Star Wars: 20 Best Darth Vader Quotes

If there’s someone more iconic in the world of Star Wars than Darth Vader, we are yet to see that character. That’s because Vader has always been the most iconic villain in Star Wars. After all, his birth sparked the events of all nine mainline Star Wars movies. Of course, after Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side of the Force, he became a menacing robotic man that was powerful and terrifying enough to strike fear into the heart of the entire galaxy.

As scary as Vader was, he said many things that perfectly encapsulated the kind of person he was. His words taught us more about his mentality and how he approached his craft as a dark enforcer wanting to defeat the Rebels with all his might. So, with that said, let’s look at the best Darth Vader quotes in the storyline of Star Wars.

1. “This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi. It will soon see the end of the Rebellion.”

The first movie, ‘Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,’ introduced Darth Vader to the entire world. Basically, we saw him as a dark enforcer that struck fear into the heart of the Rebel Alliance. He was someone who never rested until the Rebels were completely annihilated. But the one person he wanted to get his hands on the most was Obi-Wan Kenobi, who he thought was the only remnant of the Jedi Order at that time.

When Luke Skywalker and his friends saved Leia Organa on the Death Star, Obi-Wan needed to distract Vader. That’s why their final duel happened right then and there, as he sacrificed himself for the sake of Luke, who he believed was the hope of the entire galaxy. But Vader didn’t know at that time that Luke was a Jedi. That’s why he relished that he finally killed Obi-Wan and ended the Rebellion with his death, only for him to find out that Luke continued the fire that sparked the Rebellion.

2. “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy!”

This is one of the earliest things Anakin Skywalker said when he turned to the dark side and became Darth Vader. At that time, he had yet to become the machine Vader was known for. However, his heart was already full of darkness as he was willing to kill anyone who didn’t agree with his methods and would not support his vision for the galaxy.

So, when Obi-Wan said he wasn’t willing to support Anakin’s madness, Vader finally branded him as his enemy. To that end, Kenobi told him that only a Sith deals with absolutes. That convinced Obi-Wan that his old Padawan was gone and had become the Sith Lord known as Darth Vader, who deals with absolutes and would be willing enough to kill anyone that stood in his way.

3. “Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him.”

Unlike Obi-Wan, who knew what happened to Anakin, Ahsoka Tano didn’t know what happened to her master. It was only during the events of ‘Star Wars: Rebels’ that Ahsoka started to think that the man enforcing the laws of the Empire was actually her old master. So, when the two dueled on Malachor V, Ahsoka told Vader that she didn’t believe he was the Anakin he had known in the past.

Darth Vader, of course, replied that he always thought that Anakin was weak, which was why he destroyed him. This was a metaphorical way of saying that he had already abandoned his identity as Anakin Skywalker because that man was weak, whereas Darth Vader was strong and was willing to do whatever it took to make sure that the Empire had complete control over the galaxy and was maintaining “peace and order.”

4. “I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.”

In the events of ‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back,’ we saw the Rebels contacting Lando Calrissian to stay on Bespin while the Empire was still looking for them. However, Vader had beaten them to Cloud City and had arranged a deal with Lando regarding the Rebels. Of course, Lando had no choice because you don’t say no to Darth Vader.

But Vader changed his deal with Lando and placed him on the losing end of their agreement. This showcases that there was no way anyone should make a deal with a Sith Lord because he could always back out on his end of the bargain. And this was also what eventually forced Lando to work with the Rebels as he found out the worst way possible that the Empire could never be trusted.

5. “Be careful not to choke on your aspirations.”

We know that Darth Vader made a cameo appearance during the events of ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ wherein he met with Director Krennic, who was actually in charge of the entire Death Star creation. One of the things that Krennic was known for was his ambition because he wanted to be in good standing with the emperor and was looking to meet Palpatine so that he could get credit for building the Death Star.

Nevertheless, Vader thought he was too short-sighted because he was too ambitious. In that regard, Vader choked Krennic to put him back in his place and ensure he was grounded. But his ambitions eventually allowed the Rebels to get their hands on the Death Star blueprints, as Vader was right that he shouldn’t have focused too much on his ambitions.

6. “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

This is one of the most popular quotes that Darth Vader has ever said, as this showcases how formal he can be and how the things he says tend to sound good but terrifying simultaneously. In ‘A New Hope,’ Vader first said this, where he told an Imperial officer who doubted the Force’s power as nothing more than superstition.

