159 Best Rambo Quotes That Will Give You That Fiery Nostalgia

Teasle: They found Rambo’s body. As a matter of fact, it stole an army truck. Blew up a gas station the other side of town.
Trautman: The kid is resiliant. Now why don’t you forget what you’re thinking and clear out while you can?

What the hell’s the matter with you guys? He’s one man… wounded!

If he gives you any shit, cite him for obstruction on the spot.

Hey, Preston! Make sure you get him behind the ears! Ha-ha-ha-ha. What’s the matter, Mitch? Don’t you like water sports?

All this shit, it’s because of you. I should have broke your fucking neck ten years ago.

Teasle: So where you heading?
Rambo: Portland.
Teasle: Portland is south! You said you were heading north.
Rambo: You got some place I can eat around here?
Teasle: Theres a diner about thirty miles up the highway.
Rambo: Is there a law against me getting something to eat here?
Teasle: Yeah! ME!
Rambo: Why you pushing me?
Teasle: What’d you say?
Rambo: I said why you pushing me? I haven’t done anything to you.
Teasle: First of all, you don’t ask the questions around here. I do. Understand! Second, we don’t want guys like you in this town, drifters. Next thing we know, we got a whole *bunch* of guys like you in this town. THAT’S WHY! Besides, you wouldn’t like it here anyway. It’s just a quiet little town. In fact you might say it’s BORING. But that’s the way we like it. I get paid to keep it that way.
Rambo: Yeah, boring.

Mousa: Why must you do this?
Rambo: Cause he’d do it for me.

If he had really wanted to control himself, he could have. He simply had not wanted to control himself. To live his way, he had been determined to fight anyone who interfered. So all right then, in a way he had fought for a principle. But it was not that simple, because he had also been proud and delighted to show how good he was at fighting.

Any of you boys want to shoot, now’s the time. There isn’t one of us that doesn’t want to be someplace else. But this is what we do, who we are. Live for nothing, or die for something. Your call.

Rambo: You know, she’d be a good trainer. She’s got a way with horses. Don’t you think?
Maria Beltran: Maybe. But she is going to college. You think she wants to smell like horses all the time, like you?
Rambo: That bad?
Maria Beltran: No. If you like horses.

Rambo: They’re all dead. All of them. I could have killed you ten times, but I wanted you last.
Hugo Martinez: Fuck you.
Rambo: No, fuck you, dead man. I want you to feel my rage, my hate, when I reach into your chest and RIP OUT YOUR HEART! Like you did mine.
Hugo Martinez: Fuck you… and your bitch too!
Rambo: You wanna live? Follow the lights!

Rambo: I want you to stay at your sister’s. There’s nothing for you here, nothing for me here.
Maria Beltran: Where will you go?
Rambo: I’m just going to move around. Like always.
Maria Beltran: Will I see you again?
Rambo: Mm-hmm. Sure.
Maria Beltran: I will miss this. My heart is dead. I feel empty inside. I don’t think I will ever feel anything again.
Rambo: Yeah.

We were in this bar in Saigon and this kid comes up, this kid carrying a shoe-shine box. And he says “Shine, please, shine!” I said no. He kept askin’, yeah, and Joey said “Yeah.” And I went to get a couple of beers, and the box was wired, and he opened up the box, fucking blew his body all over the place. And he’s laying there, he’s fucking screaming. There’s pieces of him all over me, just… like this, and I’m tryin’ to pull him off, you know, my friend that’s all over me! I’ve got blood and everything and I’m tryin’ to hold him together! I’m puttin’… the guy’s fuckin’ insides keep coming out! And nobody would help! Nobody would help! He’s saying, sayin’ “I wanna go home! I wanna go home!” He keeps calling my name! “I wanna go home, Johnny! I wanna drive my Chevy!” I said “With what? I can’t find your fuckin’ legs! I can’t find your legs!”

Gabrielle: I need to ask you a question.
Manuel: Of course.
Gabrielle: Why did you leave us? I’m just trying to understand why you would just go like that.
Manuel: Okay. Because one day, I looked at your mother and you, and realized you both didn’t mean anything to me anymore. I know it’s hard to understand. But I wasted time being with you and her. And she f**king dies and leaves me with you, who I never wanted. Any more questions? You don’t need to come back.

I can’t get it out of my head. A dream of seven years. Everyday I have this. And sometimes I wake up and I don’t know where I am. I don’t talk to anybody. Sometimes a day – a week. I can’t put it out of my mind.

Mousa: Well, I do not know who you really are. But by the way you look, I can see you have no experience in war, do you? C’mon, do you?
Rambo: I’ve fired a few shots.
Mousa: A few shots? Come on! Maybe you should go back home and think it all over again. For a very long time!
Rambo: I did think it over.
Mousa: You did? Well… This is your choice. But let me tell you, you cannot get this American alone. If you fail, do not blame me. I will accept no responsibility.
Rambo: Sounds familiar…

Trautman: John where are you going?
Rambo: I don’t know.
Trautman: You’ll get a second medal of honor for this.
Rambo: You should give it to them. They deserve it more.
Trautman: You don’t belong here, why don’t you come back with me?
Rambo: Back to what? My friends died here, and a piece of me did too.
Trautman: The war, the whole conflict may have been wrong, but damn it, don’t hate your country for it.
Rambo: Hate? I’d die for it.
Trautman: Then what is it you want?
Rambo: I want, what they want, and every other guy who came over here and spilled his guts and gave everything he had, wants! For our country to love us as much as we love it! That’s what I want!
Trautman: How will you live, John?
Rambo: Day by day.

