In video games, as with film and literature, a person's final moments can often be memorable. Video games are filled with heroes and villains who are so well-written that players hang on to their every word. Whether it's a parting one-liner, a farewell, or even a warning, a character's last words have the potential to be significant.
An individual's definition of "famous" can vary to some extent. Some are famous because of their inherent irony, while others are remembered for the emotional impact they have on the player. Regardless of why they're considered famous, these final lines of dialogue in open-world games tend to stick out in the minds of their fanbases.
7 "Find Him, And Close Shut The Jaws Of Oblivion" – Uriel Septim VII
There are plenty of reasons to love The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, one of which is the game's epic storytelling. Although the voice acting gets stale very quickly, hearing Patrick Stewart voice Emperor Uriel Septim VII during the game's brief introductory segment is memorable.
Knowing he is about to die, the emperor tasks players with an important mission, one that sets the rest of the game's events into motion. His parting words are suitably epic, imploring the player character to avert the end of the world by keeping the Amulet of Kings safe. The impact of the emperor's parting words isn't lost on players anytime soon.
6 "I Tried. In The End...I Did" – Arthur Morgan
The story of Red Dead Redemption 2 is nothing short of masterful. Players take on the role of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw who faces the end of his way of life, as well as his own mortality. How Arthur comes to terms with his moral compass largely depends on the decisions players make throughout the game.
Although fans are welcome to portray Arthur as quite villainous, a high-Honor playthrough tends to fit a bit better within the larger narrative. The above quote illustrates Arthur's heartfelt desire to be a better person than he was in the past. The fact that players were with Arthur every step of the way in the road to redemption makes this final line even more impactful.
5 "I Need You..." – The Joker
Rocksteady's vaunted Batman trilogy comes to an end in Arkham Knight. Although the main antagonist of the game is the Scarecrow, Batman must also cope with an internal struggle raging inside his mind. Hallucinations of the deceased Joker twist Batman's reality, a process that threatens to turn the Dark Knight into the Joker himself.
At the end of Arkham Knight, Batman and the Joker engage in one final, metaphorical battle for the Dark Knight's soul. Batman, however, manages to conquer his internal demon, locking the Joker away within the dark recesses of his mind. The Joker, in a moment of genuine fear and vulnerability, pleads, "I need you." Nothing better illustrates the complex relationship these two characters share than these simple parting words.
4 "It Could Have Been A Paradise!" – Handsome Jack
The Borderlands franchise has to rank as one of the zaniest open-world shooters of all time. In Borderlands 2, players are tasked with thwarting the plans of Handsome Jack, a megalomaniacal villain whose constant insults and taunts constantly ring in fans' ears.
Players finally get a chance to give Handsome Jack his comeuppance at the end of the game. Before administering the coup de grace, fans can listen to Jack rant and rave about how he tried to make Pandora into a better place. As a ruthless tyrant, however, the integrity of Jack's final statement needs to be called into question.
3 "When I'm Gone, Everyone Gonna Remember My Name!" – Big Smoke
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Carl "CJ" Johnson has a lot on his plate. In his quest to bring the Grove Street Families back to their former glory, Carl must contend with both internal and external enemies. One such internal enemy is Carl's former friend, Big Smoke.
Big Smoke betrays CJ and the Grove Street Families by aligning himself with their hated rivals, the Ballas. When CJ confronts the traitor at the end of the game, Big Smoke exclaims that everyone will remember his name. Ironically, from the standpoint of the game's narrative, no such thing was likely to ever happen.
2 "I Should Have Killed You Long Ago" – Haytham Kenway
These are words that nobody wants to hear from their father. Yet, this is exactly what Haytham Kenway expresses to his son, Connor, toward the end of Assassin's Creed 3. Haytham is a Templar, while Connor is an Assassin, two philosophies that seem diametrically opposed to each other.
Haytham, for his part, does try to sway Connor to the Templar cause. Nevertheless, his entreaties fall on deaf ears. Haytham acknowledges all the positive traits his son possesses before uttering this quote, acknowledging the threat Connor poses to the Templar Order and its ideology.
1 "Our Time Has Passed, John" – Dutch Van Der Linde
If one phrase could sum up one of the main themes of Red Dead Redemption, it would be this line. In the first game, John Marston is strong-armed by government agents into hunting down the surviving members of his former gang. The last on the list is Dutch van der Linde, John's longtime mentor.
When Dutch is cornered at the edge of a steep cliff, he doesn't fight back, and instead utters this line to John. It's an apt warning considering that by 1911, the age of outlaws is just about over. By the game's end, not even John is spared as the rest of the world moves on.