PROJECT HAIL MARY (2026) SENTENCE STARTERS
โ Yeah, where, um, are the living people? โ
โ Well, jokeโs on them because I donโt even care. โ
โ Youโre running away because youโre scared. โ
โ I ride a bike to work, and itโs not for exercise. โ
โ The sunโs really dying, isnโt it? โ
โ Am I expendable? โ
โ Itโs almost like you donโt care if I die. โ
โ The consensus here is that it would be preferable if you did not die. โ
โ Youโre not gonna believe this. Nothing happened. โ
โ Just, uh, realizing I was wrong about the only original idea I ever had. โ
โ Thank you for your help. Iโm glad you didnโt die. โ
โ I need people who think theyโre right when everyone else thinks theyโre wrong. โ
โ The world is counting on you. โ
โ Been a long time since Iโve taken a pill from a stranger without knowing what it was. โ
โ So you wanna build a near-light speed spaceship, have it travel further than any human-made object has ever traveled, and visit a star just to โsee whatโs upโ? โ
โ And the astronauts die in space? โ
โ There are infinite possibilities for this to go wrong. It almost certainly wonโt work. โ
โ The alternative is to just do nothing and to starve and to kill each other and watch everything on this planet go extinct, including us. โ
โ Thatโs a long time to be in space. โ
โ Nothing about this is safe. โ
โ I must have known you, but I just donโt remember. โ
โ First, I owe you three bags of vodka. โ
โ You deserve much more than this. โ
โ Iโll do my best. โ
โ It could be a message. It could be a bomb. โ
โ Well, I guess thereโs egg on both our faces, huh? โ
โ Iโm wrong about everything and everythingโs wrong. โ
โ Youโre a long way from home. Iโm a long way from home too. โ
โ I like what youโve done with the gravity. โ
โ Thank you for what I hope is not handcuffs. โ
โ Weโre here for the same reason. โ
โ If weโre gonna save our planets, we have to learn how to communicate. โ
โ You know, they say math is the universal language. โ
โ Jazz hands means โgoodโ? โ
โ Iโm sorry Iโm talking so much. Itโs just, I havenโt been around anyone in a long time. โ
โ So, I met an alien. โ
โ I like to keep a wall up in my relationships anyways. โ
โ Heโs kinda growing on me. At least heโs not growing in me, you know? Which was a concern for a little while. โ
โ So maybe we can help each other. โ
โ Fist my bump. โ
โ โFist my bumpโ? No. Itโs fist bump. โ
โ Hey, look, Iโm seeing so many sides of you lately, and itโs great. Right now Iโm seeing the underside of you. โ
โ So, we watch each other sleep. โ
โ Someone has to keep you safe. โ
โ I donโt have the bravery gene that you all have. โ
โ You just need to find someone to be brave for. โ
โ Dirty, dirty, dirty. Why room so messy, question? โ
โ Well, I wasnโt expecting company, was I? โ
โ That is the disco ball. That makes me happy. โ
โ We canโt just show up in a space ball unannounced and move into someone elseโs spaceship. Right? โ
โ There has to be boundaries. โ
โ So I have a new roommate now. โ
โ He tells me what to do, he tells me why to do it, he tells me how to do it, he tells me when to do it. And then when I do it, heโs like, โWhat are you doing?โ โ
โ Grumpy, angry, stupid. How long since last sleep, question? โ
โ Personal space is at a premium. โ
โ Thereโs no way you can hear me right now. โ
โ Too fast. Do puppet show. โ
โ Thereโs no harm in pretending for a little while. โ
โ What do you miss most about home? โ
โ Youโre very mysterious. โ
โ Camaraderie helps them do their job, you know. Not so much me. โ
โ You think youโre gonna pull it off? โ
โ Life is reason! โ
โ If ship not at precise angle and speed, we die! โ
โ This is a one-way ticket for me, pal. โ
โ Yeah, once weโre done, Iโm โฆ Iโm gonna die. โ
โ Iโve made peace with it. โ
โ I didnโt mean any of that. Thatโs just something you say. โ
โ How do you know when the hug is done? โ
โ They have a great teacher. โ
โ Can you take a compliment please? โ
โ Oh, humor. Confusing. โ
โ Words of encouragement. โ
โ I donโt think there is gonna be a later. โ
โ I have an idea. First, no crash. Then, not explode. Deal? โ
โ Iโm not an astronaut! I put the โnotโ in astronaut. โ
โ Iโm not heroic in any way. โ
โ Youโre smart. Youโll figure it out. โ
โ This might be very hard for you to understand, but some people are failures. Some people donโt rise to the challenge. โ
โ Youโre missing out on an important part of the mission, which is the suicide part. โ
โ So, just so Iโm clear, youโre asking me right now to give up my life. โ
โ Iโll watch you sleep, pal. But, uh you gotta wake up. โ
โ No pressure, but we did make a deal. โ
โ We can go home. โ
โ Is special clothing for celebration. โ
โ I understand that you think Iโm the right person for this mission. But I canโt do it. โ
โ Iโm sorry, but you just canโt talk me into it. โ
โ Iโm not trying to talk you into anything. I am trying to make you understand what Iโm about to do next. โ
โ You will be remembered as a hero. โ
โ This may seem like me betraying you, but itโs actually me believing in you. โ
โ Sure feels like youโre betraying me. โ
โ You know who you are. Youโre gonna do great. โ
โ You are very brave. โ
โ At least I never have to hear you say, โI told you so.โ Even though you were right. โ