I know I’m just a white-trash grunt, but I can count. Fuck fucking with a hundred strong!

We were planning on going to Vegas. Go buy some Chevy and then Jimmy gets his legs ripped off and f*ck.

I’m about to bust a fatty.

Sarah: We’re engaged. He’s a good man.
Rambo: That’s good.
Sarah: I know you think you live alone out here, but there’s always something pushing you.

This time it’s up to you.

What about God? The idea embarrassed him. It was only in moments of absolute fear that he had ever thought about God and prayed to him, always embarrassed because he did not believe and felt so hypocritical when he prayed out of fear, as if in spite of his disbelief there might be God after all, God who could be fooled by a hypocrite. When he was a child, then he believed. He certainly did believe when he was a child. How did it go, the nightly Act of Contrition? The words came hesitantly, unfamiliarly to him. Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for—For what?

Michael: Any idea how much longer?
Rambo: Yeah, just a few more hours.
Michael: Maybe we should give the man his space. We should go over the schedule, okay?
Sarah: Okay.

Rambo: What do you do stateside?
Sarah: I teach. Sixth grade. What?
Rambo: Now I know why you ask so many questions.

Rambo: No, you’re not.
Lewis: What did you say? I don’t give a fuck who you are. You say another word and I swear on my kid’s eyes I’ll kill you. Let’s go.
Rambo: You’re not going anywhere.

I suppose none of what I’m saying matters. In a few years a search like this won’t even be necessary. We have instruments now that can be mounted on the underside of an airplane. To find a man all you have to do is fly over the spot where you think he is, and the machine will register his body heat. Right now there aren’t enough of those machines to go around. Most of them are in the war. But when we come home from there, well, a man on the run won’t have hope. And a man like me, he won’t be needed. This is the last of something. It’s too bad. As much as I hate war, I fear the day when machines take the place of men. At least now a man can still get along on his talents.

And if you risk your life one more time, I will fucking take your life right here.

Carmen Delgado: I will not help you again.
Rambo: You have to.
Carmen Delgado: Why do I have to? What will it change? Nothing. We grieve and move on.
Rambo: And you’ve done that?
Carmen Delgado: I mean, I think of her every day. Every f**king day. But we have to move on.
Rambo: What if you can’t move on? What if you can’t move on at all?
Carmen Delgad0.o: But you have to. We have no choice. What’s done is done!
Rambo: Why is it done? How is it ever done? When I look at something so innocent, and I see that face never have life in it again, how is it ever done?

When I came home a long time ago, you were so young. Gabrielle, you were so young. I was lost. I was a lost man. And then I met you. And I saw something that I didn’t think I’d ever see anymore, good in this world. Some innocence. And I had a family that I never thought I’d ever have. And raising you, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I thank you for that. Thank you. You’re like the.. Gabrielle? Gabrielle. Gabrielle. No, no. Oh, don’t do it. Gabrielle? Oh, God. I’m sorry. Why not me?

Hugo Martinez: “John Rambo.” Juanito Rambo. Want to know something, Juanito? These girls mean nothing to me or my customers. In my world, they’re nothing. They’re not people. They’re just things. They have no. worth to men like us. So I would have not paid attention to this. To her. But now I will. Because you coming here has made it very bad for her, cabrón. We would’ve just trained her, used her, and sold her. But now we’re going to make an example of her. I’m going to let you live.
Victor Martinez: What are you talking about?
Hugo Martinez: Don’t interrupt me! You’re going to think about this every f**king day of your f**king life. Until you can’t think anymore, Juanito.

Carmen Delgado: If someone sees you, we both will die. Coming back here is so dangerous. Did you find her?
Rambo: She’s dead.
Carmen Delgado: Oh, I’m sorry. I really am. I know how you feel. But coming back was dangerous. Why are you here?
Rambo: I want to find the thin one.
Carmen Delgado: No.
Rambo: The one that cut her.
Carmen Delgado: No.
Rambo: The one that cut me.

Rambo: How did I get here?
Carmen Delgado: I brought you here.
Rambo: You don’t even know me.
Carmen Delgado: Why do I have to know you? Um, you were in trouble. I don’t know, I would do it for anyone.
Rambo: Why were you even there?
Carmen Delgado: I’m an independent journalist. I was following El Flaco, a pimp who drugs and sells girls. I saw you in the club, watching him. I saw what you did to him.

Gabrielle: I’m sorry.
Rambo: No. You didn’t do anything. You didn’t do anything at all. We’re going to go home, and everything’s going to be good. It’s going to be alright.
Gabrielle: Okay.
Rambo: I got this back for you.

Maria Beltran: Should I call the police?
Rambo: Cops can’t cross the border. Down there, they don’t do sh*t.
Maria Beltran: Please, John. Bring my girl back.
Rambo: I’ll find her.

