As a Star Wars fan, there's undoubtedly at least one line from Episode III - Revenge of the Sith that you're obsessed with. From the heartbreaking to the tragic, and iconic, Revenge of the Sith is the most quotable film in the Star Wars franchise.
As the film turns 20 this May, let's look back at 10 of the most memorable quotes from Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
1. "Execute Order 66" - Darth Sidious
Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side was made infinitely worse when the soldiers who fought side by side with their Generals turned on them, wiping out nearly all of them, excluding the few who were lucky to escape. All Palpatine had to do was to say the magic words, "Execute Order 66", and the loyal clones opened fire on each and every Jedi Knight. Unfortunately, all their brains were implanted with a chip which meant they were pre-programmed to eliminate the Jedi. Overtime, "Execute Order 66" has become synonymous with unleashing havoc, and fans love the line to this day.
2. "Senator Palpatine, Sith Lords are our specialty." - Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Sith Lords are our specialty," said Obi-Wan Kenobi, while in the same room as three present and future Sith Lords! The line is equally funny and honest, given Obi-Wan's record of defeating Sith Lords, but it also reveals how blind the Jedi were to the threat posed by the dark side. With all his focus on Count Dooku, Obi-Wan couldn't even guess how dangerous Chancellor Palpatine was.
3. "This is where the fun begins!" - Anakin Skywalker
Fans love this Anakin Skywalker line from the opening sequence of Revenge of the Sith so much, that they've had Hayden say it at multiple fan events, including Star Wars Celebration 2022. Anakin says "This is where the fun begins" during the Battle of Coruscant, as he and his best friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi fight side by side in one of the best opening sequences from any movie. This scene highlights Anakin's natural gifts as the galaxy's most talented pilot and is one of the rare moments in which he seems happy.
4. "I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you." - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Anakin and Obi-Wan's duel in the finale of Episode III is so intense that the two barely have time to breathe, let alone speak to one another. This makes the poignant moment Obi-Wan tells his former pupil, "I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you" even more moving. Obi-Wan believes he's responsible for Anakin's fall, and has the humility to admit this in the middle of a battle where his life is on the line. Perhaps this is the line Anakin replies to years later as Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi when he tells his former Master, "I am not your failure, Obi-Wan."
5. "I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire."
"Your new Empire?!" Like Obi-Wan, we still struggle to understand where and when Anakin brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to his new Empire. Hayden delivered this line with just the right amount of unhinged insanity, leaving zero doubt about Anakin's intentions. After slaughtering nearly all the younglings in the Jedi Temple, Anakin showed zero accountability and could no longer see how horrendous his actions were. This line perfectly sums up his fall.
6. "So, this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause." - Padme Amidala
George Lucas was quite the visionary, and regardless of the barrage of criticism the prequels received, his political commentary is relevant even today. As the Senate arms Palpatine with "ultimate power," Padme watches in horror and says, "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause." Not only did the Senate allow Palpatine to have what he wanted, they seemed thrilled about it.
All it took were some hollow promises of peace and order from the Chancellor for the Galactic Senator to allow Palpatine to be crowned a dictator. This was a heartbreaking blow to Padme's earnest fight for the Republic and showed the fragility of democracy, something we have all witnessed throughout our lives.
7. "Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" - Palpatine
The opera scene in Revenge of the Sith is memorable for many reasons, especially Palpatine's veiled admission that he killed his Master, Darth Plagueis, in his sleep. The story time was meant to sway Anakin, who was already struggling with disturbing nightmares of Padme's death. It worked like a charm, as Anakin believed the Sith could save people from dying, which the Jedi never taught him. Twenty years later, fans still love this line, and it was made relevant again recently with the live-action appearance of Darth Plagueis in The Acolyte.
8. "His fate will be the same as ours." - Anakin Skywalker
"His fate will be the same as ours" is one of George Lucas's best lines of dialogue from the prequels. These prophetic words from The Chosen One would come true years later, as Obi-Wan, Palpatine, and Anakin would all meet their fates on the Death Stars. This line is a good reminder that Anakin had the capacity for wisdom and foresight. If only he had used it more often!
9. "I am the Senate!" - Palpatine
"I am the Senate" is a fun line that fans love quoting, but it displays Palpatine's chilling surety that he was now in control of the entire Galaxy, and neither the Jedi nor the Senate had the authority to stop him. This scene makes us wish Mace Windu had survived Episode III because he witnessed Palpatine's diabolical nature and unlimited powers.
10. "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ironically, "Only a Sith deals in absolute" is an absolute, but considering the circumstances, we can't blame Obi-Wan for this. Episode III peaked with the duel between Master and Apprentice, but their few lines of dialogue added another tragic layer to Anakin's betrayal of his best friend and the Jedi.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is streaming on Disney+.