"I See Perfectly"

I predicted back with the first aired episode of Dollhouse that eyes and vision would be a recurring theme. (See my post from February 17th.) It appears the fifth episode, "True Believer," proved me right. Ahhh - doomsday cults always provide such fertile storytelling ground, don't they?

Let's see - Echo is made blind in order to be a sort of high-tech spy camera. When knocked violently to the ground by the Big Bad (named "Jonas Sparrow" - we'll get back to him) the camera-thingie goes skittering loose and Echo regains her sight in what is taken for a miracle. (Echo's name in this one, by the way, is the overtly Biblical "Esther Carpenter." Esther is an Old Testament queen who sticks her neck out in order to save her people - it works and we get the festival of Purim to boot. And yes, the world is saved by a carpenter in this one.) She is betrayed by one of the Dollhouse flunkies, but rescued by another. She's wiped, but she's beginning to seriously remember things, as she replies to the question, "How's your eyesight?" by noting the man who slugged her with a gun butt and saying, "I see perfectly."

Indeed, our girl just may be telling the truth. That seems to be underscored by the fact that she sees the need to conceal her knowledge about that little run-in.

Finally. It's shaping up. And I hear that episode six (which I plan on watching tomorrow) is the real game-changer.

Oh - "Jonas Sparrow." Well, "Jonas" is a Latinized form of "Jonah" (he of the whale detour to Nineveh). Ironically, "Jonas" is translated as "dove." This particular "dove" was lining his nest with high-powered rifles. And "Sparrow" - well, God's eye is always on the sparrow, isn't it? See Matthew 10:29 - 31 - "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father . . . So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." This sentiment is also part of a lovely spiritual titled "Eyes on the Sparrow."It's a gorgeous song that reminds listeners of the comfort and care of the Divine.

But whose eyes are on Echo?

Hmmm.