There are few trilogies in cinematic history as impactful, beloved, or excellent as the original Star Wars trilogy, which, over forty years later, has retained its popularity and streaming. One of the most significant factors to this adoration and success is the slew of phenomenal, iconic characters littered throughout the movies.
Most of the trilogy’s main characters get their fair share of iconic and great quotes throughout, with some characters’ most memorable lines being their opening and closing words.
10 Grand Moff Tarkin
The secondary villain and all-around terrible guy, Grand Moff Wilhuf Tarkin, is a solid character who appears solely in the original trilogy. In A New Hope, he is introduced in the Imperial meeting on the Death Star announcing, “The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us.”
Tarkin was the only main character not to make it out of A New Hope, going down with the Death Star. His last line is perhaps his most well-remembered, “Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances.”
9 Lando Calrissian
Debuting in The Empire Strikes Back, Lando Calrissian, played by Billy Dee Williams, oozes charisma and was instantly a fan favorite. His opening line is one of the more iconic ones, “Why you no-good, double-crossing swindler!”
As for his last line, it comes during the destruction of the second Death Star: “All right, Wedge, go for the power regulator on the North Tower.” However, when Lando and Nein Numb escape the explosion, Lando gives off a relieved “Yee-ha!” which is the last thing he really says.
8 C-3PO
C-3PO (human-cyborg relations) has the distinction of being the first-ever character to speak in the Star Wars franchise, with his first line being “Did you hear that?” to R2-D2 as the Tantive IV gets boarded by the Devastator.
Threepio’s last line comes seconds after Lando’s celebratory “Yee-ha!” as the ground forces see the Death Star exploding, to which Threepio joyfully says, “They did it!”
7 Yoda
The Empire Strikes Back introduced a lot of brilliance to the Star Wars franchise. However, Yoda has one of the most unique and interesting characters of the trilogy. When first introduced, Yoda’s first line is “Feel like what?” in response to Luke’s about to reveal he feels like they are being watched.
Unfortunately, Yoda never made it to the Second Death Star’s destruction, dying in his old age on Dagobah. With his final breath, he reveals to Luke, “Luke, there is… another… Sky… Skywalker.”
6 The Emperor
The final crucial character introduced in Empire is none other than the personification of evil himself, the Emperor, otherwise known as Darth Sidious. He appears only in a hologram to Vader, with his first line being, “There is a great disturbance in the Force.”
The version of Sidious seen in the original trilogy does not make it to the end as he is killed at the hands of a redeemed Vader just before the Death Star explodes. His final words other than screams were a confident, “Now, young Skywalker, you will die.”
5 Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most brilliant characters in all of Star Wars, and Alec Guinness’s portrayal of the Jedi has been the foundation that Star Wars lore has built upon for forty-plus years. Fittingly, his first words are “Hello, there.” to R2-D2.
At the time, audiences would have expected Obi-Wan’s last words to have been in A New Hope, but like is teased at the end of that movie and confirmed in the next installment, there is life for a Jedi after death. His final words come in the conversation between Luke and Obi-Wan about Leia being Luke’s sister; Obi-Wan tells Luke to bury his feelings “They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor.”
4 Darth Vader
Hand in hand with Obi-Wan is Darth Vader, another constant in the Skywalker saga. Vader is introduced in epic fashion in A New Hope, and his first line is “Where are those transmissions you intercepted?” as he chokes a rebel officer.
Darth Vader more has two final lines rather than one. In terms of the evil Sith, his final line would be in his duel with Luke, “If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps she will.” However, as newly redeemed Anakin Skywalker, and for the character as a whole, the final line of his was heartbreaking, “You were right about me. Tell your sister you were right.”
3 Han Solo
Played by Harrison Ford, Han Solo is cool personified, stealing the frame every time he is on screen with his rugged charisma and overall brilliance as a character. He made his introduction in the Mos Eisley cantina (Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina), with his first words “Han Solo, I’m the captain of the Millennium Falcon.”
Thankfully, Harrison Ford agreed to return for the trilogy’s final installment, and for Han, his finale sees him and Leia finally get together despite Han’s fears that she loved Luke. His final words in the trilogy that fans get to hear are, “All right. I understand. Fine. When he comes back, I won’t get in the way.”
2 Leia Organa
One of the greatest female protagonists in cinema and pop culture history got introduced to audiences in 1977 with Princess, later General, Leia Organa. Her first line is standing up in the face of fear itself (a.k.a her father) saying “Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you would be so bold.”
Leia’s final words go hand in hand with Han’s and are, in fact, the last words fans get to hear in the entire trilogy. Coming in the same conversation right after Han’s final line, Leia says, “He’s my brother.”
1 Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker’s introduction in A New Hope as a Tatooine farm boy with big dreams kicks off one of the most loved arcs in the entire franchise. Coming when Luke is on the verge of buying Threepio and Artoo, his first words are to Beru “It looks like we don’t have much of a choice, but I’ll remind him.” This being in regards to getting droids that speak Bocce.
Since the entire final celebration is without any dialogue for fans, Luke’s final words come alongside those of his father, as he holds a dying Anakin in his arms and says, “Father. I won’t leave you.”
