The 15 Most Memorable Star Wars Quotes From Return Of The Jedi

Over 40 years after its theatrical release, Return of the Jedi remains a sci-fi classic and a satisfying conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy packed with memorable quotes. Every loose thread from the first two movies is wrapped up and Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey comes full circle, topped off with a compelling redemption for Darth Vader that concludes Anakin Skywalker’s six-movie arc. Most importantly, it brings the entire Star Wars original trilogy cast together for one last epic adventure and is full of wonderful character moments that form the story’s emotional core.

With such a well-rounded narrative and outstanding performances, it’s no wonder that Return of the Jedi has some of the most memorable quotes in the Star Wars saga. Good dialogue reveals more about how the characters have developed, grabs the viewer’s attention, smoothly transitions to another tone, and for Star Wars, feels poetic. 15 Return of the Jedi lines stand out after several decades and will continue to be quoted by Star Wars fans for many generations.

15

“Nevertheless, I’m Taking Captain Solo And His Friends. You Can Either Profit By This Or Be Destroyed.”

Luke Skywalker

Return of the Jedi made Luke Skywalker’s fall to the dark side a real possibility by reintroducing him with a line that is just as menacing as it is memorable. Luke is dressed in all black, directly threatens Jabba the Hutt’s life in front of everyone, and says so with calm determination, an uncomfortable reflection of Darth Vader. Mark Hamill deserves praise for his cool delivery and confident body language, demonstrating how the actor had grown alongside his character.

14

“Then My Father Is Truly Dead.”

Luke Skywalker

Conversely, Hamill conveys Luke’s humanity while delivering one of Return of the Jedi‘s most tragic quotes. The finality of this line and Luke’s stoic delivery imply that there is no hope for Vader and that Luke has surrendered himself for nothing. Hamill infuses just the right amount of disappointment to convey the emotion behind Luke’s words, perfectly transitioning into the throne room scenes with Emperor Palpatine.

13

“I Love You.” / “I Know.”

Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa

Although Han Solo and Leia Organa made this exchange iconic in The Empire Strikes Back, its reprise in Return of the Jedi is just as memorable. It’s heartwarming to hear Han tell Leia that he loves her, and her repeating his response from the last movie maintains the playfulness of their relationship even amid battle. George Lucas felt that the Star Wars movies should rhyme with each other like poetry, and this callback makes Han and Leia’s exchange even more memorable.

12

“I Don’t Know. Fly Casual.”

Han Solo

Return of the Jedi has many menacing, tragic, and heartwarming quotes, but it also gives characters several hilarious lines, usually Han Solo. His scene where he tells Chewbacca to keep his distance but not raise suspicion is one of the funniest moments in the original trilogy, and telling his copilot to “Fly casual” is a nonsensical yet perfectly Han Solo response. It’s a memorable and humorous reprieve in a scene full of tension as the rebels embark on their most dangerous mission yet.

11

“It’s An Older Code, Sir, But It Checks Out.”

Admiral Piett

Admiral Piett’s answer to Darth Vader’s inquiry is a unique Star Wars quote, memorable for being daunting and hilarious. It’s a daunting quote because Piett knowing that it’s an older code makes the rebels’ shuttle look suspicious, threatening to expose them and lead to an intense space battle. However, it’s become unintentionally hilarious for being used in countless Star Wars memes in recent years, the hallmark of a memorable quote.

10

“So What I Told You Was True… From A Certain Point Of View.”

Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi

Viewers were dying to hear Obi-Wan Kenobi’s explanation for having lied to Luke about Darth Vader killing his father, and the Jedi Master couldn’t have given a more memorable answer. Rather than directly admitting that he lied to protect Luke as Yoda did, Obi-Wan reframes what he said in the first movie by explaining how Anakin Skywalker died “From a certain point of view.” With such an unexpected justification and a bit of rhyming, this has become one of the most memorable and parodied Star Wars quotes.

9

“When 900 Years Old You Reach, Look As Good You Will Not, Hmm?”

Yoda

Yoda spent most of The Empire Strikes Back being serious during Luke’s training, but Return of the Jedi reminded viewers that he still had a sense of humor. Not only is his remark hilarious, but it also reveals exactly how old Yoda is, and it’s heartwarming to see him attempt to make Luke feel better after criticizing him throughout the previous film. This is certainly a line that older Star Wars fans will happily quote for their children or grandchildren.

