I Don't Like Sand

Confirmed 545,593

Part of a series on Prequel Memes. [View Related Entries]

About

"I don't like sand" is a memorable quote spoken by the character Anakin Skywalker in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones. Online, people frequently point to the line as a negative criticism of the Star Wars prequels.

Origin

The line comes from a scene in 2002's Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones. In the film, Anakin Skywalker, charged with protecting Senator Padmé Padmé Amidala (portrayed by Hayden Christensen and Natlie Portman, respectively), falls in love with Padmé. During one of their meetings, Anakin says, " I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth."

In his May 10th, 2002 review, film critic Roger Ebert^[1] cited the line as an example of the film's problems, specifically in regards to the romantic subplot, screenwriting, and acting. He wrote:

"Too much of the rest of the film is given over to a romance between Padme and Anakin in which they're incapable of uttering anything other than the most basic and weary romantic cliches while regarding each other as if love was something to be endured rather than cherished. There is not a romantic word they exchange that has not long since been reduced to cliche.

No, wait: Anakin tells Padme at one point: "I don't like the sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating--not like you. You're soft and smooth." I hadn't heard that before."

Spread

Since the film's release, the line has been included on lists of the worst parts of Episode II. On October 1st, 2002, the website ChefElf.com^[4] included "I don't like sand" on a list of "64 Reasons to Hate Star Wars: Episode II. On October 2nd, Entertainment Weekly included it in the article "Here's what should be cut from 'Attack of the Clones.'"{2]

On April 14th, 2004, user BuriedAlien posted "I don't like sand…" to the TheForce.net Jedi Council Forums,^[3] defending the line.

An early meme of the phrase appeared on the Tumblr dopemanyoongi^[5] in a variation of the I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing meme.

"I don't like sand" is frequently the subject of parodies on YouTube. On April 25th, 2015, YouTuber Andy Pratley published a video entitled "Anakin Skywalker really doesn't like sand," re-editing the final scene of Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith to add the lines from Attack of the Clones and a square of sand super imposed over Padme's head. The video has received more than 134,000 views. On January 18th, 2016, YouTuber Gooman130 published a parody version (shown right) of the "I don't like sand" scene, featuring a brief electric guitar solo when Anakin is rejected in the clip. The video received more than 36,600 views.

On March 3rd, the Facebook page LIT Fiasco posted a variation of the meme to their page (shown left).^[6] The post received more than 1,600 reactions and 640 shares. The Facebook page Best of Star Wars Memes^[7] posted a screenshot of the "I don't like sand" scene with the caption "When you get invited to the beach and you have to decline" (shown right). The post received more than 5,400 reactions and 600 shares.

On June 13th, 2016, Tumblr user esamitch^[8] published the photo "Sandakin." The picture received more than 75,500 notes.