Star Wars is full of iconic quotes from many characters, but some of the most memorable speak to the fact that Luke Skywalker is the best Jedi in the entire saga. While the story is always expanding, no other character has been so much the focus of Star Wars or had the most complete journey from birth to death. Some of his best lines are emblematic of his heroic and mythic journey.
Luke Skywalker's path from a simple teenager on Tatooine to a Jedi Master is full of twists and turns, and his words often reflect his fears and doubts. They also reflect his wisdom and confidence, gained from bitter experience. Luke Skywalker's story isn't over yet either, and his place as the best Jedi continues to be underlined in new entries in the franchise like The Mandalorian.
When He's Triumphant
"I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
The final battle between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker is one of the greatest duels in Star Wars, and it leads to one of the best quotes from Luke Skywalker. After Luke's anger and fear drive him to cut off the hand of his father, he's goaded by The Emperor into killing Vader and becoming his new apprentice. Luke rejects him, saying "I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
Luke's triumph at this moment is clear. He's rejected the call of the Dark Side in a way his father couldn't and soundly defeats The Emperor's best-laid plans, proving him at this moment to be perhaps the greatest Jedi ever.
When He Shows His Wisdom
"Talent without training is nothing."
One of the best scenes from The Mandalorian that Star Wars fans didn't see coming was Luke Skywalker's arrival at the end of the season two finale. Luke's brief appearance leads to one of his best statements, which reflects his wisdom a few years removed from the fall of the Empire.
Luke says he will train Grogu, because "Talent without training is nothing." He is likely speaking from his own experience and the knowledge of other Jedi who had enormous potential but fell along the way due to a lack of education or proper training.
When He's Insightful
"You're overconfidence is your weakness."
Luke is often insightful in his best quotes. One of the most astute in the entire saga comes in Return of the Jedi when he confronts The Emperor. The Emperor coldly tells Luke the Rebellion is doomed, but Luke rightly calls out Palpatine's overconfidence.
"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke says, a piercing observation that is borne out in Palpatine being unable to anticipate Darth Vader's turn back toward the light. "Your father can never be turned from the Dark Side," he says, which proves to be his downfall.
When He Sees The Light
"I will not be the last Jedi."
As wise as Luke is, he's not above fear and doubt. One of his best quotes from the final battle of The Last Jedi reflects him coming to a healthier understanding about his role as a Jedi and his place in a legacy that will not end with him.
He tells Kylo Ren "I will not be the last Jedi" after Ren promises to kill him and destroy the order once and for all. Luke's quote shows he's left behind his sadness and pessimism from his failure with Ben Solo, and embraced a future where the Jedi survive and thrive.
When He Gives Hope
"No one is ever really gone."
One of the best quotes from The Last Jedi is also one of the most hopeful in the entire Star Wars saga. In one of the darkest moments in the story, he comforts his sister Leia after she says she knows Ben Solo is gone and he's never coming back. "No one is ever really gone," Luke says.
Luke's hope is always fighting back against the doubt and fear within him, and this is one of his most impactful scenes in the saga. The quote also took on added poignancy for fans after the untimely death of Carrie Fisher.
When He Keeps It Real
"You Can Either Profit By This, Or Be Destroyed."
Despite being one of the most powerful Jedi ever, Luke Skywalker prefers to avoid violence. But he also keeps it real when dealing with some of the most notorious villains in Star Wars, like Jabba the Hutt. "You can either profit from this or be destroyed," he tells Jabba after he's captured in Return of the Jedi.
Jabba laughs and condemns Luke and his friends to the Sarlacc Pit, but Luke gets the last laugh. As he promised, Jabba loses his life and his empire when the heroes overcome enormous odds and destroy the Khetanna, Jabba's sail barge.
When He's Telling The Truth
"Strike me down in anger and I'll always be with you, just like your father."
Luke proves his worth as a Jedi often by simply telling the truth. He has no need to confuse or intimidate like The Emperor. His confrontation with Kylo Ren on Crait reveals how powerful honesty can be when he tells Ren death is not the end.
"Strike me down in anger and I'll always be with you, just like your father," Luke tells Kylo Ren. This turns out to be true, as Ren has a touching moment with his father in The Rise of Skywalker that plays a key role in his redemption.
When He's Being Hard
"Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong."
Luke proves his worth as a Jedi Master by showing he learned more than tricks in the Force from Yoda. He also picked up on some of his polite condescension toward his students, as shown in his training of Rey on the island of Ahch-To.
"Impressive," Luke tells Rey. "Every word in that sentence was wrong." Just as Yoda didn't spare him on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke makes things hard on Rey, who is eager but naive at this point in her development as a Jedi.
When He's Being A Teacher
"The Force is not a power you have. It’s not about lifting rocks."
Luke is also an open and honest teacher though, and a good one, making him one of the best Jedi. Rey's understanding of the Force in the sequel trilogy is very limited, as much as he was when he first began to train. "The Force is not a power you have," Luke says. "It's not about lifting rocks."
Luke's quote reveals how astute a teacher he is. He cuts through any philosophical approach to the Force and simply explains what it truly is, and then helps Rey to understand it through her connection to it. His teaching arguably helps her avoid falling into typical traps for a new Jedi.
When He's A Student
"I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father."
Luke was also a student of the Force for arguably his entire life. A quote that shows his quality as a Jedi reflects his eagerness to learn. "I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father," he says to Obi-Wan Kenobi after his aunt and uncle are killed.
Luke's willingness to learn, and to work to become a Jedi, is not only a heroic quest but an evolution in character. Before this, he was an eager youth looking to do anything but work and learn the life of a moisture farmer. After the murder of his family, he embraces the challenge ahead of him.
