Oh, Star Wars. I don’t know how you do it, I really don’t.
This iconic franchise kicked things off with A New Hope (originally titled simply Star Wars, for the old dudes among us who remember that) way back in 1977. This was our first glimpse of such legendary characters as Luke Skywalker, Leia, Han Solo and of course, the wheezing, James Earl Jones-powered force of nature that is Darth Vader.
Nobody could mess with Star Wars. Nobody. Not except a teeny lumpen alien with an odd kind of intergalactic eczema that made its finger glow. ET would roust A New Hope from its spot as highest grossing movie of all time on its release, five years later.
There’s something about this franchise. As fantastical and futuristic as it is, it’s still so accessible. The hoopla The last Jedi caused this past December was amazing, and proves that Star Wars is as much a part of popular culture as ever. I’m sure it will be for decades to come, too.
Is it the relatable story at the heart of it all? Is it the writing? The swishy-swoopy lightsabers? Well, yes, it’s the swishy-swoopy lightsabers, but that was a rhetorical question. The simple fact is, Star Wars is here to stay.
Being a pop culture mainstay, though, means you’re going to be thoroughly tarred with the meme brush. Sometimes, things are going to go way out of hand with that. Check out these 25 unmissable Star Wars memes that definitely crossed the line.
25 When Anakin and Obi-Wan Got Off On The Wrong Foot
Now, I don’t know how you feel about decades-old spoilers, so I’m not going to say a darn thing about Anakin Skywalker and whose father he may or may not wind up being. After all, I was darn shocked when I learned that C3PO and R2-D2 are actually Rey’s parents, so I’m going to preserve the sanctity of the spoiler for as long as I possibly can.
It was like the freaking Resident Evil 5 ending around here.
Anywho, snark aside, when this pair first met, there was a lot of potential. I have slim to zero clue what midi-chlorians actually are, but Anakin had a whole lot of them, and he was shaping up to be one powerful dude.
It was a shame about that whole volcano thing, wasn’t it? All Obi-Wan needed was a bazooka (and the ability to punch boulders into dust with just his fists).
24 When Your Cheap Double Entendre Game Is On Point
Oh, Yoda. Come on, you wrinkled little green elf. You’re supposed to be above this sort of thing.
At the time of the original trilogy (the original, that is, Episodes IV to VI), formidable Jedi Master Yoda’s powers are all but forgotten. He was reduced to living in exile on the barren, swampy Dagobah. You’d forgive Luke for wondering, on first meeting the little guy, just what was so special about this shrunken little puppet.
These jokes can be good for the soul.
Still, though, we all know that looks are totally deceiving, and we all know what Yoda is capable of. The legendary Jedi’s wisdom is unparalleled. Even he’s got to kick back every now and then, though. Intellectually slum it, if you will, and enjoy a cheap double entendre. It’s good for the soul.
23 When Finn Has A Chance To Break The Stormtrooper Curse
For decades now, the Stormtroopers have been the butt of so many snarky jokes. We’ve mocked their full body armour, which couldn’t even stop a rampaging toddler. We’ve mocked the fact that these highly-trained, elite soldiers couldn’t hit a darn thing with their blasters. Ever (the plot armour of their targets notwithstanding, because that would ruin the joke).
Stormtroopers are just shiny, gleaming white jokes on legs.
It’s a tough life, being a Stormtrooper. You’re supposed to be a fearsome fighting force, the scourge of the galaxy, but everyone’s laughing at you wherever you go because you suck.
With The Force Awakens, though, the troopers were thrown a bone in the form of Finn. Not just a faceless, useless clone, Finn has a real humanity to him. He’s got a real chance here, too.
22 When Michael Jackson And Star Wars Collide
Well, wasn’t that a neat little segue? It’s almost like I’m planning these entries out. I’m darn proud of myself today, friends.
Ah, this moment. Obi-Wan had horribly savaged Anakin, leaving the poor guy without a leg to stand on (sorry). There he was, on the bank of the lava river on Mustafar, when Palpatine receives a message on his Psychic Paper (or is that a different sci-fi franchise?) and heads over to find his apprentice and sew his legs back on.