Rambo: So, how did it go?
Gabrielle: Um, everyone had a good time. They kept asking me why my uncle built these tunnels.
Rambo: What did you say?
Gabrielle: I said that you like digging, and you’re a little crazy.
Rambo: That’s fair enough.

Gabrielle: Uncle John, I need you to trust me. I need you to know that I’m going to make good decisions.
Rambo: I can’t control what’s out there.
Gabrielle: You can’t just protect me forever.
Rambo: As long as I’m around, he’s never going to hurt you again. No one is.
Gabrielle: You said you did what you thought was right, and left at seventeen, and nobody stopped you.
Rambo: I wish they had.

Rambo: Gabrielle, I care for you like a daughter. I know you want answers. Just wait a little while. Grow up a little bit. Know about the world a little bit. Would you do that for me, please?
Gabrielle: Alright.

Gabrielle: Uncle John, I’ve heard the stories. I know you’ve been through a lot. But my world is a lot different from yours.
Rambo: No, it’s not. It’s worse.
Gabrielle: No, it’s not. People don’t just act bad for no reason.
Rambo: There’s no reason for a man to throw his family away. He’s lucky he has one.
Gabrielle: Why are you getting so mad?
Rambo: Because you don’t know how bad it is. I know how black a man’s heart can be. There’s nothing good out there, Gabrielle.
Gabrielle: Well, maybe he’s changed.
Rambo: Men like that don’t change. It only gets worse.
Gabrielle: You changed.
Rambo: I haven’t changed. I’m just trying to keep a lid on it, every day.

Gabrielle: It’s crazy. I’m about to start college. I don’t know why. I have no idea what I want to do yet. Did you know what you wanted to do at my age?
Rambo: Yeah, I wanted to be a soldier.
Gabrielle: At my age?
Rambo: Even before your age.
Gabrielle: Did you like it?
Rambo: Well, I had some of the best friends I ever had for a while. It’s going to be real quiet around here without you asking all these questions.
Gabrielle: I’m sure you’ll survive.
Rambo: Yeah.

Rambo: You got to tell me, where are the men that took her?
Carmen Delgado: Who did they take? Your daughter?
Rambo: Yeah. Where is she? Who are they?
Carmen Delgado: The Martínez brothers. They took my sister. They found her dead from an overdose three years ago.
Rambo: I’m sorry. You just got to tell me where you think they are.
Carmen Delgado: No, it doesn’t work this way. There’s too many of them. Are you crazy, or what?
Rambo: I’m not thinking about that. All I can think about is how scared she must be, what she’s going through, and what your sister went through. Just help me, please. I can’t go without you.
Carmen Delgado: Okay.
Rambo: Thank you.

Gabrielle, I need you to keep your eyes open. Keep your eyes open. Let’s talk about something. I remember you were a great rider. Every event you were in, every competition, you’d win everything. I remember you were just about eleven years-old, you won five events in one day. That’s really something. Gabrielle, stay with me. You can do it. We’re going to be home soon. I’ll take care of you. You got so much life left. You got so many things you got to do. So many things.

Gizelle: Why are you asking me all this sh*t? You think I’m lying to you?
Rambo: You called my house, and said she never came back from her father’s.
Gizelle: Yeah, I was giving you a heads-up.
Rambo: Or covering your a**.
Gizelle: Man, f**k…
Rambo: Where did you get this?
Gizelle: She gave it to me, man.
Rambo: It was her mother’s. She’d never give it to you. You sold her out. She was your friend.
Gizelle: F**k you! Get out of my place!
Rambo: Look at me. You’re going to take me to that club, and you’re going to show me who she was with. Or I’m going to hurt you real bad. Let’s go.

Maria Beltran: You never let me in the tunnels.
Rambo: If you really wanna go in, I’ll take you on a guided tour.
Maria Beltran: No, thank you. Too dirty.
Rambo: It is that.

Gabrielle: What you working on?
Rambo: You know what this is?
Gabrielle: A small knife.
Rambo: No, it’s Damascus steel. It’s a letter opener I made for when you go away to college. And I’m going to add on these white handles.
Gabrielle: Letter opener?
Rambo: It’d be beautiful on your desk.
Gabrielle: Oh. Uh, I hate to break it to you, but nobody writes letters anymore.
Rambo: Well, then you can use it to keep the boys away.

Maria Beltran: I heard the news. Two people died.
Rambo: I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t save my brothers in the war either.
Maria Beltran: You cannot blame yourself because you going to save some people. You are not in the war anymore. Only in your head.
Rambo: It’s hard to turn off.
Maria Beltran: Sitting there, you remind me of your father. He would sit outside, in his rocking chair. Always thinking, never talking. But you have done a wonderful job here. Running this place. I can’t thank you enough for letting me stay, and helping raise Gabriella.
Rambo: Thanks.

Just because somebody smiles when he hands me a bag of shit, that doesn’t mean I have to take it. I don’t give a damn how friendly he is. It’s what he does that matters.

There’s no rescue team. There’s just me.

Teasle: “For a colonel, the way you’re talking, you don’t seem to like the military very much.”
Trautman: “Of course I don’t. Who in his right mind would?”

Arizona. So, what… did they run out of whores over there?

His name was Rambo, and he was just some nothing kid for all anybody knew, standing by the pump of a gas station at the outskirts of Madison, Kentucky.

