“Animals don't behave like men,' he said. 'If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality.” ― Richard Adams, Watership Down
That book does a really good job of presenting just how shitty humans are pretty much throughout, without coming across as being preachy or sanctimonious, and I like that.
"I like you as you are Exactly and precisely I think you turned out nicely And I like you as you are
I like you as you are Without a doubt or question Or even a suggestion Cause I like you as you are
I like your disposition Your facial composition And with your kind permission I’ll shout it to a star
I like you as you are I wouldn’t want to change you Or even rearrange you Not by far
I like you I-L-I-K-E-Y-O-U I like you, yes I do I like you, Y-O-U I like you, like you as you are"
- Mr. Rogers
"If the world chooses to become my enemy... Then I will fight. Like I always have.",
Shadow, Sonic 06
Ozai: (bitterly) It was to teach you respect.
Zuko: It was cruel! And it was wrong.
Ozai: Then you have learned nothing.
Zuko: No, I've learned everything! And I had to learn it on my own.
Avatar: the Last Airbender
"They say suffering brings wisdom. If that is the case, then I intend to make you very wise."
Optimus Prime, Transformers Comics
"Man, don't you know? The law ain't made to help earthy cats like us. Here on our planet, back in the old days - back in the real old days - it was just every man for himself, scrooblin' and scrat-scroblin' for the good stuff, the greenest valleys. And the strongest, meanest men got the best stuff. They got the green valleys and were like 'The rest of you, y'all scrats get sand.' And that's when they made the laws, you see? Once the strong guys got it how they liked it, they said 'This is fair now, this is the law.' Once they were winning, they changed the rules up." —Jake the Dog, Adventure Time, "Ocarina"
Lots of good answers for ATLA, but I'm partial to the "Do the tides command this ship?" scene.
Maybe the best introductory scene for a villain that I've ever seen.
Avatar Legend of Kora, Varick says:
'If you can't make money during a war, you just flat-out cannot make money.'
Pretty much the entirety of the Animorphs book series, but I guess there was a reason for it. But for some kids books, holy hell.
"See, win or lose, right or wrong, the memory of violence sits inside your head. It sits there, like some lump you can't quite swallow. It sits there, a black hole that darkens hope, and eats away at everyday happiness like a cancer. It's the shadow you take into your own heart and try to live with."
There's an argument to be made that Rocko's Modern Life was not for children, but it aired on Nickelodeon in the afternoon, so we watched it. And this is poignant as hell-
R-E-C-Y-C-L-E Recycle!
C-O-N-S-E-R-V-E Conserve!
Don't you P-O-L-L-U-T-E. Pollute the rivers, sky, or sea. Or else you're gonna get what you deserve...I still sing it to myself sadly when I read the news sometimes.
The land before time. Littlefoot sees his shadow and thinks its his mother, realizes its not and that hes very very alone.
"Death is only the beginning" - Imhotep's last line in The Mummy.
A man that has been dead for a couple millenia and is about to return to death utters these ominous words. Yes, it's probably just to leave the story open for a sequel, but the metaphysical implications are terrifying. He knows what it's like, and he's claiming that so much more comes after, but we're just left with a vague notion of what it could be. What could this mean? Is there sunshine and rainbows? Eternal torture? An endless void? An infinite realm of possibilities has just opened up for us, the audience.
But there's no time for that shit, there's gold and Benny's a greedy sack of shit, the temple's crumbling, and once they escape there's a celebration and denoument to be had! We've all but forgotten that threat—or promise, as the case may be.
One of the best ways I have ever seen writers leave the door ajar for a sequel. There's no hand pushing up through the rubble, no sinister laugh as the screen fades to black, no "did anyone remember to check that he died for sure?" no cheesy gimmicks. Just an ominous vaguery, that may be about hinting at another installment, but still works by itself as a raw line that goes hard af.
"If you'll excuse me, I have some children to turn into corpses!" -Bill Cypher, Gravity Falls
"I demand a favor"
"I grant but one boon, mortal. And it will be given to you as it is given to everyone - when your time has come."
Gargoyles, Guy summons Anubis to bring back his son. YT Link for the amazing delivery.
"Death is always pointless - that is the point"
I don't remember the exact line, but the line in the end of An American Tail where Fivel says something to the extent of "I'll never find my family" and that they don't love him because he thinks they all gave up on him having survived falling off the boat and into the ocean really hit hard, for me at least.
Tried to put in a spoiler tag thing, but it wasn't working on my end, so sorry for spoiling this moment in the end of the movie to those who have somehow never seen it. You're only close to 40 years late now.
I have no idea how you can remember so many quotes, but everything by Michael Ende is deep. I like Momo a lot, it is about time, happiness, depression, society, capitalism and a lot more.
Looks like everyone here has some great quotes. I've got a challenge though: can you find a quote that's equally epic in a kids movie/tv show made in the last 10 years?
The Cheshire cat, and much of Alice in wonderland, hit quite hard, but in a good way. Helped me see that insanity, mental health issues could be a good thing
