I have no doubt others have noticed this, but haven’t found any mention of it in the forum so far. Apologies if this is old hat. Apologies, also, that this isn’t a fully formed thesis. It’s late, and I’m a couple of hot toddys into self-isolation.
Violence inflicted upon the eyes, specifically the left eye, seems to be a recurring motif throughout Picard. As I am not an expert in literary or cinematic symbolism, I can only fall back on my recently made (and hasty) google search about the deeper significance of left eyes. In Egyptian myth, Horus’ left eye was gouged out by Set, the god of (wikipedia be praised) “chaos, fire, deserts, trickery, storms, envy, disorder, violence, and foreigners”. Hypatia, a mathematician and philosopher, had her eyes gouged out by an angry mob after a political dispute. I can’t help but think that this plays into the series’ commentary on mob mentality, reactionary politics, and the negative consequences of acting through fear and distrust.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few. Here are all the examples I can find in the series so far:
Opening Credits:
• Closeup of an iris.
Absolute Candor:
• Ramdha, unlike the other xB’s, is *not* missing an eye, which makes sense, as she was only partially assimilated. She is portrayed as perceptive and intuitive.
• Hugh’s left eye was removed, however he now has an obvious prosthesis.
Stardust City Rag:
• The infamous eye removal scene. Icheb is graphically shown having his left eye ripped out.
• Picard wears an eyepatch over his left eye.
The Impossible Box
• There is a flashback to the “eye drill” from First Contact.
• All of the xBs are missing their left eyes. The camera lingers on both the former drone who saves Picard from falling during his panic attack, as well as on one having the scarring over their missing eye healed.
Nepenthe:
• Oh’s *removal* of her sunglasses, done in order to facilitate her forced mind meld on Jurati. A disturbingly intimate form of violence.
Broken Pieces:
• Seven of Nine’s eyes transform when she is linked to the collective as their new (temporary) queen.
• The transwarp conduit that la Sirena enters at the end of the episode looks remarkably similar to an iris and pupil.
Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1:
• The former drone that calls out “Locutus” is missing his left eye.
• Saga is stabbed in her left eye.
Violence inflicted upon the eyes, specifically the left eye, seems to be a recurring motif throughout Picard. As I am not an expert in literary or cinematic symbolism, I can only fall back on my recently made (and hasty) google search about the deeper significance of left eyes. In Egyptian myth, Horus’ left eye was gouged out by Set, the god of (wikipedia be praised) “chaos, fire, deserts, trickery, storms, envy, disorder, violence, and foreigners”. Hypatia, a mathematician and philosopher, had her eyes gouged out by an angry mob after a political dispute. I can’t help but think that this plays into the series’ commentary on mob mentality, reactionary politics, and the negative consequences of acting through fear and distrust.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few. Here are all the examples I can find in the series so far:
Opening Credits:
• Closeup of an iris.
Absolute Candor:
• Ramdha, unlike the other xB’s, is *not* missing an eye, which makes sense, as she was only partially assimilated. She is portrayed as perceptive and intuitive.
• Hugh’s left eye was removed, however he now has an obvious prosthesis.
Stardust City Rag:
• The infamous eye removal scene. Icheb is graphically shown having his left eye ripped out.
• Picard wears an eyepatch over his left eye.
The Impossible Box
• There is a flashback to the “eye drill” from First Contact.
• All of the xBs are missing their left eyes. The camera lingers on both the former drone who saves Picard from falling during his panic attack, as well as on one having the scarring over their missing eye healed.
Nepenthe:
• Oh’s *removal* of her sunglasses, done in order to facilitate her forced mind meld on Jurati. A disturbingly intimate form of violence.
Broken Pieces:
• Seven of Nine’s eyes transform when she is linked to the collective as their new (temporary) queen.
• The transwarp conduit that la Sirena enters at the end of the episode looks remarkably similar to an iris and pupil.
Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1:
• The former drone that calls out “Locutus” is missing his left eye.
• Saga is stabbed in her left eye.
