Johnny Rico Quotes in Starship Troopers (1997)

Johnny Rico: Someone asked me once if I knew the difference between a civilian and a citizen. I know now. A citizen has the courage to make the safety of the human race their personal responsibility. Dizzy was my friend. She was a soldier. But most important, she was a citizen of the Federation.

Carl: We thought there might be a Brain Bug on 'P'.

Carmen: You knew and still you sent them?

Carl: We couldn't afford to launch an operation if there wasn't one.

[both Carmen and Johnny look at Carl with contempt]

Carl: You disapprove? Well, too bad! We're in this war for the species, boys and girls. It's simple numbers. They have more. And every day I have to make decisions that send hundreds of people like you to their deaths.

Johnny Rico: Didn't they tell you, Colonel? That's what the Mobile Infantry is good for.

Johnny Rico: I wanna join up. I think I got what it takes to be a Citizen.

Jean Rasczak: Good for you! Go find out...

Johnny Rico: Well... my parents are against it... and I know it's my choice. I was wondering. What would you do if you were me?

Jean Rasczak: Figuring things out for yourself is the only freedom anyone really has. Use that freedom. Make up your own mind, Rico.

General Owen: I had to evade capture. The lives of the Federation were at stake.

Ace Levy: [background] Fire in the Hole!

[explosion]

General Owen: [startled by the explosion] I have operational knowledge of what were up to out here.

Jean Rasczak: [to Diz] Dizzi, give me a status report.

Johnny Rico: [softly] She's working on it.

General Owen: [points to a dead soldier with his head hollowed out] Here, they did it to Farley, they got into his mind. They made Farley call Headquarters.

Johnny Rico: The distress call was a trap.

General Owen: They're just like us. They wanna know what makes us tick. They wanna know us, so they can KILL us!

Jean Rasczak: [into his radio] This is Rasczak, prepare for attack. I repeat, prepare for attack!

Dizzy: Rico, I'm dying.

Johnny Rico: No Diz, you'll be fine.

Dizzy: But it's OK, because I got to have you.

Johnny Rico: Who are these kids?

Ace Levy: We got reinforced. Most of them are fresh out of boot.

Johnny Rico: We're the old men, Ace.

[last lines]

Newsreel announcer: We have the ships. We have the weapons. We need soldiers. Soldiers like Lieutenant Stack Lumbreiser...

Lt. Lumbreiser: Over the target area now, Captain.

Newsreel announcer: ...and Captain Carmen Ibanez.

Carmen: This is the captain speaking. All personnel prepare for drop.

Newsreel announcer: Soldiers like Private Ace Levy and Lieutenant John Rico.

Johnny Rico: Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?

Newsreel announcer: We need you all. Service guarantees citizenship.

Jean Rasczak: You got 10 minutes to get ready and go.

Johnny Rico: Yes sir.

Jean Rasczak: Whos's in there with you?

Dizzy: Flores, sir.

Jean Rasczak: Make it 20.

Johnny Rico: We can do it.

Jean Rasczak: [after Rico denies Dizzy's request to dance] Rico - you once asked me for advice, want some now?

Johnny Rico: Yes, sir!

Jean Rasczak: Never pass up a good thing.

Johnny Rico: These are the rules. Everybody fights, nobody quits. If you don't do your job I'll kill you myself. Welcome to the Roughnecks!

Private Sugar Watkins: Rico's Roughnecks!

Johnny Rico: I'm from Buenos Aires, and I say kill 'em all!

Private Sugar Watkins: Gimme the nuke

Johnny Rico: You trying to be a hero, Watkins?

Private Sugar Watkins: Just trying to kill some bugs, sir.

Johnny Rico: Never surrender. Never retreat. Never give up.

Carmen: Johnny, uh, you remember Zander, don't you?

Zander: From the game today.

[shakes Johnny's hand]

Zander: No hard feelings?

Johnny Rico: None at all. We won.

Johnny Rico: I hear you got a bug problem ma'am?

Corporal Birdie: Ah, stuff it, Rico!

Johnny Rico: You're some sort of big, fat, smart-bug, aren't you?

Johnny Rico: This is Roughneck Two-Zero-One. We are under heavy attack!

Radio operator: [voice] But we have Planet P as secure.

Johnny Rico: This place crawls, sir! I request retrieval, now!

Radio operator: [voice] What is your location?

Johnny Rico: Come down on this transmission.

Radio operator: [voice] On the outpost? That's crazy!

Johnny Rico: Well, I hope you have a crazy pilot. Out.

Jean Rasczak: Rico. What is the moral difference, if any, between a civilian and a citizen?

Johnny Rico: A citizen accepts personal responsibility for the safety and the body politic defending it with his life. A civilian does not.

Jean Rasczak: The exact words of the textbook. But do you understand it? Do you believe it?

Johnny Rico: I don't know.

Jean Rasczak: No, of course you don't. I doubt anyone here would recognize civic virtue even if it reached up and bit you in the ass!

Carmen: Johnny, wait...

Zander: Forget it, Ensign. He's mobile infantry. When you're paid to kill it doesn't pay to be polite.

Johnny Rico: You got something to say about mobile infantry?

Zander: You heard me. You want to make something of it... private?

Johnny Rico: No, sir, not with an officer. The M.I. doesn't mint stupid troopers.

Zander: Then let's disregard rank.

[raising voice to speak to the crowd]

Zander: Everybody hear that? Rank is not an issue here.

Carmen: Zander, please, don't do this.

Zander: Come on, what's he gonna do?

[Zander turns towards Rico, who punches Zander in the jaw]

Link Manion: The sky marshall's coming here?

Johnny Rico: Ask him for an autograph, Lieutenant Manion, and I will have you shot.

Johnny Rico: Situation, lieutenant.

Link Manion: Totally, ominously fucked up, sir.

Johnny Rico: Can you walk soldier?

Pvt. Slug Skinner: Yes sir.

Johnny Rico: Good. Give us a hand. Pick up that arm and find out who it belongs to.

Pvt. Slug Skinner: Yes sir!

Sgt. Kirby: You know what I think, Sir?

Johnny Rico: What's that, Sergeant?

Sgt. Kirby: I think it's a good day to die, Sir!

Johnny Rico: Outstanding!

Johnny Rico: You know what to do: Get in there and kill 'em all!

Johnny Rico: Are you ready for Marauder? Join the Mobile Infantry and see if you have what it takes to be a citizen.

[salutes]

Johnny Rico: See you on the bounce, trooper!

Johnny Rico: Are we Carl?

Dr. Carl Jenkins: Pardon?

Johnny Rico: Are we? Working together?

Dr. Carl Jenkins: Cheer up Johnny, you're a hero.

Johnny Rico: No, no I'm not. But I met one.

Johnny Rico: [to Eddie] Okay, okay, so nobody's blaming you. Let's just say something happened way back when, huh? So maybe I am gonna die, but Eddie, you've got even bigger troubles. You're gonna live.

Johnny Rico: [to Eddie] When do you think the executioners will come.