Highlights
- Lara Croft's witty comebacks and sharp attitude made her one of the best action-adventure video game characters.
- The remastered collection of Tomb Raider is a welcome opportunity for fans to revisit Lara Croft's original iteration.
- Lara's iconic lines, filled with sarcasm and humor, added depth and personality to her character throughout the Tomb Raider series.
After first appearing in 1996 in Tomb Raider, Lara Croft became widely known as the chasm-clearing, dual-pistol-slinging, intelligent heroine of PS1 platformers. In search of artifacts buried deep within ancient Egyptian tombs, classic Lara's fame was a result of her gunning down dinosaurs and narrowly evading spiked traps with no sweat. If she wasn't doing those things, she would be flipping puzzle switches or excavating treasures from forgotten worlds.
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Classic Lara embodied all kinds of cool and became one of the best action-adventure video game characters ever. She opted for archaeology and adventure instead of the banal customs of upper-class British society. What made Lara so iconic, though, was her serious attitude and quick-witted comebacks across the Tomb Raider series, with some of her best quips coming in the classic games.
Updated February 16, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Tomb Raider's remastered collection is something that long-time fans of the IP will be glad to get their hands on. The updated texture work helps this title stand out as a great way for players to revisit the classic games if they haven't done so already.
With rumors of a new Tomb Raider game leaving many fans waiting with bated breath, fans can pass the time with the remastered collection, featuring Lara Croft's original iteration.
1 "At Home? I've Just Met A Man Who May As Well Have Been Brundlefly!"
Tomb Raider 3: Adventures Of Lara Croft
- Chastizing the deranged Dr. Willard after Lara had to fight off one of his twisted experiments
Dr. Willard is easily one of the most deranged mad scientists in video game history. The boss fight with him may be pretty disappointing, but most fans will only consider this to be a blip in the radar considering how memorable this character's introduction is.
After entering Dr. Willard's home, Lara bears witness to his twisted experiments and how his guinea pigs end up morphing and transforming into unrecognizable freaks of nature. His attempt to help Lara feel at home falls flat, with the archaeologist making a reference to The Fly in a well-written piece of dialogue.
2 "I Wouldn't Worry. We're Not In The Same Class."
Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness
- A biting response to Janice, a working girl
Many fans consider Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness to be one of the weaker games in the series, with many people blaming this title for putting an end to this archaeologist's adventures for quite some time. Still, the story was a highlight, with some of Lara's interactions being as cold as can be.
After meeting a working girl named Janice who throws a sassy line in her direction, Lara responds with a degrading comment that is cold and calculating in its own way. For what it's worth, Janice takes this comment in stride, showing that she's made of tougher stuff than most people would have assumed.
3 "Perhaps Not Just Yet, Then."
Tomb Raider 2
- After a thug drinks a bottle of poison while celebrating the life of Marco Bartoli
Lara is known for having a set of pretty funny lines that she utters with perfect comedic timing right when something happens in front of her. A great example of this is when a random goon drinks to the health of Marco Bartoli... only to die after accidentally ingesting poison.
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This causes Lara to make a rather dry remark, saying, "Perhaps not just yet, then." It's pretty funny timing, with Lara finding the information she needs shortly after.
4 "You Know, It's Gonna Be A Real Pleasure To Shut You Up."
Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness
- Right before Lara confronts Eckhardt
There are times when Lara's patience is tested quite a bit across the games. This is particularly true when it comes to the antagonists who keep on winding her up with their remarks. At one particular point in The Angel of Darkness, Lara decides to shut her enemy up once and for all. She prepares for battle while stating "You know, it's gonna be a real pleasure to shut you up."
5 "I'm A Dangerous Girl, And Right Now I'm Losing Patience."
Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness
- A retort to Pierre when he warns her about the dangerous questions Lara's asking
It's a shame that The Angel of Darkness didn't live up to the lofty standards of the Tomb Raider series. After all, while the game had its fair share of problems, it nailed Lara's confident character and how she could convey her irritation with a few choice words.
