Object

Anbo‑Jyutsu Protective Gear (Blind‑Shield Set)

A matched kit of anbo‑jyutsu close‑combat armor featuring a low, flip‑up blind‑shield/face piece that seals over the eyes, a contoured low‑profile helmet, a reinforced curved abdomen/chest pad, and layered pads for forearms, shins and knees. Constructed from matte composite/reinforced polymer panels combined with padded leather/textile strapping; straps and clamps cinch tightly for full contact. Combatants tug straps, flip the blind‑shield down to surrender sight, and flip it up to end the bout — each mechanical click puncturing silence and timing literal and metaphorical reveals. The kit is used by William Thomas Riker and Kyle Riker in the Matta duel (episode: The Icarus Factor), and functions narratively to convert regulated violence into emotional revelation: enforced blindness equalizes combat and the later helmet removal exposes vulnerability that triggers Kyle's confession and reconciliation.

3 appearances

Purpose

Protective sparring equipment configured to enforce sightless anbo‑jyutsu combat and to absorb strikes while permitting controlled, ritualized engagement.

Significance

Serves as both practical armor and dramatic device: the enforced blindness externalizes years of resentment, the flip‑up reveals puncture emotional beats, and the kit’s use directly precipitates the discovery of cheating and the resulting confession that repairs the father‑son bond.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Blind Rings: The Riker–Kyle Duel and Confession

Blind-shield face gear enforces the sightless rule, forcing reliance on sound and touch; flipping shields up punctuates pauses, reveals faces for confession, and visually marks the oscillation between combat and conversation.

Before: Properly strapped on both men; shields ready to be flipped down for blind combat.

After: Both men remove or flip shields up during breaks; Riker removes his helmet in laughter, Kyle removes his helmet to confess; gear remains physically intact.

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S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Blind Shields Down — Duel, Confession, Reconciliation

The blind-shield facepieces enforce sensory deprivation that turns the duel into a tactile, auditory conversation; flipping them up stops action and permits frank talk. The shields create ceremonial pauses that frame revelations and force emotional honesty when sight is restored.

Before: Properly fitted on both men, flipped down to begin the match.

After: Flipped up at pauses during the duel and finally removed by both when the emotional exchange ends; returned intact.

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S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

The Matta — Confession in the Ring

The Anbo-Jyutsu Blind-Shield Kit is the literal constraint that forces the duel's emotional subtext to surface: by removing sight, contestants must rely on rhythm and touch, which turns the match into a test of trust and memory rather than brute force. The flip-up motion punctuates moments of revelation and rule challenge.

Before: Fastened across both men's faces, engaged to deny vision and activate the ritual; straps secured and faces concealed.

After: Both competitors flip them up at moments of pause; ultimately helmets/blind-shields are removed as honesty and dialogue replace ritual concealment.

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