Shocking audiences around the world, theSawfranchise is notorious for its convoluted torture-based traps and its even more convoluted storylines filled with extensive flashbacks and plot twists. Staying true to form,Saw Xwill be taking place just after the firstSawfilm and before the second. Every Saw buff knows that this bold move is likely because the infamous Jigsaw killer, John Kramer, was killed off quickly in the third movie. DespiteTobin Bellreprising his role in later films during the many flashbacks, theSawfranchise sorely felt the absence of the real original killer. Taking us back to when Kramer was alive reinvigorates excitement for the franchise, particularly since during theMidsummer Scream 2023 convention, producerOren Koulesclaimsthat Kramer is “absolutely the hero [perhaps more like anti-hero] of this movie.“So, for those looking for a comprehensive guide to what you need to know before seeingSaw X, this article has pieced together the jigsaw puzzle that is theSawfranchise.
What Is Jigsaw’s Origin Story in the Saw Franchise?
Once upon a time, John Kramer was a civil engineer and property developer who had a loving wife, Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell), and a child on the way. But like all villain origin stories, one fateful day flipped Kramer’s idyllic life into a living hell. Jill ran a clinic for drug addicts and one night while locking up her patient Cecil Adams (Billy Otis) tried to break in and steal drugs, leading to Jill’s miscarriage. This led to the disintegration of Kramer’s and Jill’s marriage, and their divorce, and eventually, Kramer found out he was dying of cancer that is in too late of a stage to be treated. After losing everything, Kramer attempted suicide by crashing his car but was left alive, resulting in him realizing he was lucky to be alive. With essentially nothing to lose, Kramer used his engineering background and newfound appreciation for life to test the wills to survive of others. Naturally, Cecil Adams became his first test subject, and he promptly failed, giving rise to the Jigsaw killer.
RELATED:Why the ‘Saw’ Franchise Needs to Fix Its Villain Problem
Funnily enough, Kramer “despises” murderers, claiming he was never one himself. His ideology revolved around his wife’s clinic’s motto: “Cherish your life.” In his eyes, he was simply pushing people to gain a new appreciation for living like he once attained, suggesting that only a near-death and traumatic experience can truly facilitate the rebirth of someone. And since there was always a way to survive his games, technically they killed themselves. That being said, just because the bullet causes the death, doesn’t mean the person who aimed and pulled the trigger isn’t a murderer; additionally, if not murder there are many other criminal charges to his name, soby no means is Kramer a moral human. With Kramer at the forefront ofSaw X, how he developed his ideology will be fleshed out more, particularly since it involves a clinic in Mexico that promises him an experimental treatment for cancer which turns out to be a scam.
‘Saw’ Shows the Beginning of Jigsaw’s Rampage
The first film was set early in Kramer’s murderous career and featured the main bathroom trap and three past ones.Amanda Young’s (Shawnee Smith)reverse bear trap became the franchise’s most enduring iconography alongside thecreepy little puppet on a bicycle, Billy. Amanda’s trap involves cutting out a key from her paralyzed cellmate’s stomach, whom she ends up manically stabbing even after realizing he is alive. Managing to yank off the reverse bear trap in mere seconds, Amanda is now a reformed drug addict, Kramer’s most successful test subject and later, his apprentice.
But it was the psychological terror and grotesque imagery coupled with abaffling twist that ingrained that first bathroom Jigsaw trapin our minds. Opening up in a filthy bathroom, we are introduced to oncologist Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and freelance photographer Adam Faulkner (Leigh Whannell). Dr. Gordon is revealed to be the oncologist who had “dispassionately” told Kramer that he has late-stage cancer — a tumor in his brain that could have been caught earlier if a ward hadn’t mistakenly mislabeled the MRI scans. Meanwhile, Adam earned his spot by accepting payment for sneakily taking photographs of people, including Dr. Gordon. After a psychologically brutal 60 minutes of completing puzzles and trying to evade the only provided pathways of escape, Dr. Gordon decides and successfully manages to saw off his foot. InSaw 3Dit is revealed that Kramer found him passed out in the hallway and nursed him back to health, earning Dr. Gordon’s trust and surgical assistance during games like the Venus flytrap death mask inSaw II.
On the other hand, Adam is left shackled in the bathroom. Amanda was actually the apprentice that had kidnapped him and had also carelessly thrown the handcuff’s key into the bathtub where it went down the drain the second Adam woke up. In later films, it is revealed that she was haunted by her recklessness and as such had returned to the bathroom to mercifully end Adam’s suffering. But she could not do it. WithSaw Xtaking place directly after this incident coupled withShawnee reprising her role as Amanda, there is a chance this storyline could be developed. Whether Adam himself will make an appearance is unknown, but it does seem like his existence will be tormenting Amanda and influencing her decisions during their Mexico trip.
The Jigsaw Apprentices Will Appear in ‘Saw X’
Kramer’s health visibly deteriorates as each film progresses, leading to his death inSaw III. Considering he was already dying of cancer, Kramer had no qualms about planning his death as a function of a Jigsaw test, ending his life alongside Amanda’s. With both the original Jigsaw killer and his apprentice killed off so early into the franchiseit’s a wonder that it ever continued. But Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) gladly took the helm inSaw IV, and turns out, he had been in the picture longer than we thought. Earlier on, Hoffman manufactured a Jigsaw-style trap to murder the man who killed his sister. Catching Kramer’s eye as a copycat who used a “poor-quality blade,” Hoffman was recruited as an apprentice and refined his technique and knowledge until he could take over.
In fact, Hoffman essentially orchestrated Amanda’s and Kramer’s death inSaw III. We see Amanda reading a letter that causes her to break down and drives her down the path of failing her test. Only in the sixth installment do we find out that it is a letter from Hoffman threatening to tell Kramer about her role in the miscarriage of his unborn child unless she interfered with the game (which would ultimately cause her own death, unbeknownst to her). There is a clear rivalry between them, with Amanda often smugly pointing out Hoffman’s flaws since she was the first apprentice. Although we know that Hoffman eventually wins out,Saw Xshould explore the escalating intermediate stages that were missing.
As exciting as it would be to see Dr. Gordon actually at work as a Jigsaw accomplice,Elwes’s interview with Screenrantrevealed that he is “not really involved anymore” and as such the only glimpse of this apprentice we’ll see remains in the few minutes ofSaw 3D. However, this does mean more screen time for the tumultuous rivalry between the two iconic apprentices, Hoffman and Amanda. Although Hoffman’s presence in the film hasn’t been confirmed yet, theSaw Xtrailerfeatures a suspiciously familiar voice saying “Of all the men to cheat, you pick John Kramer?” Naturally, every fan is bracing themselves for his appearance. If Mandylor does reprise his role, Hoffman’s and Amanda’s relationship as well as their transition to the dark side will be a thrilling ride.
