From swashbuckling pirates to gritty detectives, characters with eye patches have become a staple of popular culture. Not only do they add an air of mystery and intrigue to a character, but they also serve as a visual reminder of their past experiences and personal struggles. Due to its lasting impression and simple application, characters with an eye patch have captured audiences around the world.
In this article, we'll be exploring the 10 most memorable characters with an eye patch, from the classic to the contemporary. Ranging from cult icons like Snake Plissken and popular blockbuster stars like Nick Fury to outright dangerous villains like Emilio Largo and Elle Driver, these characters wouldn't be the same without their trademark eye-patched appearance.
10 Alex Cutter
Alex Cutter is a Vietnam veteran portrayed by John Heard in the movie Cutter's Way, one of the greatest neo-noir ever made. Cutter is a complex and deep character who is tormented by his experiences in the war, which left him permanently injured in his eye and arm. Struggling to leave behind his troubled past, he drinks heavily and has developed a mistrust for authority.
The eye patch that he's wearing fits the role completely and gives it that edge that is fundamental for his character. In substance, Cutter has become a rebel after participating in and witnessing the atrocities of the war, and his physical features have left him feeling like an outcast in society. Cutter is a modern-day pirate who made the countercultural lessons about the negative power of the State his own.
9 Claus von Stauffenberg
Claus von Stauffenberg was a real-life Nazi Army Officer who organized a plot to kill Hitler on the 20th of July 1944. The officer and his co-conspirators failed. In the movie Valkyrie, which depicts the attempted conspiration, Claus von Stauffenberg is played by Tom Cruise. In the movie, the officer is shown to be an intelligent and resourceful leader, able to inspire and motivate his fellow conspirators.
von Stauffenberg started wearing his eye patch after remaining injured in Tunisia in 1943. In fact, a British squadron of the Desert Air Force attacked the Nazi battalion with an air raid, and the officer was struck multiple times, also losing his right hand and two fingers on his left hand. The eye patch is important in physically conveying war's effect on von Stauffenberg and his disillusionment towards Hitler's dictatorship.
8 Ragetti
Ragetti is a distinctive character within the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise portrayed by Mackenzie Crook, recognized for his eccentric appearance and humorous nature. He is a member of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew serving as a lookout, while also functioning as the occasional source of comic relief. He is also shown to possess a good amount of courage, particularly in combat situations, and, despite conjuring with Barbossa to mutiny against Jack Sparrow, Ragetti's loyalty towards Johnny Depp's character grows in time.
Ragetti is portrayed as having a wooden eye that he frequently misplaces or becomes dislodged, adding to his comedic antics. Among the things his eye was subjected to, the most famous and hilarious sequence featured a fork being stuck in it, in the typical black comedic nature of the franchise. Ragetti opted also for an eye patch to protect the region, completing his pirate look.
7 Emilio Largo
Emilio Largo is a villainous character from the James Bond film Thunderball, portrayed by Adolfo Celi. Largo is a wealthy businessman and a high-ranking member of the international criminal organization known as SPECTRE. He is known for his ruthless demeanor, strategic mind, and penchant for violence. Largo is the primary antagonist in the film, and his plan involves stealing two nuclear warheads and demanding a ransom of 100 million pounds from NATO.
Largo is portrayed as a cunning and formidable opponent who is willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve his goals. His cold and calculating nature, coupled with his wealth and influence, make him a formidable adversary for Bond and his allies. His mysterious and dangerous nature is elevated by the eye patch Largo wears. The fact that the spectators are unaware of the vicissitudes behind his lost eye makes him even more shady.
6 Luz
Luz is portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez in that over-the-top and mind-blowing cult called Machete. Luz is a taco truck lady, who uses her job as a cover for her revolutionary work with the Network, a grass root immigrant movement. Everything changes for her when she gets in between the conflict that sees Machete (Danny Trejo) fighting against the corrupt forces that have betrayed him. Rodriguez is amazing in showing the fierce and independent side of Luz.
Luz is an empowering character, who is not afraid to speak her mind or stand up to those who try to intimidate her. At the same time, one of the most notable aspects of Rodriguez's portrayal of Luz is the way she portrays the character's strength and determination. The eye patch is a great way of showing materially her sense of conviction and toughness.
5 Rooster Cogburn
Jeff Bridges is behind the role of Rooster Cogburn in the 2010 remake of True Grit, originally featuring John Wayne. The movie is based on the homonymous novel by Charles Portis. Bridges's portrayal perfectly captures the essence of the character's ruggedness; in fact, Cogburn is a U.S. Marshal known for his ability to catch criminals and his trigger-happy mentality. At the same time, he struggles with alcoholism and a dark past.
Rooster Cogburn had a hard life, and many negative experiences have left their mark on him. The eye patch he is wearing perfectly conveys this aspect, and it is used to emphasize his tough reputation as lawman, as well as adding to the character's rugged and intimidating appearance. The U.S. Marshal lost his eye serving on the Confederate side during the American Civil War.
4 Elle Driver
Daryl Hannah portrays Elle Driver in Kill Bill and does that with incredible capabilities. The assassin is part of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, a crew of professional hit-men led by Bill. The character's personality is cold and ruthless and presents traits that resemble psychopathy and sadism; in fact, she is both deeply intelligent and highly violent, with no regard for who is standing in front of her.
California Mountain Snake, this is her alias, lost her eye during the training with Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), when the master snatched it out for his student's insolence. The eye patch she's wearing is a fantastic extra touch that helps the character achieve a level of dangerousness and toughness that is easily recognizable by the audience. At the same time, her patch has become a trademark of her appearance.
3 Nick Fury
Nick Fury is the tough director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he is portrayed in the MCU by Samuel L. Jackson. Fury has the appearance of a strong leader and a straightforward character, being known as a skilled strategist and tactician. At the same time, he is often seen as a mysterious and enigmatic character with a complex personality. The importance of Fury lies in his military and intelligence experiences, which gave him a unique perspective on global threats and the superhuman community.
The exact details of how he lost his eye have been depicted differently in the comics and in the MCU. In the cinematic universe, the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director lost his eye after an encounter with a particularly adorable alien (see Captain Marvel for further details).
2 Mad-Eye Moody
Mad-Eye Moody is a character in the Harry Potter movies portrayed by Brendan Gleeson, who is known for his eccentric personality and distinctive physical appearance. Moody possesses a robust moral compass and a profound concern for the well-being of his fellow witches and wizards, having fought for many years against dark magic. His past as an Auror, those magicians who capture and bring to justice Dark Arts's practitioners, left him extremely paranoid and always on the lookout.
Mad-Eye Moody got his unique eye-patch and magic eye as a result of injuries sustained during his career as an Auror. After losing his real eye in combat, Moody replaced it with a magical one, which provided him with enhanced vision and the ability to see through objects and detect hidden magic. His uncommon eye is a fantastic touch that symbolizes his overly suspicious nature.
1 Snake Plissken
Snake Plissken is the quintessential eye-patched character, and his iconic appearance has become legendary. Appearing in Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. and being portrayed by Kurt Russell, Snake is known for his tough and cynical mentality. In John Carpenter's cinematic universe, Plissken was a Special Forces operator and a veteran of World War III, prior to making a living as a professional criminal. Since the release of the first Escape, this cult character has been revered by many fans.
The audience is left in the dark about the actual circumstances that led Snake Plissken to lose his eye. It will be revealed later in the novelization of the character that he lost his eye during World War III. The unknown origin of the character's trademark eye patch is fundamental for intensifying his mysterious aura and rebellious attitude.