- "Hello there."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi, as portrayed by Ewan McGregor, says the line "Hello there" to General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith.
"Hello there" is a popular phrase in Star Wars media, largely associated with the character Obi-Wan Kenobi. First uttered by the character in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, the phrase has seen repeated usage over time as a running gag. Its second appearance in a mainline Star Wars film was in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, when Kenobi uses the phrase after surprising his adversary General Grievous. Following the instance in Revenge of the Sith, the phrase's repeated usage and popularity online has led to it being established as an internet meme, sometimes as a call-and-response with "General Kenobi!"
The phrase has since been referenced in multiple pieces of expanded media, including but not limited to The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Obi-Wan 5. Characters other than Kenobi have also uttered the phrase, including Grievous in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ezra Bridger in Star Wars Rebels.
Appearances in Star Wars
In canon media
Films
- "Hello there."
[BEEP BLIP]
"Come here, my little friend." - ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and R2-D2
"Hello there" is said for the first time in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
The first instance of the phrase in Star Wars canon is in the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In the film, Ben Kenobi greets R2-D2 with the phrase after rescuing Luke Skywalker from Tusken Raiders.[2] Its next utterance is in the film's prequel, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. During the sequence in the film depicting the Battle of Utapau, Obi-Wan Kenobi ambushes General Grievous, uttering the phrase to surprise his adversary.[1] It was at this instance that the phrase grew in popularity, sparking its use as a popular running gag and internet meme.[3]
Television
- "Hello there."
- ―General Grievous, to Obi-Wan Kenobi
General Grievous says "hello there" to Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Destroy Malevolence."
Multiple characters in the prequel-era television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars utter the phrase at several points in the series. In "Destroy Malevolence," Grievous announces his arrival to fight Obi-Wan Kenobi with the phrase, in a scene mirroring the original from Revenge of the Sith.[4] The bounty hunter Cad Bane utters it to Padmé Amidala during the Senate hostage crisis in "Hostage Crisis,"[5] and later does so again to a Naboo dockworker in "Crisis on Naboo."[6] Ziro Desilijic Tiure also says "hello there" to Mama the Hutt prior to "Crisis on Naboo," in the episode "Hunt for Ziro."[7] The final instance in The Clone Wars is during the unfinished—albeit canon—episode "Crystal Crisis." During the episode, Obi-Wan uses the phrase to greet an Amani whom he attempts to mind trick.[8]
The phrase also sees repeated usage in the television series Star Wars Rebels. In the special Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal, Lando Calrissian says it while greeting Hera Syndulla.[9] Hondo Ohnaka also utters the phrase when introducing himself to Ezra Bridger in "Brothers of the Broken Horn,"[10] while the Seventh Sister uses it to reveal her presence to Bridger in "Legacy."[11] It makes a final appearance in Rebels in "Crawler Commandeers," when Bridger says it to Seevor.[12]
In the series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, it is said by Omega in the episode "Cornered."[13]
The webseries Star Wars Galactic Pals has M1-RE use the phrase in the episode "Wookiee."[14]
The phrase saw a single usage in the Disney+ limited television series Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the series' final episode, "Part VI," Obi-Wan utters it to Luke when introducing himself to the boy for the first time.[15]
In the series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Lys Solay says the line in the episodes "Forest Defenders"[16] and "Bad Eggs".[17]
Video games
The original scene from Revenge of the Sith was mirrored in the trailer for Star Wars Battlefront II's The Rise of Skywalker update.
The phrase is also present in the 2017 video game Star Wars Battlefront II. Both Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous have "Hello there" available as both a voice line and an emote.[18] The scene from Revenge of the Sith from which the phrase had originally gained its popularity is also referenced in the trailer for the game's update based on Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker and its Celebration Edition.[19]
The phrase is also said by Dennis Brännvall in every Community Update video showcasing then-upcoming content for Battlefront II.[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]
In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Doma Dendra sometimes greets Cal Kestis with "Hello there." Other characters in the game also use the greeting on occasion. During a confrontation with Rayvis, the character says to Kestis: "You are a bold one," which was part of General Grievous' response to Obi-Wan's "Hello there" entrance in Revenge of the Sith.[30]
Comics
- "Hello there."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi to JM-909
The phrase has also seen usage in expanded media such as comics. In Age of Republic - Obi-Wan Kenobi 1, Obi-Wan Kenobi utters it to raiders.[32] It was again said by Kenobi in Obi-Wan 5 to the stormtrooper JM-909.[31]
Books
- "Hello, there."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Audj Seedol
Kenobi once again uttered the phrase to Audj Seedol on Lenahra in the 2022 young-adult novel Padawan.[33] The 2023 anthology novel The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life contains an introduction from Disney–Lucasfilm Press Director of Creative Franchise Michael Siglain which begins with the phrase "Hello there."[34] The 2024 novel The Living Force depicts Kenobi greeting the disguised Houk criminal Ghor with the phrase while on the transport Regal Zephyr. He uses the greeting once again to Ghor and his allies Wungo and "The Lobber" during the attack on the Riftwalker Headquarters on Valboraan. Kenobi begins to say it to the trio one final time during the Defense of Kwenn, but is interrupted by the Lobber.[35]
Magazines
- "Hello There!"
