The Handmaid's Tale Wiki
The Handmaid's Tale Wiki
mNo edit summary
Tag: Visual edit
m (Spelling. Added extra bit to notes about Mayday.)
Tag: Visual edit
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
 
|image = The_Eyes.jpg
 
|image = The_Eyes.jpg
 
|imagecaption = An "Eye of God" painted on a black van
 
|imagecaption = An "Eye of God" painted on a black van
  +
|type = Paramilitary state security service, secret police
|type = A mixture of the Former FBI and local and state law enforcement that have come under control of Gilead
 
  +
|status = Active
|status = Operates as the investigative and law enforcement authority in Gilead.
 
 
|description = Official state security service for the Republic of Gilead.
  +
|head = Unknown, 2019 (TV Series)
  +
B. Frederick Judd (The Testaments)
  +
}}
 
The '''Eyes of God''', also referred to simply as '''The Eyes''',''' '''are [[Gilead]]'s secret police, responsible for maintaining law and order and rooting out [[Mayday|infidels]] and traitors.
   
 
They drive in matte black long-wheelbase Ford Transit vans with tinted windows, winged eyes painted on the sides; they occasionally wear small items with eyes on them too, such as pins, and they wear dark sunglasses. According to [[June Osborne]], anyone could be an Eye and you wouldn't know until it is too late - although the organization seems to be made up solely of loyal and subservient men, it is possible they also use women, most likely [[Aunt]]s and [[Martha]]s, as spies and informants. In addition to monitoring and spying upon the general populace, the Eyes also make arrests and harshly interrogate suspects. It is heavily implied they mercilessly torture suspects to their deaths or blackmail them to get the answers they want if they were to keep them alive in the foreseeable future.
|affiliation = No international affilation
 
|description = To Serve and Protect the Republic
 
|head = Commander Winslow
 
}}The '''Eyes of God''', also referred to simply as '''The Eyes''',''' '''are [[Gilead]]'s secret police, responsible for maintaining law and order and rooting out [[Mayday|infidels]] and traitors.
 
 
They drive in matte black long-wheelbase Ford Transit vans with tinted windows, winged eyes painted on the sides; they occasionally wear small items with eyes on them too, such as pins, and they wear dark sunglasses. According to [[June Osborne]], anyone could be an Eye and you wouldn't know until it is too late - although the organization seems to be made up solely of loyal and subservient men, it is possible they also use women, most likely [[Aunt|Aunts]] and [[Martha|Marthas]], as spies and informants. In addition to monitoring and spying upon the general populace, the Eyes also make arrests and harshly interrogate suspects. It is heavily implied they mercilessly torture suspects to their deaths or blackmail them to get the answers they want if they were to keep them alive in the forseeable future.
 
   
 
According to [[Commander Pryce]], the Eyes have a uniformed corps that serves as a visible face, but they gather most intelligence using undercover plainclothes operatives<ref name=":8" />.
 
According to [[Commander Pryce]], the Eyes have a uniformed corps that serves as a visible face, but they gather most intelligence using undercover plainclothes operatives<ref name=":8" />.
== Staff (TV Series) ==
+
== Staff ==
 
===Administration===
 
===Administration===
*[[Commander Pryce]] 1st District Head of the eyes (deceased)
+
*[[Commander Pryce]] 1st District Head (killed in the [[Red Center Bombing]])
*[[Commander Cushing]] 2nd District Head also original designated trade delegation head to [[Canada]] (briefly, later stripped of his command and arrested)
+
*[[Commander Cushing]] 2nd District Head (framed by Serena Joy, June, and Nick)
 
*[[Commander Putnam]] 3rd and Current District Head (carried out Cushing's arrest)
 
*[[Commander Putnam]] 3rd and Current District Head (carried out Cushing's arrest)
*[[B. Frederick Judd|Commander Judd]]: Head of the Eyes 15 years into Gilead's future (Testaments only)
+
*[[B. Frederick Judd|Commander Judd]]: Head of the Eyes 15 years into Gilead's future ([[The Testaments |Testaments ]]only)
 
===Plainclothes Operatives===
 
===Plainclothes Operatives===
 
*[[Nick|Nick Blaine]]
 
*[[Nick|Nick Blaine]]
 
*[[Burke]]
 
*[[Burke]]
 
