Origin of 'Hello There' Star Wars meme

"If you say "Hello There" and she responds with "General Kenobi", she's the one."

@natathevoiceguy6y ago
35.3k

Origin of 'Hello There' Star Wars meme

In the sprawling, galaxy-spanning history of the Star Wars franchise, few lines of dialogue have achieved the absolute immortality of a simple, two-word greeting. The meme originates from George Lucas's 2005 blockbuster, Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, during the climax of the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) tracks the cyborg General Grievous to the sinkhole world of Utapau.

Surrounded by hundreds of battle droids, Grievous prepares for an overwhelming standoff. Instead of a stealthy assassination or a massive orbital strike, Obi-Wan drops from the rafters—landing directly in the middle of the enemy army. He casually rises, looks at the terrifying cyborg general wielding four lightsabers, and delivers a dry, completely unbothered greeting: "Hello there." Grievous immediately responds with his own iconic, raspy line: "General Kenobi. You are a bold one."

The Community Reacts: A Galactic Inside Joke

Over the years, this moment of absolute nonchalance became the ultimate internet response to an unnecessary show of force. The community comments highlight exactly why the fanbase refuses to let this moment go:

  • The Poetic Cinema: Hero commenter @MrSuperpewp points out a brilliant piece of franchise poetry: "This is even better when you realize "hello there" were Obi-Wan's first spoken words in A New Hope."

  • The Ultimate Sacrifice: Known for strictly adhering to tactical advantages, Obi-Wan's drop sparked hilarious debates. @lordgreyblack8326 noted, "He gave up the high ground just to politely greet the other general. Respect the best master." @Argenteux echoed the sentiment, asking, "Are we forgetting that Obi Wan jumped off the high ground in this scene?"

  • The Litmus Test: The exchange has literally become a cultural handshake. @natathevoiceguy stated the ultimate relationship goal: "If you say "Hello There" and she responds with "General Kenobi", she's the one."

  • The Absurdity: And of course, the internet's love for wordplay gave us @rossmahon2 simply dropping: "General Cannoli".

A Universal Geek Shibboleth

The Star Wars saga has evolved massively since its launch in 1977. We have seen the fall of the Jedi, the rise of the Empire, and endless battles between the light and dark sides of the Force—all culminating in the massive 2012 Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm. Yet, through all the complex lore and dramatic lightsaber duels, Ewan McGregor's perfectly deadpan delivery remains a foundational pillar of internet culture.

"Hello there" is no longer just a line of dialogue. It is a universal greeting, a secret handshake for fans, and the absolute best way to enter a room.

Do you find this post helpful?

Comments:
The Blueprint of Material Obsession: Patrick Bateman's Skincare Routine

"Patrick Bateman was the first social media influencer"

@kris76255y ago
59.1k

The Blueprint of Material Obsession: Patrick Bateman's Skincare Routine

This is one of American Psycho's (2000) most iconic scenes—Patrick Bateman (Played by Christian Bale) narrating his elaborate skincare routine with the exact same cold, calculated precision he uses to describe his apartment, his business cards, or his victims. The sequence masterfully establishes the core point of the character: Bateman treats physical grooming, wealth, and status symbols as extensions of the same obsession, using material perfection as a literal mask to hide the gaping void underneath.

The scene's enduring brilliance lies in its unwavering tone—total, deadpan sincerity applied to something absurdly vain. Notice how Patrick introduces himself by listing his posh apartment building before he even states his own name ("I live in the American Gardens Building on West 81st Street on the 11th floor. My name is Patrick Bateman"). It is a subtle, chilling detail that perfectly reflects a sociopathic mind that values material wealth and geography over actual human identity.

The Community Reacts: The Original Influencer

Over two decades later, the internet has recontextualized Bateman's chilling monologue into a hilariously accurate satire of modern social media. Filtering through the cinematic appreciation, these curated comments perfectly deconstruct the scene's accidental prophecy:

  • The Accidental Prophet: Hero commenter @kris7625 pointed out the eerie modern parallel: "Patrick Bateman was the first social media influencer". By breaking down the clinical recitation of brand names and steps, the joke highlights how Bateman's psychotic vanity perfectly mirrors the exact cadence of a modern "Get Ready With Me" videos.

  • The Ultimate Flex: Hero commenter @midrang3r brilliantly adapted the movie's most famous running joke: "Impressive, very nice. Let's see Paul Allen's morning routine." This seamlessly merges the skincare sequence with the legendary business card scene, playfully suggesting that Bateman's true trigger would be finding out a rival has a slightly better exfoliating gel scrub.

  • The Time Traveler: Selected commenter @nikoletta3855 expanded on the influencer comparison: "When a movie made in 2000 accidentally predicts beauty youtubers...". It perfectly captures the surreal realization that Mary Harron's sharp satire of 1980s yuppie culture ended up flawlessly predicting the hyper-curated vanity of modern internet culture.