- ―Christopher Cooper
"A Message from the Editor," a reoccurring department in the Star Wars Insider magazine, began its introduction with "Hello There!" from issue 214 onwards.[36]
Tabletop games
An expansion for the tabletop game Star Wars: Shatterpoint including figurines representing Obi-Wan Kenobi, Commander Cody, and the 212th Attack Battalion is entitled the Hello There Squad Pack. Both the core set and the expansion released on June 2, 2023.[37][38] A card in the pack providing stats for Kenobi includes an ability also called "Hello There!"[39]
Non-canon media
Short films
- "Hello, there."
- ―Three Obi-Wan Kenobis, greeting one another
Three versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi say "hello there" to one another.
"Hello there" has seen extensive use in non-canon media. In The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, it sees repeated use, including in one scene where three versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi from across time greet one another before entering a fight with the forces of the dark side.[40] Kenobi says it again in LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation when first speaking to Finn as a Force spirit.[41]
Video games
- "Hello there."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi's idle voice line
The phrase also sees repeated usage in the video game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. The scene from Revenge of the Sith is present as a direct adaptation of the original scene from the movie. An abridged version of its use in A New Hope is also depicted following the fight with Tusken Raiders. Additionally, both the young and old versions of Obi-Wan have the phrase available as an idle quote, with the younger version of the character having two variants of the phrase available. Old "Ben" Kenobi also utters it in an additional idle quote, with the phrase "Don't be afraid" also included afterwards.[42]
In LEGO Fortnite, characters from the Star Wars-themed update can say "Hello there" as one of several greetings to the player.[43]
Out-of-universe uses
- "Hello there."
"Hello there." - ―News anchor Robin Roberts and Ewan McGregor
"Hello There" was used as the page title for a Sith Snapshot on StarWars.com posted on June 29, 2005, which featured an image of Kenobi and described how McGregor transitioned the character closer to how Guinness portrayed the Jedi in Revenge of the Sith.[45] "Hello There" also used as the title for a clip of the original scene from Revenge of the Sith uploaded to StarWars.com.[46] Several other articles on the website also use the phrase in their titles, including announcements for Star Wars: Obi-Wan,[47] a figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi from Sideshow Collectibles,[48] an Obi-Wan-themed cupcake recipe,[49] the documentary Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return,[50] and the addition of Revenge of the Sith-era Obi-Wan to Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.[51]
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a Red Nose Day 2023 sketch
The phrase has been tweeted or mentioned by both the official Star Wars (@StarWars) and Electronic Arts Star Wars (@EAStarWars) Twitter accounts numerous times.[52] The phrase was used as the greeting on a letter released to promote the then-upcoming novel The High Republic: Midnight Horizon as part of Star Wars: The High Republic media initiative.[53] During Celebration Anaheim in 2022, Ewan McGregor said the line just after walking on-stage during the Lucasfilm Ltd. Studio Showcase.[54] The line was also quoted by McGregor and anchor Robin Roberts from Good Morning America during the start of their interview.[44] In "Star-studded spin-off of The Traitors | Red Nose Day 2023 - BBC," a BBC comedy sketch made for charity Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2023 event on March 20, 2023, Ewan McGregor appeared in the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, introducing himself with the line "Hello there."[55]
Behind the scenes
- "You know, it's Alec Guinness' first line in […] A New Hope as well. That's where it comes from. […] I always just thought that people liked it because […] it was Alec Guinness saying it."
- ―Ewan McGregor
In an interview, Ewan McGregor noted that the line was first said by Alec Guinness in A New Hope and revealed that he believed its popularity was due to the line's original use in that film. He also stated that he "almost" didn't remember saying the line, and that he is asked to say it often.[56]
Sources
Hello There on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
"Classic Moment" — Star Wars Insider 130
Hello There on StarWars.com (backup link)
The Star Wars Show: We Brushed Kylo Ren's Hair at San Diego Comic-Con on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (July 24, 2019) (backup link)- Star Wars Is on TikTok! on StarWars.com (February 15, 2023) (backup link)
Star Wars: Shatterpoint — Hello There Squad Pack- Star Wars: Shatterpoint — Hello There Squad Pack (Card: General Obi-Wan Kenobi (Stat Card))
- Phantom at 25 | These 25 Quotes from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Are So Wizard on StarWars.com (backup link)
