Sector Is Clear

2017catchphrase / image macroclassic

Sector Is Clear is a catchphrase and image macro meme from the 2017 Star Wars: Battlefront II trailer. A Clone Trooper declares the sector clear before Darth Maul's lightsaber cuts through the squad, prompting panicked cries of 'not clear.' The format became popular for jokes about unexpected disruptions.

prequel memesstar warscatchphrase memesbait and switch memesgaming

Overview

Sector Is Clear is a meme based on a scene from the Star Wars: Battlefront II gameplay trailer shown at E3 2017. In the clip, a squad of Clone Troopers patrols an area when one reports that the 'sector is clear.' Seconds later, Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber spins through the group, and the same trooper frantically yells that it's 'not clear' twice1.

The sudden reversal from calm confidence to chaos made the moment instantly quotable. The contrast between the two states became the core joke, with the format typically showing something appearing safe before a threat emerges2. The meme draws humor from the dramatic irony of premature declarations of safety.

As a Star Wars prequel-related joke, the meme found a natural home on r/PrequelMemes, where content from the prequel trilogy and related media thrives. The format proved adaptable to countless situations where something unexpected disrupts a false sense of security4.

How It Spread

Shortly after the trailer dropped, YouTuber Spyro uploaded an isolated clip of just the 'sector is clear' moment, gaining over 8,400 views in three days and posting it to r/Gaming. On the same day, YouTuber Revolver Ocelot created a remix replacing Darth Maul's lightsaber with a fidget spinner, tapping into another popular meme of the time.

Also on June 11th, YouTuber Joydurn Yup posted a clip from Revenge of the Sith featuring a Youngling killing Clone Troopers, dubbed with the 'sector is clear' audio. That same day, Redditor Drew-P_Weiner posted an image of Darth Maul to r/Gaming with the title 'Guys who dress like this have a 125% chance of making sure your sector isn't clear,' earning over 3,700 upvotes.

The meme quickly found its home on r/PrequelMemes. Redditor jakethemartin posted an image macro featuring a cowering Clone Trooper with the caption about prequel memes, receiving over 1,600 upvotes. The r/MemeEconomy subreddit had multiple threads discussing the investment potential of Sector Is Clear memes, with at least one warning that iFunny featuring the format meant it was time to sell.

Over the following days, the format standardized into a three-panel structure: the first panel shows troopers patrolling with 'sector is clear,' the second panel introduces a threat, and the third shows the panicked 'not clear' reaction. This template allowed for easy adaptation to any situation involving unexpected disruptions.

How to Use This Meme

The Sector Is Clear format typically uses three panels. The first panel shows the Clone Troopers calmly patrolling with the text 'sector is clear.' The second panel introduces whatever threat or disruption fits the joke, which can be anything from a mundane annoyance to a catastrophic event. The third panel shows the troopers in disarray with 'NOT CLEAR! NOT CLEAR!' The humor comes from setting up false security before revealing an unexpected problem. Common uses include workplace situations, gaming scenarios, relationship dynamics, and any context where confidence is quickly shattered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sector Is Clear

2017catchphrase / image macroclassic

Sector Is Clear is a catchphrase and image macro meme from the 2017 Star Wars: Battlefront II trailer. A Clone Trooper declares the sector clear before Darth Maul's lightsaber cuts through the squad, prompting panicked cries of 'not clear.' The format became popular for jokes about unexpected disruptions.

prequel memes star wars catchphrase memes bait and switch memes gaming

Overview

Sector Is Clear is a meme based on a scene from the Star Wars: Battlefront II gameplay trailer shown at E3 2017. In the clip, a squad of Clone Troopers patrols an area when one reports that the 'sector is clear.' Seconds later, Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber spins through the group, and the same trooper frantically yells that it's 'not clear' twice.

The sudden reversal from calm confidence to chaos made the moment instantly quotable. The contrast between the two states became the core joke, with the format typically showing something appearing safe before a threat emerges. The meme draws humor from the dramatic irony of premature declarations of safety.

As a Star Wars prequel-related joke, the meme found a natural home on r/PrequelMemes, where content from the prequel trilogy and related media thrives. The format proved adaptable to countless situations where something unexpected disrupts a false sense of security.

How It Spread

Shortly after the trailer dropped, YouTuber Spyro uploaded an isolated clip of just the 'sector is clear' moment, gaining over 8,400 views in three days and posting it to r/Gaming. On the same day, YouTuber Revolver Ocelot created a remix replacing Darth Maul's lightsaber with a fidget spinner, tapping into another popular meme of the time.

Also on June 11th, YouTuber Joydurn Yup posted a clip from Revenge of the Sith featuring a Youngling killing Clone Troopers, dubbed with the 'sector is clear' audio. That same day, Redditor Drew-P_Weiner posted an image of Darth Maul to r/Gaming with the title 'Guys who dress like this have a 125% chance of making sure your sector isn't clear,' earning over 3,700 upvotes.

The meme quickly found its home on r/PrequelMemes. Redditor jakethemartin posted an image macro featuring a cowering Clone Trooper with the caption about prequel memes, receiving over 1,600 upvotes. The r/MemeEconomy subreddit had multiple threads discussing the investment potential of Sector Is Clear memes, with at least one warning that iFunny featuring the format meant it was time to sell.

Over the following days, the format standardized into a three-panel structure: the first panel shows troopers patrolling with 'sector is clear,' the second panel introduces a threat, and the third shows the panicked 'not clear' reaction. This template allowed for easy adaptation to any situation involving unexpected disruptions.

How to Use This Meme

The Sector Is Clear format typically uses three panels. The first panel shows the Clone Troopers calmly patrolling with the text 'sector is clear.' The second panel introduces whatever threat or disruption fits the joke, which can be anything from a mundane annoyance to a catastrophic event. The third panel shows the troopers in disarray with 'NOT CLEAR! NOT CLEAR!' The humor comes from setting up false security before revealing an unexpected problem. Common uses include workplace situations, gaming scenarios, relationship dynamics, and any context where confidence is quickly shattered.

Frequently Asked Questions