John Kramer (also known as "The Jigsaw Killer" or simply "Jigsaw") is a fictional character and the main

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.''Saw'' franchise. Jigsaw, an electrical engineer made his debut in the first film of the series, ''

Saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, Wire saw, wire, or Chainsaw, chain with a hard toothed edge used to cut through material. Various terms are used to describe toothed and abrasive saws. Saws began as serrated materials, and when man ...

'', and appears in all subsequent installments, with the exception of ''

Spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving further away as it revolves around the point. It is a subtype of whorled patterns, a broad group that also includes concentric objects. Two-dimensional A two-dimension ...

'', in which he is only mentioned and featured in photographs. He is portrayed by American actor

Tobin Bell Tobin Bell (born Joseph Henry Tobin Jr.; August 7, 1942) is an American actor. Appearing in over 100 titles during a five-decade career, he is most recognized for his role as John Kramer / Jigsaw in the ''Saw'' franchise. Bell started his a ...

Fictional character biography

''Saw''

Jigsaw first appears in the 2004 film ''

''. In the series' narrative, John is a former

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

dying from an inoperable

frontal lobe The frontal lobe is the largest of the four major lobes of the brain in mammals, and is located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere (in front of the parietal lobe and the temporal lobe). It is parted from the parietal lobe by a Sulcus (neur ...

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

. After a suicide attempt, John becomes

psychopathic Psychopathy, or psychopathic personality, is a personality construct characterized by impaired empathy and remorse, along with bold, disinhibited, and egocentric traits. These traits are often masked by superficial charm and immunity to s ...

, furious at people wilfully throwing their lives away, when people like him were having theirs cut undeservedly short. To both punish and enlighten the self-destructive, John creates lethal traps, devices, and scenarios that force his victims to inflict pain and anguish upon themselves or others in order to escape, though not always in one piece. As an

, John designs and builds the contraptions featured in the series. These systems are often a combination of explosives, mechanical and electrical systems. The tests are typically symbolic of what Jigsaw perceives as a flaw in each person's moral character or life. He cuts the shape of a puzzle piece from the remains of people who fail to survive his "tests," hence the nickname Jigsaw Killer. In ''

Saw II ''Saw II'' is a 2005 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Leigh Whannell and Bousman. It is the sequel to ''Saw (2004 film), Saw'' (2004) and the second installment in the Saw (franchise), ''Saw'' film series. The film sta ...

'', John says that the puzzle piece is meant to symbolize that the subject was "missing a vital piece of the human puzzle: the survival instinct." The Jigsaw Killer's identity remains uncertain until the end of the first film. It is ultimately revealed that John Kramer has been posing as a bloodied corpse on the floor of the bathroom where Dr. Lawrence Gordon and Adam Stanheight's test is taking place.

''Saw II''

In ''Saw II'', John leaves a clue to his location at the scene of a game. When the police apprehend him, John reveals to Detective Eric Matthews that Eric's son

Daniel Daniel commonly refers to: * Daniel (given name), a masculine given name and a surname * List of people named Daniel * List of people with surname Daniel * Daniel (biblical figure) * Book of Daniel, a biblical apocalypse, "an account of the acti ...

is trapped in a house filled with deadly

nerve gas Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that ...

, along with several people who were framed by Eric for crimes they did not commit. John tells Eric that he will let Daniel survive if Eric talks to him until the game is complete. Eric eventually loses patience, assaults John, and forces John to lead him to the house at gunpoint. It is later revealed that the test in the house took place before John and Eric ever made contact, and Daniel was locked in a safe for the entirety of their conversation. Upon their arrival, John is rescued by

Amanda Young Amanda Young is a fictional character created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell and is one of the antagonist, antagonists in the Saw (franchise), ''Saw'' franchise. She first appeared in ''Saw (2004 film), Saw'' (2004), portrayed by Shawnee Smit ...

, a survivor of an earlier Jigsaw test who has come to see John as a father figure and mentor.

''Saw III''

In ''

Saw III ''Saw III'' is a 2006 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and a story by Whannell and James Wan. A sequel to ''Saw II'' (2005) and the third installment in the ''Saw'' film series, it stars Tobin Bel ...

