Guardian Columnist Unironically Makes Anakin Skywalker's Case Against Sand

It's rare to catch a meme so faithfully, unintentionally and unironically reproduced in real life as The Guardian columnist Adrian Chiles did this morning with his op-ed piece, "Who are these people who love to feel sand between their toes? I hate it."

never misses pic.twitter.com/3Vp1Dyihjs

— Alan White (@aljwhite) January 26, 2023

The bewilderingly real column reminded many of Anakin Skywalker's incredible line from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones in which he tells Padmé Amidala (the woman he's in the midst of wooing), "I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere."

In its famous takedown of the Star Wars prequels, Red Letter Media said it could well be "the dumbest line in movie history."

Mr. Chiles very nearly recreates the line beat-by-beat, as if working to prove each section of Anakin's anti-sand thesis. "I adore the sea but what’s to love about a grainy, abrasive substance that gets everywhere?" reads the column's subhead (emphasis added).

He also adds his own flair to the anti-sand agenda, noting that it's "untrustworthy, unreliable."

"When you go into the sea, the water keeps it in its place, and it’s nice underfoot. But it takes its revenge by hiding the odd razor stone to gash your foot — a wound that will, obviously, fill with sand as soon as you’re on dry land."

Perhaps neither Mr. Chiles nor his editors were aware that he was essentially quoting one of the most infamous and memed lines of dialogue in cinema history by one of pop cultures most iconic villains, but the internet definitely was. After the column was published, a slew of prequel memes were created celebrating Chiles' unintentional Anakin quote.

pic.twitter.com/y4rC0ZHZWI

— You (Parody Account) (@largemacdonald) January 26, 2023

https://t.co/D6nRVpn21d pic.twitter.com/MQwNPyedSd

— Cian Maher (@cianmaher0) January 26, 2023

Had to. No choice. https://t.co/1u2EgrjRaC pic.twitter.com/h6sxeuUFPB

— Jon Comulada (@joncomulada) January 26, 2023

While many jumped to mocking Chiles with Star Wars memes, a sizable chunk of readers conceded that sand really do be coarse, irritating and gets everywhere.

100% with Chiles on this one. Sand is the devil’s work, pebble beach for me every time https://t.co/bfIi9YGzFr

— Rob Lowe (not that one) (@QPRobbie) January 26, 2023

this is so right https://t.co/rAEEH5Bx21

— they gave my cat a gun (@dacarez0ne_) January 26, 2023

Reads the mood and smashes it every time… https://t.co/NSxJyd4oGM

— Ross Ashcroft (@RossAshcroft) January 26, 2023

It seems that a significant amount of people share Anakin Skywalker's hate for sand, but none were brave enough to voice their take for fear of being compared to Darth Vader. Luckily for them, Mr. Chiles bit that bullet, and perhaps the world will take the anti-sand agenda more seriously.