Except that it was no more home, just the place where he had grown up, and that first day back, touring the once familiar places only made him realize that he had already lived close to half his life.

I don’t want to fucking die of old age before I get there, so move!

I’ve lived in a world of death. I’ve watched people I’ve loved die. Some fast with a bullet, some not enough left to bury. All these years I’ve kept my secrets, but the time has come to face my past. And if they come looking for me, they will welcome death. I want revenge. I want them to know that death is coming. And there’s nothing they can do to stop it. I want them to feel our grief, and know that’s the last thing they will ever feel. And I know you want it too.

Lewis: One man and a kid? You’ve got to be fucking joking! This all the rebels they put up?
Reese: I’m not liking it.
En-Joo: You’re in the jungle, pus-nuts. There’s nothing to like.

Rambo: Why’d you come back?
Sarah: Waiting for you.
Rambo: I told you before, I can’t help you.
Sarah: Well, we need to go and help these people. We’re here to make a difference. We believe all lives are special.
Rambo: Some lives… some not.
Sarah: Really? If everyone thought like you, nothing would ever change.
Rambo: Nothing does change.
Sarah: Of course it does! Nothing stays the same!
Rambo: Live your life, ’cause you’ve got a good one.
Sarah: It’s what I’m trying to do!
Rambo: No, what you’re trying to do is change what is.
Sarah: And what is?
Rambo: Go home.

I’ve lived in a world of death. I tried to come home, but I never really arrived. A part of my mind and soul got lost along the way, but my heart was still here where I was born, where I would defend to the end the only family I’ve ever known, the only home I’ve ever known. All the ones I’ve loved are now ghosts. But I will fight to keep their memory alive forever.

Maybe you’ve lost your faith in people. But you must still be faithful to something. You must still care about something. Maybe we can’t change what is. But trying to save a life isn’t wasting your life, is it?

Who are you boatman?

Sarah: What do we do?
School Boy: Nothing we can do.

Sarah: I don’t know what to say.
Rambo: Then you shouldn’t say anything, should you?

You have lights! Turn them on! I want to see you fuckin’ fools!

Look at this fucking place. Only a fucking ape would live here. What the fuck am I doing here?

We’ll be taking the overland route on the way back so there’s no need to wait around. I have to report this. I know you think what you did was right but taking a life is never right.

Gutless fuck! Come and have a go at me, you lady-boy cunt!

Burnett: I was told it might be possible to rent your boat. We’d like to do that. Is that possible? We need to get upriver.
Rambo: Where are you going?
Burnett: Into Burma.
Rambo: Burma’s a warzone.
Burnett: Well, that’s what people call it, but it’s more like genocide than war. Anyway, this will be my fifth trip in, so we’re aware of the risks.
Rambo: I don’t go that far north.
Burnett: Let me explain our situation. Our church is part of a pan-Asian ministry, located in Colorado. We are all volunteers who, around this time of year, bring in medical supplies, medical attention, prayer books, and support to the Karen tribespeople. People say you know the river better than anyone.
Rambo: They ain’t lying.
Burnett: So what I’m asking is that we compensate you for a few hours of your time that will help change people’s lives.
Rambo: Are you bringing any weapons?
Burnett: Of course not.
Rambo: You’re not changing anything.
Burnett: Well, it’s thinking like that that keeps the world the way it is.
Rambo: Fuck the world.

Those God-squadders. They come over here, spouting all that shit, they expect the whole world to start working like their fucking neighbor. Well it doesn’t! So they send in the devil… to do God’s work. It’s ironic, isn’t it? Am I boring you, mate? Is it the trip? Has it got you nervous? ‘Cause really, you should appreciate the action, you know what I mean? Got to be better than looking at the ass end of a snake! Oh dear, you really are an uptight bastard, aren’t you? You can drop the thousand-yard stare. I’ve seen it all before, and I’m not impressed.

Burnett: What did you do? We came here to help stop the killing! Who are you to…
Rambo: WHO ARE YOU?
Sarah: Let him go!
Rambo: They would’ve raped her fifty times… and cut your fucking heads off! Who are you? Who are any of you?

Sarah: The man you were talking to…
Rambo: I wasn’t talking to anybody.
Sarah: All right. The man who was talking to you asked if we could hire you to take us upriver. You said no. Why?
Rambo: Can’t help you out.
Sarah: Well, if you have good reasons, would you mind if I heard them?
Rambo: Go home.

En-Joo: Hey! Knock that shit off!
Reese: En-Joo don’t like the arts?
Diaz: En-Joo don’t like shit.
En-Joo: I like your sister, Diaz.
Diaz: She’s got a thing for retards.

Sarah: You know, you never told us your name.
Rambo: John.
Sarah: Where are you from?
Rambo: Bowie, Arizona.
Sarah: Why’d you leave?
Rambo: I got drafted in ‘Nam.
Sarah: And you just stayed?
Rambo: It’s complicated.
Sarah: You have family back home?
Rambo: Father, maybe. I don’t know.
Sarah: Aren’t you curious to see how things might’ve changed back home?
Rambo: Gotta have a reason for that.

God didn’t save your life! We did!

Bring that one out to the pigs.

Try reading a paper, redneck, instead of sleeping under it.