It was pretty darn intense stuff, Revenge of the Sith, when you think about it. A lot of fans don’t have a good word to say about the prequel trilogy, but they do have their moments. This is not a laughing matter, Michael, it’s no time for your trademark Smooth Criminal lean.
21 When You Forget That Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber Came With A Free Hand
Come on now, internet meme-makers. There’s a line you just don’t cross, and here you are cartwheeling over the freaking line, in your underpants, with joyous abandon. Is nothing sacred anymore?
Well, no. Of course, it isn’t. This is the internet we’re talking about, and the more super serious emotional moments we can ruin, the better.
This is no time for cheap shots either.
Seriously , though. This was the scene that the whole of The Force Awakens was leading up to (excuse spoilers again). The scene that saw Luke reunited with the most iconic weapon in all of movie-dom. The scene where Mark Hamill was paid far, far too much, to simply grow a beard and turn around dramatically (come on, guy, you didn’t even have a single line).
20 When The Sad Fate Of Luke's Aunt And Uncle Is Not A Darn Laughing Matter
Poor old Owen and Beru Lars. These harmless moisture farmers never did anything to anyone. They were guilty only of taking care of their nephew Luke Skywalker, after… that whole business with his parents. They were the Vernon and Petunia Dursley of the Star Wars universe, if you will, only without being raging d-bags.
Did the Stormtroopers care, though? They did not. On finally discovering that those were, in actuality, the droids they were looking for, the troopers were not amused. They brought a swift end to Owen and Beru and burnt down the family home. This brutal act set Luke off on his path of Jedi justice, indirectly setting up the events of the movies to come. But you have to be really really reaching for a silver lining there, as far as the rather charred Larses are concerned.
19 When Darth Daddy Tries To Get All Fatherly On You
You know, I just can’t quite see Darth Vader as the fatherly type. Typical dad stuff, like chauffeuring, money-lending and ‘that talk’ would seem to be beyond him. Force choking, lightsaber duelling and telling admirals that they’ve failed you for the last time in a menacing tone are more his speed, but they’re kind of niche talents at best.
For a lot of children, though, a father is often seen as a figure to fear a little, to obey, and that’s where Vader would definitely shine. When this guy tells you to do something, after all, you’re usually going to make that thing a priority. If you value your ability to breathe.
The Force is strong with you... you're grounded.
Leia, however, being the strong, independent woman who don’t need no Dark Lord of the Sith that she is, is having none of this.
18 When You Weren't Even Anywhere Near The Younglings And They Can't Pin It On You
Oh, those poor Younglings. As far as I’m concerned, that sounds more like a name you’d give baby crocodiles than baby Jedis, but there it is. That’s one of many reasons why I’m not George Lucas, I guess.
The Younglings, for the uninitiated, were trainee Jedi, children who were sensitive to the Force, taken under the protection of the order shortly after birth. At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, they’d start to learn about their powers and their place in the world. Yoda would then begin to teach them how to attack that floating thing with their lightsabers, while blindfolded, so that it didn’t zap them in the unmentionables.
The Younglings were wiped out along with most of the Jedi as a result of the notorious Order 66, after Darth Vader attacked the Jedi Temple with the 501st Legion.
17 When You Do Unspeakable Things With Your Star Wars Legos
You know what? Let’s not do this. Let’s really, really not.Oftentimes with movies and TV shows, there’s a character on the periphery who you much prefer to the main star. I’m not sure what it is about them. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re the underdog. They don’t get top billing, but they darn well steal the show during every scene they’re a part of.
When it comes to Star Wars, Chewbacca is most certainly that character for me. The big furry guy is a fantastic, endearing, comedy relief character, which is always welcome in a franchise that can get pretty darn dark at times. He’s a joy to watch, and his trademark Wookiee howls are as expressive as they are hilarious.
