Meaning
What does He’s Too Dangerous to Be Kept Alive mean?
He’s too dangerous to be kept alive also known as he’s too dangerous to be left alive is a line from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, said by Mace Windu (portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson).
Online, it is used humorously as an image macro, paired with a screenshot of the scene, usually reacting to something or someone displaying a formidable amount of power, that could pose a danger to society.
via MEME
Origin
What's the origin of He’s Too Dangerous to Be Kept Alive?
The third installment of the Star Wars prequels; The Revenge of the Sith premiered in the US on May 12th, 2005.
One of the scenes depict Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker (portrayed by Hayden Christensen) confronting Chancellor Palpatine (played by Ian McDiarmid).
It is here, when Windu says the line “he’s too dangerous to be left alive”.
The image macro emerged on the r/PrequelMemes subreddit in April, 2017.
Spread & Usage
How did He’s Too Dangerous to Be Kept Alive spread?
“He’s too dangerous to be kept alive” has spread on to a large number of sites and pages online, including a variety of subreddits, such as r/dankmemes and r/funny as well as Twitter, Tumblr and iFunny.
On October 12th, 2019, a song was uploaded to the YouTube channel RoyishGoodLooks with the title “He’s Too Dangerous! (Emperor Palpatine – Star Wars song)”.
External resources
- Fandom – The Star Wars Memes Archive