They call me School Boy. The name stuck with me since sniper school, my mates won’t stop calling me it no matter how many people I shoot.

Lewis: For fuck’s sake! I can swim faster than this! Am I right?
Reese: Heard that…

Lord, make me your instrument of peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. Grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive. It is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

Snake Village Owner: We need another python. See what you can do. We have enough Cobras, okay?
Rambo: Fuck off, okay?

This is what it feels like!

I finally came home, to defend the only family I’ve ever known. But all she’s got is me. She’s coming home.

Hey. If you’re looking for trouble, you’ve come to the right place buddy.

Setting him up for you? That’s like bringing the pigeons to the cat.

You’re not hunting him. He’s hunting you.

To survive a war, you gotta become war.

Like you said, Colonel, he went home.

Sir, do we get to win this time?

You’re not expendable.

Trautman: The Kremlin’s got a hell of a sense of humor.
Zaysen: Please explain.
Trautman: You talk peace and disarmament. And here you are wiping out a race of people!

Griggs: I want you to know upfront that if you’re captured or any of this leaks, we’ll deny any participation or even knowledge of your existence.
Rambo: I’m used to it.

That we’re like animals! It’s in the blood! It’s natural! Peace? That’s an accident! It’s what is! When you’re pushed, killing’s as easy as breathing. When the killing stops in one place, it starts in another, but that’s okay… ’cause you’re killing for your country. But it ain’t your country who asks you, it’s a few men up top who want it. Old men start it, young men fight it, nobody wins, everybody in the middle dies… and nobody tells the truth! God’s gonna make all that go away? Don’t waste your life, I did.

Rambo. Let’s go.

Trautman: How’s the wound?
Rambo: You taught us to ignore pain, right?
Trautman: Is it working?
Rambo: Not really. Don’t take it personal.
Trautman: Thanks.

Mousa: This is Afghanistan… Alexander the Great try to conquer this country… then Genghis Khan, then the British. Now Russia. But Afghan people fight hard, they never be defeated. Ancient enemy make prayer about these people… you wish to hear?
Rambo: Um-hum.
Mousa: Very good. It says, ‘May God deliver us from the venom of the Cobra, teeth of the tiger, and the vengeance of the Afghan.’ Understand what this means?
Rambo: That you guys don’t take any shit?
Mousa: Yes… something like this.

Masoud, Afghan Mujahedeen Leader: Now you see how it is here. Somewhere in the war there’s supposed to be honor. Where’s the honor here? Where? Now, we’re taking the survivors to the border. Are you coming?
Rambo: I’m going to the fort.
Masoud, Afghan Mujahedeen Leader: Have you not seen enough death? Go! Go while you can! This isn’t your war.
Rambo: It is now.
Masoud, Afghan Mujahedeen Leader: So be it. You’re a good friend.

Trautman: That was close John. How are you?
Rambo: Well done.

Trautman: You got any ideas?
Zaysen: Drop your weapons!
Rambo: Surrounding them’s out.
Trautman: Hell of a time for humor, John.

Zaysen: Drop the weapons! Now! You have no chance of escape! Come forward! I wish to take you back alive! This is your last warning! The choice is yours!
Trautman: What do you say, John?
Rambo: Fuck ’em!

Zaysen: Are you insane? One man against trained commandos… Who do you think this man is? God?
Trautman: No. God would have mercy. He won’t.

Trautman: You expect sympathy? You started this damn war! Now you’ll have to deal with it!
Zaysen: And we will. It is just a matter of time before we achieve a complete victory.
Trautman: Yeah, well, there won’t be a victory! Every day, your war machines lose ground to a bunch of POORLY-armed, POORLY-equipped freedom fighters! The fact is that you underestimated your competition. If you’d studied your history, you’d know that these people have never given up to anyone. They’d rather DIE, than be slaves to an invading army. You can’t defeat a people like that. We tried! We already had our Vietnam! Now you’re gonna have yours!

Mousa: You do not look like men Griggs sent before. You not look like you are with military.
Rambo: I’m not.
Mousa: What you are? Mercenary?
Rambo: No.
Mousa: You’re not with military, not mercenary – what you are? Lost tourist?
Rambo: I’m no tourist.

Mousa: God must love crazy people.
Rambo: Why?
Mousa: He make so many of them!

Let me tell you a story, John. There was a sculptor. He found this stone, a special stone. He dragged it home and he worked on it for months until he finally finished it. When he was ready he showed it to his friends. They said he had created a great masterpiece, but the sculptor said he hadn’t created anything. The statue was always there, he just chipped away the rough edges. You’re always going to be tearing away at yourself until you come to terms with who you are. Until you come full circle.

Trautman: Can you fly that helicopter?
Rambo: Let’s find out!

Trautman: I’m sorry I got you into this Johnny.
Rambo: No you’re not.

Trautman: Hard to believe, John.
Rambo: What’s that, sir?
Trautman: Well, I hate to admit it, but the truth is, I think we’re getting soft.
Rambo: Maybe just a little, sir. Just a little.

It wasn’t my war, Colonel. I’m here to clean up the mess.

Wolf Den, this is Lone Wolf. Do you read? Prepare for emergency landing. Arriving with American POWs.

