Movies
They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer.
— Deckard ‧ Blade Runner
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker moves from a remark about job advertisements to a blunt list of former roles. Ending with 'ex-killer' strips away the more official titles that precede it. The clipped repetition makes his description sound unsentimental, presenting violence as the stark fact behind a profession.
Context reviewed