IT'S A TRAP!
Darth Vader: Does this page have a code clearance?
Admiral Piett: It's an older code, sir, but it checks out. I was about to add a new meme.
Return to the main Star Wars meme page here.
Please add entries in the following format:
- The meme. Explanation The explanation behind the meme.
- Further mutations and successor memes, if any.
- "It's a trap!" Explanation Admiral Ackbar's exclamation has spawned a number of jokes and image macros, either with the original words or some pun thereof; this seems to be a Cyclic Trope, waxing and waning periodically. Interestingly, the meme seems to have further mutated since it began — originally Ackbar was a memetic Captain Obvious who pointed out traps that anyone could easily notice; since then, he has become a Memetic Badass who's able to detect any trap, regardless of how devious or well-hidden it is. Through 4chan, the word "Trap
" gained even further mutations, and has since became a common internet slang for convincing cases of Dude Looks Like a Lady.
- Jabba has become the patron saint of morbid obesity and disgusting eating.
- "He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil."Explanation Obi Wan says this to Luke since he believes that Vader is beyond redemption. Used to describe other characters who are beyond saving or too far gone in one way or the other.
- Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious became synonymous with Evil Overlord types. In particular, his black robe and the line "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen!", which is used to mock politicians that people consider to be cartoonishly corrupt.
- Palpatine's death by being thrown down the Death Star's reactor shaft by the redeemed Vader/Anakin has also become iconic and is occasionally invoked in memes speculating someone's defection from a higher power◊.
- "Many Bothans died to bring us this information." note Said by Mon Mothma during the meeting regarding the second Death Star. It's sometimes used as a snowclone in the form of "Many Bothans died to [x]", and it went memetic again as a mock spoiler to Rogue One, even though the film is about the first Death Star.
- A related meme is that the line doesn't refer to many... well, Bothans, but instead refers to an individual named Manny Bothans.
- The iconic scene with the Force Ghosts of Anakin, Yoda, and Ben is often edited to incorporate a recently deceased fictional character or real person, from the cast of The Walking Dead to Carrie Fisher herself.
- Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station!Explanation Palpatine boasts about the power of the Death Star to Luke as he orders it to fire on the Rebel fleet. Another line that is sometimes used as a snowclone, with "battle station" being swapped out for anything else.
- Yoda's last words to Luke:" There is... another... Sky... walker." note While he was talking about Vader, it's sometimes used to joke that he was predicting a reveal in The Rise of Skywalker, and is sometimes accompanied by fanart or photos implying that one of the Skywalkers had a baby somehow, showing that there is yet another Skywalker.
- When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not.explanation Yoda jokes about his old age to Luke. It is also common to accompany the meme with a picture of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, who once said he was 903 years old.
- "Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude!" Explanation During the battle over Endor, Ackbar says this as a reason to retreat from the battle after witnessing the Death Star destroying one of their ships. Yet another snowcloned line, with "firepower" being the word that is replaced.
- "It's an older code, sir, but it checks out."Explanation Derived from Piett's line "It's an older code, sir, but it checks out" to Vader regarding the shuttle that attempts to enter the Forest Moon of Endor, unaware the Rebels are on that shuttle. Change "code" into "meme" to use for when someone uses an outdated or irrelevant meme or as a response to memes reposted multiple times in any place.
- "You Rebel Scum!" Explanation When Han gets captured by the Empire, one officer says this to him. A deleted scene has Han responding by glaring and asking incredulously "Scum?!" Used as a common nickname for the Rebels.
- Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Sidious the Senate?Explanation Combination of two memes from Revenge of the Sith which is used to address, naturally, Sidious' death in this movie.
- Ironic, he could save others from death, but not himself.Explanation Sidious said this regarding his former master Plagueis in Revenge of the Sith. Ironically, this line is eventually applied to Sidious himself, since he saved Vader's life in Revenge of the Sith but end up getting killed by Vader here.
- "It's over Father. I have the high ground." "Not this crap again!" (throws saber)Explanation During the Final Battle, Luke briefly takes the high ground against Vader, to which Vader throws his lightsaber to force Luke to his level. Fans of Revenge of the Sith made jokes that Vader had learned his lesson after losing to Obi-Wan taking the high ground.
- "I do believe that they think I am some sort of god." note C-3PO points this out when the Ewoks who captured the main Rebel crew suddenly stop attacking then start bowing once they see C-3PO; its further emphasized at the Ewoks' base with C-3PO put on a throne as Luke and the others are imprisoned. Both are used to refer to any person or character one sees as an idol. Also got a surge after the release of the widely positive-reviewed series The Mandalorian, with fans commenting this will be the fandom reaction to its creator Jon Favreau or executive producer Dave Filoni at their next convention appearances.
- "De wanna wanga."note Bib Fortuna's Huttese greeting to C-3PO, which could be interpreted as a Double Entendre.
- "Ugh, how the fuck do you cover letter."note Luke's introductory speech to Jabba has become a popular template for job application cover letters.
- Luke's Chanel Bootsexplanation A meme centering around the boots Luke wears throughout the movie, which appear to be rather luxurious long, black boots similar to the exclusive Chanel brand. While we don't know if the boots used by the costuming department were actually Chanel (not even Mark Hamill knows), the meme caught on and led to a wide variety of jokes about Luke having inherited his mother's fashion sense.
- "What of the reports of the Rebel fleet massing near Sullust?"explanation Darth Vader wondering if he and Palpatine should be concerned about the Rebels gathering near the planet Sullust. Used as the Original Trilogy equivalent of "What about the droid attack on the Wookiees?"
- Darth Vader's harmonica soloexplanation It's been pointed out several times that during Anakin's death scene, the lower jaw of his armor looks a lot like a neck-mounted harmonica.
Mon Mothma: Many Bothans died to bring us these memes.
