May the Force be with you

"Good bye, old friend. May the Force be with you."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi, to his former Padawan Anakin Skywalker before traveling to Utapau



"May the Force be with you" was a phrase used to wish luck or good will, generally when individuals parted ways or the object of the expression was facing some sort of imminent challenge. The phrase implied the speaker's wish that the power of the Force would be working alongside the addressee, in order that the addressee's goals would be more effectively accomplished.

Jedi
Qui-Gon Jinn wished Anakin Skywalker "may the Force be with you" shortly before the start of the Boonta Eve Classic. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi used the phrase throughout his life, including at the end of his message sent through the Jedi beacon, warning any possible survivors of Order 66 that the Galactic Republic had turned against the Jedi and they should avoid Coruscant and detection. In another such message, recorded on a holocron to any surviving Jedi, he wished "May the Force be with you, always." He later told Luke Skywalker, "The Force will be with you. Always." during the Battle of Yavin.

Non-Jedi
Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, while overviewing the plan to destroy the Death Star, General Jan Dodonna told the Rebel pilots, "May the Force be with you." Similarly, Han Solo said "May the Force be with you" to Skywalker while preparing to leave Yavin 4, despite not being a strong believer in the Force. The phrase was later used by Admiral Ackbar before the Battle of Endor, saying "May the Force be with us".

Behind the scenes
The phrase "May the Force be with you" originated in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and has continued to be part of Star Wars stories ever since. In his introduction for Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide, Dave Filoni told readers that "The Force will be with you, always." In his introduction for A New Dawn, he stated that "Because of fans like you around the world, the Force will be with us, always." The final page of The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight features the phrase "May the force be with you!" against a backdrop of stars, echoing the final lines of the story: "Luke Skywalker fulfilled his destiny. He became a Jedi Knight and saved the galaxy. More important, he saved his father and found his family. The Force was with him."

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi