“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”

From: Batman, specifically, The Dark Knight

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: The Joker

The story behind the quote: You know a movie is good when you can pull off multiple quotes from it. And you know a character is fantastic when you can use a majority of his quotes! Once again, I’m pulling from The Dark Knight, the second from Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Batman moves and, once again, the quote comes from The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger.

The quote comes from the early part of the film as the Joker interrupts a meeting held by Gotham’s criminal underworld. The Clown Prince of Crime berates the mobster from cowering against The Batman and offers to take out The Dark Knight for them. One of the mobsters asks The Joker, if it’s so easy to do, why hasn’t he done it. This is when The Joker delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Every person has something they’re good at. It’s all a matter of discovering what that talent is. If you’re really good at a particular skill, that makes you worth something and, hopefully, it’s actually something you enjoy doing. So find whatever that thing may be and actually make is so that you can get paid for that skill.

“Who’s going to believe a talking head?”

From: Re-Animator

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Herbert West

The story behind the quote: As it’s Halloween, it’s only fitting that we use a horror movie quote. Which is why this week’s quote comes from the cult classic horror-comedy film, Re-Animator. The original film was based on a short story by H. P. Lovecraft and has spawned two sequels.

The quote comes from the middle of the film. Herbert West (played by Jeffrey Combs) has managed to track down one of his re-animated corpses, Dr. Carl Hill, who has managed to steal his reagent, the chemical compound that can raise the dead. Dr. Carl Hill, despite being dead and essentially has to carry his own severed head around, still wants to publish West’s research as his own. This is when West informs him that no one will believe him because of his current headless state.

Geek wisdom: We all have some kind of status in our life and, sometimes, it can be hard to be taken seriously because of it. We can be overlooked simply because of how people perceive us. This does mean we can either be underestimated or overestimated. It’s up to us to prove what we can do, however, and not let them say what it is.

Oh, and, if you’re a reanimated talking head that’s trying to take credit for creating a formula that can bring the dead back to life, don’t be a jerk and steal someone’s work.

“You see this guy staring back at you? That’s your toughest opponent.”

From: Creed

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Rocky Balboa

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Creed, which is technically the latest film in the Rocky film franchise. However, instead of Rocky Balboa being the guy entering the ring, he’s now the coach and the trainer of Adonis Jordan, who just so happens to be the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed.

The quote comes from the middle of the film just as Rocky (once again played by Sylvester Stallone) begins training Adonis (played by Michael B. Jordan). During one of their training sessions, Rocky takes Adonis to face himself in the mirror. He tells him to get into his fighting stance and, via the quote, tells Adonis that his opponent, whether in the ring or in life, that the man he’s looking at in the mirror is actually the person he’s going against.

Geek wisdom: We are sometimes the person that holds ourselves back. We can talk ourselves out of doing something or we can even try to stop improving because we become too comfortable with our status in life. However, we have to break through that barrier and actually try to be better than what we are right now all the time. We have to keep on taking steps to improve ourselves each and every day.

“He learned to play it safe. And he never, ever got noticed by anyone.”

From: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Q

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Star Trek: The Next Generation. A worthy successor to the franchise, The Next Generation introduced a new cast of characters taking control of a new USS Enterprise as they boldly go where no man has gone before.

This week’s quote comes from the 6th season episode, Tapestry. In the episode, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) is shot in his artificial heart. Ironically, if he has his normal heart, he wouldn’t be dying. The god-like being Q (played by John de Lancie) gives him an opportunity to return to that bar fight that made him lose his original heart in the first place. Picard does so but, when he is returned to his original time, he is no longer the Captain of the USS Enterprise, but a simple junior officer. He confronts Q about his current situation and Q explains that, because he never had that brush with death in the bar, Picard never took the risks that made him a daring captain in the first place.

Geek wisdom:  It seems easy to take no chances. While you may leave a comfortable life by doing this, the only way to really get ahead is to seize opportunities when you can and take risks. It may seem difficult but the most successful people in life have taken the more perilous route to get where they are. The gamble may be risky but the payout is high.

“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”

From: Blade Runner

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Roy Batty

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Ridley Scott cult classic, Blade Runner. The film is all about a man named Rick Deckard, the titular Blade Runner of this story, and his search for four rogue Replicants who have made it to Earth. The film didn’t actually do all that well when it was released in 1982 as most critics felt the pace of the film was too slow. However, as the film gained cult status due to its incredibly deep story and Ridley Scott’s beautiful vision of a gritty future, the film has gained more notoriety and has influenced many directors of today.

The quote actually from the end of the film as Roy Batty (played by Rutger Hauer) had just saved Deckard (played by Harrison Ford) from falling off a building. Realizing that he is dying due to the nature of Replicants having short life spans, Batty laments on the experiences he had accumulated and delivers what is now known as the “tears in rain” monologue, in a sense, proving that he does have a soul and human.

Geek wisdom: A huge part of what makes us human is our experiences in life. These collective experiences are all that help form our very unique individuality. We are all interconnected by these experiences but we may not feel the same way or experience them the same way. That doesn’t make them any less significant, though, as they have meaning to you or someone else.

Ultimately, however, when we do leave this mortal coil, those experiences will be lost forever. This is why we have to experience as much of living as we can while possible.

“Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody’s gonna die. Come watch TV?”

