Why does Riddick wear goggles throughout the Chronicles Of Riddick franchise? Before being propelled to stardom with The Fast And The Furious, Vin Diesel’s first breakout role was the convict Riddick in Pitch Black. Despite actors like Steven Seagal being suggested for Riddick, director David Twohy believed Diesel was the perfect choice. The character of Dom Toretto has become Diesel’s most popular – both critically and in terms of box office – but Riddick is arguably his best character and performance. Unlike Dom, he’s a lethal killer and loner who is almost repelled by contact with other humans.
That said, Riddick still has a code and sense of honor. The franchise has teased some of his backstory, with the character being born on the harsh planet of Furya, and the Furyans are gifted with almost superhuman strength and speed. The Chronicles Of Riddick’s main villain the Necromongers later led a genocide against the planet, but the upcoming Riddick: Furya is set to bring Diesel’s anti-hero back to his homeworld. It may also answer some long-standing questions about his special eyesight.
No, Riddick Isn’t Blind
Despite his trademark goggles and the sense he relies on more animalistic senses to hunt prey (be it human or otherwise ) no, Riddick is not blind. Instead, he has a natural ability called “eyeshine,” which lets him see with near-perfect clarity in the dark. Considering the story for Pitch Black involves a crew who crash lands on a planet that plunges into total darkness, this eyeshine ability comes in most useful. In both the movies and the Escape From Butcher Bay video game, Riddick’s eyeshine is one of his greatest strengths; conversely, it can also be his biggest weaknesses.
Why Riddick Needs His Goggles
Eyeshine is the reason Riddick is more commonly seen wearing his goggles. His eyesight is hyper-sensitive to any form of bright light, which can be seen in his first fight with mercenary Johns (Cole Hauser) in Pitch Black. A one-on-one fight between the pair under any other circumstance probably would have ended with Johns’ earning a broken neck, but Riddick is all but helpless when his goggles are removed and his eyes are exposed to the planet’s blazing sunshine. Riddick has presented a couple of narratives about his eyeshine, stating in Pitch Black that they were the result of illegal surgery when he was in a particularly hellish prison.
Escape From Butcher Bay and The Chronicles Of Riddick both suggest his eyeshine gift is really a natural ability that Furyans possess. If so, then Riddick only underlocks this ability later in life, as during the first section of Escape From Butcher Bay, he has normal eyesight. There are plenty of fan theories floating around about his origins and true abilities, and hopefully, Riddick: Furya will finally provide some answers.
