| Cassandra Anderson | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name: | Judge Cassandra Anderson |
| Gender: | Female |
| Hair color: | Blonde |
| Eye color: | Brown |
| Role: | Hero |
| Age: | 21 |
| Birthplace: | Mega City One |
| Nationality: | American |
| Affiliation: | Mega City One Justice Department |
| Profession: | Mega City Judge |
| Rank: | Judge (rookie) |
| Father: | Deceased |
| Mother: | Deceased |
| Status: | Alive |
| Played by: | Olivia Thirlby |
| Film: | Dredd |
- "I was born and raised in a block like this before the Justice Department took me. I know there are good people inside. Good families just trying to get by. Yes, I believe I can make a difference."
- ―Anderson on why she became a Judge.
Judge Cassandra Anderson is rookie Judge and genetic mutant with powerful psychic abilities who can sense the thoughts and emotions of others. She was portrayed in the 2012 film Dredd by American actress Olivia Thirlby.
Character Biography[]
Early Life[]
Cassandra Anderson was born to a lower class family in a slum block 100 yards from the radiation boundary in Mega City One. Both of her parents died from a form of cancer when she was only seven years old. As an orphan she was given a Judge aptitude test when she was 9 years of age. She failed the test, but was entered regardless after a special instruction. She likewise failed her tests in the Academy, but was given one chance to prove her worth by the Chief Judge, who recognised her psychic abilities potential.
Dredd[]
The Chief Judge tasked Judge Dredd with evaluating Anderson by way of a field evaluation. Anderson claimed that she didn't like to wear her helmet because it interfered with her psychic abilities, to which Dredd argued that a bullet would interfere more. Her test led them to the Peachtrees Block, answering to a report of multiple homocides. The murders were discovered to be involved with drug manufacturing (Pharmacology). Dredd and Anderson investigate the drug den, which they raid. They arrest a thug named Kay, whom Anderson's mind probe reveals to be the one who carried out the drug dealers' execution.
The druglord Ma-Ma ordered both Dredd and Anderson to be killed, the Judges fight their way through dozens of armed thugs. Arriving at the 76th floor, the Judges are assaulted by Ma-Ma and her men with Vulcan cannons that rip through the walls, killing numerous residents. Anderson used her psychic abilities to read Kay's mind, learning that Peachtrees was the centre of Slo-Mo production and distribution. Anderson suggests that she and Dredd hide while awaiting assistance, but Dredd insists they move up the tower and pursue Ma-Ma. Kay attempted to execute Anderson with her own Lawgiver, but the pistol's DNA scanner does not recognize him and blows his arm off. Anderson escapes and later encounters a rogue judge,
Anderson with her helmet.
Judge Kaplan, whom she promptly kills after reading her mind. Elsewhere, Dredd kills Judge Alvarez but ran out of ammunition, and is shot by Judge Lex in the abdomen. Dredd stalled Lex long enough for Anderson to arrive and kill him.
Anderson uses her telepathy to obtain the code to Ma-Ma's apartment from her computer expert and lets him live, because he was more of a victim than a villain. Her and Dredd take out the remainder of Ma-Ma's henchmen surrounding her penthouse and confront her, where Anderson is shot in the abdomen. Dredd forces Ma-Ma to inhale Slo-Mo and throws her down the atrium to her death. In the elevator, Dredd patches her wound on her stomach (unzipping her uniform to reveal her midriff-revealing shirt), Outside the building, Anderson accepts that she has failed her evaluation by losing her Lawgiver, and leaves. The Chief Judge then asked Dredd about Anderson's performance where he tells her that she had indeed passed.
Judge Anderson killed thirteen people in Dredd, two of whom Judges.
Concept and Creation[]
Judge Anderson was a supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic, 2000 AD, but was introduced in the film as a rookie Judge and genetic mutant with powerful psychic abilities. Anderson can sense the thoughts and emotions of others. Thirlby contrasted her character with Dredd's "black and white" perspective, describing Anderson as existing "in a grey area where everything is enhanced or clouded by the fact [that] she knows what is going on in the very interior of a person". She undertook weapons and combat training, learning to perform a roundhouse kick to make her believably physically commanding. The character was partially inspired by singer Debbie Harry.
Thirlby has since called Judge Anderson the best character she's ever played.
Powers and abilities[]
- Psychic Powers: Able to read minds, memories and also inception ability, where she is able to put herself inside of someone else's dream and torture them psychologically to extract a confession.
- Firearms
- Unlike Dredd, she is a critic of the weaknesses in the judicial system of Mega-City One, has a sense of humor, is strong and independent, forms personal friendships with fellow Judges, and permits herself doubt and remorse. Despite their differences, because her determination is similar to Dredd's, the two of them co-operate effectively.
| Dredd Characters | |
|---|---|
| Main Characters | Judge Dredd - Judge Cassandra Anderson |
| Ma-Ma Clan | Madeline "Ma-Ma" Madrigal - Kay - Caleb - Japhet - Techie |
| Corrupt Judges | Judge Lex - Judge Chan - Judge Alvarez - Judge Kaplan |
| Other characters | TJ - Cathy - Ethan Zwirner |