20 Most Iconic Obi-Wan Quotes from Star Wars
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We first met our titular character as the wise former Jedi Ben Kenobi in the Original Trilogy. Later, the Prequel Trilogy expanded on Ben Kenobi’s story and revealed the history of Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the most powerful Jedi in history.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was a powerful and wise Jedi Master and that is exactly why today’s article is going to be dedicated to his wisdom.
This article is going to include a list of the 20 best and most memorable quotes by Obi-Wan Kenobi, as they have appeared in the Star Wars canon.
20. “There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi master who instructed me.”
The snowstorm scene from Hoth is one of the best Star Wars scene ever. Okay, the whole Hoth sequence is absolutely amazing. Now, between Luke almost dying and him being saved, he communicated with Ben Kenobi’s Force Ghost, who instructed him to go to the planet Dagobah, where he would meet his next master.
Luke’s training with Yoda was amazing and quite interesting, and it deepened Luke’s connection to the Force, all thanks to the one and only – Ben Kenobi.
19. “That boy is our last hope.”
A memorable exchange between Yoda and Ben Kenobi, this quote is actually a reference that revealed Leia was Luke’s sister long before anyone knew it. Ben Kenobi knew who Leia was but he considered her, erroneously, as someone who could not replace Luke Skywalker and bring down the Empire. Yoda, on the other hand, wasn’t that sure, as he said: “No…there is another…”
Leia’s role – in terms of the Force, at least – wasn’t that big in the Original Trilogy, but it was greatly expanded upon in the Sequel Trilogy, proving once more that Yoda’s wisdom exceeded even that of Ben Kenobi.
18. “Just teach her everything I taught you and she’ll turn out fine.”
This is a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi, from The Clone Wars TV series. Anakin received a Padawan in Ahsoka Tano and was unsure how to teach her properly. He was a great Jedi, there was no doubt about that, but he was unsure whether he could be a great teacher.
In asking advice from his Master, Obi-Wan gave him the advice to just follow his own teachings. Anakin replied: “You know, something makes me think this was your idea from the start.” Funny, but also true, as Obi-Wan was far more cunning and wise than we think.
17. “Remember… The Force will be with you. Always.”
Remember the ending of The Revenge of the Sith, when Yoda informed Obi-Wan that his former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had found a way to “come back” from the dead? Well, the technique of creating a Force Ghost was passed on to Ben Kenobi as well and he used this to communicate with Luke after being killed by Darth Vader.
This memorable line from one of their first talks shows just how much Kenobi trusted the Force, but Luke Skywalker as well.
16. “If his ship is as fast as his boasting, we ought to do well.”
Yes, yes, everyone knows by now that the Millennium Falcon was perceived as a heap of junk and it didn’t, to be honest, look like much. Ben Kenobi openly commented on that fact in one of his more comical moments. But this is comedy that comes with wisdom more than anything else.
Now, this was also a reference to Han Solo’s boasting personality, as the guy openly bragged about having the best ship and being the best pilot in the galaxy. Now, Han did prove his words later on, but initially, he looked more like a con artist than the real deal.
15. “So uncivilized.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s fight against General Grievous is the source of two very important quotes (see quote #1). The first one is this one, which illustrates two different points of Obi-Wan’s personality. The first one is gentleman-like behavior, while the other is his disgust for Grievous.
Now, Obi-Wan Kenobi considered Grievous a vile character and a true villain, which is why he described him as thoroughly uncivilized just after he had killed him.
14. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re going to be the death of me?”
Obi-Wan was a very devoted Master and his relationship with Anakin was truly deep, sincere and loyal, until the latter betrayed him. This exchange happened during a mission, when Obi-Was was once more scared by Anakin’s plan and behavior, which resulted in this comical line.
Anakin replied: “Don’t say that, master. You’re the closest thing I have to a father.” To this, Obi-Wan asked why Anakin did not listen to him, then, which illustrated the sincere and loveable character dynamic between the two of them while they were on good terms.
13. “I don’t mind flying but what you’re doing is suicide!”
Obi-Wan wasn’t a big fan of flying, especially when it involved high speeds and laser blasts, or him piloting. He wasn’t a bad pilot and he had often used ships for interplanetary travel, but he disliked hazardous travel. Anakin, who had experience with flying, was completely different.
