Star Wars launched one of the biggest franchises of all time, The Empire Strikes Back was its groundbreaking sequel, and Return of the Jedi is mostly known as that one with the Ewoks. Given how dark the second film was, one might have expected the end of this famous trilogy to be similarly dark and dramatic. However, that is clearly not the case. It has more quips, way too much time is spent at Jabba’s weird palace, the Ewoks are perhaps the campiest aliens in the franchise, and the drama about Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) coming to terms with his father’s identity is inconsistent. Meanwhile, Leia (Carrie Fisher) is too nice to resemble her previous self, Luke has finished his character arc off-screen and also doesn’t even seem to be the same person, and the Death Star climax is copied from the first film. It’s not that nothing works; it’s just that the first two movies are just so much better, whereas Episode VI feels lazily written and aimed exclusively at children.
Which is why Episode VI is best approached as an adventure-comedy. With that expectation, it’s still a pretty amusing film—which brings us to the quotes. Most of the ones that work aren’t ominous or dramatic; the Sith’s (Ian McDiarmid) lines are too generically evil, Leia and Han (Harrison Ford) don’t have any real character development at this point, and the drama between Luke and Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) only works in certain moments. Most of them may not be as memorable as the best quotes in the previous two films, but they’re still worth revisiting. Occasionally harking back to when the trilogy had dramatic weight but mostly sticking to the playful side of the saga, the best quotes in Return of the Jedi are by turns funny and moving.
10
“The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.”
Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
Commander Jerjerrod (Michael Pennington) insists he needs more men in order to complete a certain project, and Vader says the commander can tell the emperor himself when he arrives. Intimidated, Jerjerrod says that they’ll double their efforts, and Vader says he hopes so for his sake: “The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.” This is an intriguing introduction to prepare us for the Emperor, setting him up as someone to be feared even more than Vader himself.
But, when you think about it, the quote is also pretty funny. Not as forgiving as Vader? It’s not like Vader just fires people; he straight up kills them. He spent the entire last movie killing people who haven’t been doing their jobs very well, so how much more unforgiving can the Emperor possibly be? This villain must be absurdly evil, indeed, something that will be affirmed by Ian McDiarmid‘s striking performance.
9
“Someone who loves you.”
Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)
Han Solo was frozen in carbonite at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, but not to worry; it doesn’t take much time for him to some back. An unknown figure wearing a mask frees him from his encasement. He takes a hard fall, but he doesn’t seem injured as he comes to. The masked character tells him to relax, that he has hibernation sickness. He asks where he is, and he’s told they’re at Jabba’s palace. Then he asks who this stranger is, at which point the mask is removed—revealing Princess Leia, who says “Someone who loves you.”
This doesn’t have nearly the same impact as the quote she’s referring to, which is easily one of the best lines in The Empire Strikes Back. Still, though, it’s a sweet moment between two characters whose reunion is very satisfying to witness.
8
“Sister…”
Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
Vader is trying to find Luke, but the young Jedi says he will not fight him. Vader tells him that his thoughts betray him, that his feelings for his friends are strong: “Especially for…” There’s a pause. Then Vader says, “Sister…” At this moment, he realizes Luke has a twin sister. When he goes on to say that Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from him, that doesn’t make much sense: she was Vader’s prisoner for a good while back in the first film, so he should’ve been able to figure out she was his daughter then.
Vader realizing this in the moment is still well done, though, and makes the scene feel reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back. It’s a quote where the roles seem almost as they were then: Luke is the angry son, and Vader is the dominant, all-knowing father. Although it’s undermined by a serious plot hole, this is a time that reminds us why Vader ranks among the best villains from a major franchise.
7
“And hurry up, will ya? I haven’t got all day.”
Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
Now that C-3PO is speaking to the Ewoks, he tells Han that the scouts are going to show them the quickest way to the shield generator. Han tells the robot, “How far is it? Ask him.” Then, as the robot turns around, Han pokes him on the shoulder, “We need some fresh supplies, too.” C-3PO turns again, and again gets interrupted: “Try and get our weapons back.” Yet again 3PO tries to turn around, but Han grabs him by the arm and says, “Hurry up, will ya? I haven’t got all day.”
This is a brief but fun bit. No robot (indeed, no life-form of any kind) is able to do what Han asks at the speed he’s asking. C-3PO barely even has enough time to turn around before the man adds to his order. It’s also funny how 3PO doesn’t even object; he just quietly accepts all these requests.
6
“That bad, huh?”
Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
Han and Luke are both handcuffed in Jabba’s palace, which isn’t a very good situation. Han asks how they’re doing, since he can’t see for himself. When Luke says “Same as always,” Han replies, “That bad, huh?” This is a bit of a throwaway, but it’s still pretty funny considering how true it is. Ever since Han and Luke first met, they’ve been getting themselves into sticky situation after sticky situation, practically always involving mortal danger and/or the fate of the Rebellion.
It’s funnier when you think about how Han is so unaware of everything that’s happening, and still has the sense of humor to semi-casually quip like that when they’re in danger yet again. The guy is just used to this by now. After all, he did just get rescued from being frozen in carbonite. Technically, he’s doing better than he was before.
5
“Doesn’t sound so bad.”
Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
In the same scene as the quote above, C-3PO is ordered to tell Han and Luke that they’ll be taken to the Dune Sea and thrown into the Pit of Carkoon. That’s the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc, which Han has apparently never heard of before. “Doesn’t sound so bad,” is Han’s first response to the news, at which point he’s told that it will eat them. In its stomach, “you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over 1,000 years.”
The punchline here is technically the description of what happens in the Pit of Carkoon, but it feels like C-3PO would have said this line regardless of Han’s comment. It wouldn’t be funny on its own, so Han trying to be an optimist makes an otherwise generic summary of pain (not like Luke and Han would be alive for most of those 1,000 years anyway) into a humorous moment. After all, they’re obviously going to get out of this situation—so they might as well lighten things up a bit.
4
“Hello, I think.”
C-3PO (Anthony Daniels)
The gang is currently surrounded by Ewoks. At first they took an aggressive posture, but then they saw C-3PO. At that point, they start bowing to him. Luke asks if 3PO can understand them, and C-3PO him that he’s fluent in over six million languages. So Han asks what the robot is telling the Ewoks, and the robot’s response isn’t what you call impressive: “Hello, I think.”
What a pivot in confidence. 3PO blames it on their primitive dialect, but saying hello is a pretty basic part of a language, and if he’s not even sure about that, then the audience should be weary of what he means by “fluent.” In any case, his understanding of their language seems to suffice to get this civilization on their side. Overall, it’s another comical moment that helps make Return of the Jedi a fun Star Wars installment to revisit.
3
“Oh wait, I thought you were blind!”
Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams)
As Lando is getting pulled into the Pit of Carkoon by the Sarlacc, he hangs on to Han. Han had Chewbacca give him a gun so he can shoot at the Sarlacc’s arm that’s tugging at Lando. As he aims it, though, Lando’s worried: “Oh wait, I thought you were blind!” Han did just get out of carbon freeze, but he tries to reassure his old friend, “It’s all right, I can see a lot better!” as he points the gun in his friend’s direction.
How much is “a lot better,” though? When you’re aiming a gun at something, it’s ideal to have all of your vision. This makes for a funny back and forth between Han and Lando, since it would be easy for Han to shoot Lando instead of the Sarlacc. It’s hilarious that Lando has to tell him to aim a little higher, suggesting that Han might indeed have shot his friend by accident without any help. Luckily, Han is able to free his friend from the pit.
2
“He’s more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness)
Luke and Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) are speaking on Dagobah. Luke asks why Obi-Wan told him that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered his father, which leads to Obi-Wan’s explanation. From his point of view, Anakin Skywalker is gone and Darth Vader has taken him over. Luke doesn’t want to kill his father, and claims there is still some good in him. Obi-Wan’s answer sums up the situation in a convincing manner: “He’s more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.”
This is a good description of the villain at this point. Saying that “He’s more machine now than man” aligns the amount of technology on his body (covered head-to-toe in one of cinema’s most iconic costumes) to the lack of humanity in his soul. It also conveys how Luke is the only one who has faith in his father, even more so than his supposedly wiser mentors. Of course, they have good reason to believe that Luke’s father is truly gone—and this turn of phrase is a poignant way of putting it.
1
“Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes”
Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
The quote above sees Obi-Wan calling Darth Vader more machine than man, so it’s fitting that we would see his flesh once the good in him has returned. After throwing his master down a chute and getting severely electrocuted in the process, Vader needs help just to move. Luke wants to save him, but he’s too weak. The young Jedi is literally dragging his father along the floor. He also needs help taking his mask off. When Luke says that would kill him, Vader says “Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes.”
There aren’t so many dramatic moments that work in this movie, but this is one of them—and it’s arguably one of the most moving in the trilogy. This moment between father and son conveys again the difference between the villain in the mask and the person behind it, as Vader doesn’t want to look at Luke through a machine anymore. Along with James Earl Jones’ excellent delivery, this quote illustrates a wholesome change of heart that leads to one of the most feel-good endings in movie history.