The 10 Best Star Wars Quotes Of All Time That Still Hit Today

Few franchises are as quotable as Star Wars, and even fewer boast the range of emotions Star Wars quotes can evoke. First, there are the iconic quotes that have grown to become nearly synonymous with the franchise, so much so that they’ll cause a shiver down your spine when you hear them. 

However, the sci-fi franchise also features a surprising amount of quotes that will resonate with anyone, not just hardcore fans. From words of wisdom to those that capture the nature of rebellion, some quotes hit for a reason that has little to do with fandom. Use our guide to find the 10 best Star Wars quotes that still hit hard to this day.

“May the Force be with you.” - General Dodonna, ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ (1977)

“May the Force be with you” tops the list of quotes that are nearly synonymous with Star Wars. Rebel leader General Dodonna (Alex McCrindle) first spoke the iconic phrase in Star Wars: A New Hope. After briefing his fighter squadrons on the Death Star plans, he bade them, “May the Force be with you.” The phrase is often said in departures, as a way of reminding individuals that, wherever they are, the Force will always be with them.

Throughout the franchise, the phrase has become a source of hope and comfort. Often said just before battle or a dangerous mission, it has also, at times, been a sign of bravery and courage to tackle the darkest of situations, armed with belief in the Force. Offering this hope and comfort is something everyone can get behind, which is why so many embraced it as a cheeky farewell and a way to bid one good luck.

“Do or do not, there is no try.” - Yoda, ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Yoda (Frank Oz) is one of the wisest individuals in the Star Wars franchise, and his wisdom applies to more people than just the Jedi. In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda gives Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) these words of wisdom as he trains in the Force, “Do or do not, there is no try.” It’s a simple quote, but one that keeps it real about mindset and success.

Sometimes, we set ourselves up for failure by focusing more on “trying” than “doing.” People often say, “at least you tried,” but when we accept it as a consolation prize, it can be problematic. What Yoda is telling Luke to do is remove “try” from his vocabulary and focus solely on doing and the end result. It’s a reminder that all of us need to push a little harder at times.

“No, I am your father.” - Darth Vader, ‘Return of the Jedi’ (1983)

“No, I am your father” is another quote that practically defines the Star Wars franchise. Today, everyone knows that Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) is Luke’s father, but back in 1983, the moment in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi marked a genuinely shocking plot twist. Luke and Darth Vader are in the midst of their epic final battle when Vader drops his iconic line, and the anguish in Luke’s “No!” is a moment seared in the minds of every cinema-goer in the 1980s.

Not only did Star Wars pull off one of cinema’s greatest twists, but the moment has remained relevant. Even newcomers who become aware of Vader’s fatherhood beforehand can’t help but feel the sheer emotion of that scene. It’s both a plot twist and the revelation of a long-held, tragic family secret, executed in a way that is convincing and unforgettable.

“Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.” - Yoda, ‘Star Wars: Attack of the Clones’ (2002)

“Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is,” is one of Yoda’s more underrated quotes. He speaks the true words during Star Wars: Attack of the Clones as he leads a lightsaber class with young Jedi. One bright young Jedi correctly deduces why Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) cannot find records of the planet Kamino, earning Yoda’s approving response. Much like “do or do not, there is no try,” it’s a quote that hits so well because it’s such a universal truth.

Yoda is a wise, skilled Jedi Master with centuries of experience, yet he values the opinions and ideas of a small child. He sees children for what they are—innocent, imaginative, and boasting quite an incredible perspective. Anyone who is a parent will know exactly what Yoda means when he says that, and it’s a quote that really encourages us to value children.

“So, this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.” - Padmé Amidala, ‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith’ (2005)

While Star Wars boasts plenty of feel-good quotes, some of them hit hard because there’s an eerie relevance to them. In Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, as she watches Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) declare the Galactic Empire, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) remarks, “So, this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.” It’s a quote that sends chills down viewers’ spines because of how true it is.