Aware of Anakin’s way of flying, Obi-Wan often scolded him as he thought his way of flying was simply too dangerous.
12. “Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.”
The legendary Mos Eisley Cantina is one of the best-known Star Wars locations. Located on Tatooine, it is a place where we first heard one of the best-known pieces of Star Wars music, as composed by John Williams. Although the cantina was a secondary location, it still became a part of history.
As for the line, Ben Kenobi’s description of the cantina proved to be more than correct, as they truly did encounter some of the most wretched characters from the whole galaxy.
11. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Now, this isn’t Obi-Wan’s original quote, but it is the only phrase in the whole franchise that could have been heard in every movie from the Skywalker Saga. Obi-Wan Kenobi was among the characters that uttered this famous line.
10. “Luke. Don’t give in to hate. That leads to the dark side.”
This one is akin to Yoda’s warning addressed to Anakin from the Prequel Trilogy and shows just how cautious Ben Kenobi was while teaching Luke Skywalker, wanting him to avoid the same fate as his father years before.
9. “If you define yourself by the power to take life, the desire to dominate, to possess…then you have nothing.”
Taught by Yoda and Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan Kenobi became one of the wisest characters in the franchise. His views on the Dark Side of the Force are summarized in this line, which explains that he correctly identified the shortcomings of the Dark Side.
8. “Use the Force, Luke.”
An advice of Ben Kenobi’s Force Ghost to the young Luke. Obi-Wan had, as we’ve already said, a lot of faith in the Force and he trusted that the Force’s Light Side would eventually triumph over the Dark Side, which is why he warned Luke never to forget the Force.
7. “The truth is often what we make of it; you heard what you wanted to hear, believed what you wanted to believe.”
Along with quote #6, this is an example of Obi-Wan’s wisdom, his experience and his views on life. Ben Kenobi, while teaching Luke, had the opportunity to share some of his wisdom with the public, which he repeatedly did.
6. “Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.”
Alongside Yoda and Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan Kenobi – or, Ben Kenobi in this instance – was a rather philosophical character with deep thoughts and ideas. His opinions on the subjectivity of truth have been cited often and his one, paired with quote #7, is a brilliant example.
5. “Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin, they betray you.”
Now, this quote is an illustration of how much Obi-Wan cared for his Padawan. Obi-Wan wasn’t stupid, he was – in fact – well aware of Anakin’s feelings and he not only warned him to keep them in line but also to hide them from others as they were too revealing.
4. “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.”
The exchange that led to this pivotal quote and the interpretation of the Sith code is as follows:
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind, until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy.”
Darth Vader: “Don’t lecture me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Dark Side as you do. I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new empire!”
Obi-Wan: “Your new empire?”
Vader: “Don’t make me kill you.”
Obi-Wan: “Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, TO DEMOCRACY!!”
Vader: “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy!”
Obi-Wan: “Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must.”
Vader: “You will try.”
3. “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”
A memorable scene from the first Star Wars movie showed us how powerful Ben Kenobi was and what the Jedi were capable of. Now, this line became one of the most popular lines in the history of cinema and that is why we commemorated it here.
2. “I have the high ground!”
A second memorable scene, the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, a duel between a Master and his Padawan, marked The Revenge of the Sith, the final installment of Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy. This movie explained the creation of Darth Vader and the downfall of the Galactic Republic, becoming a very important part of the galactic saga.
Obi-Wan Kenobi warned his former Padawan that he should not try to attack him, as he had the high ground. Blinded by his arrogance, Anakin did not listen and ended up without three of his limbs, burned and almost dying. Had Palpatine not arrived, we would never have seen Darth Vader.
1. “Hello there!”
Just as we disclosed in our text on General Grievous and his quotes, this scene needs absolutely no introduction and it is a scene that every Star Wars fan if they are a true fan, knows by heart.
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Now, before we end our article, we are going to give you a short answer to some frequently asked questions related to Obi-Wan and his dialogues.
What Does Obi-Wan Always Say?
Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn’t really have a specific catchphrase he always uses. He does say wise things a lot, most of them are focused on teaching his padawans to calm their thoughts and to put their trust in the Force, but he doesn’t have a specific catchphrase he uses all the time.
What Were Obi-Wan’s Last Words?
Obi-Wan’s (or Ben’s, in this instance) last words were: “You can’t win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
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