8 Iconic Quotes In Bethesda Game Studios Games

Key Takeaways

• In Bethesda games, iconic quotes like “I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee” are incredibly memorable.
• Bethesda excels in creating immersive worlds with memorable lines, characters, and plots that captivate players.
• Players encounter morbidly comedic lines across Bethesda games, from sarcastic insults in Skyrim to dark humor in Starfield.

Bethesda Game Studios is well-known for its quality open-world games, with the Elder Scrolls series and Fallout being their two most popular titles. Within the company’s catalog of games, there are a handful of great quotes. From disgruntled guards talking about arrow-related injuries in Skyrim to a morbidly comedic line about atrocities in Starfield, there are lots of iconic quotes in Bethesda Game Studio’s games.

Though countless lines in Bethesda games can be considered iconic, some are arguably more memorable than others. Whether for good or bad, a lot of these quotes are cemented in the minds of Bethesda fans all over the world.

8 “I Heard A Rumor That You’re An Idiot. Any Truth To That?”

A Harsh But Fair Rumor When The Player Is A Low Rank

Owyn is the Redguard Blademaster in Oblivion. He is in charge of the Arena Bloodworks, and players will need to speak to him to compete in the arena. As the player makes their way through the ranks, they’ll make a good name for themselves.

However, during the early stages, when the player is very inexperienced, Owyn will say the phrase “I heard a rumor that you’re an idiot. Any truth to that?” This line is incredibly funny, and during the player’s first playthrough, it is somewhat unexpected.

7 “Another Wanderer, Here To Lick My Father’s Boots. Good Job”

The Son Of The Jarl Of Whiterun Is A Sarcastic Little Child

As Skyrim players start doing some jobs for Balgruuf The Greater, (the Jarl of Whiterun), there’s a high chance that they will encounter the Jarl’s son, Nelkir. This kid isn’t particularly friendly. In fact, he is actually pretty rude.

While some players really don’t like the kid, there are those who see the funny side of this situation. Whether the player likes or loathes Nelkir, his classic line will always be remembered by almost everyone who has ever played the game.

6 “I Used To Be An Adventurer Like You, Then I Took An Arrow In The Knee”

A Meme That Lives On Years Later

In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, there’s no more iconic line than this one. It is something that is frequently said by the guards who patrol most of the towns and cities in the game.

When approached, guards will randomly say one of their scripted lines. Because there aren’t that many lines for them to choose from, there is a chance that players will hear this phrase over and over again as they make their way from town to town. It is by far the most widely recognized line in Skyrim.

5 “No Lollygagging”

A Classic Guard Line That Fans Love To Hear

The guards in Skyrim are sources of many memorable quotes, and this particular one is just plain silly. Such a funny word said in such an aggressive tone of voice, “No lollygagging” is easily one of Skyrim‘s most well-known lines. To have the chance to trigger this quote, the player just needs to hang around near some guards or interact with them. Eventually, one of them will say the phrase “No lollygagging.”

The definition of “lollygagging” is to waste time or hang around aimlessly. While the guards won’t act if the player chooses to “lollygag,” the line is still incredibly funny and hard to forget.

4 “War… War Never Changes”

A Statement That Is All Too True In The Fallout Universe

• Games: Multiple Fallout games

This iconic line made its first appearance all the way back in 1997 in the first Fallout game. Since then, it’s gone on to make an appearance in most of the games in the franchise, with its most iconic use being made by the Sole Survivor in Fallout 4. This hard-hitting statement really captures the world of Fallout.

As the player makes their way through the ruins of the Commonwealth, they will begin to realize the deeper meaning of this phrase. No matter what weapons are used and who is fighting, one thing is for sure, the innocent will always get caught in the crossfire.

3 “Never Should Have Come Here”

A Bandit’s Favorite Line

There are bandits all over the world of Skyrim. When approached, there’s a high chance that they’ll say “Never should have come here.” Ironically, about 30 seconds after saying that, the bandits are usually either dead or running away from the player. This gives the line a certain comedic value that is all too common in Bethesda titles.

After a while, clearing out locations can become a little tedious. However, this line usually brings a wry smile to the face of most gamers. This isn’t the only thing said by bandits, however. They can also say things like “You picked a bad time to get lost, friend” and “Time to end this little game,” but the “Never should have come here” line will always be one of the more memorable ones.

2 “Nan-Ni Shimasho-Ka?”

A Commonly Heard Phrase In Diamond City

This Japanese phrase has likely been heard many times by everyone who has ever played Fallout 4. In the center of Diamond City there’s a robot, Takahashi. This foreign bot runs a noodle stand and will repeat the phrase “Nan-ni shimasho-ka” whenever the Sole Survivor is nearby.

This phrase roughly translates to “May I take your order?” in Japanese. It’s a silly phrase that could go unnoticed. However, due to how often the player will visit Diamond City in a typical playthrough, they are likely to hear this line countless times.

1 “War, Disease, Famine, All The Classics”

A Morbid Yet Comedic Line

Bethesda Game Studios is well-known for its dark sense of humor. In almost every game, there are at least one or two morbidly comedic lines that players can hear. Well, it doesn’t get much darker than this iconic line said by the Hunter in Starfield: “War, disease, famine, all the classics.”

The Hunter says this line when trying to justify NASA’s decision to sacrifice the earth in exchange for the secrets of space travel. This quote ties in heavily with the core story of Starfield, as players will encounter all sorts of atrocities throughout their playthrough.