8

“3PO, You Tell That Slimy Piece Of Worm-Ridden Filth, He’ll Get No Such Pleasure From Us! Right?”

Han Solo

Han Solo has several great lines in Return of the Jedi, but his best is undoubtedly when he finally tells Jabba the Hutt exactly what he thinks of him. While the second half of the line admittedly doesn’t sound like how Han normally talks in the other movies, Harrison Ford makes it sound fluent and natural, delivering one of the best burns in the Star Wars franchise. His slight pause before the word “filth” also suggests that Han’s word choice would be somewhat stronger if Return of the Jedi didn’t appeal to kids.

7

“Oh… I’m Afraid The Deflector Shield Will Be Quite Operational When Your Friends Arrive.”

Emperor Palpatine

Emperor Palpatine’s line to Luke in the Death Star throne room is a quote whose memorability is due solely to Ian McDiarmid’s brilliant delivery. The cadence in his voice and mock sympathy make Palpatine’s dialogue a joy to listen to despite the severity of the situation. Palpatine’s sinister smile at the end shows how much he enjoys making Luke suffer and treating the rebels as pieces on a chess board.

6

“The Force Is Strong In My Family. My Father Has It. I Have It. And… my sister has it.”

Luke Skywalker

Luke’s line about the Force being strong in his family is well-written, but also elevated by Mark Hamill’s underrated delivery. It was a perfect way for Luke to gradually tell Leia that she was his sister, allowing her to comprehend the full weight of what that would mean for her future. This quote was so memorable that it would eventually be used for the second teaser trailer of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.

5

“I Hope So, Commander, For Your Sake. The Emperor Is Not As Forgiving As I Am.”

Darth Vader

Despite what he tells Moff Jerjerrod in this scene, Darth Vader consistently proves that he is the most threatening villain in Star Wars. The previous film showed Vader killing his men left and right for the slightest failure, so implying that his wrath is nothing compared to the Emperor was a brilliant way to motivate the Moff and to build tension for the Emperor’s arrival. Count Dooku would later threaten Asajj Ventress with a nearly identical quote in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars theatrical release.

4

“If You Will Not Be Turned, You Will Be Destroyed.”

Emperor Palpatine

Palpatine revealed how unforgiving he was at the end of Return of the Jedi by delivering a line more menacing than Vader’s. The movie had not yet shown how powerful Palpatine was with the Force, so McDiarmid’s terrifying use of “destroyed” followed by Force lightning made his attack unexpected in the best way possible. This scene solidified that McDiarmid could make any Palpatine line menacing, something he would continue to prove in every subsequent appearance.

3

“Luke… There Is… Another… Sk… Sky…walker.”

Yoda

The Star Wars saga has many memorable death scenes, and Yoda revealing that there is another member of the Skywalker family makes his final moment more impactful. Yoda’s straining to get the words out before he dies compels the viewer to listen closely and anticipate whatever he is about to reveal, making it even more tragic when he dies before telling Luke who this other Skywalker is. This quote would appear again in the season 6 finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars when Yoda is granted a vision of his future.

2

“Never. I’ll Never Turn To The Dark Side. You’ve Failed, Your Highness. I Am A Jedi, Like My Father Before Me.”

Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker defying Palpatine is not only one of the best quotes in Return of the Jedi, it is arguably the greatest moment in all of Star Wars. The original trilogy had been building to this moment, where Luke would defeat the dark side or join it, and his monologue perfectly concludes his arc. Despite knowing he can’t beat Palpatine, Luke refuses to be like him and continue his legacy, even if it means death. He proudly proclaims himself a Jedi and maintains his faith in others, showing that no matter how much power Palpatine has, he still cannot control who Luke is.

1

“It’s A Trap!”

Admiral Ackbar

However, there’s no denying that the most memorable line in Return of the Jedi is Admiral Ackbar’s iconic “It’s a trap!” This quote was the perfect way to cap off the gradual reveal that Palpatine had arranged an ambush for the rebels, with the rebels trying to run but the Imperials cutting them off as John WIlliams’ score builds tension. Fantastic delivery, full energy, and perfect for memes, this is easily the most memorable Return of the Jedi quote and one of the best lines in Star Wars history.

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