Despite having some obvious flaws, the Despicable Me film franchise has garnered a considerable following, and each film has received great praise. One driving factor behind the series' continued success is the jaded yet comedic remarks frequently made by its main protagonist, Felonius Gru.

While Gru wants nothing more than to be the evilest supervillain of all time, the unexpected friendship he forms with three young girls (Margo, Agnes, and Edith) causes him to soften his rough exterior and exposes his kind-hearted, fatherly side. Due to this comedic juxtaposition, many of Gru's quotes have perpetually resonated with viewers as a dynamic aspect of each Despicable Me film (excluding Minions, which was released in 2015 and only features Gru fleetingly).

Updated by Fawzia Khan on April 20th, 2024: Felonius Gru returns to the big screen in July 2024 with Despicable Me 4, with a new member in the family: Gru Jr. The animated villain has some of the sweetest moments with Margo, Agnes, and Edith, and the best quotes in all the Despicable Me movies. This list has been updated with further information, images, and formatting for fans of the franchise.

15 "Life Is Just Like That Sometimes."

Life is just like that sometimes. We're hoping for a unicorn, and we get a goat."

As this particular line emphasizes, many of Despicable Me's most memorable quotes are impactful because of their ability to be engrained as hard-hitting social commentary. While many kids' films often sneak in some humor to cater to the parents who were forced to view them alongside their children in theaters, the Despicable Me franchise takes this one step further as they ensure that small quips like these keep parents almost as entertained as their children.

Through this quote in particular, Gru is teaching his youngest adopted daughter Agnes that each person can do their best to make the most out of life—even when it isn't all sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. She has to ride the crests and troughs of life for it to be worthwhile, and accepting the lows is very important.

14 "Wow, This Is Garbage. You Actually Like This?"

"Wow, this is garbage. You actually like this?"

Out of the abounding comedic moments in the first Despicable Me movie, one of the most memorable scenes in the entire film franchise comes when the girls make Gru read them a bedtime story. Although Gru plays along and even takes solace in this bedtime ritual by the end of the film, he does not hesitate to express how dull he finds the girls' favorite story.

This quote is also sure to resonate with parents who recognize how formative these bedtime stories are in their children's development—even if their contents would quickly put them to sleep for all the wrong reasons. The quote also showcases how adamant Gru initially was against dropping his guard around the girls, which makes the film's happy ending even more satisfying.

13 "How Do You Remove Them? Is There A Command..."

"How do you remove them? Is there a command? Non-stick spray? Crowbar?"

Gru doesn't care much for Edith, Agnes, and Margo when he first adopts them, only doing so in order to further his own evil schemes. Uncomfortable with their proximity, Gru, rather hilariously, wonders if there's an easy way for them to be around him, but not invade his personal space. Even so, they are so grateful to be adopted that all three girls cling to him, much to Gru's disdain.

In a hilariously memeable quote, Gru asks if there's any way to get the girls off him, like some sort of spray or command that'll make them listen. It's also a great representation of how much Gru grows to love and care for them by the end of the movie, as physical affection no longer bothers him and he actively misses the girls when they're not around. This tender representation was one of the elements that made Despicable Me one of the highest-grossing kids' movies.

12 "That Book Was Accidentally Destroyed Maliciously."

"That book was accidentally destroyed maliciously."

This line displays Gru's initial hesitations about becoming a fatherly figure for the girls since he believes that such a bond would distract him from his villainy and diminish his worth as a villain. This quote similarly shows how Gru intentionally built up a higher guard around the girls—after all, words like "destroyed" and "maliciously" don't exactly communicate empathetic sentiments.

Gru eventually comes around, as his bond with the girls is showcased in later Despicable Me films. Even so, it is interesting to see him before he comes to terms with how important they really are to him. A lot of Gru's quotes also appeal to older audiences, as only a more mature viewer would understand the irony of his statement.

11 "Sometimes I Eat Instead Of Facing My Problems!"

"Sometimes I eat instead of facing my problems!"

Undeniably the most iconic moment from Despicable Me 2 centers on Gru as he makes an appearance at Agnes's birthday party as the cutesy fairy princess Gruzinkerbell. Since Agnes is completely unaware that Gruzinkerbell is really Gru in disguise, Gru is forced to maintain his act as he interacts with young partygoers.

When one of these children asks him why he is "so fat," Gru does his best to maintain his fairy persona through his rage, resulting in this quote. This quote is sure to resonate - and perhaps hit a little too close to home - among older viewers. Gru was the average, grumpy Millennial man, as was evidenced by this funny dialogue.

10 "There Are A Lot Of Other Villains In The World..."

"There are a lot of other villains in the world, but I'm going to be a supervillain."

Even though many fans can agree that Gru is most compelling as a character after he comes into his role as a father figure toward the end of the first Despicable Me movie, there is something undeniably charming about seeing a young Gru that is so set on becoming the best super villain ever. Seeing his character in its youth, and being as eccentric as his adult life, is quite fun for the audience.

While this sentiment in and of itself is comedic (like the moment when Gru shares what he wants to be when he grows up with his classmates), it is interesting to see Gru so steadfast in his life goals from a young age. In addition, rather than be content with becoming a villain one day, Gru wants nothing more than to be a supervillain—a distinction that remains important across the Despicable Me franchise.

9 "You Told Me That Dad Died Of Disappointment..."

