starrynight2306

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I remember reading a quote from Elton John saying something about Paul and John sharing a bed. Do you know the full quote?

Yes!

"The accommodation for bands was still in the attic. There were still brothels with prostitutes sitting in the windows just down the street, and at the club you were still expected to play five hours a night, alternating with another band: an hour on, an hour off, while the clientele drifted in and out. It was easy to imagine The Beatles living the same life, not least because it looked suspiciously like the bed sheets in the attic hadn’t been changed since John and Paul had slept in them." -(Me: Elton John, official autobiography)

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Johnny Cage headcanon: He’s a huge Lady Gaga fan.

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I posted a version of this on Reddit and cross posted to the main MK subreddit and got a few trolls that kind of took the wind out of my sails when it comes to the ship. I posted a version of this on AO3 and have a lot of this on separate posts here too, but I figured it’d be nice to have everything laid out in place. I guess you could think of it as a ship manifesto. Hope y’all like it and if something is factually incorrect or you have a rebuttal or something I missed that you think could be added please let me know!

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️. Here’s to hoping there’s more rep in MK in the future (preferably in the form of canon Johnshi😂

Is Mortal Kombat 1 Setting Up Johnny Cage & Kenshi as a Couple? A Deep Dive into Johnshi

In Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), the relationship between Johnny Cage and Kenshi Takahashi stands out as one of the most emotionally charged and narratively significant in the game. Their dynamic has sparked a lot of fan speculation, and many are wondering: could MK1 be laying the groundwork for a future romantic pairing?

I’m not here to declare it canon or say it has to happen — but I do want to explore how the writing, performances, visuals, and character choices suggest that their bond might be deeper than friendship. Whether you agree or disagree, I’m interested in hearing thoughtful perspectives.

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1. ⁠Unique Chemistry and Banter

Johnny is loud and brash. Kenshi is quiet and stoic. But together, something shifts. Johnny teases Kenshi in ways that feel unusually affectionate — and Kenshi actually smiles, which is rare for him. Their banter feels playful, flirtatious, and emotionally intimate — more so than Johnny shares with most characters.

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2. Kenshi’s Sacrifice and Johnny’s Care

In the story mode, Kenshi is blinded protecting Johnny from Mileena. Johnny tends to Kenshi’s wounds, applies a salve from Syzoth, and fashions a blindfold out of his own armor. It’s a deeply personal act of care — and Kenshi keeps wearing that blindfold afterward. Later, Johnny gives Kenshi Sento (his prized sword), which he had refused to part with the entire game. The exchange is quiet, intimate, and filled with unspoken emotion.

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3. Support from the Cast

Noah Fleder (Kenshi’s mocap actor) has referred to Johnshi as “canon” in interviews, and Andrew Bowen (Johnny’s voice actor) has leaned into the ship in cameos and interactions. Both have used the #Johnshi hashtag on social media — something actors rarely do unless they recognize the chemistry or the fan response.

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4. Bumbleby Parallels (RWBY’s Blake/Yang)

Johnny and Kenshi’s dynamic closely mirrors Blake and Yang (aka Bumbleby) — a canon queer couple in RWBY: • Brash extrovert + reserved swordsman • Both tied to morally gray factions (Yakuza / White Fang) • One suffers a disabling injury to protect the other • Awkward flirting becomes emotional intimacy • Slow-burn trust and eventual closeness

Given how many pop culture nods MK1 contains, these parallels may not be accidental.

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5. “Sexyface 2”

When Johnny is the announcer, he refers to Kenshi as “Sexyface 2” — a nickname he doesn’t give any other male characters. It’s playful, specific, and suggestive.

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6. “Best Friend” = Romantic Code

Johnny calls Kenshi his “best friend” in announcer intros. That sounds innocent — until you realize: • Tanya is “Mileena’s bestie” → canon couple • Sareena is “Bi-Han’s future bestie” → past romance • Johnny might be using “best friend” the same way: as coded affection.

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7. Kenshi Keeps the Blindfold Johnny Made

Even when Kenshi wears alternate costumes, the original blindfold Johnny crafted is tied to his chest strap. He clearly keeps it as a sentimental item — a symbol of their bond.

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8. Johnny’s Announcer Line: “Hot!”