Such was the case during one moment in The Angel of Darkness when Lara decides to convey just how much of a threat she really is. Her line "I'm a dangerous girl, and right now I'm losing patience" is a fan favorite that fans of the classic series love.
6 "I've Got The Cash, But I Don't Deal With The Monkey."
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- After seeing that the Mercury Stone she needs is on a monkey
The Tomb Raider games definitely kicked it up a notch with later entries that focused on an engaging story that moved the plot forward. The script was also enhanced quite a bit, with Lara needing four stones to unlock a gate and access the Philosopher's Stone.
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One of these stones is the Mercury Stone, which is on a monkey at the start of the game's Rome level. Lara witnesses the same and states, "I've got the cash, but I don't deal with the monkey."
7 "Switch Roofs? Easy To Say From The Ground Floor, Wouldn't You Agree?"
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- A hilarious jibe directed at her client when he asks her to jump to another roof
Tomb Raider: Chronicles certainly improved the dialogue of the series quite a bit. Most people who want the definitive classic Tomb Raider experience should check this title out.
A great moment comes when Lara's client asks her to switch roofs as an instruction, prompting her to say, "Switch roofs? Easy to say from the ground floor, wouldn't you agree?" It's a funny retort that is following up with her client, questioning why he hired her in the first place.
8 "I'm Sorry. I Only Play For Sport."
Tomb Raider
- Rejecting Jaqueline Natla's offer of money, displaying her passion for archaeology and tomb raiding
In the opening scene of Tomb Raider, the 1996 retro game still well-loved by players, Jaqueline Natla, the game's villain, propositions Lara Croft. Natla wants Lara to recover the Scion, an ancient artifact in exchange for a monetary reward. Lara's response became an iconic TR line immediately.
Unfazed by the rewards or fame of her findings, Lara responds with, "I only play for sport." Lara agrees to help Natla only because she is interested in the artifact's history. Her disposition to raid tombs and travel alone solely for fun made her instantly cool.
9 "Pardon Me, If That Was Just Your Way Of Trying The Doors For Me."
Tomb Raider 2
- After she evades gunfire from one of the thugs trying to end her life while she's trying to open a cryptic door
In Tomb Raider 2, one of the most critically acclaimed Tomb Raider games to date, Lara is busy figuring out a door etched with a symbol. Out of nowhere, all guns ablaze, one of Marco Bartoli's tough guys fires full-power weaponry at Lara before she skillfully evades his gunfire.
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Lara remains surprisingly cool, though. Her rather British response, "Pardon me, if that was just your way of trying the doors for me", is perpetually quoted by classic TR fans. This line imbued Lara with her distinctive wit and cool-girl temperament. Classic Lara Croft always kept her sense of sarcasm even during moments when she is almost shot to her death.
10 "I Don't Count Poison Darts And Triggered Entombment Your Average Child's Tea Party."
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
- A veiled warning about Werner Von Croy's careless actions
In Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Lara's adventurer mentor, Werner Von Croy, gets in all kinds of trouble when he does not listen to young Lara. The roots of their feud began all the way back in Lara's teenage years after Von Croy decided to pull a lever that should not have been touched.
Lara wisely advises Von Croy about what the lever might do once pulled; "I don't count poison darts and triggered entombment your average child's tea party. I feel we should lend this some respect." Lara was always sharp enough to know better. Von Croy's "disrespect", however, leads him to get his leg trapped in the triggered trap that Lara warned him about.
11 "Anyway, Busy Girl. Got To Go."
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- Leaving one of her foes, Pierre, dangling precariously moments before falling to his demise
Lara's altercations with Natla's mercenary Pierre made for comedic cutscenes in both Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Chronicles. Lara frightens Pierre and he ends up falling backward, dangling from the edge of a precipice. Almost on the brink of death, Pierre hangs on for his dear life.
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When Pierre reluctantly and sheepishly asks for a helping hand, Lara decides to leave him suspended on the ledge by his fingertips: "We had an agreement... Not to lay a finger on you, silly. Anyway, busy girl. Got to go." And, as aloof as ever, she walks away. A rather unfortunate situation for Pierre, no doubt.
