Foundation Quotes

You can’t save yourselves. But you can save your legacy.

When all the facts fall short of believability, fantasy feels reassuringly solid.

Martyrs tend to have a long half-life.

You believe Empire killed your family. I know you have come here with that in mind. So, just to say it, if ever you should entertain some fantasy of revenge, please think of them. Your parents. Your siblings. Burnt alive by the very air around them. Killed with the sort of precision I bring to my work.[to Sareth]

Words have a way of fanning into wildfires.

To be alive is to know ghosts. We hear their whispers if we listen.

Art is simply politics’ sweeter tongue.

A rotten tree trunk appears strong until the storm breaks it in two.

You take the pain and the what-ifs, and you weave them into a narrative that propels you forward.[to Gaal]

You can’t play chess with someone who’s willing to set the board on fire.

When ruling a realm so large, evoking awe often trumps efficiency.

When a planet wants you dead, you die.