Summary

• Max Rockatansky's iconic quotes reveal his fragile mental state in a post-apocalyptic world.
• Max's self-awareness of his descent into darkness is evident through chilling foreshadowing.
• Despite his misanthropy, Max's moments of comion and heroism make him a reluctant anti-hero.

Throughout the Mad Max franchise, the titular hero revealed his state of mind through a series of memorable quotes that stand above the rest. It could be argued that the man known as Max Rockatansky was not cut out for life in a post-apocalyptic world. While his survival skills and ruthlessness helped him survive when humanity took a nosedive, it was all due to his fragile mental state. Whether fully embroiled in paranoia, or experiencing moments of rare lucidity, the few words spoken by Max were enough to establish his character's iconic status through the films.

Ever since the first Mad Max film, the character has had to contend with the worst elements of a society gone totally off the rails. Despite Max's increasing misanthropy and isolationism, he still manages to show up and lend a helping hand, even if he'd rather not. That makes him a reluctant anti-hero, but a hero nonetheless. The best Max quotes from the Mad Max movies epitomize the mind of a man saddled with guilt and trauma who still veers back into the green every now and again, for the betterment of those in his circle.

15 "I'm Scared, Fifi. You Know Why? It's That Rat Circus Out There. I'm Beginning To Enjoy It."

Mad Max (1979)

A lot of foreshadowing took place when Max uttered this quote in the original Mad Max film. The first Mad Max movie introduces Max as a markedly different character than Mad Max: Fury Road, and this quote lays out the emotional journey Max is set to begin across the franchise. As the world descended further into chaos and lawlessness, Max was subjected to a level of violence and mayhem that he'd never been accustomed to. Eventually, it started permeating into his very soul, and he felt comfortable with it.

"I'm scared, Fifi. You know why? It's that rat circus out there. I'm beginning to enjoy it. Look, any longer out on that road and I'm one of them, ya know?"

Max's level of self-awareness is to be commended, especially when he remarks on the fact that he may soon turn into the same kind of person as the criminals on the road, but with a badge to justify it. This Mad Max quote is heavy on foreshadowing, and it becomes more apparent throughout the Mad Max sequels, turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

14 "That Thing In There... That's Not The Goose. No Way!"

Mad Max (1979)

Max has few friends in the later Mad Max movies, but in the first film he did his best as an officer of the MFP to keep the law in a lawless world with Jim "Goose" Rains by his side (played by Steve Bisley, who can also be seen in 2013's The Great Gatsby). Max and the Goose were the best of partners, even if the latter was a little too headstrong and impulsive. Those qualities would end up catching him up when he crossed Toecutter's gang.

Max was already feeling like he was coming apart at the seams, but he never had to face down the death of such a close friend before.

The gang took revenge on him for the death of the Night Rider at Toecutter's demand, burning Goose alive. Traumatized by the event, Max refused to acknowledge the fullness of what happened, which might be a coping mechanism. Max was already feeling like he was coming apart at the seams, but he never had to face down the death of such a close friend before. The stakes were raised, and this quote showed Max knew that he was in too deep.

13 "I Don't Wanna Wait 10 Years To Tell Ya How I'm Feeling About Ya Right Now, Do You Know That?"

Mad Max (1979)

Watching the Mad Max movies in order shows just how much Max lost on his journey to Fury Road. After Max and his family decide to go on vacation following the attack on Goose, he finally has a chance to focus on what matters — his family — instead of the chaos and lawlessness of the road. While enjoying some R&R with Jessie, he tells a story about how he looked up to his father when he was little and was proud of him

Even then, he had trouble expressing his feelings, but marrying Jessie (Joanne Samuel) finally allowed him to express them. This is a major moment for the character, as it shows how much trouble Max has with emotion, even when things are going well. His fear of loss is tied directly to this emotional barrier, and they feed off of each other.

12 "The Chain In Those Handcuffs Is High-Tensile Steel."

Mad Max (1979)

Jessie was the love of Max's life, and the only spark of happiness he had in a world that was growing evermore chaotic by the day. A key turning point on Max's journey to earning the "Mad" prefix of his moniker came when that chaotic world took her from him. Max snapped after his wife and child were ruthlessly run down and murdered by Toecutter and his gang, and his personal vendetta was swift and harsh. After taking out the gang, Max goes after its only remaining survivor, Johnny, and gives him a chilling ultimatum.

"The chain in those handcuffs is high-tensile steel. It'd take you 10 minutes to hack through it with this. Now, if you're lucky, you can hack through your ankle in 5 minutes. Go."

It's a pivotal moment in the film as Max indulges in the sadism he was afraid he'd start to enjoy. From that point on, he ceases to be the man he once was and turns into the kind of self-serving drifter seen in Mad Max 2, and Fury Road.

11 "The Deal Was I Wouldn't Kill You. I Reckon You Got A Bargain, Don't You?"