Rambo, John J. Born 7-6-47 in Bowie, Arizona. Of Indian-German descent – that’s a hell of a combination. Joined the army 8-6-64. Accepted special forces, specialization: light weapon, medic, helicopter and language qualified. 59 confirmed kills. Two Silver Stars, four Bronze, four Purple Hearts. Distinguished Service Cross and Medal of Honor. You got around, didn’t you? Incredible.

Trautman: John, I want you to try and forget the war. Remember the mission. The old Vietnam’s dead.
Rambo: Sir, I’m alive. It’s still alive, ain’t it?

Trautman: Good luck, son.
Rambo: Murdock said he was with 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines at Kon Tum in ’66.
Trautman: Yeah.
Rambo: The 2nd Battalion was at Kud Sank. You’re the only one I trust.

Murdock: Colonel, are you sure Rambo’s still in balance with the war? We can’t afford having him involved in this mission and then crack in the pressure of that hell.
Trautman: Pressure? Let me just say that Rambo is the best combat vet I’ve ever seen. A pure fighting machine with only a desire to win a war that someone else lost. And if winning means he has to die, he’ll die. No fear, no regrets. And one more thing: what you choose to call hell, he calls home.

Murdock: Rambo, you can feel totally safe because we have the most advanced weapons in the world available to us.
Rambo: I’ve always believed that the mind is the best weapon.
Murdock: Times change.
Rambo: For some people.

Murdock: Now if there’s any of our men in this POW target camp you confirm their presence by taking photographs.
Rambo: Photographs?
Murdock: Just photographs. Under no circumstances are you to engage the enemy!
Rambo: I’m supposed to leave ’em there?
Murdock: I repeat: don’t engage the enemy!

Teasle: He was just another drifter who broke the law!
Trautman: Vagrancy wasn’t it? That’s gonna look real good on his grave stone in Arlington: Here lies John Rambo, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, survivor of countless incursions behind enemy lines. Killed for vagrancy in Jerkwater, USA.
Teasle: Now don’t give me any of that crap Trautman. Do you think Rambo was the only guy who had a tough time in Vietnam? He killed a police officer for Christ’s sake!
Trautman: You’re goddamn lucky he didn’t kill all of you.

Let’s keep those hammers working!

Trautman: What are you doing? Do you know what the hell you’ve done?
Murdock: Don’t act so innocent, Colonel. You had your suspicions, and if you suspected then you’re sort of an accessory aren’t ya?
Trautman: Don’t ever count me with you and your scum! It was a lie wasn’t it? Just like the whole damn war, it was a lie!
Murdock: What are you talking about?
Trautman: That camp… was supposed to be empty. Rambo goes in, a decorated vet, he finds no POWs, the Congress buys it – case closed! And if he happens to get caught, nobody knows he’s alive except you and your computers… and you can reprogram that can’t you?
Murdock: Who the hell do you think you’re talking to, Trautman?
Trautman: A stinkin’ bureaucrat who’s tryin to cover his ass!
Murdock: No, not just mine Trautman. We’re talkin’ about a nation here! Besides, it was your hero’s fault. Now if your warrior had gone in and done what the hell he was supposed to do, we’d be out of this clean and simple. He was just supposed to take pictures!
Trautman: And if those pictures showed something they would have been… lost… wouldn’t they?
Murdock: Oh Trautman, I still don’t think you understand what this is all about.
Trautman: The same as it always is! Money! In ’72 we were supposed to pay the Cong four-and-a-half billion in war reparations. We reneged, they kept the POWs… and you’re doing the same thing all over again.
Murdock: And what the hell would you do, Trautman? Pay blackmail money to ransom our own men and finance the war effort against our allies? What if some burn-out POW shows up on the six o-clock news? What do you want to do… start the war all over again? You wanna bomb Hanoi? You want everybody screaming for armed invasion? Do you honestly think somebody’s gonna get up on the floor of the United States Senate, and ask for billions of dollars for a couple of forgotten ghosts?
Trautman: Men, Goddamn it! Men… who fought for their country!
Murdock: That’s enough! Trautman, I’m gonna forget this conversation ever took place.
Trautman: You bastard!
Murdock: And if I were you… I’d never make the mistake of bringing this subject up again.
Trautman: Oh you’re the one who’s making the mistake.
Murdock: Yeah? What mistake?
Trautman: Rambo.

Rambo: Murdock…
Trautman: He’s here.
Murdock: Rambo, this is Murdock, we’re glad you’re alive. Where the hell are you? Give us your position and we’ll come to pick you up!
Rambo: Murdock… I’m coming to get you!

Trautman: I’m sorry they sent you to such a hellhole.
Rambo: I’ve seen worse.

Murdock: Rambo, I don’t make the orders, I take them just like you. I swear to God, I didn’t know it was supposed to happen like this. It was just supposed to be another assignment!
Rambo: Mission… accomplished. You know there’s more men out there and you know where they are. Find ’em. Or I’ll find you.

