The Star Wars franchise is an endlessly epic saga that's rife with some epic, memorable quotes from its dynamic cast. With the impactful lines from Vader and the Emperor, Yoda's words of wisdom, and Admiral Ackbar's meme-worthy bits, there's no shortage of hits.
Being one of the primary heroes of the saga, Luke Skywalker has naturally spoken his share of memorable dialogue. This is mainly because he takes center stage in the original trilogy with n a supporting role in the sequels.
Updated December 12th, 2021 by Rhys McGinley: There are few, if any, pop culture heroes who have inspired the number of nerds around the world, like Luke Skywalker. It is not just in his actions that he impresses and invokes hope, but through his words.
Throughout the Skywalker saga, a lot of the best Luke Skywalker quotes resonated with audiences and have since stuck with them. Of course, not all famous Luke Skywalker quotes are messages of selflessness and hope. Some are just inconsequential lines of dialogue, but they are memorable nonetheless and loved by the fandom.
When He First Utters A Star Wars Staple Line
"I Have A Very Bad Feeling About This."
"I have a bad feeling about this" is one of the most famous Star Wars lines, appearing so often to give fans a little chuckle. The recurring quote started back in A New Hope with Luke Skywalker.
Said while Luke and the heroes approach the sinister-looking Death Star, nobody could have predicted the line would be used in some way, shape, or form in every Star Wars film as well as in TV shows, games, and more. No fan will ever forget the quote, even if some do forget that Luke said it first.
His Valid Description Of Tatooine
"If There's A Bright Centre Of The Universe, You're On The Planet That's Furthest From."
When fans meet fresh-faced nineteen-year-old Luke Skywalker, to say he is discontent with his situation is an understatement. He intensely disliked his home planet of Tatooine and wanted off the rock as soon as he could.
He was like his father in that regard. While fans love Tatooine, one of Star Wars' best planets, the Skywalker family are not its biggest fans. In A New Hope, Luke craves adventure; he looks to the future and its potential away from his sandy home planet, something pointed out to him by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. It is not the most famous Luke Skywalker quote in terms of impact, but fans will always look to it as a part of his growth and journey through Star Wars.
His Ultimatum To Jabba
"You Can Either Profit By This, Or Be Destroyed."
The Star Wars trilogy shows Luke's gradual, often treacherous journey from a humble farmer on Tatooine to a Jedi warrior. While he undergoes plenty of trials and tribulations, this classic moment in Return of the Jedi shows a distinct shift in Luke.
As he attempts to save his friends, this line to Jabba the Hutt presents Luke in a more confident and seasoned light. He's overcome much to reach this point, and it shows, in this emphatic statement, that he intends to save his friends and his warning to Jabba not to "underestimate his power."
When He Tells Rey What She Desperately Needed To Hear
"Some Things Are Stronger Than Blood."
Those who dislike the sequel trilogy are unlikely to remember this line from Luke above others from the original trilogy. But for fans of the sequels and of the brilliant Rey and Luke duo, this quote will not be forgotten anytime soon.
This message fromLuke is so crucial for Rey's journey. Even though her being a Palpatine was the wrong decision overall, this line was fantastic. It is essential not just as it allows Rey to understand that her grandfather's actions do not define her, but also a message that will sit with fans who have felt like Rey did in The Rise Of Skywalker.
His Powerful Words To Leia
"No One's Ever Really Gone."
This scene with Luke and Leia makes for a significant, heartfelt moment for fans of the original trilogy in particular, but also just Star Wars fans in general.
After Leia somberly tells her brother that her son Kylo is "gone," Luke responds with this line. It offers a glimmer of hope while providing a nod to Return of the Jedi, where Luke is eventually able to save his father from the dark side. It is also quite nice to see a bit of the positive, hopeful Luke make a return after his despondent nature for most of this film. The line also has added emotional weight, given the tragic passing of Leia's actress, Carrie Fisher, shortly after the filming of The Last Jedi.
His Warning To Ben Solo
"Strike Me Down In Anger, And I'll Always Be With You."
Even many who weren't keen on Luke's descent into despair and isolation for much of The Last Jedi tend to find some redemption in Luke in the closing scenes. After his endearing final moment with Leia, Luke approaches his nephew Kylo - or rather, he manifests a projection - to confront him head-on.
This heroic exchange during the confrontation with Ren is particularly memorable, especially given Skywalker's hesitancy to answer the call and help Rey earlier in the film. This line makes for a neat little callback to the mentor of the previous trilogy, Obi-Wan Kenobi, when he clashed with Vader.
His Confidence When Battling Vader On Bespin
"You'll Find I'm Full Of Surprises."
Much like our first entry, this memorable line from Luke showcases a moment of growth for the young Jedi-in-training. After the buildup to the confrontation with the ominous Vader, Luke presents an air of confidence by striking his father both with his lightsaber and this bit of dialogue.
