Star Wars has had many truly incredible lines over the years, but these 10 are frequently misquoted. Star Wars movies and TV shows have delivered innumerable iconic lines that have made their way into broader popular culture for decades. While several excellent quotes do come from the earliest Star Wars movies, plenty of the franchise’s profound lines span the full Star Wars timeline, including more recent additions to Star Wars TV shows.
However, even some of Star Wars’ best movies have lines that frequently get misquoted. In fact, even among the best Star Wars quotes, several lines are often misspoken. Of all the Star Wars quotes that tend to get mixed up, these 10 are the most significant.
In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi believe they are rescuing Chancellor Palpatine from General Grievous and Count Dooku. In reality, of course, this was all yet another ploy by Palpatine to convincingly act as the innocent Senate leader forced to participate in a war rather than a Sith Lord orchestrating it. While they are successful in this rescue, it requires them to land a ship that is quite literally falling apart.
In a classically cheeky tone, Obi-Wan says, “Don’t worry; we are still flying half a ship.” Because it is such a quintessential Obi-Wan line, this is frequently quoted. However, it often gets repeated as “We still have half a ship.” Although a small difference, this misquote detracts a bit somewhat from Obi-Wan’s style, which is at once polite and sarcastic.
Padmé Amidala’s grave commentary on the implications of Palpatine’s declaration that he was establishing an Empire in Revenge of the Sith has become famous within the Star Wars franchise. As she and Bail Organa sit and listen to Palpatine explain his version of what happened with the Jedi and announce his claim to an Imperial throne, Padmé says, “So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause.” Interestingly, many say they distinctly remember the language being “This is how democracy dies.”
Perhaps because of this Mandela effect, the line is often misquoted using the word democracy rather than liberty. This is a particularly fascinating switch because the words, although related, do imply something slightly different. While democracy seems to be more of a political assessment, liberty seems to better represent the loss of general freedom. Ultimately, this choice instead means that Padmé accurately predicted what was to come with the Empire.
The dialogue between Obi-Wan and Anakin in Revenge of the Sith during their battle on Mustafar has become some of the best-known dialogue in the entire franchise. From Anakin’s dramatic speech about his recent accomplishments for his new Empire to Obi-Wan making using an absolute to say only Sith use absolutes, the scenes are filled with fan-favorite lines. However, one of the most treasured among those lines is often misspoken.
Although the warning that Obi-Wan gives to Anakin about not trying to jump is frequently repeated simply as “I have the high ground, Anakin,” the true line is, “It’s over, Anakin. I have the high ground.” Again, while this may seem small and insignificant, it actually does carry a different meaning. By telling Anakin that the fight was over, Obi-Wan was, in a sense, trying to avoid killing him. Although that is essentially what he was sent there by Yoda to do, he wanted to give Anakin a way out of death.
The relationship between Din Djarin and Grogu throughout The Mandalorian has certainly captured hearts. Although Grogu was very much a mystery at first, audiences were compelled by Din Djarin’s unwavering commitment to protect him. Now, following The Mandalorian season 3 ending, this has only become even better, with Din Djarin formally adopting Grogu.
However, one of the sweetest lines between Din Djarin and Grogu is often slightly misquoted. In The Mandalorian, Din Djarin says, “Wherever I go, he goes.” Typically, this line is slightly misspoken as “Where he goes, I go.” This is yet another interesting comparison because, in this case, the misquote seemingly makes more sense. Much of The Mandalorian is Din Djarin trying to keep Grogu safe and in his care, so it would arguably make more sense for Din Djarin to phrase it that way, implying that he follows Grogu.
Yet another Obi-Wan line that gets slightly misquoted is one of Sir Alec Guinness’ most iconic in the role. In Obi-Wan’s fight with Darth Vader in A New Hope, Obi-Wan seems completely unafraid. In the face of possible death, he simply says, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
This quote is frequently instead stated as, “Strike me down, and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” Again, part of what the misspoken line loses is Obi-Wan’s unique way of speaking, which is often more eloquent. However, this alteration also changes the meaning slightly. In the correct version in A New Hope, Obi-Wan’s language again becomes more like a warning to Anakin/Darth Vader of what will happen if he makes the wrong choice. In the misquote, it seems nearly as though Obi-Wan is goading Vader.
One of the funniest Star Wars lines that gets misquoted occurs in A New Hope as Luke desperately attempts to get C-3PO to turn off the trash compactors. At that moment, Luke, Princess Leia, and Han Solo are all about to be crushed to death while on the Death Star. The scene, widely known as the trash compactor scene, is precisely where the mix-up stems from. Remarkably, in the scene, Luke doesn’t ask for C-3PO to turn off the trash compactors, nor does he otherwise say trash compactor.
Instead, Luke refers to the machines they are trapped inside as “garbage mashers.” This is a shocking difference, particularly because that term isn’t the one that most would think of regarding either that Star Wars scene in particular or the real-life equivalent. Perhaps precisely for that reason, this scene is often misquoted to reflect the term trash compactor rather than garbage masher.
Because Obi-Wan Kenobi is so wise and powerful in A New Hope and because he introduces Luke (and, by extension, the audience) to the Force, he is often attributed with the franchise’s first “May the Force be with you.” However, in A New Hope, Obi-Wan never says those words. What he actually says to Luke is “The Force will be with you, always.”
Of course, since then, not only has Obi-Wan said the line countless times, but also, so have myriad other Star Wars characters. In fact, this line has become so prominent in the franchise that it became the origin of Star Wars Day, May the 4th. Now, “May the Force be with you” is a standard salutation. It remains the case nevertheless, though, that Obi-Wan cannot be credited with the first use of the phrase in Star Wars.
Very similar to Obi-Wan’s mistaken credit with “May the Force be with you,” Luke Skywalker is often identified as the first Star Wars character to say “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” For all intents and purposes, this is true. In A New Hope, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke, and Obi-Wan approach the Death Star. When Obi-Wan explains that what they are seeing is not a moon but is instead a space station, Luke says, “I have a very bad feeling about this.”
This is another example of a very minor shift between the misquote and the actual quote, but given that “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” is the most quoted and is connected with this moment in A New Hope, this does reflect a slight error. In truth, it’s Han who gives that exact expression later in the movie. Now, many variations have been introduced, most recently in Ahsoka, which abbreviated the phrase to just, “I have a bad feeling.”
Han and Leia’s banter with one another has become a very beloved part of the original Star Wars trilogy, particularly in The Empire Strikes Back. As the two developed more romantic feelings, their antagonism toward one another only grew. One of the most referenced lines amid these spats is Leia’s assertion, “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee,” following Han’s insinuation that Leia would like to kiss him.
This quip is also typically shortened, often to “I’d rather kiss a Wookiee.” This alteration makes sense given it’s quicker and easier to say. However, like Obi-Wan’s, the longer, more poetic versions of Leia’s snarky remarks give them some of their weight. While she took quite a few jabs throughout the original trilogy, they were always delivered with true wit, and the actual quote from The Empire Strikes Back is no exception.