Change is one of the saga’s central themes, exemplified even further by Luke’s belief he can change Vader back to Anakin Skywalker, even as everyone around him tells him that’s impossible. Though this line is said in arguably the worst Star Wars film, it summarizes nearly everything about the saga perfectly.
You failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.
So be it… Jedi. – Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine, Return of the Jedi
The journey Luke Skywalker took to become a Jedi Knight was filled with difficulty and conflict, finally culminating aboard the second Death Star in front of Emperor Palpatine himself. After a very brief brush with the Dark Side, allowing him to overcome Darth Vader, Luke realized how close he was to become what he had always feared and rejected Palaptine’s offer to become his new apprentice. His affirmation that he was a Jedi, as well as tossing away his lightsaber, helped complete that transition, but what really cemented Luke’s status as a Jedi Knight was Palaptine’s own acknowledgment of it.
The way Palpatine says “So bet it, Jedi” is chilling. You can almost feel the anger radiating off him and Ian McDiarmid delivers the line excellently.
Well somebody has to save our skins! Into the garbage chute, flyboy! – Princess Leia, A New Hope
In the old fairy tales, princesses who get kidnapped or thrown into danger are often the damsel in distress, needing a strong prince to come rescue them. If Star Wars is a science fiction version of a fairy tale, it does it all wrong as Princess Leia is nobody’s damsel. After being captured by the Empire Leia is repeatedly uncooperative, even in the face of her home planet’s destruction. When Luke, Han and Chewbacca rescue her, they’re surprised to find she’s in no mood for half-ass plans and takes assertive action.
The escape from the Death Star’s prisoner block and this subsequent line establish Princess Leia as a new kind of heroine for audiences to enjoy. She doesn’t just sit back and let others do the work, but places herself at risk as well, resisting Han Solo’s charm all the way. She even calls Han out on many of his bad ideas and attitude, but it’s this line that establishes Leia as the iconic character she is.
I love you.
I know. – Princess Leia and Han Solo, The Empire Strikes Back
When two characters are threatened to be split apart for a long time, if not forever, there are always declarations of everlasting love to give comfort to their partners. But when its Han Solo, the only declaration of love you’re going to get is “I know”.
This is one of the best lines in the saga more for the behind the scenes story when they filmed this scene. Originally, Han Solo was supposed to say “I love you too”, but George Lucas, director Irvin Kershner and Harrison Ford all felt that dialogue felt unnatural coming from Han. After several takes, Kershner finally told Ford to improvise and say the first thing that popped into his head. The result was Ford bluntly stating “I know”. Everyone involved loved the idea so much that they didn’t need to work on it anymore, thus cementing Han Solo’s reputation as the Clint Eastwood of sci-fi.
Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship. – Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back
Again from Yoda, this monologue perfectly explains what exactly the Force is and how powerful it can be. There’s a great sense of mysticism here, powered by the belief not only in it, but yourself as well. This is one reason why so many fans were upset at the midi-chlorian explanation in The Phantom Menace; they felt the mystic aspects of the Force were taken away in favour of grounding it more in science. Despite that, Yoda’s monologue and display of picking up Luke’s X-Wing shows there is way more to the Force than simple science. It also displayed just how powerful Yoda actually is for such a small guy.
What are you favorite lines from Star Wars? Let us know in the comments below…
Ricky Church
Originally published December 15, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