It is a demonstration of Skywalker's training somewhat coming to fruition in real-time. As it turns out, Vader has quite the surprising revelation for his son as well, shortly after this moment.
When He Tells Leia, They Are Siblings
"The Force Is Strong In My Family."
Similar to Vader's shocking revelation to his son in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke unveils another family secret to Princess Leia, who turns out to be his sister, in a touching scene on the Forest Moon of Endor.
This scene, and this line, in particular, serves as a sort of passing of the torch to his Force-sensitive sister - with Leia herself having some memorable quotes - should Luke fail his mission. Moreover, it reveals to the audience that Luke's power and potential are not limited to him alone but are traits of the Skywalker family.
When He Pleads With Vader On Endor
"Your Thoughts Betray You, Father."
Here, Vader is attempting to bring his son to the dark side again, while Luke tries to get his father back, and the Emperor looks to replace Vader with Luke as his apprentice.
Amid a memorable exchange, this line stands out, as it demonstrates a sort of gradual shift of power. While The Empire Strikes Back had Vader in the dominant role, Luke presents unshakable confidence this time around. He senses a conflict in his father and tries to coax him to doubt himself, much like Vader had with Luke in the previous film. Audiences also get a glimpse into the philosophies and mantra of the light side as Luke tries to bring him back to the light.
His Final Words
"See You Around, Kid"
Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi is incredible to watch, and this is in large part to the outstanding performance of Mark Hamill, and also thanks to the amount of great Luke Skywalker quotes throughout, particularly in the final act.
These are Luke's final words, coming at the end of a sequence that sees him save the Resistance and allow them to live on and eventually defeat the First Order. Not only are these words memorable because they are Luke's last as a part of the physical realm, but they are a callback to the same line spoken by Ben's father, Luke's friend, Han Solo.
His Iconic Introduction To Leia
"I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm Here To Rescue You."
Not every enduring quote needs to be a tear-jerker, philosophical, or invoke laughter. Sometimes it is just a matter of a classic, important bit of dialogue. Such is the case with this utterance from Luke to Leia when they first meet.
It's straightforward, but it serves as a symbolic line representing Star Wars' nature as a classic heroic tale of good versus evil - particularly the original trilogy. It's just one of those standout quotes that had kids repeating it when playing Star Wars in the backyard.
Prime Whiny Farmboy Luke***
"But Uncle Owen I Was Going Into Tosche Station To Pick Up Some Power Converters!"
Before he was Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, he was simply a farmboy on Tatooine, and a hugely frustrated and whiny one at that, with both of those qualities giving way to this iconic Star Wars quote.
It is one of the best Luke Skywalker quotes as well as one of his most memorable. This is despite the fact that it has absolutely no emotional weight and not even that much narrative significance; it is just one of many moments that showcase how bored Luke is of being a farmer on Tatooine. Mark Hamill's delivery helps make this complaint one of the funniest and most famous Luke Skywalker quotes.
His Back & Forth With The Emperor
"You're Overconfidence Is Your Weakness."
Luke's clashing with Emperor Palpatine and Vader was as much a physical battle as a psychological one. For the hero, this meant outwitting and mentally overcoming them by some strong, thought-provoking dialogue.
This is perhaps best exemplified in this zinger to Sidious, who is overconfident and seemingly indestructible by this point in the trilogy. It is a means of mentally staving off the Emperor and stripping a bit of his aura of power by pointing to his shortcomings and failed attempt to intimidate or demoralize. As it happens, this line happens to be prophetic.
When He Agrees To Leave Tatooine With Obi-Wan
"I Want To Learn The Ways Of The Force..."
Every compelling, dynamic tale of adventure needs a call to action - a protagonist who is willing and motivated to embark on the "hero's journey" far from their comfort zone. For Luke, the farmer who finds himself stuck in his mundane life gets this push after the destruction of his home and the murder of his Aunt and Uncle by Storm Troopers.
His proclamation to Obi-Wan marks the first significant milestone in the narrative and Luke's journey to becoming a Jedi. Again, it's a classic line with an air of majesty that helps establish Star Wars as the space fantasy that it is.
His Memorable Defiance In The Face Of Evil
"You Failed, Your Highness. I Am A Jedi, Like My Father Before Me."
This is one of those classic Luke quotes that makes its viewers want to pump their fists. After several minutes of the malicious Emperor seemingly grooming our hero into joining the dark side, Luke responds with an emphatic "no," making it abundantly clear that his will is unbreakable.
Not only this, but he reminds the Emperor of his father's history as a Jedi, further diminishing his power over both of them. Despite Palpatine's ability to manipulate and overpower his way to dominance, he will not and cannot get through to the morally righteous Luke. It marks an epic conclusion to this journey and of the character arc of Luke, and it is one of those Luke Skywalker quotes fans will never forget.