So, yes. I cannot condone this meme.
16 When You Snark On Two Of The Greatest Elderly Warriors In The Galaxy
The Star Wars franchise is defined in part by its melodramatic lightsaber duels. The weapon is flashy, elegant and used by the light and Dark Side of the Force alike. They’re also conveniently colour-coded, so you can tell at a glance who the good guys and the bad guys are (if the latter’s flappy d-bag capes didn’t already give the game away). As such, lightsaber duels are always a dramatic show.
This one, which occurred during the rescue of Princess Leia early in A New Hope, was serious business. This was the moment that Obi-Wan opted to sacrifice himself so as to transcend to a higher level of consciousness (it was totally intentional, you understand, not because he was darn old and could no longer really raise anything heavier than a mug of Horlicks). It was another emotional moment, and not one to make jokes about. This one from thetankdestroyer is perfect, though.
15 When Yoda Wants A Ride, But You're Not Sure If You're About That Life
So, as I say, our old buddy Luke Skywalker must have had all sorts of mixed feelings on traveling to Dagobah. The poor floppy-haired guy’s world had been turned upside down. In the space of just a few hours’ movie time, he’d seen his aunt and uncle shot down by Stormtroopers. The only home he knew burnt to the ground. He’d been embroiled in a huge, intergalactic conflict, there are all kinds of revelations about his parents flying around… it’s a tough time for the guy.
Some Jedi Masters are only after one thing.
Who does he have to turn to, in this time of great turmoil? A half-toad, half-elf eccentric Jedi, that’s who. I don’t think we give Luke enough credit for everything he went through. We just give him cheap (if hilarious) jokes like this.
14 When Obi-Wan Throws ALL Of The Shade Vader's Way
As we’ve already seen, the whole Obi-Wan versus Darth Vader thing was the first lightsaber duel in the series. If we don’t include Luke versus that little training bot thing, which we definitely don’t. It was a brief confrontation, but one that carried a lot of emotional weight.
As the two fought, naturally, there was a little byplay going on between them. While you’re sizing each other up and taking a swing or two, you’ve also got to get your trash talk on as well. It’s all a part of the game. Vader took potshots at Obi-Wan’s age, Obi-Wan fired back, you know how it went down.
But where with this new, sassier Obi-Wan? I’d have paid good money to see this deleted scene. That’s a burn (see what I did there) if I’ve ever seen one.
13 When Darth Vader Forgets How Many Children He's Actually Sired
It’s one thing to make a big deal out of the hardships Luke Skywalker suffered over the course of his life, but how about Anakin? Luke’s father wasn’t born a brooding, wheezing, Imperial March-playing villainous mastermind, after all.
He was a young, impressionable boy once.
The story of Anakin Skywalker and his gradual turn to the dark side is told in the prequel trilogy. A harrowing tale it is, too, full of bizarre aliens, pod races and flailing around on the shores of lava lakes with your legs cut off. These sorts of experiences will change a person, change them in profound ways. I think we can forgive Darth Vader for being a little confused about his children. After all, Batman does look very like him.
12 When Your Dog Isn't Thrilled By Its New Star Wars-Themed Outfit
Now, I live in London, and if there’s anything I can tell you about the UK, it’s that the weather sucks. The rainy season started around about the year 1437, showing no signs of letting up since. We don’t tend to get much snow around here, but when it’s cold (which is most of the time), it’s pretty darn cold. So, yes, my dog will wear a coat where necessary, and I offer no apologies to anyone for it.
Even with all of that said, though, I will draw the line at novelty holiday outfits. Santa suits? Some appalling little pumpkin getup for Halloween? That’s a no from me, as Simon Cowell would say. You can just see how much this poor soul hates their walker outfit.
I would make a pun about a dog owner with a lisp (“good boy. Now Sith,”) but this is making me too sad.