Mad Max 2 (1981)

After the events of the first film, Max had turned into a cold, bitter, and resentful misanthrope who was only interested in survival — not comradeship. While he would show restraint in Mad Max, by 1981's Mad Max 2 he was pulling no punches. After overpowering the Gyro Captain (played by Bruce Spence, who also played the Mouth of Sauron in the extended versions of Lord of the Rings), the two struck a deal through which he would show Max a nearby heavily guarded oil refinery.

It's a testament to how ruthless Max had become, and he wasn't afraid to double-cross those he made deals with

When the Gryo Captain tells Max that he would let him go after he showed him the gas, Max corrects him with this quote, which is both chilling and intimidating at the same time. It's a testament to how ruthless Max had become, and he wasn't afraid to double-cross those he made deals with, simply by splitting hairs for his own gain.

10 "I'm Just Here For The Gasoline."

Mad Max 2 (1981)

Max wasn't particularly interested in helping his fellow survivors, especially after learning of Lord Humungus (played by Kjell Nilsson), one of the most dangerous characters in the Max Mad franchise. After his gang runs down two settlers who leave the oil refinery, Max heads down to save the life of one who is still alive after being shot with a crossbow.

When thanked, Max utters this quote, which lays his cards out on the table — the wounded survivor was only saved by Max because Max needed gasoline, which was now more valuable than gold. By bringing him back to the oil refinery, Max will have a way to get inside and strike a deal with the settlers, all for his own gain. The plan was entirely self-serving, which was in line with his survive-at-all-costs character at that point. Fortunately, his humanity would break through in the end.

9 "If It's All The Same To You, I'll Drive That Tanker."

Mad Max 2 (1981)

After Max formulated an initial deal with the settlers in Mad Max 2, his plan fell through, and he was left gravely wounded by Humungus's crew. Realizing that his first deal didn't exactly endear him to the settlers, Max decides to sweeten the pot by offering to drive the tanker out of the compound, despite his wounds.

This Max quote from the second movie captures a rare display of comion on his part, even if he believed he didn't have a say in the matter.

This Max quote from the second movie captures a rare display of comion on his part, even if he believed he didn't have a say in the matter. By leading the gang's forces away with a decoy tanker filled with sand, Max was able to save the lives of the settlers, while obtaining what he desired at the same time. It's obvious that he was pleased with being able to save the settlers, but it took him reconnecting with his good side first.

8 "The First Place You'll Find Is A Sleaze-Pit Called Bartertown. Now If The Earth Doesn't Swallow You Up First, That Place Sure As Hell Will."

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

This quote comes courtesy of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. By the third Mad Max movie the world has all-but-become the sylish post-apocalypse of Fury Road, the the younger generation have grown up with no knowledge of the world that came before. When Max stumbles upon a group of children descended from the engers of a crashed Boeing 747, they tell him the story of how they came to be, and their plans to locate the civilization known as "Tomorrow-morrow Land." Max urges them to stay within the safety of the oasis they've found for themselves, rather than venture out.

After telling the children about the fall of civilization and all the technological advances that are no longer in existence, he gives them some tough love. This quote shows how, for all his ruthlessness and manipulative tendencies, Max still realized that nothing was more important than saving the lives of children who were innocent from what was going on in the world.

7 "I Ain't Captain Walker. I'm The Guy Who Carries Mr. Dead In His Pocket."

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

By Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Max has become the kind of unstable and violent man he feared turning into back in 1979's Mad Max, and this quote from him shows that he's completely aware of that fact. The oasis children believed Max to be "Captain Walker," the original pilot of the Boeing 747 that crash-landed, who had returned to fix the plane and fly them to safety. Not only does Max vehemently deny this, but he goes a step further by warning the children about himself.

Talking in their child-like lingo, Max makes reference to "Mr. Dead," believing himself to be a danger to others.

Talking in their child-like lingo, Max makes reference to "Mr. Dead," believing himself to be a danger to others. This quote strengthens the potential reasoning behind Max's decision not to go with the settlers at the end of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, and that theory is further cemented in Fury Road when it becomes clear that Max is running from his own guilt over those he couldn't save.

6 "My Name Is Max. My World Is Fire And Blood."

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

2015's Mad Max: Fury Road reinvigorated the franchise after three decades, and it was beyond a solid return to form, as many felt the legacy sequel sured the original trilogy. In addition to recasting Max, with Tom Hardy now in the role, Fury Road switched up the formula a bit by adding Max's own inner monologue as the narration. This was a deviation from previous films where others provided the vocal exposition and backstory. Here, Max's mind is at the center of the chaos, and the audience sees the world through his eyes more than in any other film.

This quote is both poetic and poignant. The world of Fury Road is much more menacing and violent than anything seen before, and it appeared as if things were only getting worse. After suffering a terrible tragedy, Max's mind was already on the verge of going bestial, and this quote shows how badly he's circling the drain.