The 'We Will Watch Your Career With Great Interest' meme stems from a scene in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, where Sheev Palpatine speaks to a young Anakin Skywalker after the Battle of Naboo. While originally a seemingly encouraging moment, the context of Palpatine's eventual role as the Sith Lord makes the line feel ominous and manipulative in hindsight. On the internet, the still image became a staple of the 'Prequel Memes' community on Reddit around 2017. It is typically used to react to someone achieving a minor success, exhibiting a specific talent, or embarking on a path that is either surprisingly impressive or hilariously doomed.