From: Rick and Morty

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Morty Smith

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes the absurdist comedy sci-fi animated show, Rick and Morty on Adult Swim. It follows the adventures of Rick Sanchez, the smartest person(s) in the multi-verse and his grandson and hapless companion, Morty Smith.

The quote comes from the first season episode “Rixty Minutes.” As Morty’s sister, Summer Smith, packs to run away as she has figured out that she was technically a “mistake” by her parents. Morty tries to dissuade her from leaving by telling her a big secret: he isn’t her actual brother. He’s actually a Morty from another multiverse and Rick and Morty destroyed their own planet by accident and, as that universe’s Rick and Morty died in an accident, they just took their places. This is when Morty delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Life can be painful and this is why we all crave to have meaning in our lives. We want to not feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things and we want our lives to have been for something. However, we don’t really think if the universe and life, for that matter, is supposed to be meaningful. We crave to have significance in a universe that, ultimately, doesn’t really care if we exist or not. The mere fact that we’re alive is supposed to give meaning to our existence because of the mere fact that we are here now. We want to make the most of our lives but maybe the best way to do that is to just live life.

“After a time, you may find that ‘having’ is not so pleasing a thing after all as ‘wanting.’ It is not logical, but it is often true.”

From: Star Trek

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Mr. Spock

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the original Star Trek television series. The television that launched a multi-billion dollar franchise and one that has endured for decades. With the latest television show, Star Trek: Discover, set for release tomorrow, I think it would be a good idea to give a quote from the show that started it all.

The quote comes from the episode Amok Time, frequently mentioned to be one of the best episodes of the series. In the episode, Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) desperately needs to return to Vulcan to complete the right to pon farr, which is essentially the Vulcan mating ritual. However, when he does return to the planet, Spock finds out that his future wife has fallen in love with another man. She enacts the right of koon-ut-kal-if-fee, wherein she picks Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) as her champion. At the end of the episode, Spock renounces her claim on his supposed bride-to-be and delivers the quote to the man she fell in love with.

Geek wisdom: There’s an old adage that goes “Be careful what you wish for. You may receive it.” There are times when you want something so badly that it’s all you can think about. But, once you do get that thing you crave for, you may find out that it’s not all that’s it’s cracked up to be. By then, it’s too late and you may have spend all that effort trying to get something that you actually didn’t want or need in the first place.

“I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”

From: Pokemon: The First Movie

Genre: Movies, Cartoons

Who said it?: MewTwo

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes the aptly titled Pokemon: The First Movie… which just so happens to be the first theatrical film of the hugely popular Pokemon franchise.

To be precise, the quote comes from the “second” story from the film, MewTwo Strikes Back. In the climatic battle, MewTwo uses his psychic abilities to freeze Ash. Despite Pikachu’s attempts to revive his Pokemon handler with his thunderbolts, he is unable to do so. However, Pikachu’s tears of despair, as per a Pokemon legend mentioned in the film, does bring Ash back to life. This is when MewTwo comes to an epiphany and delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: You’re the only one who will determine what you will be. The past should not be the final reason why you can’t achieve your dreams. If you really want something, you can achieve it. It just may take much more effort than desirable. But if that’s what it takes, you have to go for it.

“It’s too bad she won’t live. But then again, who does?”

From: Blade Runner

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Gaff

The story behind the quote: The quote comes from the neo-noir film Blade Runner. Although it wasn’t a box office hit when it was released in 1982, Blade Runner has achieved cult status thanks to the incredibly creative world that Ridley Scott created for the film. The story follows one of the titular Blade Runners named Rick Deckard (played by Harrison Ford) and his task to hunt down four rogue replicants, artificial humans, who have traveled to Earth in an attempt to lengthen their short lifespans.

The quote comes from the climax of the film. After one of the replicants Deckard was contracted to “retire” actually saves his life, one of the Blade Runner’s friends, Gaff (played by Edward James Olmos), appears in front of him. They have some banter, hinting that the job is finished and that Deckard might retire as a Blade Runner. Gaff then tosses Deckard a gun and then reminds him of Rachael, the replicant in his apartment. He turns and walks away but stops to deliver the quote.

Geek wisdom: Whether you’re a replicant or an actual human, life is just too short. As life is fleeting, you not only have to enjoy it as much as possible, this also means you only have a scant few years to make your mark in history. Try to live live to its fullest.

“I did not hit her, it’s not true! It’s bullshit! I did not hit her! I did not! Oh hai, Mark.”

From: The Room (2003)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Johnny

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from “the Citizen Kane of bad movies,” The Room. Written, directed and produced by the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau, the movie is about a love triangle between Johnny (played by Tommy Wiseau himself), his fiancee Lisa and his best friend, Mark. At least, that’s what I’ve been able to piece together as The Room is generally a mess of unrelated stories and plot points, some of which are never addressed or discussed in the film.

The quote comes from the infamous rooftop scene where Johnny bursts in, upset because, apparently, Lisa claims that he hit her. However, his anger soon vaporizes to greet Mark who… likes to hang out on the roof, I guess?

Geek wisdom: No matter how upset or mad you are, always try to make an effort to be cordial to the people around you. Even if you are upset about something, you have no right to take it out on anyone else. Even Johnny knew that and made sure to greet Mark once he saw him.