When Liu Kang is selected and Johnny is the announcer, he simply says: “Hot!” It’s a nod to Liu Kang being the Fire God — but it’s also unmistakably flirty. Johnny has never made that kind of comment toward male characters in earlier games. Combined with other suggestive lines (like his playfully hostile banter with Rain), it adds to the growing interpretation that Johnny is being coded as bisexual in MK1.

Some of his alternate costumes also appear to draw fashion influence from queer icons like David Bowie, Elton John, and Rob Halford.

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9. Fandom Momentum

Johnshi is one of the most active ships in MK1 fandom right now — especially on AO3 and Tumblr. We’ve seen before that NetherRealm responds to fan demand (e.g., Mileena’s return). The growing popularity of Johnny/Kenshi could influence future direction, even if it wasn’t planned from the start.

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10. Domestic Pre-Fight Banter

Their pre-fight dialogue feels more like a long-term couple than rivals:

Johnny: “Well if it isn’t Special Agent Special Agent Takahashi with the FBI.” Kenshi: “That’s getting old, Cage.”

Kenshi: “I’m not betting Sento in this fight.” Johnny: [makes chicken noises]

This is teasing with familiarity — not aggression. It reads more like a married couple’s inside jokes

Other characters notice their closeness too. Ashrah directly asks Kenshi:

“Can I trust Johnny Cage?” — as if Kenshi is Johnny’s emotional anchor.

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11. Sento as a Symbol of Transition

Johnny’s obsession with Sento costs him his marriage — but it also brings him to Kenshi. The sword becomes a turning point: the end of one relationship, and the beginning of a deeper one. Symbolically, it connects their fates.

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12. Foreshadowing at the Wedding

At Kuai Liang and Harumi’s wedding, Johnny says:

“This reminds me of when Cris and I got hitched.” Kenshi: “In Hollywood? I’ll bet that was epic.”

It reads like casual banter — but also foreshadows the idea of Kenshi himself possibly getting caught up in a “Hollywood romance.” Maybe even with Johnny.

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13. Johnny Invites Kenshi into His World

At the end of story mode, Johnny offers Kenshi a role in his next movie. Kenshi has no interest in acting — so why suggest it?

Because Johnny wants to keep him close. It’s also a classic flirt trope: “You should be in pictures!” Johnny might flirt boldly with others, but when it’s someone he genuinely cares about, he gets subtle.

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Final Thoughts

Taken alone, each of these moments could be dismissed as coincidence or fan service. But when you look at them together, a pattern emerges. Their story is built on sacrifice, trust, emotional intimacy, and loyalty — all the ingredients of a romance.

Whether or not NetherRealm chooses to make it explicit, MK1 has absolutely laid the groundwork for Johnny/Kenshi as a romantic pairing. For fans who want to see richer LGBTQ+ storytelling in Mortal Kombat, Johnshi offers something emotionally compelling and narratively earned.

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Continuity question about MK1:

In Takeda’s bio it says he was sent after Kenshi when he left the yakuza. He and Kenshi fight, Takeda is mortally wounded, so Kenshi takes hi. To the Shirai Ryu to be healed:

Then in Scorpion’s arcade ending he and Tomas reform the Shirai Ryu taking in a child version of Hanzo to train as its first member.

1) How does Kenshi even know about the Shirai Ryu to take Takeda there?

2) It being formed by Kuai Liang and Tomas in Scorpions ending implies this happens after the events of the game, so how does it even exist at that point for Kenshi to take Takeda to. And even if it happened before, wouldn’t Kuai Liang and Kenshi recognize each other?

3) If it was some smaller proto-Shirai Ryu that Takeda was taken to would he have feelings about someone else taking over and deciding they’re the new leader?

Am I missing something or is this just one of those lore things they don’t care about reconciling? ‘Cause I know they do that sometimes

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The official WB UK gaming TikTok released a video for best friends day yesterday (June 8th) https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8M73sHm/. Now maybe it’s cope but to me this really seems like this meant to be sarcastic “yeah sure, best friends”. It’s filled with them intensely staring at each other and is backed by a sappy piano track.

Feel free to tell me if I’m completely off base.

