No matter what, when a beloved movie gets a reboot or sequel, fans will have strong opinions on it. They’re fans for a reason, and they want to see a piece of art the love dearly succeed in their eyes. It happened before, and no doubt in 20 years from now, it will happen with all the new content we have today. So, when the beloved franchise of Star Wars first got their prequel, there were mixed opinions. Naturally, the same energy carried over to the sequel trilogy. While the Star Wars prequel trilogy has since gone from being hated to loved, the same cannnot necessarily be said about the sequel movies.
That said, whether fans thought the trilogy was good or bad, the sequels did a lot for the Star Wars universe. The trilogy focused on Rey (played by Daisy Ridley), who was the first woman Jedi main character that the live action movies focused on, and the two other characters in her trio (because there must be a trio) were two men of color, Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac). These films also reunited the original cast and brought back beloved legacy characters to the screen.
While recognizing that the films may not be the strongest in the series, they are still Star Wars films that have that wonderful joy, action, and adventure that captures the essence of it all. Encompassing The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, here are some of the best quotes in the Star Wars sequel series.
11 “That’s not how the Force works!”
Lucasfilm
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the ex-Stormtropper FN-2187, lovingly referred to as Finn, is coming up with ideas on how to save Rey. He suggests using the Force to help them lower the shields and save the galaxy, to which an aged and annoyed Han Solo replies, “That’s not how the Force works!”
10 “I used to wonder about that myself. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo. A magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and the light. Crazy thing it… it’s true. The Force, the Jedi. All of it. It’s all true.”
Walt Disney Studios
One of the best full-circle moments comes with this quote. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Han Solo explains to a young Luke Skywalker that in all of his travels, there was never any force or balance between good an evil. Now, years after their adventures in the original three movies, Han Solo admits that everything is true.
9 “Oh, the General? To me, she is royalty.”
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A beautiful moment in The Force Awakens for the fans that had been watching since the beginning. Here, we get to see Leia Organa in her General of the Rebel Alliance role, but we also remember where she came from, and that she always had her power.
8 “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
One of the most classic Star Wars phrases has been in every movie at least once, usually right before something completely coincidental and miraculous happens, or something horrible and nail-biting occurs. In previous trilogies, it’s been said by Luke (the originals) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (the prequels). This time, it’s Han Solo who says it in The Force Awakens — and he was right, considering he died shortly after.
7 “The only fight. Against the dark side. Through the ages, I’ve seen evil take many forms. The Sith. The Empire. The First Order. Their shadows spread across the galaxy. We must face them. Fight them. All of us.”
Maz Kanta (Lupita Nyong’o) utters this powerful line in The Force Awakens, showing the accumulation of all the trials and triumphs that the Star Wars heroes have fought against. It ultimately illustrates that, in this storyline, it is the product of everything that had come before them, which is a huge theme throughout the sequel trilogy.
6 “No. Strike me down in anger, and I’ll always be with you. Just like your father.”
Via: Lucasfilm Ltd.
While fighting Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren aims to kill him, but Luke knows how the Force works, and how Han’s death haunts Kylo. This theme is prevalent throughout the Star Wars sequel trilogy: how no one ever truly is gone. It is a beautiful theme from for the fans who have to come to terms with the deaths of their favorite characters. Though this quote seems like a threat, it is really a comforting thing.
5 “The greatest teacher, failure is. Luke, we are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters.”- Yoda
Yoda is always one to pop up, give a tidbit of life-changing advice, and then disappear again. It seems as if Luke has had Yoda in his head all along, as we saw in The Last Jedi, and we get to hear this quote that gives weight to Luke trying to overcome his failures and his guilt, particularly concerning Kylo Ren’s fall to the dark side.
4 “Skywalker lives. The seed of the Jedi lives. As long as he does, hope exists.”
Said by the villain Snoke in The Last Jedi, but the quote still rings true. This is a great summation of the Skywalker Saga, as well as the knowledge that the Skywalker legacy effectively shaped the Star Wars universe.
3 “These are your final steps, Rey. Rise and take them.”
Lucasfilm Ltd.
A familiar voice rings out and speaks to Rey in The Rise of Skywalker as she tries to become what she was meant to be. Just once voice among the many Jedi, leading Rey to become the Jedi she was destined to be. This, in a way, is a call to all the fans who have watched the journey of each hero calling out to Rey.
2 “I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.”
Another fantastic full circle moment: this quote was said by Kylo Ren before he killed his father in The Force Awakens, then said again as he cast aside the darkness and started his journey to the light in The Rise of Skywalker. Said right before his fall and rise, he finds the strength to do what he must, both times with the aid of Han Solo, his father.
1 “I know.”
Yet another callback to the original trilogy, these famous words were first uttered by Han Solo in response to Princess Leia saying “I love you.” Interestingly, back then, it was improvised by Harrison Ford (via Slate). In the sequel trilogy, specifically The Rise of Skywalker, Han says these words to his son just as he chooses the light.