*Hansen
 
*Hansen
  +
===Unofficial Collaborator===
 
*Martha of [[Commander Guthrie]]
 
*Martha of [[Commander Guthrie]]
 
*Aide of Commander Guthrie
 
*Aide of Commander Guthrie
Line 52: Line 53:
   
 
== Trivia ==
 
== Trivia ==
Nick trades with Beth on behalf of the Eyes, i.e. the Eyes' [[Commander Pryce|administration]] tolerates drug trafficking (in a certain measure).
+
*Nick trades with Beth on behalf of the Eyes, i.e. the Eyes' [[Commander Pryce|administration]] tolerates drug trafficking (in a certain measure).
  +
*The Eyes could be seen as the direct antagonist of [[Mayday]], as both are clandestine networks seeking to defeat one another.
   
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 15:52, 20 September 2019

Remember, there's no point trying to be tough or brave. Everybody breaks. Tell them everything.

Nick advises Offred how to endure an interrogation[1]

The Eyes of God, also referred to simply as The Eyes, are Gilead's secret police, responsible for maintaining law and order and rooting out infidels and traitors.

They drive in matte black long-wheelbase Ford Transit vans with tinted windows, winged eyes painted on the sides; they occasionally wear small items with eyes on them too, such as pins, and they wear dark sunglasses. According to June Osborne, anyone could be an Eye and you wouldn't know until it is too late - although the organization seems to be made up solely of loyal and subservient men, it is possible they also use women, most likely Aunts and Marthas, as spies and informants. In addition to monitoring and spying upon the general populace, the Eyes also make arrests and harshly interrogate suspects. It is heavily implied they mercilessly torture suspects to their deaths or blackmail them to get the answers they want if they were to keep them alive in the foreseeable future.

According to Commander Pryce, the Eyes have a uniformed corps that serves as a visible face, but they gather most intelligence using undercover plainclothes operatives[2].

Staff

Administration

Plainclothes Operatives

Unofficial Collaborator

Business Associates

  • Beth (alcohol supply)

Report Chains

  • Guthrie's Martha  Nick
  • Guthrie's aide  Nick
  • Nick  Pryce

Mentions and activities

After The Takeover

The escape agent of June and Luke destroys their cell phones because "they can track these things, location services or not"[3].

Before the main storyline

Two guards lead Commander Guthrie into an office building of the Eyes. Nick reports to a pleased Commander Pryce that Guthrie has been sleeping with his last two Handmaids and is skimming from the transportation budget, according to his aide and his Martha. Pryce then reminds Nick to "be chiefly reporting on the activities of his own Commander" and regrets the loss in the Waterfords' household. He concludes "We are going to clean up Gilead, son".[2]

Present time

At the gate of the Waterfords' house, Ofglen warns Offred that an Eye is a member of her household[4].

While driving Offred home alone, Nick is asked by Offred about Ofglen's arrest, and he tells her to remember she "can't change" this and "being tough or brave" won't work because "everybody breaks", and she should "tell them everything". Offred then sees a black van parked in the drive, to which Nick apologizes he "couldn't stop them". Inside the house, Offred is interrogated and electrotortured by an Eye and Aunt Lydia about Ofglen. She answers as honestly as possible, omitting the fact that Ofglen is a member of a rebel network, but admitting that she knew Ofglen was a 'Gender Traitor', When they ask why she didn't report the conversation. Offred replies that Ofglen was her friend. Nick later brings her ice for her injuries. He confesses he wished he'd just driven away with her [1] .

In a hotel room of the brothel, Mr. Waterford tells Offred that he feels "a target on his back" since he has been hearing from "purges" in other districts, fearing the Eyes could go after him, too. Offred supposes that this is what happens when you're the boss[2].

Beth is trading with Nick bottles of alcoholic beverages and additional contraband for other illicit goods, such as prescription drugs and pregnancy tests that are used by the customers or working girls of the brothel. Nick formally comments the trade with "The Eyes thank you for your service". [2]

Trivia

  • Nick trades with Beth on behalf of the Eyes, i.e. the Eyes' administration tolerates drug trafficking (in a certain measure).
  • The Eyes could be seen as the direct antagonist of Mayday, as both are clandestine networks seeking to defeat one another.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Episode 3, "Late"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Episode 1.8, "Jezebels"
  3. Episode 1.7, "The Other Side"
  4. Episode 1.1, "Offred"