20 Best Starship Troopers Quotes From the 90s Sci-Fi Action Film

Nothing is more influential than a good quote from your favorite movie, and starship troopers quotes are some good deal to be influenced from.

Starship Troopers is a 1997 sci-fi movie filled with action. Directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier, the movie is based on a novel written by Robert A. Heinlein of the same name, Starship Troopers has the timeline of the future.

Set in a 23rd-century world in the hands of a governing military body, our protagonist Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), is a young soldier from Buenos Aires. He is recruited in the Mobile Infantry, a futuristic military unit.

Johnny Rico’s career progression is portrayed throughout the film as he begins his war adventures against the aliens known as “Arachnids.” Unsurprisingly, the human race is at constant war with these ‘bugs,’ and thus, our protagonist is no exception.

With various talents such as Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Neil Patrick Harris, Dina Meyer, and Michael Ironside as its ultimate cast, Starship Troopers has been popular because of its mind-boggling quotes and powerful dialogue delivery.

The film Starship Troopers, as well as its original novel, is one of the best science-fiction entertainers ahead of its time. Starship Troopers has several intriguing quotes, so here are some for all the sci-fi fans.

Starship Troopers Quotes From The Movie

Although the film did not do well at its release, it gained quite a large following in later times and is now appealing to many viewers.

So naturally, many sci-fi fans look forward to the impactful starship troopers quotes, so here we have chosen some of the best quotes from Starship Troopers (1997) to keep you hooked till the end.

20. “Someone asked me once if I knew the difference between a civilian and a citizen; I know now. A citizen dares to make the safety of the human race their responsibility.

Dizzy was my friend. She was a soldier. But more than that, she was a citizen of the Federation.”

This quote is quoted by the protagonist Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) during a fellow soldier Dizzy Flores’s (Dina Meyer) funeral.

He makes this statement regarding Dizzy’s contribution to saving humanity. He appreciates her valor and personifies her as a citizen of the Federal Foundation. Dizzy Flores and Johnny Rico had a great bond; hence Flores’ death impacted him.

Johnny Rico talks about how an everyday citizen considers the safety and prevention of the human race their responsibility and does not even think twice before sacrificing his life for the nation’s security.

19. “Come On, You Apes, You Wanna Live Forever?”

Another quote from the protagonist of the movie Starship Troopers is spoken by Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) to his platoon of mobile infantry soldiers.

Intended for motivation, Johnny Rico had a hold of his quote from his confidante Jean Rasczak (Michael Ironside). We remember hearing all these lines from Jean Rasczak in the same manner as Johnny Rico did during the preparation of a “bug attack” It is one of the many things which Johnny Rico learned from his mentor Jean Rasczak.

18. “Naked force has resolved more conflicts than any other factor. So the contrary opinion that violence doesn’t solve anything is wishful thinking. People who forget that always die.”

Jean Rasczak (Michael Ironside) is a wise old lad who knows how the world works. When Dizzy Flores lets Jean Rasczak know her mother’s disapproval of violence, he wonders what the city founders of Hiroshima would say about it.

Unfortunately, their conversation is interrupted by Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards), who knows that the city founders wouldn’t have a say as Hiroshima was destroyed.

Jean Rasczak then preaches that no other factor has solved more conflicts than using naked force. By naked party, he meant the arms.

Jean Rasczak believes people with a somewhat contrary opinion depend on wishful thinking; they are very likely to die because they fail to understand the significance of war.

17. “When you vote, you are exercising political authority and using force. And force, my friends, is violence. The supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived.”

A functioning society influence quotes from Jean Rasczak (Michael Ironside) under Terran Federation. Michael Ironside posing as Jean Rasczak, has talked about voting as exercising political authority; Jean Rasczak is also a product of government, so he shares the same ideology as them and instills

Voting is one of the perks of Starship Troopers, which only citizens can enjoy. In the world of Starship Troopers, the military class rules; the supreme body enjoys privileges that civilians don’t. Citizens are civilians who can exercise votes after joining the military.

