Original artwork, not a still
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Yoda's four-step ladder is the franchise's moral thesis, and it is also a prophecy: the boy being tested is afraid of losing his mother, and in Revenge of the Sith he will climb every rung. Fans quote it as a self-help proverb and in endless parodies, usually with the rungs rearranged.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceShow the scene
In The Phantom Menace (1999), Qui-Gon Jinn escorts Queen Amidala to Coruscant and asks the Jedi Council to let him train a boy he met on Tatooine, Anakin Skywalker. The Council questions Anakin in turn. Yoda asks how he feels; Anakin says cold, and denies he is afraid. Yoda says they can see through him, and Ki-Adi-Mundi notes his thoughts dwell on his mother. When Anakin admits he misses her, Yoda answers with this warning, a ladder from fear down to suffering. The Council then refuses, fearing the boy is vulnerable to the dark side.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom MenaceCouncil examination of AnakinReference checked
- Wikipedia: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenacePlot, Coruscant sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
