10 Best Quotes From ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’

George Lucas may be known for his cringy dialogue, but no one can deny that there are numerous great lines in the original Star Wars trilogy. So many quotes have stood the test of time, appear in merchandise everywhere, and are remembered fondly by fans. ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’ is the final installment of the original trilogy and has some of the best lines in the series.

With characters like Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker, this film has a ton of great dialogue. Here are the ten best quotes from ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’!

10. ‘Jabba. This is your last chance. Free us. Or die’.

Throughout the entire opening sequence, we see a much different Luke Skywalker than what we are used to. Luke seems more stoic and in control than what we have seen before.

Luke always rushed into battle in the last two films, like with Vader on Bespin. However, he has a plan this time and has tried bargaining with Jabba. He simply gives him the choice to free them or be killed. This was a great way to show how much he has matured since the last two films and grown as a Jedi Knight.

9. ‘It’s a trap!’

While this may not be the most engaging of conversations, it does not take away from how iconic the line is. What seems like a throwaway has been referenced countless times in Star Wars and other media.

Admiral Ackbar shouts when he realizes the Rebels are not in control. Palatine controlled the entire situation as if it were like a game of chess with the Rebels. Not long after the Emperor reveals this to Luke, we hear the iconic line from the Admiral.

8. ‘There is another Skywalker’

One of the saddest moments in the film is the death of Master Yoda. His final words to Luke reveal another Skywalker in the galaxy. While he does not reveal the person’s identity, he continues a line he said prior.

When Luke flies off in ‘Empire Strike Back,’ Obi-Wan refers to him as their only hope, but Yoda corrects him and claims there is someone else. Fast forwarding to ‘Return of the Jedi,’ Yoda confirms that this is another Skywalker to Luke before he dies. Shortly after, Obi-Wan reveals to Luke that it is Leia, his sister.

7. ‘The Force is strong in my family. I have it. My father has it. My sister has it.’

Near the film’s end, Luke finally reveals to Leia that they are brother and sister and tells her how strong they are in the force. Leia then reveals that she had always known, which makes the kiss in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ that bit weirder. This is when it is confirmed that the Star Wars trilogy centers around the Skywalker family, and it was always their destiny to face the Empire. 

6. ‘The Emperor is not as forgiving as I.’

Up until this film, we have never fully met the Emperor. The only glimpse we got was in a hologram conversation with Darth Vader, so audiences had never gotten a glimpse of how sinister he could really be.

Vader was known for killing people in the Empire who failed him, so when he claims that he is perhaps nicer than the Emperor, the audience wonders about the evil yet to come.  It builds this presence for the Emperor by using the dialogue between Vader and the Imperial Officers and the way everyone is acting on the ship before his arrival. 

5. ‘That name no longer has any meaning for me.’

When Luke surrenders to Darth Vader on Endor, they finally have a full conversation. Luke is trying to bring Anakin back, and Vader is trying to turn Luke to the Dark Side. When Luke refers to Vader as Anakin, he gets clearly agitated and defensive. This is the first time we have ever seen Vader in this way, as it is most likely the first time he has been called Anakin in years. Vader is trying to convince Luke that he has forgotten his past and himself. 

4. ‘Strike me down with all your hatred, and your journey towards the Dark Side will be complete.’

During the film’s final act, the Emperor constantly taunts Luke and tries to make him turn against his friends and embrace the Dark Side.  The dialogue is great, and Ian McDiarmid’s performance and line delivery are excellent.

You can see the things he is saying are starting to get to Luke and that he is being pushed more and more to the edge.  It also gives us more insight into the Dark Side of the Force, which is fuelled by hatred and anger. 

3. ‘Just for once, let me look at you with my own eyes.’

By the film’s end, Anakin Skywalker has finally returned to the light and has one final conversation with his son. He asks Luke to remove the mask and says he wants to look at him with ‘his own eyes.’ This shows that he wants Anakin to talk with Luke, not Vader. Before this point, Luke had never seen Anakin, only Vader, so Anakin finally allowed him to meet who he really was before he turned to the Dark Side. 

2. ‘Tell your sister you were right about me.’

This was Anakin Skywalker’s final line before he became one with the force. Not only did he want Luke to see who he truly was, but he also wanted his daughter to know that he had returned to the light and that Luke was successful in his mission. Finally, having a real conversation as father and son, Anakin wanted both his children to know that he was really back and Darth Vader was dead.

1. ‘I am a Jedi, like my father before me.’

By the end of the film, we have finally seen Luke Skywalker come full circle and evolve into a Jedi Knight. When he is faced with the choice of killing Vader, he decides to throw away his lightsaber and fully embrace the Jedi way. This shows how much he has developed over the trilogy and also gives the audience a first look at how a full Jedi should be. 

Those were just some of the best quotes from ‘Return of the Jedi.’ The film is filled with great dialogue and a great ending to the trilogy. 

What’s your favorite line from ‘Return of the Jedi’? Let us know in the comments!