16. “The Only Good Bug Is A Dead Bug.”

Starship Troopers proposed several propaganda videos, and this line is featured in one of them.

Spoken by a civilian from a video featuring the destruction of Buenos Aires, the statement results from anger and hatred towards the Bugs by humans. In their eyes, the only good bug that can exist in this pro-military world is a dead bug. Dead bugs are appreciated; live bugs are not!

15. “Who Needs A Knife In A Nuke Fight?”

Ace Levy (Jake Busey) is complaining about learning knife combat skills even though the Mobile infantry has much more advanced weapons to fight a war with.

Ace Levy considers a knife a mere weapon useless in front of the current weapons of the Terran Federation’s military.

His satire and curiosity-filled complaints are filled by a drill instructor who demonstrates the significance and effectiveness of a knife if a person is willing to ‘push the button.’

14. “I’m from Buenos Aires, and I say kill ’em all.”

This Starship Troopers quote is all wacky and cheeky, spoken by Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien). He indicates that he belongs to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and he says it enthusiastically to prove that he is ready to fight the bugs and is willing to “kill them.”

One of the quotes from Starship Troopers emerged as popular meme material.

13. “Shoot a nuke down a bug hole; you got a lot of dead bugs.”

This is another fun statement by Ace Levy (Jake Busey), a comedic relief in the film. He intends to excitedly shoot a nuke underneath a bug hole, i.e., their place of belonging, for the mass killing of these insectoids.

He is the chap responsible for bringing hints of light-hearted aspects to the film, sharing a good bond with Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien); he is one of the most loved characters in the movie.

12. “Figuring things out for yourself is practically the only freedom anyone has nowadays. Use that Freedom.“

Jean Rasczak (Michael Ironside) gives these words of wisdom when his student, Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), expresses his desire to join the federal service to become a citizen. Johnny Rico is keen on joining national service, but his father disapproves, hence coming to his wistful mentor; he aspires to gain some guidance to understand what he should do now.

Jean Rasczak firmly believes in figuring things out in one’s mind. He firmly believes that the only freedom an individual has is his conscience. With his conscience intact, he can do what he aspires to.

11. We’re in this war for the species, boys and girls. It’s simple numbers. They have more. And I must make decisions daily that send hundreds of people like you to their deaths.”

This quote came into being with Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris) confabulating Johnny Rico’s childhood sweetheart Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards). Carl Jenkins educates Carmen Ibanez about the possibility of a Brain Bug being on ‘P.

Carmen interrogates why Jenkins sent his men despite knowing the possible risks. Carl Jenkins replies that this war demands sacrifice; in all games of number, the more, the merrier, which Johnny Rico adds is what the Mobile Infantry is best at.

Starship Troopers Quotes From The Book

As Jean Rasczak stated, Michael Ironside has many amazing quotes in the 1997 sci-fi movie, but the 1959 novel is no less. Here are some of them for a good read.

10. “The purpose of war is to support your government’s decisions forcefully. The goal is never to kill the enemy, just to be killing him.

But to make him do what you want him to do—not killing. But controlled and purposeful violence. It’s not your business or mine to decide the purpose of the control.

It’s never a soldier’s business to decide when, where, or how—or why—he fights; that belongs to the politicians and generals. The politicians decide why and how much; the generals take it from there and tell us where, when, and how.

We supply the violence; other people—’ older and wiser heads,’ as they say—supply the control. Which is as it should be.”

Through this statement, Sergeant Charles Zim justifies violence by labeling the act of war as ‘controlled violence.’ He believes that war is simple and serves a purpose, i.e., helping humanity in the starship Troopers novel by Robert A. Heinlein.

9.″‘Peace’ is a condition in which no civilian pays any attention to military casualties, which do not achieve page-one, lead-story prominence unless that civilian is a close relative of one of the casualties.

