3

She states that she can't wear a helmet because it interferes with he mind reading yet she can read the mind of a Dredd and also the cop who tries to kill her just as easy as someone without a helmet.

Was this just an excuse to show her face throughout the film?

2
  • Don't think there was a Judge Anderson in the film, was there?
    – RobertF
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 18:24
  • Helmets interfere with her abilities when she wears them, not when her target wears them. I thought that was a pretty clear inference from the movie.
    – J Doe
    Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 22:51

3 Answers 3

11

Judge Anderson was a character that originated in the Judge Dredd comics, and she was depicted without a helmet there, although in her first appearance in the second issue of the "Judge Death" story (from 2000 AD #150, 1980, collected in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 3) she was shown carrying around her helmet at her side when she walked into the morgue to do a psychic reading on the remains of Judge Death. Then the next scene where she appeared was at her home when Judge Death's spirit came to possess her, so it made sense that she wouldn't have a helmet there either. My guess is that since she was never shown actually wearing a helmet in the first story where she appeared, it just became a convention to draw her that way (or maybe when they designed the character they just thought it would look better to draw her without a helmet). It's possible some later issue gave an explanation for it, though this blog entry from what seems to be a major Judge Dredd fan says "Dredd always wearing a helmet, Anderson almost never wearing one. This has never been explained in the comic and is purely a storytelling device Dredd is the faceless representative of the law and Anderson is the empathetic caring side. Clearly fellow Judges see Dredd’s face and clearly Anderson wears a helmet much of the time."

So basically, I suspect the moviemakers probably just wanted to be faithful to the basic look of the characters in the comic, but they wanted some explanation for audiences who hadn't read the comic, so they threw in that line about the helmet blocking her abilities.

1
  • Exactly. With regards to reading the thoughts of someone wearing a helmet, they don't need to explain that. I can see out from a tinted window or one-way mirror, but people can't see in. Perhaps a helmet stops incoming signals but not outgoing signals.
    – Dono2000
    Commented May 1, 2014 at 2:17
4

She says that wearing a helmet would interfere with her PSI abilities. Other judge's helmets obviously don't have the same drawback.

Judge Dredd: I was wondering when you'd remember you forgot your helmet.

Anderson: Sir, a helmet can interfere with my psychic abilities.

Judge Dredd: I think a bullet in the head might interfere with them more.

3
  • What's the difference?
    – SaturnsEye
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 13:58
  • Difference is that her head is hers. Try putting yourself in a faraday shielding, and putting an EMP source in one.
    – Envite
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 14:23
  • 1
    na i'm not buying that, I think they did it to show her vulnerability through the film and also just a good looking woman
    – SaturnsEye
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 14:27
-1

She says the helmet can interfere with her psychic abilities, not that it prevents her from using them entirely.

Anderson: Sir, a helmet can interfere with my psychic abilities.

I am sure it is just easier for her to read minds without the helmet on.

2
  • I don't understand your answer. Can you make it clearer by editing your post?
    – Edlothiad
    Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 21:23
  • This appears to simply replicate the information in Envite's answer (except in less detail). Is there anything you can add that might be useful?
    – Valorum
    Commented Jul 24, 2017 at 22:25

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.