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Kenshi’s arcade ending gives us this incredibly Men in Black looking Kenshi wearing a suit and aviators. Since he’s with the FBI it makes total sense. The aviators give definite Johnny vibes though. They aren’t the typical MIB sunglasses

My headcanon:? They were a gift from Johnny. Johnny noticed Kenshi always wearing the red blindfold and thought he needed an upgrade, and Kenshi being sentimental about the blindfold was only willing to exchange it for another gift from Johnny.

Also, aren’t movie references usually Johnny’s domain? Man Kenshi’s arcade ending is full of references to Johnny. Both overt and more subtle.

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I’m just saying replace Johnny with Janet Cage in story mode and change nothing else, most people would already consider her and Kenshi canon.

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Yet another random Johnshi thought:

At the end of story mode Johnny offers a role to Kenshi in one of his movies. It’s pretty obvious that Kenshi is isn’t the Hollywood type and has never expressed and interests in acting or movies. So it seems a bit odd that Johnny would in complete seriousness suggest he get into acting. However, it makes complete sense if you view it from a couple other lenses : 1) This is Johnnys indirect way of telling Kenshi “i want to keep in my close orbit” he wants to ensure Kenshi stays a major part of his life, and tying him into his professional world is an easy way to do that. 2) IIt’s his way of flirting. Flirting with someone by telling the “You should be in pictures!” is a trope almost as old as movies themselves. There’s even an old song with that same title. Perfect for Mr. Hollywood himself. You could argue Johnny’s flirting is usually more overt, but that’s just showmanship. What if when it’s someone he’s genuinely interested in, he switches tactics?

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So at Kuai Liang and Harumi’s wedding Johnny says: “This reminds me of when Cris and I got hitched” and Kenshi responds “In Hollywood? I’ll bet that was epic”

If Johnny and Kenshi do end up together and get married, that line instantly becomes some seriously genius ironic foreshadowing.

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I can’t be the only one who noticed Johnny seems to get a lot of fashion inspiration from queer icons:

1)Rob Halford

2)Elton John

3) David Bowie

If any of you youngsters even know who they are anymore.😂

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I had a weird dream that NRS started a bunch of mock social media posts for Johnny Cage having him come out as bi during pride month.

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Something super interesting I noticed is that buying Sento is simultaneously the thing that ends Johnny’s marriage AND brings Kenshi into his life 🤔

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Periodic reminder that Johnshi needs to become canon

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Hey so I wanted to gauge interest in a Johnshi Discord server. If that’s something you want to participate in leave a like, comment, or repost. Just don’t want to go through the effort of starting one if no one would care.

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*Major spoilers for RWBY below *

I have talked about the parallels between Johnshi and Bumbleby, but It’s funny, if Johnny and Kenshi ever have a love confession scene like you could just use the dialogue from Blake and Yang’s confession verbatim and it would still work completely. It’s kind of eerie.

Blake: I think… you’re an extraordinary person. You’re always the first to lighten a situation. You act bravely when you’re afraid. You do what you say. (Johnny is definitely the type to joke around to keep things light, even in tense situations. He doesn’t let fear stop him, and he’s loyal and genuine when it counts)

Yang: I like that you’ve never been intimidated by me. Even when you didn’t like me all that much. (Kenshi definitely didn’t like Johnny at first, but he still never let Johnnys game or bravado intimidate him. Even when Johnny literally had him tied to a chair.

Blake: I was a little weary of people in general. (Kenshi definitely avoids getting too close to people. His past experiences keep him distant)

Yang: But, you never give up on them even when they hurt you. You never give up. You know what matters to you. ( Kenshi did give up on Takeda even when Takeda had been sent by the yakuza to kill him. He wounded him out of self defense but couldn’t let Takeda die and so took him to the Shirai Ryu to be healed. He makes it obvious that gaining his families (and his own) honor back and getting them out of the yakuza influence. Even willing to break into a Hollywood stars mansion and steal Sento to do it.

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If they go for it and ever reveal that Johnny is canonically bisexual. I could totally seem them have him use some version of a quote by James Dean “I’m not homosexual, but I’m not going to go through life with one arm tied behind my back”. Like it totally fits both with Johnny’s attitude, his love of Hollywood references and NRS subtle way of revealing important info.

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you CANNOT tell me Johnshi isn’t real my goddddd