poll runner's propaganda: a central theme of this movie is regret. J gets in a bit of an argument with his partner of 14 years (!!!), K, who is then retroactively killed by a time traveling alien. like overnight. and no one except J remembers he was supposed to be alive in the original timeline so he goes back in time which in this requires JUMPING OFF A BUILDING to 1969. the guy who gave him the time travel device straight up says "you must really love this guy to do this" (he really does, this is evidenced by uhh everything). same guy also tells him to stay away from the past version of K but he fails this like immediately so he and 1969 K team up except J doesn't tell him WHY he's here until the third act where the original draft of this movie straight up has a love confession that was for some reason removed, but it's still kinda there through subtext? like you can Tell. you can tell the love is there. it's beautiful it's wonderful, J's desperation is beautifully angsty uhh this is the only movie in the trilogy when they don't give him a female love interest. and narratively young K pretty much fills the same role as his love interests in previous movies. just btw.