I can't go back to the homestead, the shack no longer stands
They said I wasn't needed, had no claim to the land
They said, "Come on, get moving! It's the only thing for you!"
But how can you keep moving, unless you migrate too?
They said I wasn't needed, had no claim to the land
They said, "Come on, get moving! It's the only thing for you!"
But how can you keep moving, unless you migrate too?
— Ry Cooder, How Can You Keep on Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)
They called it paradise, I don't know why.
You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye.
You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye.
— Eagles, The Last Resort
With their tanks and their guns,
Oh, my God, what have they done
To the town I loved so well?
Oh, my God, what have they done
To the town I loved so well?
—Phil Coulter, The Town I Loved So Well
"Hello, Mum," Harry said with his voice wavering, "I'm back." And he hugged her, amid the noisy mechanical sounds and the smell of burned gasoline; and Harry started crying, because he knew that nothing could go back, least of all him.
—Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, chapter 36
"You've done it! That's...wonderful. Amazing! I'm so proud of what you've accomplished, what you've endured. There's no way the people of the Vault can ever thank you enough for what you've done. You've saved all our lives. Who knows, maybe even saved the human race. [The Overseer sighs.] ...yes...that makes the rest of this even harder. Everyone will want to talk to you. Every youngster will look up to you and want to emulate you. And then what? They'll want to leave. What happens to the Vault if we lose the best of a generation? What if we are the only safe place in the world? You just gave us back all these lives...I can't take the chance of losing them. I've made a lot of tough decisions since I took this position. But none of them harder than this one. You saved us, but you'll kill us. You're a hero...and you have to leave."
— The Overseer, Fallout
"You saved us. But that doesn't change the fact that you killed the overseer in cold blood to do it, and I can't let that sort of thing stand here. I guess it's a bit familiar...You've already been forced out of the Vault once before. At least now you know what's out there.
I'm sorry. You're a hero...and you have to leave."
I'm sorry. You're a hero...and you have to leave."
— Amata Almodovar, Fallout 3
Well, I came a long way to be here today
And I left you so long on this avenue.
And here I stand in the strangest land
Not knowing what to say or do.
As I gaze around at these strangers in town
I guess the only stranger is me.
And I wonder, yes, I wonder,
Is this the way life's meant to be?
And I left you so long on this avenue.
And here I stand in the strangest land
Not knowing what to say or do.
As I gaze around at these strangers in town
I guess the only stranger is me.
And I wonder, yes, I wonder,
Is this the way life's meant to be?
— Electric Light Orchestra, "The Way Life's Meant to be".
"You can't go home again." That's supposed to be about maturity. It's not the same if you don't have the option.
—Aveline, Dragon Age II
And there's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
To return to
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
To return to
—Devo, No Place Like Home
"There is no there, there"
— Gertrude Stein, upon learning that her childhood home had been destroyed.
You're a Man in Black. You can't go home again - ever.
"Thomas Wolfe said you can't go home again," I ventured.
"That's right; you can't go home. There's one place where we can never go- haven't you thought of that? We can dive to the bottom of the sea and someday NASA will fly us to the stars, and I have known men to plunge into the past- or the future- and drown. But there's one place where we can't go. We can't go home, because our minds, and our hearts, and our immortal souls are already there."
"That's right; you can't go home. There's one place where we can never go- haven't you thought of that? We can dive to the bottom of the sea and someday NASA will fly us to the stars, and I have known men to plunge into the past- or the future- and drown. But there's one place where we can't go. We can't go home, because our minds, and our hearts, and our immortal souls are already there."
— Gene Wolfe, Kevin Malone
"I just want to go home, except for... I don't know where that is. University maybe, but it's really more of a dorm room."
— Jane, The Autobiography of Jane Eyre, "Phlegm" - Ep: 9
You want to go back to where you felt safe
To hear your brother's laughter, see your mother's face
Your childhood home is just powder-white bones
And you'll never find your way back
To hear your brother's laughter, see your mother's face
Your childhood home is just powder-white bones
And you'll never find your way back
— The Hush Sound, That's Okay
Where shall I gae seek my bread, and where shall I gae wander?
Where shall I gae hide my head, for here I'll bide no longer.
The seas may row, the winds may blow, and swathe me round in danger,
My native land I must forgo, and roam a lonely stranger.
Where shall I gae hide my head, for here I'll bide no longer.
The seas may row, the winds may blow, and swathe me round in danger,
My native land I must forgo, and roam a lonely stranger.
— The Highlander's Lament
And you will weep when you face the end alone
You are lost. You can never go home.
You are lost. You can never go home.
— Gollum's Song, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
When I went home
I found that sad to say
You must expect to be forgotten once you've gone away
And so I couldn't stay that lonely night
When I went home...
I found that sad to say
You must expect to be forgotten once you've gone away
And so I couldn't stay that lonely night
When I went home...
—When I Went Home, Peter Pan Live!
Rose: Pearl.
Pearl: Yes?
Rose: I'm going to stay and fight for this planet. You don't have to do this with me.
Pearl: But I want to.
Rose: I know you do, but please try to understand. If we lose, we'll be killed; and if we win, we can never go home.
Pearl: Why would I ever want to go home if you're here?
Pearl: Yes?
Rose: I'm going to stay and fight for this planet. You don't have to do this with me.
Pearl: But I want to.
Rose: I know you do, but please try to understand. If we lose, we'll be killed; and if we win, we can never go home.
Pearl: Why would I ever want to go home if you're here?
—Steven Universe, "Rose's Scabbard"
You can go as far as you want. But you can never go back.
Home is made for coming from
For dreams of going to
Which, with any luck, will never come true
For dreams of going to
Which, with any luck, will never come true
—Wand'rin' Star, Paint Your Wagon
Babies take flight, never say never
There's a home for you here
Where love is unconditional
Go to the light, never say never
Make the family you want
With the ones who really love you
There's a home for you here
Where love is unconditional
Go to the light, never say never
Make the family you want
With the ones who really love you
—RuPaul, "Never Go Home Again"
You are a monster, Nidhiki. Matoran seeing you would run screaming. You will never be cheered, never be admired, never be hailed as a savior by the crowds. What are you now? A Toa of Nightmares? A hero, Nidhiki, or a horror? No, I think you will find your place is now, and forevermore, with the Dark Hunters. For who else would have you?
Garak: Well, aren't you going to congratulate me, Doctor? My exile is now officially over. I've returned home. Or rather, to what's left of it.
Bashir: Listen, I know that this must seem bleak...
Garak: Some may say that we've gotten just what we deserved. After all, we're not entirely innocent, are we? And I'm not just speaking of the Bajoran occupation. No, our whole history is one of arrogant aggression. We've collaborated with the Dominion, betrayed the entire Alpha Quadrant. Oh, no, no. There's no doubt about it. We're guilty as charged.
Bashir: You and I both know that the Cardassians are a strong people. They'll survive. Cardassia will survive.
Garak: Please, Doctor. Spare me your insufferable Federation optimism. Of course it will survive, but as not the Cardassia I knew. We had a rich and ancient culture. Our literature, music, art were second to none. And now, so much of it is lost. So many of our best people, our most gifted minds.
Bashir: I'm sorry, Garak. I didn't mean-
Garak: Oh, it's quite all right, Doctor. You've been such a good friend. I'm going to miss our lunches together.
Bashir: I'm sure we'll see each other again.
Garak: I'd like to think so, but one can never say. We live in uncertain times.
Bashir: Listen, I know that this must seem bleak...
Garak: Some may say that we've gotten just what we deserved. After all, we're not entirely innocent, are we? And I'm not just speaking of the Bajoran occupation. No, our whole history is one of arrogant aggression. We've collaborated with the Dominion, betrayed the entire Alpha Quadrant. Oh, no, no. There's no doubt about it. We're guilty as charged.
Bashir: You and I both know that the Cardassians are a strong people. They'll survive. Cardassia will survive.
Garak: Please, Doctor. Spare me your insufferable Federation optimism. Of course it will survive, but as not the Cardassia I knew. We had a rich and ancient culture. Our literature, music, art were second to none. And now, so much of it is lost. So many of our best people, our most gifted minds.
Bashir: I'm sorry, Garak. I didn't mean-
Garak: Oh, it's quite all right, Doctor. You've been such a good friend. I'm going to miss our lunches together.
Bashir: I'm sure we'll see each other again.
Garak: I'd like to think so, but one can never say. We live in uncertain times.
Your Regime buddies killed one of my ancestors, and now I'm stuck in a paradox! I can never go home, but at least I can hurt you!
— Reverse-Flash to The Flash, Injustice 2
"Hippolytus was forced to leave his Athens
because of his stepmother, faithless, fierce;
and so must you depart from Florence."
because of his stepmother, faithless, fierce;
and so must you depart from Florence."
—Cacciaguida, The Divine Comedy
Kara sighed and took her "sister's" hand. You can't go home again, she told herself. Especially if another you comes back home first.
Katniss: Gale? Where's Prim?
Gale: She's alive. So is your mother. I got 'em out in time.
Katniss: Got them out?
Gale: After the Games, they sent in hovercrafts. And they started dropping firebombs.
Katniss: They're not in 12?
Gale: There is no District 12. It's all gone.
Gale: She's alive. So is your mother. I got 'em out in time.
Katniss: Got them out?
Gale: After the Games, they sent in hovercrafts. And they started dropping firebombs.
Katniss: They're not in 12?
Gale: There is no District 12. It's all gone.
Don't do to your mom what I did to mine
She grew so lonely in the end, angels picked her for a friend
And I can never go home anymore
And that's called sad.
She grew so lonely in the end, angels picked her for a friend
And I can never go home anymore
And that's called sad.
—The Shangri-Las, I Can Never Go Home Anymore
Lillian Hayes: Wait, Cindy! That's it then? You drop a bomb in the middle of my house and then run off?! I thought you said you changed!
Cindy "Black Cindy" Hayes: I thought things would be different! That if I try hard enough, maybe I could fix what I messed up! But it doesn't matter what I do or how bad I want to change! All I ever end up doing is making things worse!
Lillian Hayes: Cindy, I want you to stay here and talk to your daughter and try to make things right!
Cindy "Black Cindy" Hayes: (after a few seconds) Tell Monica I love her.
Lillian Hayes: Fine. Do not come back here again. (Cindy leaves her home crying)
Cindy "Black Cindy" Hayes: I thought things would be different! That if I try hard enough, maybe I could fix what I messed up! But it doesn't matter what I do or how bad I want to change! All I ever end up doing is making things worse!
Lillian Hayes: Cindy, I want you to stay here and talk to your daughter and try to make things right!
Cindy "Black Cindy" Hayes: (after a few seconds) Tell Monica I love her.
Lillian Hayes: Fine. Do not come back here again. (Cindy leaves her home crying)
— Orange Is the New Black, "The Hidey Hole"
My old life is over. I knew it already. I knew it the moment I stepped out of the crater on Earth. I wanted to believe it was a dream. I wanted to wake up in father's lab to see him staying up late working on his latest plan to save Krypton. I wanted to wake up to see the red Sun bringing out the auburn in my mother's hair. I wanted to wake up on the morning of my graduation to face the future alongside my closest friends. But the truth is... I'm awake now. My home is gone. And I have only one place left to go.
— Kara, Last Daughter of Krypton
A hollow ache sprang up in Shinji's chest as the significance of those words sank in. He sat there in silence, staring out at nothing, and wondered if he really could have been naïve enough to think he could go back home at the end of day.
Sadly, he realized at least a part of him had. But that wasn't going to happen now. He would never set foot in Misato's apartment again, or cook dinner in the crowded kitchen, or play his cello, or lay on his bed and listen to his S-DAT, or go out with his friends. That life was finished.
And Asuka had known all along—she had tried to tell him as much in the Eva cages, when all he could do was worry.
Sadly, he realized at least a part of him had. But that wasn't going to happen now. He would never set foot in Misato's apartment again, or cook dinner in the crowded kitchen, or play his cello, or lay on his bed and listen to his S-DAT, or go out with his friends. That life was finished.
And Asuka had known all along—she had tried to tell him as much in the Eva cages, when all he could do was worry.
I paid for my ticket with tears, and my change came in sorrow,
And the signs at the station all read "you can never go home."
You can never go home to the land that you loved
When you thought that a day was forever;
When the wind was a bridle to hang on the sun
And the moon was a toy on a tether.
I can never go home to the girl that I was
When I thought you might tell me to stay,
'cause the past is a road where the bus doesn't run,
And there's no station called "Yesterday."
— Alice Healy, "Dear Thomas"
When you've done your time, and you walk back out that doorway
You will not find a loved one or a friend
You may return to the place where the people used to know you,
But you can never go home again
You will not find a loved one or a friend
You may return to the place where the people used to know you,
But you can never go home again
— Gangstagrass, "You Can Never Go Home"
Going back to Dunetown was worse than going to Vietnam. I didn't know what was in store for me in Nam; I knew what was waiting in Dunetown.
— Hooligans by William Diehl
I was just fooling myself. Maybe it was that day... on the sea, under the burning sun. I started to give up hope. I was in a foreign world, I wasn't going home. This was my new reality and I was stuck in it for good.
— Tidus, narrating, Final Fantasy X
"He knows. He... he knows we were in there. (starts hyperventilating) I can't... I can't go back!"
— Hunter, The Owl House ("Hollow Mind")
Home? We can't go home. There's a line men like us have to cross. If we're lucky, we do what's necessary, then we die.
— Colonel John Konrad, Spec Ops: The Line
"You can dream about it every now and then, but you can't go home again."
— Wynonna Judd "Flies on the Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)"