Throughout history, when democracy and liberty have fallen, it has often been at popular demand, met with thunderous applause rather than dissent. Liberty often dies at the hands of elected officials rather than a true hostile takeover. Amidala’s quote is a reminder that Star Wars is more than a sci-fi series and can sometimes mirror real life through its exploration of dictatorships and the fight for democracy.

“If you define yourself by the power to take life, the desire to dominate, to possess… then you have nothing.” - Obi-Wan Kenobi, ‘Star Wars Rebels’ (2014)

Besides Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi is another Star Wars character who always seems to have words of wisdom and truth to share. In Star Wars Rebels, Darth Maul (Sam Witwer) confronts an aging Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) in the deserts of Tatooine. Maul taunts Kenobi about his condition and muses about whether to kill him or to leave him suffering. Kenobi replies, “If you define yourself by the power to take life, the desire to dominate, to possess… then you have nothing.”

It’s a powerful quote that really captures who Kenobi is. Despite losing seemingly everything, he knows he is still better off than being driven by thirst for revenge and power. He remained a good person throughout the franchise, rising above his darkness and, though it may not look like it, those with a noble purpose will always have more than those who define themselves by power and evil.

“The belonging you seek is not behind you. It is ahead.” - Maz Kanata, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)

In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the pirate queen Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o) meets scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and has a few words of advice to her. In response to Rey’s desire to wait on Jakku for a family that isn’t coming back, Kanata says, “The belonging you seek is not behind you. It is ahead.” Kanata is encouraging Rey to follow her destiny and heed the Force’s calling.

However, the quote will also resonate with anyone who feels held back by their past. It’s easy to feel that the chance to belong remains behind you in the form of past relationships, ended friendships, or fractured family relations. Kanata’s quote offers hope that one’s sense of belonging still lies ahead, so long as they follow their heart.

“This is the way.” - Din Djarin, ‘The Mandalorian’ (2019)

“This is the way” is the only quote in Star Wars to come close to surpassing “May the Force be with you” as the franchise’s definitive phrase. The phrase comes from bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in The Mandalorian. The words are his mantra, which he often repeats as a reminder of the code he follows as a Mandalorian. In some ways, “the way” is reminiscent of the Force in that they’re both aspects that are hard to put into words, but that are fundamental to many characters’ beliefs.

It’s interesting because “this is the way” can be positive or negative depending on how you look at it. On the one hand, it reflects a very strict, cult-like ideology that there is only one “way” to live. Still, the quote has caught on to those who use it in a more lighthearted way to acknowledge that the path they’re on, no matter how hard it gets, is “the way.”

“I’m condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see.” - Luthen Rael, ‘Andor’ (2022)

Few words throughout Andor hit harder than Luthen Rael’s (Stellan Skarsgård) monologue in Season 1, Episode 10, “One Way Out.” It’s the moment when Rael admits to the role he is in, and the knowledge that there’s only one way out of it. He reflects, “I’m condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see.”

The quote is powerful enough to bring tears to viewers’ eyes. It just so beautifully captures the cost of resistance and those who fight for freedom. It’s not a glorious role, as Rael acknowledges that he’s done bad things for the sake of rebellion, and the fact that he’ll never even get to see the results of his sacrifice. The words so somberly remind us that we resist for the future, not for ourselves.

“I’ve accepted my darkness—what have you done with yours?” - Qimir, ‘The Acolyte’ (2024)

The themes of darkness and light are recurring throughout the Star Wars franchise. However, the one that hits hardest comes in The Acolyte. Qimir (Manny Jacinto) confronts Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) after slaughtering his comrades. He challenges him with the words, “I’ve accepted my darkness—what have you done with yours?” The quote hints that there is more to Sol’s past than he has admitted to.

However, the quote is also an interesting challenge to viewers’ perspective of the Jedi. We see the Jedi often, quite simply as the “good guys,” but The Acolyte acknowledges that the Jedi can harbour their own darkness. Additionally, it raises lingering questions about what it means to be good or bad. Is the one who simply hides their darkness really any different than the one who is honest enough to embrace it?