  • The Sociopathic Tell: Selected commenter @gautamramesh3733 analyzed the script's psychological brilliance: "anyone notice how he mentioned his address before his name? he literally considers his material wealth to be more indicative of his identity than his actual name." This validates the exact thematic genius of the writing, proving that the true horror of Bateman is hidden in plain sight through his casual dialogue.

  • The Overachiever: Selected commenter @sadetta9312 brought the intense routine down to a relatable, everyday scenario: "when you wake up an hour before the alarm". It hilariously reduces a serial killer's obsessive-compulsive masking ritual to the mundane experience of having too much time to kill before work.

The Mask of Sanity

While American Psycho is deeply revered for its exploration of complex cinematic themes and psychological lore, this specific scene has taken on a massive digital life of its own. What was originally written as a dark, biting critique of 1980s corporate greed has ironically transformed into the internet's favorite mirror for modern vanity. The monologue endures not just because it is highly quotable, but because Bateman's chilling assertion that "there is no real me" feels increasingly relevant in an era dominated by carefully constructed digital personas.

Do you find this post helpful?

Comments:
You Have No Power Here Meme Origin

"Best anti-aging process I've ever seen"

@xaraxen8y ago
7.7k

You Have No Power Here Meme Origin

The iconic "you have no power here" meme originates from the 2002 film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The famous scene takes place in the Golden Hall of Meduseld when Gandalf the White arrives to free King Théoden of Rohan from a mind-control spell cast by the corrupted wizard Saruman. The legendary line is actually delivered by Saruman speaking directly through Théoden's possessed, rapidly decaying body, smugly mocking Gandalf's attempt to intervene. The arrogance of the statement is immediately followed by Gandalf shedding his grey cloak to reveal his blinding white robes, proving his newly elevated status before forcefully exorcising Saruman from the king's mind. Interestingly, this exact phrase echoes a classic moment decades earlier, when Glinda the Good Witch said it in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Despite the film's 2002 release, the quote did not achieve internet fame until a full decade later. In December 2012, a screenshot of the possessed king was uploaded to a popular meme-generator site. By early 2013, it had completely exploded across social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook. It quickly became the ultimate reaction image for dismissing an irrelevant opinion or humorously highlighting someone's absolute lack of authority in a specific situation.

The Community Reacts: Middle-earth Meets Meme Culture

The internet has spent years dissecting every frame of Peter Jackson's trilogy, and this scene is a prime target for blending high fantasy with modern digital humor. Filtering through the cinematic appreciation, these curated comments perfectly deconstruct the scene:

  • The Miracle Cure: Hero commenter @xaraxen praised the practical makeup effects used on the king: "Best anti-aging process I've ever seen". This perfectly frames the intense visual transformation—from a frail, cloudy-eyed old man back to a robust warrior king—as a highly successful, albeit aggressive, cosmetic procedure.

  • The Clickbait Pitch: Selected commenter @Wapamdon expanded on that exact visual transformation using classic internet ad tropes: "DERMATOLOGISTS HATE HIM FIND OUT HOW TO GET CLEANER SKIN WITH 1 SIMPLE TRICK". By applying the loud, spam-heavy aesthetic of modern pop-up ads to a high-fantasy exorcism, the joke hilariously trivializes a deeply dramatic cinematic moment.

  • The Ultimate Blunder: Hero commenter @versace_savace9140 highlighted the catastrophic failure of the royal guards: "I told you to take the wizards staff' LOTR equivalent of you had one job." The comment points out Gríma Wormtongue's critical mistake of letting an incredibly powerful wizard keep his magical weapon simply because he claimed it was a walking stick, marking it as one of the most hilariously avoidable errors in the franchise.

  • The Outdated Lore: Selected commenter @shubhamkejriwal7698 mocked Saruman's failure to recognize Gandalf's resurrected status: "'You have no power here; Gandalf the Grey' 'Did you just assume my colour?'". This playfully satirizes Saruman's fatal flaw in the scene—working off outdated intelligence and severely underestimating his former colleague's recent promotion.

  • The Background Brawl: Selected commenter @darkdaxter15 appreciated the chaotic cinematic details happening just out of focus: "I love the unarmed combat going on in the background as Gandalf approaches Theoden.". It highlights a brilliant directorial choice: while the dramatic magical duel takes center stage, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are casually dismantling the entire royal guard in a completely silent, bare-knuckle tavern brawl in the background.

Today, the scene remains one of the internet's most durable and beloved movie-quote memes. It perfectly bridges the gap between epic cinema and everyday internet arguments, proving that a single line of misplaced arrogance can be endlessly remixed by new generations across social media platforms.

Do you find this post helpful?

Comments: