Her btw . If u even care

Titan Evil Arcs Ranked

14. Roy - No one liked Roy’s evil arc. You didn’t like it, I didn’t like it, Roy didn’t like it, it erased all his characterization and put him on a path he hasn’t recovered from since. NOT ONLY THAT but

he was retconned with the worst anti-hero backstory possible. Yes, of course Roy Harper would be so want to “surpass Oliver Queen” that he would create a mercenary team called “Iron Rule” and then murder his own team bc they killed people. Also that stupid cap I hate it. This arc was character, fashion and competency assassination at the same time. Thanks Lobdell. 

13. Garth - He doesn’t really turn evil, he just gets brainwashed and zombified a little. Personally, I think Garth deserves a little bit of time to go apeshit, but his arcs so far of getting murdered and zombified by his dead wife and girlfriend and getting brainwashed by his Scottish  water evil spirit girlfriend are not it. 12. Gar - Went crazy for some reason, became a really gross throw up monster, whatever, no one remembers it, he figures out how to be sane eventually Dick didn’t even let Gar figure his stuff out he needed to announce his wedding instead. 11. Lilith - Imagine getting rebooted into the new 52 just to be a minion torturing victims with your mental powers before a ripoff hunger games starring a ripped off young justice, but also it was just a dream. idk I wasn’t paying attention. 10. Terry - we all knew there was something up with him tbh the evil arc wasn’t a surprise. He’s only this high because I find it hilarious that dc made Mav Wolfman’s self insert get a restraining order for Donna so she couldn’t see her son, immediately got killed in a car crash with said son and then just come back in increasingly graphic evil dream sequences. Don’t write your self-insert into comics, kids. 9. Kory - She gets to look cool when she’s evil but that’s it. Got killed by her sister in JLO and she wasn’t even her own evil person! She was taken over by Darkseid. Slightly cooler in flashpoint but didn’t even get to shine cause she got killed in a gasoline explosion :///. She can explode into a supernova I feel like she should be more powerful when she’s evil! 8. Wally -  Yes, he manipulated the entire justice league and framed innocents for a murder he committed, and yes he watched every single superheroes trauma therapy confessions, at least when he murdered Roy he put their dead bodies together bc friends. 7. Joey  - Listen, no one liked Titans Hunt, You didn’t like Titans Hunt, none of the Titans liked Titans hunt. Joey wasn’t even in control of him being evil and he kidnapped all the titans and kills a bunch of them, doesn’t even succeed in taking over the world and he does with an evil organization it in matching fur suits!? There are better ways to come out as a furry, Joey. At least Gar doesn’t make all his EVERYONE wear the same fur suits. Points for the homoerotic tension with Dick tho I guess. Also the idea of him having the trauma of everyone he possessed could have been cool but they bombed it so rip. 6. Hank - Listen, listen, I know the monarch story line is dumb as shit and a retcon because dc was mad everyone figured out who monarch was supposed to be but I can’t help it its so funny. fr imagine you’re Hawk, your brother and crime fighting partner is dead, as a result you get blacklisted in twelve countries because you keep beating people up. You get a new crime-fighting partner that is able to stop you from getting blacklisted in more countries, a villain named  monarch seemingly kills her. You kill the villain, SIKE! It turns out you were monarch the entire time! Time to be evil, I guess. You join Hal Jordan because he’s vibing as Parallax and then you create an alternate dimension in order to train a fake version of the titans as sleeper agent assassins for the time crisis or whatever idk. You find Terra alive and you just add her to the team?? You brainwash some dude into thinking he’s Dick Grayson to be the leader of the team for some reason even tho u hate Dick Grayson???? You use time travel to populate your team with a bunch of OCs and a vampire??? I’M SORRY HES SO FUNNY!! 5. Sure, Donna may have tried to murder all the titans (Wasn’t cool that she suffocated Karen in her hospital bed), but she’s immortal and she was having a bad day, she deserves it. Plus she acknowledges it’s because she loved them all so much  she had to kill them so she wouldn't get too attached to her friends. She also had the arc where they retconned her as evil in Wonder Woman back before ntt was canon again we don’t talk about that. 4. Dick - Pretty successful Elseworld evil arcs, good villainy, he knows how to pull it off but one big problem. Every time he’s evil, he’s so mean to his friends! In New Order he takes over the world and creates a new world order. Stephanie and Tim get like a suburban house and chill life and what the titans just have to fight the resistance against him? And then he asks them for help??? And in the vampire universe he just takes Kory captive for her blood. Dick, c’mon. Take an example from Raven, she wanted to rule with the titans as the seven sins. Or at least Wally who lay his dead body next to Roy’s bc Titans forever <3. 3. Tara - Got a pep talk from Dick Grayson, destroyed the entire world 20/10 iconic. She just needed a bit of self esteem 2. Demon raven, icon, many arcs, most of them bangers, crashed a wedding like an icon, slowly became evil bc George forgot what her forehead looked like, ect. She can pull it all off! The only reason its not number one in the list is that’s it’s done enough that writers are bad at it sometimes. And yet! they haven’t even touched on half of the excited concepts that could have come from this. Demon Raven ruling a dimension with Trigon? Maybe backstabbing Trigon? Demon Raven still wanting to save her friends or maybe destroy them? raven grappling with what she’s done with Demon Raven? An examination of what part of Raven feeds into her demon side? GUYS COME ON 1. Vic - Showstopping, incredible! Vic losing his humanity and wanted to protect the people he cared the most to regain that humanity again .... so beautiful. Giving the titans all they wanted! Giving Garth that weird mix of girlfriends in one person and Dick Batman saying he’s proud of him and Donna her child again  it wasn’t perfect but he was trying so hard.  So what if he destroyed the moon a little bit in the process, these things are messy. Plus he did it 11 years before despicable me. What a trailblazer.

Mist x Sunshine thoughts just in general

AHAHAHA YES SOMEONE IS PRESSING THE BUTTON

I’m a lesbian so obviously I had to make a sun and moon pairing even in ghost 🙄/j

No but fr I love sunny and mist together because (at least the way I write/hc them) they’re the exact opposite but they compliment each other so well

Like Mist is a deep sea ghoul so she reserved, introverted, straightforward in all she does and very blunt. Deep sea ghouls are solitary. It’s just how she exists for eons until she was summoned.

Sunshine picked her name for a reason. She’s bright, warm, outgoing. She’s energetic and optimistic. She sees the absolute beauty in everything she looks at.

Mist struggled for a while to truly grasp that Sunshine was interested in her romantically. Like they’re smart they knew Sunny was dropping hints and showing obvious interest, but they just didn’t understand why. Why her? When Mist realized she was falling for Sunny she got scared and put her at a distance. But Sunny was persistent and after a talking to from Ifrit and Omega, Mist apologized to Sunny and explained everything. Occasionally though, Mist will get that itch in her fins, but Sunny is always there to reassure them.

Mist doesn’t go out of their way to hang out with the other ghouls. Not because they don’t like them, they love every single one of them. They just don’t have that pack mentality like the others. So when Sunny did everything to get her attention she was confused at first. Then she realized why. And then she realized she wanted Sunny just as much as Sunny wanted her.

But Mist didn’t act on it. They rationalized that Mist is not what Sunny needs or deserves in a mate.

Now they’re one of the most stable couples in the Ministry. Sunny helps Mist be just a touch more involved with the ghouls while still respecting their boundaries. Leaving functions when she’s had too much or letting others know Mist needs to not have any contact today.

Mist helps Sunny with her self esteem. Mist is blunt. Mist sees no reason to sugar coat anything because that’s not going to change the outcome. So when Mist tells Sunny how valued and skilled and loved she is, Sunny can’t help but listen knowing it’s the closest to absolute truth she’ll ever hear.

They still have separate rooms in the ghoul den because Mist likes having space. That doesn’t stop Sunny from stealing their shirts. Mist also steals Sunny’s clothes so it’s only fair. 

Mist isn’t much of a physical touch ghoul so whenever they wrap a hand around her waist or gives her a sweet little kiss Sunny is absolutely floored. 

Mist loves it when Sunny comes over and just…sits with her. Just sitting and doing their own separate things together

Sunshine cuts out comic strips from newspapers to give to Mist because she knows how much they love them.

Mist loves Sunny with her whole heart because when she’s around she can feel her edges soften. Sunny knows how to hold her, how to love her without expecting her to be something different.

Sunny loves Mist because she can quiet the racing thoughts in her mind. She shows her how to take life just a little slower. They trust her enough to crack their walls.

They’re not opposites, not really, they’re compliments

I have to ask gar

I already did Gar but I can do him again no problem >:)

First impression

THAT'S MY SON. I first saw him when I found clips of Titans on youtube and Beast Boy has always been my favorite so when I saw him in Titans OH MY GOD my heart EXPLODED. I fell in love immediately 💚 He's the only reason I started watching the show and he's still the only reason I go back and watch it.

Impression now

Even though he's treated worse than a side character, what little they did with his character is everything I wanted from Beast Boy. Even as a kid I got bored with Gar being the "stupid one who eats pizza and says dude" and wanted more darkness to his character, and Titans gave me that.. in like tiny amounts but still! I got angsty shit to work with. Other than his character being upgraded, can we acknowledge Ryan Potter for a second because his performance was utter perfection 🤩 Gar probably wouldn't be as great of a character as he is if Ryan didn't get casted as him. Ryan's Gar will forever be my go-to version.

Gar is my special boy who's constantly spinning around in my brain. Whether it's strictly Titans!Gar or my own version of Gar, he's always up there 💚

Favorite moment

Other than the ones I mentioned in my other ask, I really like the scenes where Ryan actually got to have emotion, like when Gar finally snaps and yells at people. A scene from s3 where Gar is yelling at Dick to stop his lone wolf bullshit and starts to beast out is sooo good. And for the same emotional acting reasons, the scene when he tears that dude apart and is terrified afterwards in "Asylum" is heartbreakingly amazing.

Idea for a story

In the show, I wish they actually did something with the Red. They made it seem like it was gonna be important to the main story but it wasn’t, it could have been cut out of the plot and nothing would change. I would have made it way more important to the season, like use the comic storyline it comes from. Brother Blood wants to resurrect Trigon but can't without the Red so he goes after Beast Boy to use him as a sacrifice since he has a connection to it.

In Titans it would be Mother Mayhem but the same idea, she wants Gar because he has most powerful connection to the Red anyone’s ever seen and then cue all the angst of Gar realizing it's him who's a part of a world ending prophecy this time. Plus we'd learn much more about the Red that way.

Unpopular opinion

I said it once and I'll say it again: I don't care for his suit. The design is just weird to me and looks extremely out of place next to to the other Titans' suits. Also what's the point of giving him a suit that shapeshifts with him when he rarely ever shapeshifts?? And by the end of the series he's living in the Red dimension and isn't a superhero anymore.. so??? It was just a check box thing I think, no real thought put into it other than "we gotta do this before the show ends".

Favorite relationship

Besides Rachel, Gar's relationships with the others is very surface level and can be boiled down to one thing. No one shares any deep connection or has any meaningful scenes with him (again, besides Rachel), it's mainly mission related or to set up a joke when the others interact with him. I can not think of a single scene where one of Titans had a regular conversation with him. So I'm going with his relationship with the Red, it was super cute and it's a fact it cares a ton about him. It changed it's color for him because he likes green that's so 🥺 he's the favorite child fr and he deserves to be.

Other than Titans, I greatly enjoy writing my Gar's relationships in Escapism obviously lol

Favorite headcanon

A universal one I use for my fic is that he does have pointy ears, fangs, and claws but learned how to temporarily shapeshift them away so he could blend in with other people and explore places outside the manor without unwanted attention. And I imagine he can have a tail too. His human form is just that, another form he can shapeshift into. It's a disguise to look normal enough so he can exist around others without feeling like a monster.

Safe Haven

Hey all. I come bringing gifts in the form of writing. I’ve been playing around with these characters on my head for a bit so hopefully you all enjoy!

CW: Slavery. Dehumanization (kind of)

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Kai let out a small sigh as he looked down at 07. The poor thing was curled up on the floor of the closet, arms wrapped around themselves and head tucked into their chest. It looked like they were trying to hide themselves, making themselves small so they wouldn’t be noticed. 

Or maybe so they would be harder to hit.

A grimace crossed Kai’s face as he looked at the bed in the room. It was a small guest bed, a bit old but still comfortable. The covers were pristine, 07 hadn’t even lied down on top of them. They didn’t take any of the blankets into the closet either; a short draft reminded Kai how cold the nights were getting. 07 felt it too, shivering in their sleep. 

Kai was conflicted. He wanted to pull one of the blankets off of the bed and wrap 07 up in them, given them some protection from the winter chill. On the other hand, for whatever reason, 07 didn’t want Kai to know they weren’t using the bed. Why they felt the need to lie about this was something to be handled later. Right now Kai had two options. Put a blanket over 07 and risk them freaking out or let them lie there on the floor in the cold. 

Another draft and another made up Kai’s mind. He walked over to the bed and pulled off the comforter before walking back and gently placing it over 07. They didn’t wake up, thankfully, and now they had something to fend off the chill. 

Kai walked out of the room and back towards his own. 07 was probably going to be in a bad way tomorrow morning, but this was something he would need to address at some point, might as well do it now. As he laid down in bed he wondered how exactly he was going to tackle this. An answer didn’t come to him; he would have to wing it. Well, at the very least he had plenty of experience doing just that.

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Kai awoke to the smell of cooking bacon and hot coffee. 07 was already awake and busy cooking breakfast. Kai got out of bed, taking a quick shower and throwing on a fresh set of clothes before walking into the living room. 07 was still busy cooking breakfast, a variety of smells coming from the kitchenette they were working in. They hadn't noticed Kai walk into the room, and he watched them for a few minutes. They were scared, close to panicking. They moved quickly and jerkily, shifting from one task to the next as if leaving something alone for more than a moment would set the house on fire.

‘Well,’ Kai thought, ‘no reason to put it off.’

“Good morning 07.” He really wanted to give them a proper name, but one thing at a time. “I see you’ve started breakfast.”

07 froze up for a split second before turning around and bowing their head. “G-good morning master Kai. Breakfast will be ready s-soon.”

Kai nodded before walking past 07 and grabbing the coffee pot to pour himself a cup. 07 went back to cooking breakfast. Kai spied pancakes, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and biscuits in various states of completion on the stove and counter. They were really going all out. 

Kai sat at the table, circling his finger around the rim of his mug and pondering how to handle this. He couldn’t and wouldn’t just ignore it. Trying to coax out a confession would just torture them for no reason. Looks like the only way out was through. 

07 brought a plate piled high with food to the table, placing it in front of Kai alongside some silverware. There was a slight tremble in their hands, small enough that it didn’t make the plate shake but enough to be noticeable. After serving Kai they knelt by his chair, eyes cast down. Another habit Kai wanted to break, but again, one thing at a time.

The food was good. Really good. Perfect in fact. 07 had outdone themselves. Kai ate in silence, savoring the food and also, maybe, possibly, putting off having to bring up last night for a few more minutes. Unfortunately the food didn’t last forever, and once the plate was clean Kai was out of excuses. 07 stood up and took the plate from the table, walking to the sink in order to start washing it. Well, now or never.

“So…” Kai began before trailing off and turning to 07.

They had frozen in place. Kai could hear their breathing go shallow.

“I uhh...I um...I checked up on you last night and...well...I was just wondering if there was...” Fuck’s sake man just get it out already. “Why were you sleeping in the closet?”

07 stood frozen for a few seconds more before clumsily putting the plate on a counter and rushing towards Kai. They fell to the ground, going prostrate and grasping Kai’s ankles.

“I-I’m so sorry master. I’m sorry. Please, please I didn’t mean to insult you. I-I jus-”

“Hey, hey.” Kai said, crouching down and trying to soothe the slave at his feet. “It's ok. I’m not mad. You’re not in trouble. I just...I just want you to be honest with me. Can you do that?”

07 nodded timidly.

“Ok, well first of all can you look at me?”

They looked upwards, tears in the corner of their eyes and lips trembling. Kai gave them a, hopefully, reassuring smile. 

“Good, good. Ok, now I just want you to be honest. Have you slept in the bed at all since you got here?”

07 hesitated before nodding once.

Kai raised an eyebrow, leaning his head in a bit closer. “Do you promise?”

They didn’t respond, casting their eyes back down. A second passed, and another, and then they slowly shook their head. 

So they’ve been sleeping in the closet on the ground for more than a month at this point. Kai cursed internally, he should have paid more attention. It's a wonder they haven’t gotten sick. 

“I see,” Kai said slowly. “That's ok. I just wish you would have told me.”

Shit, wrong thing to say. 07 tensed up, curling into themselves further and trembling. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I-I…” They trailed off and looked back up, a strange desperation in their eyes. “Please forgive me master.”

Kai nodded. “Ok. I forgive you.”

07’s eyes widened and they started backwards slightly. A combination of disbelief and hope crossed their face. “R-really?”

“Yup.” Kai nodded again. “You are forgiven. I asked you to be truthful with me and you were, so I forgive you.”

“Thank you! Thank you, I promise I won’t lie ever again, I promise!” 07 buried their face in Kai’s ankles, clinging to his legs like a lifeline.

Kai patted them on the head. He wanted to explain that they hadn’t done anything wrong, that there was nothing to forgive. But, well, one thing at a time. One thing at a time. 

If only there were less things to take care of. 

Kai took a deep breath and looked out the window. Snow had come down hard last night, and the driveway was covered in a fresh white blanket. Well, it would be good if 07 had something to do to distract them, and Kai needed them out of the house for a bit, he had a plan brewing. Besides he wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to shovel snow, either.

“Hey, 07. The driveway is pretty covered right now. Would you mind heading out and clearing the way?”

07 nodded, standing up and heading towards the front door. 

“Hey wait,” Kai called after them, “don’t forget to put on a coat and some gloves.”

07 paused and turned back. It looked like doing so had never crossed their mind. They nodded and headed towards the closet by the front door, pulling out one of Kai’s old coats and a pair of gloves. The coat looked almost comically huge on 07, but it would keep them warm. Once they were properly dressed they looked back at Kai. He nodded in approval and they bowed their head before walking out the door. 

Kai let out a sigh and walked back into 07’s room. He looked at the closet. There were no clothes in it; no one had used the room for a while. Hell it didn’t even have a door; the thing broke off after an earthquake a few years ago. As it was, the closet wasn’t fit for anyone to sleep in. 

Well no shit, it was a fucking closet. 

Still, Kai could change that. He cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck. Time to get to work.

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07 shoveled the last bit of snow out of the driveway, taking a moment to appreciate their work. They had done a good job. The driveway was completely clear, you couldn’t even tell there had been any snow. Master would be pleased.

They hoped that Master would be pleased. 

They needed to please master. They had lied to him. They had insulted his generosity. They should have been punished, they should have been beaten or burned or cut or whipped or drowned or something. But Master didn’t do any of those things.

Master didn’t do a lot of things. 

Master didn’t yell when they were stupid. Master didn’t hurt them when they failed. Master didn’t even seem to mind their constant stuttering. Master was...different than what they had expected, what they were used to. 

They weren’t sure how they felt about that. It was all so uncertain. They had to be wary of every move, every word spoken. Who knows what would set master off. They wished that Master would just tell them, lay out the rules clearly so they would know what to do and what to avoid. That would be so much easier, so much nicer than having to walk on eggshells until they inevitably stumbled into a punishment. 

At least so far they had managed to avoid doing anything that would anger master. It was a miracle they had gotten so lucky so many times. They had thought today was it. Master had learned that they had scorned his gift to them and lied about it. By all rights they should have been punished, but they weren’t. 

It was almost frustrating.

07 shook their head, they had no right being frustrated. They should be nothing short of grateful for the mercy they had been given. It was more than they deserved, far more.

They walked back into the house, taking off Master’s coat and gloves and carefully placing them back in the closet before taking off their winter boots. Master wasn’t in the living room or the kitchen, and they didn’t hear anything from the forge in the backyard so he wasn’t working. Their pondering where he might be was cut short as Master entered the room carrying a cardboard box.

“Oh, hey 07. You finished with the driveway?”

07 nodded. “Yes Master, the driveway is clear. I hope I did a satisfactory job.”

Master strained his neck, looking out a window before waving his hand. “You did fine, don’t worry.” He turned to walk away before abruptly stopping and turning back. “Ah wait. I should have mentioned this earlier so you didn’t put away the coat but could you bring in some blades I left out in the forge? I don’t want them to get damaged from the cold.”

07 nodded and walked back towards the closet. Pulling their coat, gloves, and boots back on and making their way towards the backyard. The blades Master had left out were easy to find, and they were on the lighter side so carrying them into the garage wasn’t too difficult.

Master kept 07 busy for the rest of the day, having them do a variety of small tasks and chores until it was time to cook dinner. That was odd. Usually Master left them to their own devices, only occasionally ordering them to perform anything specific. Maybe this was supposed to be a punishment? Taking away 07’s relative freedom for the day. They didn’t know, and decided it would be best not to think about it too much as they started cooking dinner.

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Kai leaned back in his chair, letting out a satisfied sigh. Dinner was good, it usually was when 07 was cooking. He should get them to teach him, god knows he couldn’t do anything more complicated than boil water without hurting himself. Or setting something on fire. Or both. 

It was usually both.

Speaking of 07, Kai was anxious about how they would take the surprise he had prepared. It might be too much; they hadn’t been too receptive of gifts in the past. Hopefully everything would go well. Hopefully.

Well there wasn’t anything to do except wait for things to play out. 07 usually went to bed an hour or so after dinner. All Kai could do was wait. He stretched his arms and stood up, grabbing his plate and bringing it to the sink. 07 was already doing the dishes, and Kai stood next to them and began to dry what they had finished cleaning. It was a routine that had developed between the two of them. It was probably one of the only times 07 wasn’t nervous around him. 

Once the dishes were done Kai and 07 moved towards the living room, or more accurately Kai moved to the living room and 07 followed him. They tended to shadow him when they weren’t doing anything, staying just on his peripheries. It kind of reminded him of his old cat Rumble. It was cute. 

Kai took a seat on the couch and 07 curled on the floor off to the side. He had tried to invite them onto the furniture but they had always resisted. Pushing the issue always got them worked up so he stopped bringing it up, at least for now. One thing at a time and all. 

There was a nature documentary on, one about ocean life. Kai couldn’t say he cared much for the ocean but David Attenbourough could make wet paint the most compelling thing on the planet. 07, on the other hand, was utterly enthralled. They tried to hide it at first, but soon enough they were leaning forward with wide eyes and an open mouth. Kai could have sworn they even let out a small “ooohhh” when a particularly impressive shot of a whale played on screen. 

By the time the documentary had ended it was well past midnight. 07 stood and turned to Kai. “M-master. May I have permission to retire for the night.”

Kai gave them a nod and they left to clean up for the night. Kai waited for a couple of minutes before walking towards their room. He found them staring at the closet in complete disbelief. 

Kai walked towards them, casually looking into the closet. He had to admit he didn’t do a bad job. A thick sheet and comforter covered the floor, providing a softer surface than just the carpet. The pillows from the bed had been moved into the closet as well. A few strings of fairy lights connected to a somewhat jury rigged switch provided some lighting, and an old curtain had been hung up to allow for some privacy. 

It wasn’t much, but it was a hell of a lot better than just an empty closet.

07 turned to face them, confusion written all over their face.

Kai threw up his hands. “Surprise.” He placed a hand on their shoulder and gave them a smile he hoped was reassuring. “If you don’t want to sleep on the bed I won’t make you. But, you shouldn’t just have to sleep on the floor so I thought I’d, well, make it a bit more liveable.”

07 just stared at him before suddenly falling to the ground prostrate. “T-thank you. Thank you Master Kai. Thank you.”

Kai knelt down, running his hand through their hair. “You are welcome 07. Let me know if the lights stop working. I’m not amazing at wiring or electrical stuff so it might break down.”

07 merely nodded before standing back up and approaching the closet. They hesitated, pausing and turning back to Kai with a worried expression. They thought it might still be a trap, or a test. 

“It's ok,” Kai said softly. “Go ahead.”

07 gave one last tentative nod and entered the closet. They slowly lowered themselves down, pulling the comforter open and slipping beneath it. They let their head hit the pillow and a look of pure bliss crossed their face. Kai smiled and pulled the curtain closed.

“Goodnight 07.”

He left the room and made his way to his own, a warm feeling of satisfaction bubbling in his chest. He didn’t always get things right when it came to 07, but today? Today he got something right. 

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07 stared up at the fairy lights hanging above them. They didn’t know what to think. Not only had Master not punished them, they had been given a reward of all things! The comforter was thick and warm, and pillows were soft and the lights were beautiful. It was almost too much, they wanted to cry. They didn’t though, best to not do something that might annoy Master. 

Master. Master Kai. Master Kai had given them this gift, this wonderful gift. There had to be a catch, there had to be. Slaves weren’t just given these kinds of gifts, especially not slaves that had just lied to their master. There had to be a catch. Somehow, someway, at some point they were going to pay for this. They shuddered at the thought, memories of what they had to do in the past to pay for these kinds of gifts intruding on their mind. 

But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Master had been nothing but kind and merciful to them since he had acquired them. Maybe whatever they would have to do to pay would be mild. 

Master was still an enigma to them, one that continued to grow more and more confusing. A part of them hated it, hated the guessing and worrying and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Another part of them didn’t care. Sure Master was confusing, and unpredictable, and different, but maybe that wasn’t so bad. Maybe they could get used to it.

For the first time in a long time, 07 slept peacefully through the night.

Tags: @haro-whumps​

New Written Review from Mike Crowley on You’ll Probably Agree: 10 Reasons Why ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is better than ‘Blade Runner’

If you haven’t’ seen the movie, see it then read this. No intro, let’s jump right in.

1. K is a replicant

The reveal of K’s genetic code, or lack thereof, flips everything we assume the movie will be on its head. We are learning along with K what it means to exist. Do we as humans, live like replicants? Do we obey a society that treats us like trash but breath anyways out of the fear of death? Where we viewed “Blade Runner” mostly through Deckard’s eyes who didn’t have much of a personality, K’s lack of a character is his entire purpose for existing. For K to emote is to face death.

Where Harrison Ford’s Deckard entire arc was us questioning if he’s human or not (despite what Ridley Scott unequivocally says), there’s nothing much of substance to Officer Deckard. He gets drunk, retires replicants, that’s it. Name one thing that makes Deckard standout? I’ll wait. Ryan Gosling’s Officer K goes from a machine that is dying spiritually on the inside to someone wanting to have a purpose in life. All while maintaining his composure, if perhaps too much poise for the film. Anything with a conscious can feel. Whether or not how it was made is as relevant as where you were born or what skin color you are. The importance is that you’re here.

K doesn’t seek gratitude nor affirmation. He doesn’t suffer from a narcissistic personality. All he wants is not just to be another useless piece of metal.

2. Deckard has depth this time

Being a daddy changes you a lot. Rick isn’t just a slouchy drunk who likes to shoot robots out of legal obligation. He’s a man who’s principles and love for forbidden things cost him his life. What kind of soul did Deckard have in the first film? Who did he care for? Please don’t say, Rachel, we all know why he was attracted to Rachel. Like Winston in 1984, Deckard rejects Big Brother for a life of pain to gain a glimmer of happiness. 

3. It’s horrifyingly relevant

Denis Villeneuve based the imagery in 2049 on a planet that has become degraded with pollution. The buildings are extrapolating enormous amounts of water into the atmosphere, the sea wall at the end of the picture will be our new Mount Rushmore, the orange Vegas is happening now. Denis Villeneuve didn’t predict the earth looking like this, but his production team was still spot on. A picture that transcends its very style, developing a look that will be discussed on its merits separate from the ubiquitous original, is a stunning achievement.

Everything isn’t dystopian because that’s the way it was in the book. It’s what will happen to us in real life, why we’d look for colonies to live on if we had the technology or funding towards NASA to do so. God help us all.

4. The love story questions the essence of relationships

The story between K and Joi further examines the meaning of love, sex, and mortality, with the two being different versions of artificiality. When the default sexed-up version of a naked Joy pops up on the screen, we are emotionally mortified. Some of us may be repulsed to observe a character we care for utilized like a thirsty Godzilla.

The towering ad tries to seduce K tempting him to buy it, rendering everything Joi said to K throughout the picture questionable. Its manipulation solidifies his final decision in life to help another man. We’re not sure if she loved him or said what it thought it wanted him to hear throughout the narrative. Possibly Joi herself didn’t know her intentions. An unusual amount of nuance and uncertainty rests in the love story. Who do we love? Why do we love? Do we love by the heart or the heart of our designers whom we don’t know?

Meanwhile, Deckard was just drunk and horny when he bashed Rachel up against the wall. Sorry, that really was all there was to their passion despite what Wallace says.

5. The movie was an honest commentary about how the world views woman

Here’s a controversial one. A lot of women were disgusted by the way they were depicted in the film. Outwardly watching the movie, I can’t blame them. I’ll let Mr. Villeneuve speak for himself. “I am very sensitive to how I portray women in movies. This is my ninth feature film and six of them have women in the lead role. The first Blade Runner was quite rough on the women, something about the film noir aesthetic. But I tried to bring depth to all the characters. For Joi, the holographic character, you see how she evolves. It’s interesting, I think. What is cinema? Cinema is a mirror on society. Blade Runner is not about tomorrow; it’s about today. And I’m sorry, but the world is not kind on women.”

Villeneuve is right. Women today are still sexualized. Even with the Me Too movement, women are continually seen as sex objects or subservient slaves in a male-dominated society. Villeneuve isn’t interested in painting a rosy picture that Hollywood does for female roles to make the audiences feel comfortable. It’s an honest reflection on who we are. What we see is what we don’t want to see, but that’s part of the honesty of cinema.

6. The score is mesmerizing

Another point in which I may face some contention. Yes, Vangelis’ score is iconic, but it only works for the era it was composed in. Much of its mixture of bleeps, blops, and wind chimes are a product of its time. A lot of emotion is missing from the score other than the opening theme and “Tears In Rain.” Hearing much of the soundtrack while on the road, I sometimes thought I was listening to something from a porno. Take a listen to “Wait For Me” in the soundtrack and tell me otherwise. Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Walfisch’s score is timeless while also paying respect to Vangelis’ synthetic use in the original. It dives into the character’s mind providing a replication of something more human than what Vangelis composed.

7. It thematically ties more directly to “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” than “Blade Runner” does.

“Blade Runner” got the overall gist of Phillip K Dick’s novel. Replicants are scared, trying to find a way to survive as Deckard hunts them down. However, the Andies in the movie almost deserve to die. In their quest for more life, they torture and kill multiple civilians. What did the guy making the eyes do to deserve being frozen to death? What about J.R. Sebastian? He was nothing but pleasant to Roy and Pris. Did Roy eye gauge him when he was done with Tyrell?

Aside from Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), our replicants are fully rounded people. Sapper Morton is a watchful protector who was meant to be a NEXUS 8 combat medic; Joi’s true intentions come into question for herself and us. K’s inner conflict is the central core of the story. All of this revolves around the meaning of existence within a world that has forgotten about you. The introduction of Robo procreation is an evolution of Dick’s ideas, widening his notion of why life exists in the first place.

8. It doesn’t get lost in the scale

Many sequels love scope over characters. Remember “The Matrix”? Remember how they talked about Zion and all these other things we didn’t see? When the sequels brought in Zion, the focus got lost in the spectacle. “The Matrix Reloaded” was a bumbling CGI mess of Agent Smith Clones and cave orgies. “The Matrix Revolutions” was a glorified “Space Invaders” game. Shoot as many sentinels as you can before becoming overwhelmed. Amidst the sequels bumbling chaos, I missed the smaller scale of the Nebuchadnezzar crew.

The story of “2049” could have focused on the replicant uprising with thousands of robots slamming into humans. We could have gone off-world to finally see what all these other colonies we’ve heard about are like. Some have argued that the movie could have borrowed some of its source material from the later novels about replicants creating humans, so on and so forth. All of that sounds incredible in theory. In execution, you would likely get “The Matrix” sequels.

A movie that overreaches in scope, attempting to please fans by showing everything. What we got was an incredibly meaningful story that further explores the themes of the original while building upon its world without going too far. We see what’s beyond L.A. on the dilapidated west coast. The answer is not much. The film aims at minimalism over extravaganza.

9. We’re still talking about it

After being MIA for decades, “Blade Runner 2049” isn’t forgotten. I can’t say the same for “Superman Returns,” “Monsters University,” “The Incredibles 2,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” and “Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull.” In fairness, people do talk about Indy 4, but not in a positive fashion. “Blade Runner 2049” returned to the limelight with disastrous box office results yet high accolades, even gaining the Academy’s attention. Ironically it seemed destined to live the life of its predecessor.

“2049” may have tanked because it was a multimillion-dollar art film that respected its audience’s intelligence. Maybe “Blade Runner” was too far gone amongst the public to gain an interest geared almost entirely towards comic books and Disney. I think the trailers after the reveal teaser looked too generic for my own two cents, turning me off from the film for a short while.

Here we are with Honest Trailers in 2020, making a video about a film that came out in 2017. Bloodsoaked orange skies from the headlines mention the atmosphere of this film. Somewhere, about 100 other people are writing their analysis of “Blade Runner 2049” as I type right now. Seven years from now, we’ll be talking about why the world is still like “Blade Runner 2049.” Villeneuve made a timeless sequel to be remembered.

10. It’s better than the first film and one of the best films in the last ten years

Here’s why you’ll probably agree with this one when you put your pitchfork down. Remove your nostalgia goggles. I know it’s hard to do, please, trust me. Look at the points I made above. Think about how ironic the love story is to our lives. The layers of meaning behind K’s existence is lightyears beyond the featureless Rick Deckard. The picture isn’t flawless. Niander Wallace is spectacularly corny in his scenery-chewing grim monologues. Dr. Eldon Tyrell had some ambiguity regarding the morale of his intentions. For that, I’ll give the original the benefit of my doubt. I understand Ryan Gosling was cast to be intentionally deadpan, but it’s okay to emote once. His distant stare in all of his other performances made it difficult for me to discern myself from the actor’s rather dull persona.

With this said, “Blade Runner 2049” understands cinema. Its atmosphere is why we venture into a dark room that takes us to a different place. Denis Villeneuve’s masterful follow up is one of the most orgasmic cinematic experiences I have witnessed in the last ten years that demands a re-screening in 2022 when theatres reopen at an entirely safe capacity. The style doesn’t overshadow its substance, which is far richer in detail than the original without grasping at blatant metaphors. “Blade Runner 2049” is slow cinema at its finest, letting us into the character’s heads, knowing when to be quiet and when to be loud.

Like “The Empire Strikes Back,” not everyone appreciated the movie at first. Time has been incredibly kind to it, though. I wish the Academy recognized “Blade Runner 2049” beyond its technical marvels in 2018. I suppose it wasn’t the type of picture that catches Oscar voter’s eyes. But it has acquired the audience’s to this day. Now, if you could just look up and to the left for me?

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I just think he'd be able to keep up with you in all kinds of ways, intellectually, physically, and emotionally.

I mean he’d DEFINITELY be able to keep up with me physically since I’m comically out of shape and he is the opposite of that gjgjfjdjjdndndsm

Also bold of u to assume I’m an intellectual FR THO those are really sweet points 🥺 Oberyn honestly deserves a bit more of my attention fhdbdjdbjsd

So, new decade huh!

TIME TO GIVE SOME SHOUTOUTS TOO AAAAALL MY BITCHES THIS YEAAR YEEEEAA BABY!!!

(they’re under the cut since theres a lotta folks-)

@sol4r-eclips3

YES HELLO khkjlfshakljhLKJ- ok but fr suns I love you so goddamn much!!! When I first met you I really wanted to get to know you and be friends. You were and still are the funniest and rowdiest fuckin person I’ve met in a loong time!! And yet you’re so understanding and patient and honestly, there aren’t many people in the world like you, which makes me so happy that I found you. Tough, fiery, strong, funny and caring I love you more than words can describe! 

@nebulanudibranch

MY GOD you are such a sweetheart nebs you really are. Smart, sweet and so wonderful in so many ways. We have so much in common and that makes me feel a lot less alone in the world. When you joined the shit squad I never really knew what to make of you (PFFT I thought you were 17 for some reason and thought you were a compleTELY different person from quirky watercolors JHLKJDF), but meeting you again in shmeeps and in hell and other personal servers I really wanted to make a good impression!! And I really wanted to become closer! AND HOOLY SHIT DID THOSE DESIRES BECOME A REALITY AND I AM SO HAPPY  THEY DID HDSFGKAJ!!!! I love you man I do!!! you make me so happy you sweetie!!! I hope for the best of things for you in the future!!

@jackie-from-the-seafloor

*GRABS YOU* JHKJH ok but we have such a long history together nauti and I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. You’re such a vibrant and funny personality, you radiate such a vibrant and colorful prescience wherever you are and it lifts the mood of any conversation!! your art and stories are a majesty to behold and a testament to your colorful personality!! You’ve always been honest and dependable and there for me whenever I need you most.. and I can’t thank you enough for that. I love you my gay fish fillet!!!

@glitch-betch

dani devitoooooo you are a fantastic person to hang out with!!! Your stories and art have been getting better and better and better every time I lay my eyes on em!! You were there for me at a period of uncertainty.. I cut ties with my old friends and was unsure about the future.. but you, tony and simon helped me so much more than all 3 of you could ever even know. You’re funny and smart and just- a treasure to hang out with!!! I hope I can bring you the amount of joy that you brought me chick.. I love you!!! 

@jsab-fujii

hello :thot: you’d better not be surprised to see yourself here JHKLJF BUT ANYWAYS YEAH DUDE YOU’RE SICK AS FUCK!! You’ve always got my back and I promise I’ll always have yours!! You bring such a calming atmosphere everywhere you are and are a trustworthy and intelligent friend!! I can also confide in you to talk to about anything and you’ll listen and understand!! Thats something I really value!! You’re so chill and hjdhkajhdkj!!! you’re fuckin epic bro gosh bless,,,

@mother-of-thots-returns

EHE hi- I know we haven’t spoken all that much until recently, but honestly bro, you are a gem!!! An actual gem!! Your writing is superb, you’re one of the sweetest people on the face of the planet earth, you’re talented, charming, *COUGH* gorgeous, and you bring such a warm prescience and are overall just fantastic to talk to!!! From the moment we started chattin, I’ve been wanting to know more and more about you and become closer!! And I hope that we can in the new decade!! Love you mot, gosh bless,, 

@hexaforce678

YEAH YOU’RE ON HERE TOO LITTLE HEXAGON COME HERE- Since we met in shmeeps I’ve been interested in gettin to know you bro!! And I’m SO HAPPY I COULD YO!!! You’re a rabid feral knucklehead and I couldn’t be happier to have you around!!! And honestly bro, I’m super proud of your work with Out Of This World. I’m not much into jsab anymore, but you’ve done something not alot of people have done yet, took an idea, made a story and made it real!! Alot of peoples passion projects have been worked on for years and only some have really been released, but you? You’re crushin the game!!!! And thats a rare, sight!! And I’m so proud of you!!!! I hope for more attention to OOTW in the coming years bro!! (if ya start sellin merch tho you gotta give me 20% off cuz we’re friends :thot:

@natto-axolotl

HAHAAAH YOOOOU!!!! Before we added you to the group chat all we could talk about was how much of a delight you are!!! You’re talented, kind, funny and creative and we HAD to throw you in there!!! I know we’ve not known each other for long but I can tell that we’re only gonna become even better pals into the future!!!! Whenever you pop in everyone is always so happy to see you!! And why wouldn’t we be?? You’re amazing!!! And I hope that life will be even more amazing for you in the next decade!!! godspeed you funky axolotl,, godspeed,,

@myserbale

*SCREAMS AT YOU* I STILL CAN’T GET OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS ABLE TO MEET YOU IN THE FLESH!!!!!! Mys I still have those drawings you made hung up on my door and so long as I HAVE  a door they will STAY hanging there,, because getting to know you was a fuckeeen trIP!!! I see this breathtaking artist with an interesting jsab blog on my dash, give them a follow then I get a message from nipp saying they’re freaking out because they know about me too??? DUDE I WAS SCREAMING!!!! And even through some rough ass drama related shit you were always there to have mine and our friends back through it all!! All leading up to that magic day where I could give you a bear hug and wander around the museum with you!! Me and my dad couldn’t stop talking about that experience!! He said it was almost like we’ve known each other since kindergarten!!! I really hope to meet you again.. gosh bless Mys.. you funky man,, 

@charmed-wonder

Ahh yes the 8th wonder,,, You’ve done nothing but bring comfort and joy you funky mongoose. You’re super funny (and horrifyingly cryptic at times-) and sUUPER talented!! I’d absolutely adore hearing about your original stories n shit bro!!! And I’d love to be able to get to know you better and talk more!! And I hope we will in the new year!! You’re epic as fuck bro!!!!

@krys-lil-corner

Ah yes, the serotonin woman, right here right oon time. That my friend is my thought process everytime you enter a room!! Seeing how supportive you are of so many people?? Honestly I have no fucking clue how you do it?? Either way, I’m so happy to have been able to talk with you!!! I’ve seen you around for a long time, but actually talking with you was a delight!!! I hope that one day you’ll be given as much support for your original series and other creative projects as you’ve given me and so many others. You really deserve it!!

@4n4kin

YOUNG MAN- It’s been pretty tough, I recognize that, but I’m glad that I was able to get in contact with you!! I’ve actually known about you for some time!! But like with many people, I was nervous,, and really intimidated. But after getting to know you it’s been confirmed in my mind that you are actually a mASSIVE DORK!!! It makes me really happy to get a message checkin in on me every once and awhile!! It always reminds me that you do genuinely care!! I thank you so much for our conversations and I hope that we’ll have many more on the road ahead!! bless you!! 

@oddlyoglingowl @suna-bara

HEY MOM!! HEY DAD!! JHKJHSK- No but fr you two are actually such parent friends gosh bless- Hanging out in the server with you \two has been such a great time!! The minecraft shenanigans, the voice chat shenanigans and more have always been such memorable things to me and I thank you both so much!! Rose!! I’ve been so intimidated by you for the longest time and when we spoke my brain just lit on fire djhkjAHK- I was stoked to be friends with such a sweet and awesome creator!!! Playing minecraft with you that day was such a wonderful time!! I hope we can do it again sometime!! And yOU Lecter!! Your voice acting is sooo goood!!!! I’d really like to do something like a comic dub of some kind together!! That’d be fuckin epic!! You are such a lighthearted a goofy guy and I hope for more shenanigans to ensue!!!! 

HOOLY FUCK THAT TOOK ME LIKE AN HOUR TO TYPE I NEED TO STOP JDFHLKAHFLKJASHFLKJ

There are a lot of people I missed here, but if I were to include everyone I’d be typing for another TWO hours hjfdslkjf- To everyone, friend, foe, or mutual.. thank you all so much for making this year what it’s been. From last November to present day I can say that I’ve been living in a golden age!! I’ve experienced things that I could have never DREAMED of experiencing before. All of this feels like life has rewarded me for pushing past the strife I’ve faced, the ignorance and ineptitude I held, and the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained. Thank you so much to you all, these past months I will never EVER forget.. And thats a promise. To everyone, even those I don’t talk to as much, thank you for everything you’ve taught me, and for the memories you’ve gifted me. I love you all, each and every one of you. 

Prompts 124 “Take that back!” + 144 “Stop being such a baby.” + Kastle

(Tagging you loves @sselinaaaa @allinourprivate-traps @kteague since you wanted to be kept in the loop. Hope you enjoy it!! <333)

Karen was not drunk.

Just because she sloshed her drink on the table, and then on herself, and just because she had to pee a lot now, and just because she was laughing really loudly did not mean she was drunk.

Foggy was the drunk one. He could barely shoot pool, could barely stay upright while ordering their next round. Karen helped him though. She was good like that.

“Josie! Two more, uhh, whatevers that Karen’s got,” Foggy yelled, waving for Josie.

“No, no, no, we’re doing shots!” Karen shouted over him, practically levering herself off of Foggy’s shoulder to get Josie’s attention.

Foggy’s head whipped around too quickly and his eyes crossed for a moment. “Shots? Kare, nooooo, but you said—”

“I know what I said, ‘m fiiine Foggy bear!”

“Ugghh, not you too,” Foggy groaned, chin falling to his chest. “I can’t escape the name.”

“’S’cute!” Karen smacked her lips. “’M thirsty… Y’want water?”

“Don’t drink the water, Kare!” Foggy fumbled his hand against her arm, trying to grab her and missing. “It’s not good for you!”

“Neither is liver cirrhosis.”

The deep gravely voice cut through Karen’s alcohol haze. She knew that voice…

Foggy spun, staring up at him with comically wide eyes. “Whoa.”

“Fr—Pete!!” Karen slurred, luckily catching her mistake. “You’re here!” She staggered forward a little in her kitten heels. “Why are you here?”

Frank’s smirk was shadowed by his hood and ball cap. “Called me, remember?”

“I did?” She furrowed her brow. “Oh, I did. Yeah! Hey Foggy, Pete’s here!”

Foggy’s glassy stare bounced between Karen and Frank. “Karen. This is—”

“Peeeeetee,” she slowed it down so he’d understand. “This is Pete Castiglioneeee.”

Frank pushed his hood back but kept his hat on. “You’re both hammered.”

Karen gasped. “Take that back!”

“’M perfectly fine, Mister Castiglinguine,” Foggy slurred, patting Frank’s shoulder. “But Karen is.”

“Shhhh, narc,” Karen hissed, grabbing Foggy’s elbow. Then she burst into a fit of giggles and Foggy laughed right along with her.

Josie arrived with four shots of something brown. Karen thought it was whiskey… Or Kahlua. It was hard to tell in the poorly lit bar.

Nodding to Frank, Josie planted a hand on her hip. “Anything for you, son?”

“A beer, please ma’am.”

“Sure. And don’t let them break anything.”

Frank grinned. “Will do.”

With numb fingers, Karen shoved a shot glass at Foggy. “Drink!”

“Oh god.” Foggy’s nose wrinkled as he sniffed whatever the hell had been poured for them. “Bottom’s up, Kare-bear!”

Karen nearly choked on her shot, caught off guard by the nickname. Beside her she heard Frank’s deep, thunder roll of a laugh. She always liked his laugh, it was a good sound. She wanted to hear it more.

Foggy gagged as he slammed his shot glass down on the bar. “Ack! What was that?”

“I dunno, but it was good!” Karen reached for the other two shots and only faintly noticed the hand at her low back, keeping her steady.

“Kare, I can’t,” Foggy shook his head, nearly throwing himself off balance. “I’m too young to die!”

“Stop being such a baby, Fog!” Karen held the glass out, almost dunking Foggy’s nose in it. “Drink!”

At that, Foggy tossed the liquor back and swallowed, grimacing like he’d drank lighter fluid. “Oh God.”

Frank sipped from his bottled beer, quietly enjoying the raucous behavior. Every time Karen would glance at him he was smiling.

She was glad he was happy. She wanted him to be happy for a very long time.

He deserved it.

“I’m gonna hit the head,” Foggy announced, swaying on his feet.

“No puking!” Karen yelled after him.

“No promises!”

Giggling, she turned back and bumped into Frank’s chest.

“Whoops, s’rry,” she covered her mouth with her fingers.

With her heels on, she was just a hair taller than Frank, but she didn’t feel like it. He had a way of tricking you into thinking he was taller than he was, broader, bigger. The image of Frank was always tank-like, a man who dwarfed everyone and everything around him. The man himself was average and solidly built and not at all scary.

Well, not to Karen anyway.

“Got somethin’ on my face?” Frank asked, eyeing her.

“Huh?”

“Y’keep starin’ at me funny.”

Karen shook her head, blonde waves fluttering around her shoulders. “N-no, nope, you’re perfect.” She blinked. “I mean, you’re fine. You’re good.”

Frank took a sip and his lips curved into a grin she thought she recognized.

He was teasing her. Toying with her a little.

He was onto her.

“I’m back!” Foggy yelled, throwing the bathroom door open. “One more round??”

Karen, feeling suddenly a touch more sober, glanced at Frank. “One more.”

They shut Josie’s down, which Karen didn’t think was possible. After hailing a cab for Foggy, and tipping the driver extra, Frank shut the cab door as Karen waved goodbye to Foggy.

Stepping back onto the curb, Frank stopped a few inches from her. “Home?”

Karen darted forward, kissing his stubbled cheek quickly. “I’m glad you came.”

She almost thought the color rising on his cheekbones was from Josie’s neon red sign, but that had been turned off.

Frank was blushing.

“Me too.” He nodded and offered her his arm. “Alright, Kare-bear, let’s get you home.”

Karen groaned, slipping her arm through his and letting him lead. “Oh, noooooo.”

Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar makes revelations about his sexuality in new book

Image: AP

He is one of India’s most-recognized persons. He is among the most influential when it comes to popular culture. He heads one of the top film studios in country. His productions are watched by millions. And there are more superlatives that one can attach to his name.

On the surface, Karan Johar is privileged, famous and successful. Perhaps even leading the ideal life.

But beneath the sheen of gloss and glamour, here is a 44-year-old man who’s often tormented by questions about the deeply personal: his sexuality.

SEE ALSO: ‘Dangal’ becomes the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time

In a telling excerpt from his biography, An Unsuitable Boy, published by the Times of India, Johar bares it all. Almost.

In a country that is largely unkind to the unconventional, Johar has never had it easy. There has been endless conjecture about his personal life. Many unsavory statements, often in the garb of humor, have been made against him.

And this is possibly the first time that the filmmaker-producer has gone on record to say why he’s never bothered to clarify or justify himself.

He writes, “Everybody knows what my sexual orientation is. I don’t need to scream it out. If I need to spell it out, I won’t only because I live in a country where I could possibly be jailed for saying this. Which is why I, Karan Johar, will not say the three words that possibly everybody knows about me.”

He goes on to shed light on his adolescent years when he “was combating a hundred issues” in his head. “There was a lot of turbulence in my head. For me to address it, talk about it, discuss it, was a big no-no. I brushed it under the carpet,” he says.

His most aching revelation perhaps has been about the trauma he had felt when linked with his close friend and associate, also one of India’s leading stars, Shah Rukh Khan.

Says Johar, “For heaven’s sake, for years there were rumors about Shah Rukh and me. And I was traumatized by it… He is a father figure, an older brother to me. For me to look at him in that way or be subjected to those rumors was just ridiculous.”

Johar’s coming out, so to speak, has been hailed as “brave” and earned him the respect of many Indians a populace that has traditionally concealed more than revealed.

I’m no @karanjohar fan but this excerpt in today’s Times from his autobiography is so brave and moving, I’m surely one now. @PenguinIndia http://pic.twitter.com/pzrhcWpcUk

Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) January 8, 2017

A brave knight in shining Louboutins slaying his dragons @karanjohar you better send me An Unsuitable Boy as soon as you are back! http://bit.ly/2iD7KWW

Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) January 8, 2017

.@karanjohar damn, this is great and you are so strong man. Coming out is your choice, but dont portray gays comically in films/shows bas. http://bit.ly/2jBbpIQ

Shruti (@shruti_writes) January 8, 2017

The excerpt from @karanjohar ‘s’ An Unsuitable Boy’, published in today’s @TOIIndiaNews is powerful & light at the same time. A must read.

Vikrant Shetty (@MowingtheLaw) January 8, 2017

Karan Johar came out without coming out and is officially one of the most badass people in India. http://bit.ly/2iD8Emb

Syjil Ashraf (@thedailysyjil) January 9, 2017

Karan Johar has always been the coolest guy in Bollywood. Respect x1000 for coming out all guns blazing fighting homophobia.

rajat (@FergiesFury) January 8, 2017

A celebrity like Karan Johar coming out in the open will actually pave the way for others & will help in our SC reconsidering 377. http://bit.ly/2jB8gJ5

Ashwin Murali (@ashwinmurali) January 8, 2017

May be we not so vocal but @karanjohar should know is fr every 200 haters there are 200000 supporters for him @PenguinIndia @Samanthaprabhu2

Mounika Reddy (@Mouni__Sam) January 8, 2017

@karanjohar …we as young India are with u. Dont feel alone. We will fight for ur rights

Pankaj Malik (@PankajMalik10) January 9, 2017

What @karanjohar said yesterday about his sexual life desires is really a brave thing to do….hatss off sir….

Golmaal Again (@Rajvikrm098765) January 9, 2017

@karanjohar #Respect. Ref TOI DT interview. What is your choice is yours. No one has a rt to commnt. Opinions are like arsholes ever1 has 1.

Raja Mohanty (@raja7800) January 9, 2017

Bear hug to @karanjohar! If the fact is known, one need not state it, esp. when repercussions can be traumatic. http://bit.ly/2iDeiEQ

tanvi desai (@oldmonkee) January 9, 2017

Only on chapter 3 and I am already in love with @karanjohar ‘s new book! #AnUnsuitableBoy http://pic.twitter.com/Gb3VaoqbcC

Yasmin (@yakmeen) January 9, 2017

We do hope his book finds the place and attention it deserves!

BONUS: Voldemort isn’t as terrifying as you think

Read more: http://on.mash.to/2iD11wd

from Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar makes revelations about his sexuality in new book