11 When Your Lightsaber Doesn't Quite Light Up Like It Used To
Early in the franchise, there was something else you couldn’t help noticing about the Jedi Masters: they were darn old. There were only two conclusions to be drawn from this. Either it took a long, long freaking time to earn the right to be deemed Master, or excessive use of the Force tends to age you prematurely. Like cigarettes.
Age takes its toll on us all.
I couldn’t say which of these is the true answer. I’d venture neither, but as I say, I’m not George Lucas. All that really matters here is that, as Vader sneered during their duel, Obi-Wan’s powers had diminished. He was a shadow of his former self, out of practice after all of those years in hiding. Why does Yoda speak that way? Because he’s over 900 years old, that’s why.
10 When Luke Is The Most Ungrateful Son In The Galaxy
Now, don’t get me wrong here. Nobody’s claiming that Darth Vader would be running for Father of the Year anytime soon. Those guys rifle through the pasts of every applicant, after all, and a lot of Vader’s past misadventures wouldn’t look too great on a resume. All I’m saying is, come on, Luke. Give the guy a break.
It’s just natural for a father to want to bond with his son, to try and share each others’ interests. To want to continue his legacy together with his son. To want to… well, rule over the entire galaxy and stomp your iron jackboot into the face of all who tried to oppose you together. Couldn’t you have at least given the Empire a chance, Luke? Daddy had worked really hard on it, after all.
9 When You Have The 'So Where's This Relationship Going' Conversation
Do you remember that one Friends episode with Ross and Mona? The new relationship was going well, they liked each other a lot, and she was surprisingly tolerant of Ross’s behaviour (which was pretty nutty at that time, with Rachel pregnant and all). Suddenly, she hit him with the so where are we? Where do you see us going? conversation.
I don’t mean to go all Doctor Phil on you out of nowhere, but here it is.
Fortunately for the continuance of the species, most men are not Ross Gellar. Even so, this one can be a prickly issue for any relationship. In today’s right-swiping, fast food dating world, the future is a tricky prospect. So many people don’t think long term, at least not for a long darn time.
8 When You Just Cannot Condone Pineapple On Pizza
Speaking of difficult issues. As pizza fans everywhere know, the pineapple or no pineapple debate is one of the most heated ones in dough-based Italian cuisine. The classic Hawaiian is pineapple and ham, in my experience, though different places and restaurants offer their own variants on the theme.
Now, myself, I’m a lifelong farmhouse man. Ham and mushroom all the way, usually garnished with a little jalapeno or other peppers. These toppings aren’t for everyone, though, and I totally respect that. Whether you smother yours with a billion different vegetable topics or you’re a meat feast fan, I’m down with that. Pizza lovers are all good people in my eyes.
There are some that just don’t accept that, though, and will take your choices as a personal offense. When you order pineapple on your pizza, they’ll look at you like you’d just roundhouse kicked their grandma in the face. Why?
7 When He's Done Something Wrong, But You Haven't Told Him What Yet
If the cheap old gender stereotypes have taught us anything (which they haven’t), it’s that men tend to be a little slow on the uptake emotionally. Are women over emotional, or are we under emotional? There’s really no answer to that, because it should all be taken on a case-by-case basis anyway.
Come on, people, it’s 2018. Let’s open our minds a little.
Going along with the whole idea for a moment, though, it’s not unusual to get a little petty when we’re arguing with our other halves. Are we more angry at the original crime, or is it more egregious that they don’t know they did something wrong in the first place? You just go around in circles, getting madder and madder, just thinking about it.
6 When She Drops The 'I'm Pregnant' Bomb On You
A pregnancy, needless to say, will turn every little aspect of your life upside down. It’ll then rotate them in the air for a moment, before hurling them back into your face like an angry poltergeist. Pregnancy is, essentially, the boss battle against Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid.
Whether you’re the mother or the father concerned, that’s going to be the case. Generally, however, men will get the easier end of the deal. If only because of the fact that they won’t have a human shooting out of their nethers like a log flume in a few months’ time. They’re also, in a lot of cases, the parent that find the whole situation much more difficult to deal with. The key is finding some subtle, gentle way to break the news.