Even those who haven’t watched a single Star Wars movie or know the story of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker know the line “Luke, I am your father,” which is a prime example of the Mandela Effect, since the original line goes “No, I am your father.” However, the cultural impact of that one line of dialogue can’t be exaggerated.
The sci-fi genre has a few such examples of genius screenwriting with lines that are either so memorable, iconic, or relevant that they’ve not only stood the test of time but have also become more famous than the movies they’re from. The best sci-fi movies deal with timeless concepts, which make well-written quotes from them important enough to remember forever.
Actors in the sci-fi Hall of Fame often immortalize lines with their delivery by adding personal flair, and sometimes even improvising on the spot. You don’t have to have seen Spider-Man to have heard the quote “With great power comes great responsibility.” Genius sci-fi movie quotes are artifacts of a genre that will outlive those who wrote and said them.
“Stop trying to hit me and hit me.” (“The Matrix”)
Even though Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) has told Neo (Keanu Reeves) he is The One, Neo isn’t convinced. When Morpheus tells Neo to stop trying to hit him and hit him instead, he’s not just trying to inspire Neo to fight better, but is alluding to the fact that Neo, at full power, will almost automatically succeed at anything he tries.
Being The One, Neo can bend the laws of nature. This line is not only an inspirational quote, but also an allusion to the extent of Neo’s powers. The inspirational part of it is quite similar to Yoda’s The Empire Strikes Back quote, “Do or do not, there is no try,” but what sets this line apart is the foreshadowing.
“Long live the new flesh.” (“Videodrome”)
Before David Cronenberg presented his uniquely morbid body horror interpretation of this phenomenon to audiences worldwide, we didn’t have such a succinct one-liner to perfectly sum up how technological advancements in media have permanently changed humanity and its course. Out of context, it may not convey this, but the line alludes to how television has affected our relationship with perception.
After Max Renn (James Woods), the president of a sleazy TV channel, discovers a show specifically featuring gratuitous torture, he recklessly capitalizes on it to help his channel’s ratings. However, he later discovers that the show may not be entirely fictional. Humanity’s becoming desensitized and even detached from their bodies, as “new flesh” is being created through marriage with technology.
“Eastwood. Clint Eastwood.” (“Back to the Future Part III”)
Towards the end of Back to the Future Part III, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) says one of the funniest and wittiest lines in the entire franchise. We have already seen him inspire Chuck Berry with the rock-and-roll riff from Johnny B. Goode in Back to the Future, but this concludes his tryst with redefining the history of pop culture.
Clint Eastwood was amused by the gag, which he permitted the producers to make.
Since the final movie’s conclusion is that you can make your own destiny, this line is a perfect Easter egg. As the most famous Western star of all time, it’s natural for Marty to take Clint Eastwood’s alias when he arrives in 1955. He then survives a shootout, implying Sergio Leone will be inspired by the legend created by Marty.
“I’ll be back.” (“The Terminator”)
One of the reasons we’ll forever rewatch the R-rated 1980s movie The Terminator is to see Arnold Schwarzenegger say his most iconic movie quote of all time. The gravitas in his voice, his accent, the intensity of his expression, and the brevity of the catchphrase make it one of the best sci-fi movie moments in the history of the genre.
The impact of the line is such that there are people who know it’s a movie reference without knowing it’s from The Terminator. The genius of him claiming he’d be back when asked to wait, only to come back and shoot everyone inside the precinct, cements the kind of character he is. He’s violent, effective, focused, reserved, and incredibly cool.
“I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!” (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”)
James Gunn loves references. From choosing the perfect ’70s and ’80s songs to allude to create character motifs and providing emotional backdrops for the characters, to writing gags that refer to the pop culture of the time, he has peppered a ton of iconic references to movies, songs, and celebrities of the time in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
As a sci-fi movie with an incredible ensemble cast, Gunn had a tough job of giving every character their due in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Despite a few underwhelming moments, Yondu’s exclamation about Mary Poppins is the perfect goodbye to a character who was a great mentor despite his flaws, who apparently kept up with Earth’s pop culture!
“Life finds a way.” (“Jurᴀssic Park”)
As the perfect non-animated action movie to watch with kids, Jurᴀssic Park has some of the best sci-fi movie lines and scenes in history, apart from the obvious appeal – dinosaurs! It is difficult to choose one specific standout moment, as the entire movie has been immortalized in pop culture through infinitely many allusions and references made over the years.
However, this short line, delivered with a skeptical inflection in his unforgettable voice by Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, succinctly summarizes the movie’s message. Humans have created and caged these dinosaurs, but the food chain may not agree with that hierarchy, and life has an ironically funny way of finding balance when it’s missing, often through moments of terrible loss.
“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.” (“Blade Runner”)
Whenever I try to think of great final words by fictional characters, I inevitably think of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer from Blade Runner. As the commander of insurgent replicants, Roy Batty is one of the best sci-fi movie characters of all time, whose backstory, main arc, and final words have inspired many characters and scenes in the past four decades.
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like… tears in rain. Time to die.” – Roy Batty
The final monologue Batty delivers before dying is iconic because he names experiences that we can neither fathom nor have been alluded to anywhere else in the movie. Despite being a replicant, he’s lived a life with incredible experiences, nothing short of anything a “real” human would experience. It is a truly heartbreaking declaration of truth in his dying moments.
“So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.” (“Revenge of the Sith”)
The Star Wars franchise is a minefield of Mandela effects, and many swear they recall Padme saying “So this is how democracy dies”, but the original quote uses the word liberty. The interchangeability of the words in many contexts, especially when talking about the Republic, may be the reason behind such confusion, but it’s an ever-relevant line, regardless of that.
The political commentary in Star Wars is one of its strongest suits, and among the best observations is this movie quote, which is pure, absolute genius. Not only does the Senate effectively sacrifice democracy – explaining the confusion in the quote – without much pushback, it does so with pomp, which is scarily similar to how real-world politics often functions.
“If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things?” (“Arrival”)
When expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by the military to help facilitate what they believe is communication between humans and aliens who occupy giant pods in the air, neither she nor we as viewers know she is about to discover one of the most inventive time travel rules in sci-fi movie history, using the intricacies of language.
The beautiful message of the movie lies in Banks’ realization that everything we experience in life, including heartbreak and sorrow, makes us who we become. So, without romanticizing any of the struggle, she simply poses a question that suggests that doing things differently would change who you are, so you should live your life on your own terms without regrets.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” (“2001: A Space Odyssey”)
If you’re already nervous about A.I., there are movies you should avoid, as many of them explore the role of A.I. as villains, but none of them come close to being as terrifying as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Douglas Rain’s voice makes HAL 9000 an unforgettable villain who’ll steal your sleep if you have Alexa in your room.
The chill that goes down my spine every time I hear HAL say these words and reveal himself as a nefarious AI with plans of taking control of the ship after killing its inhabitants is why I believe the quote is a stroke of genius. The non-compliance with a sinister tone that mocks the expectation of obedience makes it terrifying.