Podovsky: I see you are no stranger to pain. Perhaps you have been among my Vietnamese comrades before, hm? No answer. Do you wish to give your name? Now, what possible harm can that cause? Pride is a poor substitute for intelligence. What you must understand is that we have to interrogate you. To Sergeant Yushin here, you are a piece of meat. A laboratory experiment. But to me, you are a comrade, similar to myself, just opposed by an act of fate. I know you are trying to facilitate the release of war criminals held by this republic. I can appreciate this. But this incident, your capture is… embarrassing. We must have explanation. First of all, I wish you to radio your headquarters and say that you have been captured and condemned for espionage activities, and that no such criminal aggression should be attempted in the future or they will meet with the same fate as yours.
Rambo: Fuck you.

Co: Why did they pick you? Because you like to fight?
Rambo: I’m expendable.
Co: What mean expendable?
Rambo: It’s like someone invites you to a party and you don’t show up. It doesn’t really matter.

You may scream. There is no shame.

Deputy Lester: What do you want me to do, Will?
Teasle: I want you to do what I told you to do, damn it! Get that chopper back here now. Out!

Get him! He had no right to shoot my babies. Get the son of a bitch!

In Vietnam, you can bet that Rambo and I got pretty confused. But we had orders. When in doubt… kill!

Orval: Let’s do some huntin’!
Deputy Mitch: Hunting? We ain’t huntin’ him, he’s huntin’ us!

Deputy Mitch: How blind are you? Can’t you see this guy’s crazy?
Deputy Sergeant Arthur Gault: Can’t you see I don’t give a shit?

Can you tell me if Delmar Berry lives here?

Deputy Mitch: Why don’t you let the state police handle this?
Teasle: Look! Look at him. Look at him! That’s Art Galt, boy. He and I were friends when your mama was still wiping your nose! Now he’s dead. He’s dead because of that psycho out there. Now you listen, boy, and you listen to me good. I’m gonna get that son of a bitch and I’m gonna pin that Congressional Medal of Honor to his liver. And I’m gonna do it with you or without you.

If you want some friendly advice, get a haircut and take a bath. You wouldn’t get hassled so much.

State Police Capt. Dave Kern: Why didn’t you leave the kid alone in the first place?
Teasle: Dammit, Dave, you think this kid just waltzed into town, announced he was a Medal Of Honor winner, and then I just leaned on him for the hell of it? I tried to do him a favor, I treated him like he was one of my neighbor’s kids. I did my job, Dave, I booked him for vagrancy and resisting arrest.
State Police Capt. Dave Kern: You seem pretty motivated on this one.
Teasle: Why don’t you go out there and take a look at what’s left of my men? You’ll see how motivated I am, Dave, and if that doesn’t do it for you why don’t you go have a talk with Art Gault’s widow?
State Police Capt. Dave Kern: All right, Will, I read you. Listen, I got twenty-five men I can bring up from Monroe.
Teasle: All right Dave, I can use them. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.

Deputy Mitch: Gault, what the fuck was that?
Deputy Sergeant Arthur Gault: Well, the man said ‘Clean him up.’ Clean him up…

Trautman: You picked the wrong man to push.
Teasle: No, Trautman. HE picked the wrong man!
Trautman: That boy’s a *heart attack*! He may be the best the Special Forces ever trained. Anything *you’re* gonna throw at him, he’s been through a hundred times worse! In WORSE places than this!

You know, wearing that flag on that jacket, looking the way you do, you’re asking for trouble around here, friend.

Jesus, he’s got a gun.

Listen, Will, you sure picked one hell of a guy to mess around with. This came over the teletype a few minutes ago: John Rambo is a Vietnam vet. He’s a Green Beret, Congressional Medal of Honor. Guy’s a war hero!

Trautman: You’re going to die, Teasle.
Teasle: Everybody dies.

Covey leader calling Raven. Come on Raven. Covey leader calling Raven. Covey leader to Raven, talk to me, Johnny.

Teasle, you and all your men couldn’t handle him before what makes you think you can handle him now? Only God knows what damage he’s prepared to do.

Goddammit, what the hell do you think this is? Some kind of a circus?

If you don’t fly this thing right, I swear to god I’m going to kill you.

My babies can run and eat at the same time!

Rambo: Drive. Don’t look at me, look at the road. That’s how accidents happen. What’s your name?
Robert A. Cathcart: Cathcart, Robert A.
Rambo: All right, what do you got in the back, Robert A.?
Robert A. Cathcart: M-60.
Rambo: Okay, Robert A., get out of the truck.
Robert A. Cathcart: Please. I got no beef with you. No!
Rambo: Go on! Move! Go home!

Trautman: You did everything to make this private war happen. You’ve done enough damage. This mission is over, Rambo. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won’t end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It’s over Johnny. It’s over!
Rambo: Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don’t turn it off! It wasn’t my war! You asked me, I didn’t ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn’t let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they’ve been me and been there and know what the hell they’re yelling about!
Trautman: It was a bad time for everyone, Rambo. It’s all in the past now.
Rambo: For *you*! For me civilian life is nothing! In the field we had a code of honor, you watch my back, I watch yours. Back here there’s nothing!
Trautman: You’re the last of an elite group, don’t end it like this.
Rambo: Back there I could fly a gunship, I could drive a tank, I was in charge of million dollar equipment, back here I can’t even hold a job *parking cars*!