So, when Vader started choking the man, he made an example of how powerful the Force is and how those who had this power weren’t simple cultists. That was also one of the earliest times we saw how powerful the Force is in the hands of a dreadful Sith Lord such as Darth Vader. And he showcased that the Force is still the most powerful entity in the entire galaxy.

7. “We would be honored if you would join us.”

Again, we know that Vader can be formal, especially in his speech. Those who followed Anakin Skywalker when he was still a Jedi know he was a showman who wanted to do things with style. And he never completely forgot that part about him after he became Vader.

On Bespin, Lando had cut a deal with Vader as he was about to bring Han and the others to him. So, the moment Han and his friends entered the dining room, Vader was already there and was expecting them to join him for a meal. This was classic Anakin flashiness at its best.

8. “You don’t know the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my master!”

This was one of the things that Vader told Luke when the younger Skywalker was trying to convince his father to return to the light side with him. At first, when Vader said that Luke didn’t know the power of the dark side, he was probably talking about how being in the dark side gave him more power than he could ever dream of. But when he said that he must obey his master, that was when things became clear.

Darth Vader was also full of fear, no matter how afraid the entire galaxy was of him. He feared his master because he knew Palpatine was the ultimate symbol of the dark side. So, in that regard, Vader feared leaving the dark side because he understood the consequences of doing so. And we all know that Palpatine was more than powerful enough to kill Darth Vader.

9. “Impressive. Most impressive.”

Of course, Darth Vader was still a man that knew when to give credit when credit was due. He was someone who could be impressed by a person that showcased skills and power. And while he was always full of hubris, he still saw just how quickly his son was able to progress in his training as Jedi.

In that regard, there wasn’t anything that Vader could do except to give credit to Luke for how well he was able to train as a Jedi despite the fact that he didn’t start training until he reached 19. And Vader gave him credit in the most Darth Vader way that he could ever give anyone credit.

10. “You underestimate the Power of the dark side.”

While there was a point wherein Vader showcased how much he feared the dark side because of the power that his master controlled, he also told Luke that he should never underestimate the power that the dark side could give. That’s why one of Vader’s goals was to corrupt Luke and convince him to join the dark side.

Of course, Luke always thought that the dark side weakened people, as did Obi-Wan Kenobi. But Vader was trying to prove a point by showcasing Luke that the dark side made him stronger. Of course, we know that Luke could use his anger against Vader to defeat him. But he ultimately rejected the power of the dark side when it was presented before him.

11. “You have failed me for the last time.”

After Darth Vader saw just how capable the Rebels were when they defeated the Empire in ‘A New Hop’ and caused the destruction of the Death Star, he realized that he shouldn’t underestimate them anymore. Of course, he also knew that Luke was among the Rebels and that he needed to convince Luke to join the dark side. That’s why he was hellbent on getting his hands on the Rebels.

So, in ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ Vader was not willing to see his men fail him because getting to Luke and the Rebels was now more important than ever before. As such, he didn’t care what kind of sacrifices he needed to make. After failing him, he was more than willing to execute one of his officers. This shows how fearsome Vader was, as he didn’t care about his men.

12. “You underestimate my power.”

This line from Darth Vader in ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’ changed the entire course of his character because it turned him into the cybernetic monster that he ultimately became synonymous with. Obi-Wan got the tactical advantage against him after he was able to get to the high ground. And he even told Anakin that it was over.

But in his hubris, Anakin believed he had become strong enough to cancel out Kenobi’s advantage. He made the ultimate mistake and suffered for it as Kenobi sliced off his limbs instantly, leaving him to burn in the fires of Mustafar. Had Anakin been wise enough to think of another move at that moment, he wouldn’t have turned into the ugly monster that Vader was.

13. “I couldn’t have. She was alive. I felt it.”

Near the end of ‘Revenge of the Sith,’ we saw Anakin finally transforming into a cyborg after Palpatine saved him on Mustafar. The first thing that he asked Palpatine was whether or not Padmé was alive. Of course, Palpatine told him that she had died but also lied by telling Vader that he was the one that killed her when he got angry with her.

In that regard, Vader became an angrier monster than ever before because he lost the only reason why he even decided to go to the dark side. And the only thing that Palpatine could do was smile because he now had an angry pawn that he could use to further his ambitions as the emperor of the entire galaxy.