12 "I Make My Own Luck."
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
- Showing off her confidence to Von Croy
In TR4, a young Lara discovers the iconic brown backpack that will accompany all of her travels. After prising it from the arm of a skeleton, she wears it for the first time before returning to Von Croy. Von Croy tells Lara that he hopes that the bag will bring her good luck.
Lara's reply "I make my own luck" saturated her character with a sense of assertiveness. It became one of her best-known lines from the Core Design TR series. At just seventeen, this Lara was already sure of herself and her pathway in life. As a result of her self-assurance, Lara became a widely respected female character within the video game sphere.
13 "Run As Fast As Your Little Legs Will Carry You."
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- After Pierre sets his partner ablaze, causing Lara to utter this witty retort
Once again, Lara tries to warn others of flipping switches or pulling hazardous levers. Her intense knowledge of artifacts and their destructive nature does not compare with any other character's knowledge in the classic series, making her an awesome video game protagonist. In Chronicles, after Pierre decides to ignore Lara and flip the switch, he sets his partner, Larson, ablaze.
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After this moment, Lara tells Pierre, "If I was you, I'd grab your Cro-Magnon cowboy over there and run as fast as your little legs will carry you. Au revoir, mon chèr." This line is humorous because of the way Lara bluntly questions both of their intelligence - specifically Larson, who she refers to as an early modern human.
14 "Welcome Back To My Humble Abode."
Tomb Raider 3: Adventures Of Lara Croft
- Lara introducing players to a spruced-up version of Croft Manor
The line that is like music to every classic Tomb Raider fan's ears cannot be easily forgotten. After Core Design beautifully redesigned Croft Manor in TR2, fans were excited to see the return of the wood-paneled, echoing mansion with all of its secret doors in TR3. This version of Croft Manor is continually cited as the best one to date (and not just for being able to dual-pistol poor, annoying Winston down).
When the Croft Manor training level opens, Lara will say "Welcome back to my humble abode. Feel free to take a look around." This line is nostalgic and typically Lara with all of her upper-crust idiosyncracies. This would have been the first time players may have heard her voice since TR2 and after "that grueling business last year" (Lara's reference to TR2), a pleasant roam around the manor does seem like a humble walk in the park.
15 "Happy Retirement!"
Tomb Raider 3: Adventures Of Lara Croft
- Just before a giant bell wallops a thug to oblivion
The bell tower scene in TR3 is memorable for one of many witty Lara lines in the classic series. A brainless hitman attempts to kill Lara because her death would make him so rich, that he would be able to retire early. Lara calmly responds that she is "flattered," but being Lara Croft, she escapes death with ease.
Knowing the hitman is moments away from his own death, Lara smoothly warns him of his approaching fate... "Then you might want to watch the bell... Happy retirement!" she says comically as the hitman is cascaded across London's rooftops and into the air by the giant bell.
16 "Gosh! That Was My Best Time Yet"
Tomb Raider 3: Adventures Of Lara Croft
- When players beat their best time in the assault course present in Croft Manor
Despite the successful Tomb Raider reboots, players will always hold a place in their hearts for the nostalgic classic Lara voiceovers. When completing the assault course in TR3 Croft Manor training level, the player will know when they have beaten their last score after Lara lets them know.
Lara will declare in a surprised tone, "Gosh! That was my best time yet!" each time the player's time score is beaten. This line takes players back to the 1990s blocky retro graphics again, where trying to beat an assault course time was much trickier than it looked — but still incredibly entertaining.
17 "Don't You Think You've Seen Enough?"
Tomb Raider 2
- At the end of the game, right when Lara is about to step into the shower
The ending to TR2 cuts to Lara in the bathroom after swiftly gunning down intruders attempting to steal the Dagger of Xian from her mansion.
Before the credits roll, she fires her shotgun at the player and asks them, "Don't you think you've seen enough?" At this point, the player may be shouting "No!" back into thin air (because the only bad thing about TR2 was that it finally had to come to an end).
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