Despite all the flak George Lucas gets for his poor dialogue, the Star Wars franchise has managed to spawn some of the most iconic and recognizable phrases of all time. From "Do or do not, there is no try," to "Never tell me the odds," to "It's a trap," the galaxy far, far away is never without something memorable to say, but none are as pervasive as "I've got a bad feeling about this."
This line is uttered in every Star Wars film to date, aside from Solo: A Star Wars' Story, which inverts the line to, "I have a really good feeling about this is." As fans approach the 40-year anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, let's take a look at the context in which the line is said.
A New Hope
The line is said twice in Episode IV, and in both cases, it's because the heroes sense something is truly off. The first time it is uttered by Luke as the Millennium Falcon is pulled into the Death Star. The second utterance is heard from Han Solo in the trash compactor, just after he helps save Luke from the clutches of a dianoga.
The Empire Strikes Back
In the follow-up film, the third member of the original core trio gets her turn at the phrase. Leia says she has a "bad feeling," without realizing the Falcon is sitting inside the mouth of an exogorth (space slug). Given the later revelation of Leia's Force abilities, it's not surprising she had this premonition.
Return of the Jedi
The baton gets passed from the humans to the droids in Return of the Jedi. C-3PO, the character who embodies the phrase best, shares his reservations with R2-D2 as they enter Jabba's Palace to pull off a daring rescue that involves a Sarlacc pit, slavery and the death of the Rancor.
The Phantom Menace
The prequels waste no time, with "I've got a bad feeling about this" being the first thing young Obi-Wan Kenobi says in The Phantom Menace. Having just been graciously received by the Trade Federation for a negotiation on the lifting of the blockade of Naboo, there seems to be no reason to worry. Nevertheless, he is vindicated when he and Qui-Gon are attacked moments later.
Attack of the Clones
Viewers have to wait a long time to hear the line in the second prequel film, as it's said by Anakin during the film's climax. As Padme figures out a way to escape, Anakin laments facing off against a trio of beasts with his hands tied behind his back. This is the first case in which the phrase's context is played with since in the past the danger is always abstract and happens after the line is said; however, here it's said in the face of an obvious threat.
Revenge of the Sith
George Lucas' final installment of the series opens with a space battle, through which the two central Jedi race to save the Chancellor from General Grievous. As the hangar bay doors on Grievous' ship close, they make one final push, prompting Obi-Wan to express his misgivings in classic Star Wars fashion.
The Force Awakens
Decades after saying the phrase, Han still worries about what's next. When he finds himself cornered by Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang, he fights fire with fire by telling Rey to release two deadly rathars. No matter how effective the strategy is, there's no denying that rathars fail to evoke a good feeling.
Rogue One
Keeping in line with the Star Wars anthology series' desire to distance itself from franchise conventions, Rogue One has no time for the whole phrase to be uttered. As Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor and K-2SO sneak into the security complex on Scarif, tensions are high. K2SO tries to express this feeling with the classic phrase, but he is silenced by Jyn, fearing too much talk will give them away.
The Last Jedi
Rian Johnson wanted his film to buck the established trends, and this desire trickled down as far as the delivery of the obligatory phrase. The audience hears it spoken as Poe Dameron leads a bombing raid against First Order ships, but it's not said in the way they're used to. Poe's droid, BB-8, says it in binary, marking yet another way in which creators have experimented with the line .
The Rise of Skywalker
The most recent appearance of the phrase can be found in The Rise of Skywalker. This time the honor goes to Lando Calrissian, who shares his concern with Rey as the First Order arrives on the desert planet Pasaana. As quotations of this phrase go, it's a relatively straightforward one, signaling director J.J. Abrams' desire to bring the series back to its original formula.