"You told me that dad died of disappointment when I was born!"

While many long-time fans of the Despicable Me franchise agree that Despicable Me 3 is underwhelming in comparison to the first two films, the movie makes up for it with its zany sense of humor, mixed with tenderness. That sentiment is encapsulated in quotes like this one, where Gru asks his mother about his past, and she tells him a rather tragic story about how the twins were separated because she divorced Gru's father.

Up until this moment, Gru had no idea that he had a twin brother. Gru then earnestly inquires about whether his father "died of disappointment" the day he was born. It is this sentiment's very genuineness that turns a serious scene that was dripping in clichéd tropes into one of the most comedic moments of the film.

8 "Just Because Everybody Hates It Doesn't Mean It's Not Good!"

"Just because everybody hates it doesn't mean it's not good!"

In Despicable Me 2, Dr. Nefario becomes incredibly bored of being good and tries to find ways to entertain himself. One such way is by creating a jam that has every type of berry imaginable infused into it, and it's a complete failure among everyone who tries it. Gru, however, has the best approach towards Nefario's disappointment.

Rather than belittle him, Gru assures him that something can be good even if other people don't like it, which shows how much kinder he is compared to his early, meaner Despicable Me counterpart. It's also a great quote to keep in mind, as people shouldn't feel discouraged even if their creations aren't well-received by others, because the majority are not always right.

7 "Instead Of Tasing People And Kidnapping Them..."

"Instead of tasing people and kidnapping them, maybe you should just give them a call!"

This is another quote that showcases how the creators and writers of the Despicable Me films were incredibly aware of the fact that just as many adults see their movies as children. With the modern-day equivalent of this sentiment ("This could have been an email") remaining as popular as ever, this line continues to ring true today—despite gracing the silver screen almost 10 years ago.

At this moment, Gru reminds his kidnapper (Silas Ramsbottom, the former boss of Gru's girlfriend Lucy) that workplace etiquette should also apply to hostage situations. It may be a losing battle, but Gru is more than willing to die on this hill.

6 "The Physical Appearance Of The Please Makes No Difference."

"The physical appearance of the please makes no difference."

Shortly after bringing Margo, Edith, and Agnes into his home, Agnes asks if he can read the three of them a bedtime story. When Gru refuses, Agnes throws in a, "pretty please?", but this has no effect on Gru, who hasn't yet bonded with the girls. His practicality also leaks through when he responds to Agnes, since he had no experience talking to children.

Once again proving himself to be one of the funniest animated movie protagonists of all time, Gru tells her no again, telling her that saying please isn't going to change his answer. This quote shows how much growing Gru still has to do before the end of the movie, and just how much he grows and learns to accept other people into his heart throughout the rest of Despicable Me.

5 "I Don't Go To Little Girls' Dance Recitals!"

"The recital? I am the greatest criminal mind of the century! I don't go to little girls' dance recitals!"

While later films showcase Gru fully embracing his role as the father figure of his adopted daughters, this quote from Despicable Me shows that he was very reluctant to fulfill this role for much of the first movie and Gru's worst parts. Becoming a parent meant changing himself and his preferences for Agnes, Margo, and Edith, and he wasn't quite there yet.

The line is especially comedic in consideration of how quickly Gru went back on this sentiment after stealing the moon. This moment also marks a pivotal change in Gru as a character since he realizes how much the three girls mean to him and his realization of how much his attendance at their dance recital means to them.

4 "Mom, Someday I'm Going To The Moon."

"Mom, someday I'm going to the moon."

Gru's plan to steal the moon in Despicable Me is comedic at first, but there's a deep reason why Gru wants to pull off this evil plan specifically. As a child, Gru was fascinated by astronauts and space and told his mother he dreamed of going to the moon someday. IT also offered a small peek into Gru's own childlike attachment to his dreams and his mother.

Gru's mother is wholly unsupporting, pejoratively telling her son that he missed his chance and NASA isn't sending monkeys to the moon anymore. Instead of giving up entirely, Gru changes up his plans, and this quote is a powerful reminder to stay faithful to one's dreams even if those around them are unsupportive.

3 "Life Is Full Of Disappointments."

"Life is full of disappointments."

Although this quote is quite simple and straightforward, it gracefully functions as both a fundamental lesson for young viewers and as yet another way for parents to appreciate the grown-up sense of humor that the writers of the Despicable Me movies make sure to engrain within each film.

While the line in and of itself was said in response to Margo questioning Gru about the repercussions of his own villainy, it is effective since it implicitly pokes fun at other films and TV shows that make life lessons like these the very core of their programming. In the end, Gru was the one who learned the most precious life lessons from his daughters, no matter how many dialogues he made them listen to about life.

2 "Don't Worry, I Will Catch You."

"Don't worry, I will catch you."

When Gru first starts caring for Margo, Edith, and Agnes, he doesn't have many fatherly qualities and doesn't seem interested in them. By the end of the movie, though, his heart's been completely changed, and their safety is the most important thing to Gru. His character evolution was the focal point of the movies, and this line conveyed it perfectly.

Near the end of Despicable Me while trying to get the girls off Vector's airship, Gru tells them to jump to safety. This understandably scares them, but they put their trust in Gru regardless, showcasing how strong the bond between the four of them is and how much they trust each other, once again proving why Despicable Me is one of Illumination's best films ever.

1 "One Big Unicorn, Strong And Free..."