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About this sound

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Obi-Wan Kenobi saying 'before the dark times' from Star Wars: A New Hope, used for nostalgic flashbacks, lore drops and dramatic backstory reveals.

This is Obi-Wan Kenobi delivering his famous line about the Jedi before the Empire, spoken calmly and gravely in A New Hope. The clip captures only the key phrase, in Alec Guinness's measured, wistful tone, with the weight of a lost golden age behind it. It lands instantly with Star Wars fans because it frames anything that follows as ancient history. Used straight or ironically, it turns a simple anecdote into an epic tragedy, making modern inconveniences sound like the fall of the Republic.

The line comes from Star Wars: A New Hope, released in 1977, where Obi-Wan Kenobi explains the Jedi Knights to Luke Skywalker on Tatooine. His full speech describes an era before the Empire and before Darth Vader helped hunt the Jedi down. Decades later the shortened phrase spread online as a caption and sound for nostalgic before-and-after edits. Fans use it earnestly for lore videos, while everyone else uses it mock-seriously to mourn simpler times, from old internet eras to pre-update video games.

Pro Tip for Usage

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Place it right before you cut to an old photo, clip or story, and let the line finish cleanly before the reveal. Pair it with a slow zoom or a fade to sepia, and avoid talking over Guinness's pause because the gravity is the joke.

Use Cases

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  • Introduce a childhood photo before everyone looked tired and stressed.
  • Open a gaming clip from before a hated update dropped.
  • Preface stories about school life before social media took over.
  • Frame a workplace anecdote from before the new manager arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the full 'before the dark times' quote?
The full line is part of Obi-Wan telling Luke about his father and the Jedi Knights, ending with 'before the dark times, before the Empire.' This clip isolates the 'before the dark times' portion in Alec Guinness's voice.
Where is 'before the dark times' from?
It is from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope from 1977, in the scene at Obi-Wan Kenobi's home on Tatooine. He is explaining to Luke Skywalker what the Jedi were like before the Empire rose to power.
Why do people use the 'before the dark times' sound?
People use it to set up a nostalgic or mock tragic backstory. The solemn delivery makes even small changes, like a game update or a new school rule, sound like the end of a golden age.

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