Original artwork, not a still
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
— V for Vendetta · 2005
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
V turns the usual order upside down: rulers should answer to the ruled, not the reverse. It is a thriller's line, but it works as a standalone slogan, which is how it spread, first on posters and then on protest signs. It gets quoted whenever people feel a state has grown too sure of itself.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for V for VendettaShow the scene
In V for Vendetta (2006), after V blows up the Old Bailey and takes over the airwaves, Evey Hammond is staying in his hidden hideout. Over breakfast she asks whether he meant his broadcast promise to destroy Parliament, and warns him that the secret police will arrest anyone who turns up. V answers with this line. Evey asks if he plans to make it happen by blowing up a building, and he replies that the building is a symbol. The line also ran as one of the film's taglines.
Sources (1)
- Wikiquote: V for Vendetta (film)Dialogue between Evey and V; taglinesReference checked
Context reviewed