But, if there ever was a time in history when ‘peace’ meant no fighting going on, I have been unable to find out about it.”

Robert A. Heinlein quoted this statement in his 1959 Novel named Starship Troopers Through the Eyes of Juan Rico. With a hint of sarcasm in his words, the character of Juan Rico is trying to convey his opinion regarding peace. He thinks peace is a very selfish approach to a civilian’s life.
A civilian usually neglects or pays no attention to casualties or negligence by the military unless that victim of the loss is a close relative of the civilian.

8. “Basic truths cannot change, and once a man of insight expresses one of them, it is never necessary to reformulate them, no matter how much the world changes. This is immutable, true everywhere, throughout all time, for all men and all nations.”

With this statement, the starship trooper’s author explains an essential truth’s stoic and genuine significance. That fundamental truth is profound; no matter how much time changes and tries to change its meaning, it remains firm and exact.

7. “To permit irresponsible authority is to spell disaster.“

Author Robert A. Heinlein intends to explain how permitting a particular authority could be challenging. An unreliable source, i.e., an irresponsible governing body, can cause a community’s doom. On the other hand, a well-accomplished nation depends upon its politics.

By this statement, he has emphasized that choosing a political authority is a mindful task and should be done considering the consequences.

6. “There are no dangerous weapons; only dangerous men.”

This quote by Robert A. Heinlein came into existence as the words of Sergeant Charles Zim. The passage hints toward the brutal and beastly nature of man, which he keeps within himself; He aspires to go to any extent for his selfishness, and even weapons look harmless in comparison.

Weapons are mere toys that become killing machine when they are in the hands of men.

5. “Man has no moral instinct. He is not born with a moral sense. You were not born with it, I was not, and a puppy has none. We acquire moral sense, when we do, through training, experience, and hard sweat of the mind.”

Robert A. Heinlein believes that by the time of his birth, the human race hardly has any moral sense; it is a trait that a person acquires later in life. Without moral sense, a man can be compared to a puppy, naive and oblivious of the world.

However, through training and experience, we become morally adept as we grow older and become habitual to this world.

4. “Citizenship is an attitude, a state of mind, an emotional conviction that the whole is greater than the part…and that the part should be humbly proud to sacrifice itself that the whole may live.”

The path of citizenship is the sole purpose of welfare in the Starship Troopers novel. Citizenship can be acquired by enlisting in the military to serve the nation.

Hence, citizenship requires an optimistic approach to life and the willingness to sacrifice so that others may live by others. It is hinted toward the civilians.

3. “The best things in life are beyond money; their price is agony and sweat and devotion… and the price demanded the most precious of all things in life is life itself, the ultimate cost for perfect value.”

As stated by the character of Jean, the author Robert A. Heinlein has showcased his point of view about the best things in a person’s life. He thinks lifetime rewards are beyond monetary values; all our struggles and hustles become worth it with this reward, and the prize is life itself.

He also believes that getting enough sleep is one valid form of happiness, other than pursuing it, which neither gods nor wise men nor any subtle drugs could ensure.

2. “Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of the tribe, requires imagination– devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues — which a man must develop himself; if he has them forced down him, he will vomit them out.”

Robert A. Heinlein has made these starship trooper quotes to convey how the feeling of responsibility works in a person’s mind. He talks about social responsibility as a form of devotion; this thought of mind has to be acquired by the human itself; nobody can instill it down his throat; otherwise, he will reject this idea and do as he pleases.

1. “Liberty is never unalienable; it must be regularly redeemed with patriots’ blood, or it always vanishes.

Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, Liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost.”

As Jean Rasczak of the novel, i.e., Jean V. Dubois, this is one of the most prominent starship troopers quotes derived from the book. It mentions that freedom always comes with a cost, and that cost is very effective in the form of blood and sacrifice from the patriots.

With a sarcastic approach, he intended to say that the right to Liberty is an exception out of all the ‘human rights we have always considered free.