Trautman: Company leader to identify Baker Team – Rambo, Messner, Ortega, Coletta, Jorgensen, Danforth, Berry, Krakauer confirm! This is Colonel Trautman. Talk to me, Johnny.
Rambo: They’re all gone Sir.
Trautman: Rambo! Are you all right?
Rambo: Baker Team. They’re all dead, sir.
Trautman: Not Delmar Berry, he made it.
Rambo: Berry’s gone too Sir.
Trautman: How?
Rambo: Got himself killed in ‘Nam, didn’t even know it. Cancer ate him down to the bone.
Trautman: I’m sorry, I didn’t know.
Rambo: I’m the last one Sir.

You know what you are. What you’re made of. War is in your blood. Don’t fight it. You didn’t kill for your country. You killed for yourself. The gods are never gonna make that go away. When you’re pushed, killing’s as easy as breathing.

Trautman: I don’t think you understand. I didn’t come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.
Teasle: Well, we all appreciate your concern Colonel, I will try to be extra careful!
Trautman: I’m just amazed he allowed any of your posse to live.
Teasle: Is that right?
Trautman: Strictly speaking, he slipped up. You’re lucky to be breathing.
Teasle: That’s just great. Colonel, you came out here to find out why one of your machines blew a gasket!
Trautman: You don’t seem to want to accept the fact you’re dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who’s the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who’s been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In Vietnam his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well Rambo was the best.

Trautman: It’s good to hear your voice Johnny, it’s been a long time. Look John, you’ve done some damage here, they don’t want anymore trouble. That’s why I’ve come. I want to come in there and fly you the hell out. Just you and me. We’ll work this thing out together. Is that fair enough?
Rambo: Where did you come from Sir?
Trautman: Bragg.
Rambo: I tried to get in touch with you, but the guys in Bragg never knew where to find you.
Trautman: You know I haven’t been spending much time there lately, they’ve got me down in D.C. I’m shining a seat with my ass.
Rambo: I wish I was back in Bragg now.
Trautman: We’ll talk about that when you come in.
Rambo: I can’t do that Sir.
Trautman: Look John, we can’t have you running around out there killing friendly civilians.
Rambo: There are no friendly civilians!
Trautman: But I’m your friend Johnny! I was there with you knee-deep in all that blood and guts. I covered your ass more than once. Seems like baling you out of trouble’s got to be a life-time achievement for me.
Rambo: There wouldn’t be no trouble except for that king-shit cop! All I wanted was something to eat. But the man kept pushing Sir.
Trautman: Well you did some pushing on your own John.
Rambo: They drew first blood, not me.
Trautman: Look Johnny, let me come in and get you the hell out of there!
Rambo: They drew first blood…
Trautman: Rambo, are you still reading me? Covey leader to Raven! Rambo! Acknowledge!

Deputy Lester: I was just talking to Mitch, and he said that Gault and a couple of the deputies were… a little hard on the guy.
State Police Capt. Dave Kern: Assholes!
Teasle: It doesn’t make one goddamn bit of difference, Dave, and you know it! If one of my deputies… gets out of line with a prisoner then the prisoner comes to me with it. And if I find out it’s like he says I kick the deputy’s ass! *Me*! The *Law*! People start fucking around with the law then all hell breaks loose! Whatever possessed God in heaven to make a man like Rambo?
Trautman: God didn’t make Rambo, I made him!

Hamid: What’s that?
Rambo: It’s blue light.
Hamid: What does it do?
Rambo: It turns blue.

Teasle: What d’you want with a knife like this?
Rambo: Hunting.
Teasle: Smartass! What d’you hunt with a knife?
Rambo: Everything.

Trautman: I came to get my boy.
State Police Capt. Dave Kern: *Your BOY*?
Trautman: I recruited him. I trained him. I commanded him for three years in Vietnam. I’d say that makes him mine.

Rambo: There’s one man dead! It’s not my *fault*! I don’t want anymore hurt!
Teasle: Freeze! Stand right where you are! Give yourself up!
Rambo: But I didn’t do anything!
Teasle: I’m warning you boy, don’t make a move or I’ll blow your head off!
Rambo: I didn’t do anything!

In ancient days, the Afghan king was asked to send 500 warriors into battle. He said, “only five.” His greatest five. And they won. He said, “it’s better to send five lions than 500 sheep.”

These boys are now our soldiers! They belong to me now! If you try to get them back, your whole village will burn! If you ask the Karen Rebels for help, I will cut out your tongues! If you go against me, I will feed you your intestines! Hear me, believe me, and fear me!

I’m gonna tear you apart.

Trautman: If you send your people in there after him they’ll get killed.
Teasle: You know, we’re just a small, hick-town sheriff’s department, Colonel, but we’re expected to do our duty just like our heroes in the Special Forces.
Trautman: In Special Forces we teach our people to stay alive in the line of duty.
Teasle: No shit, I never thought of that.
Trautman: You want a war you can’t win?
Teasle: Are you tellin’ me that 200 of our men against your boy is a no-win situation for us?
Trautman: You send that many, don’t forget one thing.
Teasle: What?
Trautman: A good supply of body-bags.

Zaysen: Who are you?
Rambo: Your worst nightmare.

I could have killed ’em all, I could’ve killed you. In town you’re the law, out here it’s me. Don’t push it! Don’t push it or I’ll give you a war you won’t believe! Let it go. Let it go!