Why Dredd's Costume In Judge Dredd Makes No Sense

We aren't pulling punches here, so let's start out with what seems to be Dredd's pride and joy. Throughout the original "Judge Dredd" comics, as well as the 2012 "Dredd" movie starring Karl Urban, the titular character refuses to remove his iconic helmet unless absolutely necessary. But, maybe he should seriously consider changing that tradition. It may look cool, but he is blinded by it. Literally, Dredd is blinded by his helmet.

Just take a look at how much of his peripheral vision it impedes. And yes, while he may still be able to look down the sights of his Lawgiver, the value of one's peripheral vision should not be understated. As humans, our forward vision allows us to see details and color very well, but our peripheral vision is still an important tool in detecting space and motion in our sideline (via Science Direct). In the heat of battle, when an enemy flank is plausible and your comrades may be next to you, being able to see the action around you is almost as important as seeing what's in front of you. All it takes is one sneaky guy with a gun to creep outside the bounds of Dredd's limited sightline for him to be vulnerable.