"I'm a ----, not a ----!"

"We're keepers of the peace, not soldiers."

"You were supposed to bring balance to the Force, not send it into darkness!"

"He's a political idealist, not a murderer."

Taking a page from Roddenberry's playbook, George seems to be incorporating these pithy little juxtapositions into his dialogue.

Are there any others, here and elsewhere in science fiction, that you can think of?

 

"I'm a doctor, not a doorstop"- Star Trek First Contact.

 

What about the other way around?

"I'm not afraid"

"You will be, you will be"

Does that count?

Also, the Matrix series is filled with that "not this, but this" type of dialogue.

 

3PO: "I'm programmed for etiquette, not destruction!"

 

And so many variants on that in OS Trek..."I'm a doctor, Jim, not a bricklayer!" from the "Horta" ep was always one of my faves

 

Did someone call for me?

 

I called for the hologram one

 

"Forgive me, Admiral ... I thought you came here to form an opinion - not to justify one." - Picard

"I can only protect you; I can't fight a war for you." - Qui-Gon

This is more common than I thought ...

 

"I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Make love, not war."

"Be a thinker, not a stinker."

 

Does "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." count?
In SWTOR there are a couple, actually.
Talos Drellik repeats "I'm an archaeologist, not a fighter" as one of his stock phrases, various characters say similar things throughout the story line. I think of it as a nod to the films.

 

I was half, not whole ...

 

Hmm ... well:

1.) Dr. Lanyon to Dr. Jekyll: 'You forget Henry, I am a Scientist - not a Quack'...

2.) Well in The Mummy 1999 - Terrence Bey's Dr. Ardeth Bey cynically remarked 'We're scholars - not Treasure Hunters!'

3.) Well in Magnificent Bodyguards 1978 starring Jackie Chan - they are encountered by a 'merchant' who greets them with the words 'I'm a Business Man - I'm not a Crook!'

4.) Well in Dateline NBC - Chris Hansen when he introduces himself somewhat in reverse so he goes 'I'm not the kid's father... but I am Chris Hansen...'

5.) Well - something along the lines of 'I'm a Soldier ... not a Politician' lines - in the 3 Kingdoms there was a fairly prominent Shu General called Wang Ping and to hide his illiteracy - he often claimed 'I am here to fight and command - not write'... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Ping_(Three_Kingdoms)

6.) OH and in Simpsons - I think with “I was elected to lead, not to read. Number 3!”

 

"It's a nose, Q, not a banana..." - Bond, James Bond

 

Mr. Hunt, this isn't mission difficult, it's mission impossible.



MJ

 

"Dangerous to your star fleet, commander, not to this battle station."

 

When asked why the character should believe him or not, Cary Elwes in Robin Hood: Men in Tights says
"Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent." BRAVO!

 

I want that ship, not excuses.

I want proof, not leads.

Come on, lads, have we got all six films?

 

If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will.

 

Oh, but I do

 

"I'm a lover, not a dancer."

Ecch, Jim Steinman trying to be Meat Loaf:

 

'Dis is sparrin', dis ain't no muggin'!'

- ROCKY V

 

"I trained you to be a fighter, not a billboard." - ROCKY

 

"This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster."

"Strong am I with the force... but not that strong!"