14. “When I left you I was but the learner, now I am the master.”

During the events of ‘A New Hope,’ we learn that Darth Vader used to be Obi-Wan Kenobi’s student because that was what Vader said when they dueled. He told Kenobi he was just a learner before leaving and falling into the dark side. However, he also claimed he was now the master compared to Obi-Wan.

Of course, Obi-Wan told him he was just a master of evil because Kenobi saw firsthand what his former student did. We got a better look at the relationship between the two characters during the prequel movies and in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ as it was clear that the dynamic between them was more of a brotherly relationship.

15. “I am what you made me.”

One of the things that we saw during the events of the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ series was that Obi-Wan was feeling self-pity for his failure to keep Anakin away from the dark side. Of course, he also thought that Anakin died on Mustafar. But when he learned that his old Padawan was still alive, he felt even more guilt than ever before. And Vader only made it worse when he blamed his fall to the dark side on Kenobi.

But what needs to be said is that Anakin’s fall to the dark side was his own doing. What Vader meant when he said that he was who Obi-Wan turned him into was the fact that he was blaming all of his anger and despair on his former master. But Kenobi realized that everything that happened to Anakin was his own fault, and that was why he felt relieved at the end of the series when he realized that he couldn’t do anything for Anakin even if he tried his best.

16. “You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.”

After Darth Vader found out that the one responsible for destroying the Death Star was Luke Skywalker, he started a campaign to turn him to the dark side. That was why he didn’t try to kill Luke in their duel on Bespin, as his only goal back then was to make him use his anger and inner darkness so that he would turn to the dark side.

As such, Vader pushed Luke into releasing his anger and hatred when they dueled. The only thing he wanted was for his son to become angry enough. But we all know that he failed to turn Luke to the dark side because he had more self-control than Anakin Skywalker. And that was one of the best things about Luke.

17. “Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.”

Darth Vader was there when Imperial officers were proud that the Death Star was now operational. In fact, he saw that the officers acted like they were invincible just because they now had a weapon that could destroy entire planets. That was when Vader needed to humble them by telling them that the power to destroy planets was insignificant compared to the power of the Force.

In that regard, Vader still believed in the Force because he understood nothing was more powerful. He was proven right when the power of the Force was what destroyed the Death Star when Luke allowed the Force to guide him into knowing where to shoot the torpedoes that destroyed this huge megastructure.

18. “He will join us or die, my master.”

This is a very interesting quote because it shows the different sides of Darth Vader. In the comics, Vader found out about Luke much earlier than Palpatine did, and that was when he started scheming about how he would turn Luke to the dark side so that they could overthrow Palpatine together and rule the galaxy as father and son.

However, when Palpatine calls him and tells him that he knows about Luke, that was when Vader turns into a loyal lapdog by telling his master that he will either turn him to the dark side or kill him. In that regard, Vader was clearly lying to his master that he wanted to kill Luke because his only goal was to convince him to join him and destroy Palpatine together.

19. “You were right about me. Tell your sister… You were right.”

This is one of the most heartbreaking moments of Star Wars. We know that Luke doesn’t want to kill his father and is looking to turn him to the side of the light again because he thinks Anakin is still inside him. Leia also believed that Vader still had some good in him after all those years of playing the villain role.

Of course, Vader realized that he also had a daughter when he peeked into Luke’s feelings during their duel. In that regard, Vader understood that his daughter also knew there was good in him. He told Luke that he and Leia thought he could still be redeemed. And Vader died as a Jedi Knight that returned to the light side of the Force.

20. “No, I am your father.”

There is no doubt that this is the most popular Darth Vader quote of all time because the entire Star Wars storyline changed due to this revelation. Before this, we all thought that Darth Vader killed Anakin Skywalker because that was what Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke. But when Darth Vader revealed in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ that he was Anakin Skywalker, fans were shocked.

No one expected this plot twist back then, and it was this plot twist that changed the entire trajectory of Star Wars into a story that revolved more around Anakin instead of Luke. After all, we saw in the prequel movies that Anakin was the Chosen One that was supposed to bring balance to the Force. And when Luke redeemed him in ‘Return of the Jedi,’ Anakin brought balance back to the Force because he was now more concerned about his children than anything else in the galaxy.

What is your favorite Darth Vader’s quote? Let us know in the comments!