The best Star Wars insults of all time
While it’s filled with space fantasy, what makes Star Wars connect with us is the lived-in feeling the universe has—we can relate to these characters.
One of the ways that Star Wars feels lived-in is language. Sure, the various alien languages make the galaxy feel real, but languages need to be more than just random words strung together. Star Wars has an ever-growing bank of idioms that make these languages believable.
There are plenty of phrases and words in Star Wars, but the ones that seem to have the most fun are insults. Below is a list of insults that have come up within the franchise that have likely brought a smile to your face.
Some of the best Star Wars insults
“Why You Stuck-Up, Half-Witted, Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herder!”
– Princess Leia, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
“Slimy piece of worm-ridden filth!”
– Han Solo, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
“You Flea Bitten Fur Ball, Only An Overgrown Mop-Head Like You Would Be Stupid Enough To…”
– C-3P0, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
“Some Moof Milker Put A Compressor On The Ignition Line.”
– Han Solo, Episode VII: The Force Awakens
“Will Someone Get This Big Walking Carpet Out Of My Way?”
– Princess Leia, Episode IV: A New Hope
“You Will Never Find A More Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy.”
– Obi-Wan Kenobi, Episode IV: A New Hope
“Overweight glob of grease!”
– C-3P0, Episode IV: A New Hope
“Take Care Of Yourself, Han. I Guess That’s What You’re Best At Isn’t It?”
– Luke Skywalker, Episode IV: A New Hope
“Aren’t You A Little Short For A Storm Trooper?”
– Princess Leia, Episode IV: A New Hope
“Laugh it up, fuzzball…”
– Han Solo, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
“Impressive. Every Word In That Sentence Is Wrong.”
– Luke Skywalker, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Leia and Han each have three of some of the best insults in all of Star Wars. And while Leia’s “Nerf Herder” insult is a classic, it’s Han’s “Moof Milker” that may be one of the funniest things to come out of the galaxy far, far away. Going through these unique insults, you come to realize that maybe C-3P0 isn’t that nice of a droid. He insults R2-D2 several times in the first 10-20 minutes of A New Hope. Luke Skywalker’s insults are innocent and, at times, petty.
General Star Wars insults
As fun as the above insults are, it’s the general insults, that can just be used in everyday language, that makes Star Wars feel real. Anyone can say these words; they’re not connected to any one character. If you’re playing a tabletop role-playing game or going to Galaxy’s Edge, you could use any of these words and it wouldn’t feel like you were pretending to be Luke, Leia, or any number of established characters.
Bantha Fodder: A way of saying “bulls**t”.
Buckethead: One of Ezra’s favorite things to call Stormtroopers in Star Wars Rebels.
Clanker: Used to describe the battle droids during Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Son of a Bantha: A derogatory term used around the galaxy, similar to “son of a b***h”.
E chu ta: A Huttese curse. When a captured Night Wind assassin spoke this phrase to Boba Fett, the bounty hunter replied, “We spared your life after you tried to take mine. And you curse me?” It was also said to C-3PO by E-3PO on Cloud City, to which he replied “How rude!”
Exhaust port: A rude term for someone’s buttocks.
Karabast: A Lasat expletive of frustration (and very fun to say).
Kriff/Kriffing: An expletive, similar to f**k (also very fun to say).
May spice salt your wounds!: A Twi’lek insult.
These are just a small sample. I use ”karabast” and “kriff” in everyday language as they are just very fun words to see and, with the right tone, sound very much like an expletive. You can find a whole list of insults on Wookiepedia and incorporate some Star Wars language into your everyday life!
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Do you have a favorite Star Wars insult? Let us know in the comments below!