InStar Wars (1977), whenJedi Obi-Wan Kenobi andLuke Skywalker traveled toMos Eisley to seek passage toAlderaan, Kenobi gestures with his hand and immediately convinces a suspicious stormtrooper, both that he "[doesn't] need to see [Skywalker's] identification" and that the droids (R2-D2 and C-3PO) accompanying them "aren't the droids [they are] looking for." After he and Skywalker are clear of the checkpoint, Luke expresses surprise at how easily they have escaped and Kenobi explains that "The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded."[1][2]
The scene has been called famous and iconic;[1][3][4] likewise, the quote "These aren't the droids you're looking for" itself has been called catchy, familiar, used in everyday conversations, and likewise, famous and iconic.[5][6][7]
The scene is as an example ofThe Force use as amind controlingpsi power,[8] known in the Star Wars universe as a "Jedi mind trick".[1][9] Mind tricks, as an aspect of controversialmind control,[1] are sometimes considered not ethical, and violating in-universe Jedi Code.[10][11]
In 1998, the American rock and roll bandQueens of the Stone Age recorded a song with the phrase as its title (in theThe Split CD album),[12] whileNeko Case andKelly Hogan released a song titled "These Aren't the Droids" in 2014 (in the2776 album).[13] It has been used by politicians (such as American politicianMitt Romney in 2008)[14] and appears in other works of fiction, such as theHouse TV series.[15]
The meaning of the original sentence can be interpreted as "nothing of interest to you is here".[15] It has became a popularInternet meme,[16] generally used in the form"These Aren't the X You're Looking For" to humorously or sarcastically assert that someone is wrong, as the relevant object or concept ("X") is not representing what it appears to represent; it has a number of grammar variations, including versions not usingcontractions ("are not" instead of "aren't" and "you are" instead of "you're") that have been described as possibly more popular than the original variant.[17][18][16]
