Liam Neeson Stole A Historic Star Wars Moment Out From Under Samuel L. Jackson

But even in the original trilogy, there’s been some confusion over who exactly said the line first. Casual fans often attribute the line to Obi-Wan, but the words were actually first uttered by General Dodonna (Alex McCrindle), who used it to wish the rebels good luck as they prepared to attack the Death Star. When Obi-Wan supposedly uttered the words, what he really said was, “Remember, the force will be with you … always.”

Of course, the “Star Wars” franchise is one that’s filled with quotes that tend to be slightly misremembered by the public consciousness. As someone who only watched the original trilogy after years of hearing the movies quoted and referenced, I was surprised when Darth Vader told Luke, “No, I am your father.” 90% of the time beforehand, I’d heard the line quoted as, “Luke, I am your father.” The meaning is the same, but the inflection’s different enough that I’m surprised the misquote doesn’t annoy people more often. It’s the most important line in the whole franchise and it’s only five words long — how’d everyone get it wrong?

Admittedly, the reasoning behind the misquote is understandable: “No, I am your father” isn’t that unique a sentence, whereas the addition of “Luke” makes it instantly clear what movie it’s coming from. The misconception behind the line is often listed as an example of The Mandela Effect, and it also serves as a good argument for why Samuel L. Jackson shouldn’t be too concerned about Neeson stealing his thunder in “The Phantom Menace.” Mace Windu may not have been the first guy chronologically to say, “May the force be with you,” but if the past is any indication, there’s still a chance he’ll get the credit for it anyway.