'', John's cancer has progressed and he is on his death bed. His apprentice, Amanda, begins to create impossible tests. This angers John, who doesn't see his games as outright murder because the participants have a chance of survival. John administers a final test to Amanda to decide whether she will be a worthy successor. Meanwhile, Dr. Lynn Denlon is forced to keep John alive via emergency surgery. Her husband

Jeff Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes ...

also undergoes a test, meant to be a punishment for his inability to forgive a drunk driver who killed one of his children. John attempts to prevent Amanda from failing her test, but she admits that she no longer believes in John's philosophy and shoots Lynn. Jeff subsequently shoots and kills Amanda. Jeff then kills John with a power saw. As he dies, John pulls out a tape player revealing that Jeff has failed his test by killing him, and that Jigsaw has abducted Jeff and Lynn's daughter Corbett. Jeff is forced to play another game to find Corbett.

''Saw IV''

Saw IV ''Saw IV'' is a 2007 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and a story by Melton, Dunstan, and Thomas Fenton. A sequel to '' Saw III'' (2006) and the fourth installment in the ''Sa ...

'' opens with John's autopsy where a wax-coated tape is found in his stomach. The tape reveals to Detective Mark Hoffman that he will be tested, with the end of the film revealing that Hoffman is another one of John's accomplices. ''Saw IV'' also explores John's backstory. John was a successful civil engineer and property developer, as well as a devoted husband to his wife Jill Tuck. Jill ran a recovery clinic for drug users and was robbed by Cecil, one of her patients. Cecil accidentally injured her during the robbery and she subsequently miscarried. John became bitter after the loss of their unborn child, and he and Jill ultimately divorced. After being diagnosed with cancer and attempting suicide, John becomes the Jigsaw Killer and Cecil is his first victim. The film also further illuminates Amanda Young's backstory and connection to John Kramer. In a flashback, it is revealed that Amanda, suffering from heroin withdrawal, was the one to convince Cecil to rob the clinic - inadvertently causing Jill's miscarriage and the couple's divorce. After Cecil became Jigsaw's first victim, John soon focused his sights on Amanda: seeing her as a good candidate for a trap due to her addiction and her role in Jill's assault.

''Saw V''

Saw V ''Saw V'' is a 2008 horror film directed by David Hackl, in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. A sequel to '' Saw IV'' (2007) and the fifth installment in the ''Saw'' film series, it stars Tobin Bel ...

'' features flashbacks which explore the relationship between John and Detective Hoffman. Hoffman killed his sister's murderer with a deadly game that mimicked John's tests. Much like Amanda's tests, Hoffman's were inescapable. After discovering Hoffman's identity, John blackmailed Hoffman into becoming his apprentice. John also appears in a video will, in which he declares his love for Jill and leaves her a mysterious box.

''Saw VI''

In ''

Saw VI ''Saw VI'' is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert (in his directorial debut) and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. A sequel to ''Saw V'' (2008) and the sixth installment in the ''Saw'' film series, it stars Tobin Bell, Cos ...

'', John appears in flashback as well as in video recordings. The recordings are for John's victim William Easton, who inadvertently caused John's death by denying his insurance claim. In a flashback set between the second and third films, John presents Amanda to Jill as proof that his games work as rehabilitation. A flashback set before the events of the third and fourth films explores the group dynamic between John, Amanda, and Hoffman. It is also revealed that John gave his ex-wife a key, which she later used to open the box he gave her in ''Saw V''. In the present, it is revealed that the box contained six envelopes containing future test subjects, a thicker envelope, and an updated version of the "reverse bear trap." She gave Hoffman envelopes 1 to 5, but envelope 6 was intended for Jill to carry out alone. As per John's instructions, she places Hoffman in the "reverse bear trap"; fulfilling the promise made via the audio tape discovered in John's stomach during his autopsy in ''Saw IV'' that Hoffman would be tested.

''Saw 3D''

Saw 3D ''Saw 3D'' (also released as ''Saw: The Final Chapter'') is a 2010 American 3D film, 3D horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. A sequel to ''Saw VI'' (2009) and the seventh installment in the Sa ...

'' features flashbacks of John meeting Bobby Dagen, a man who acquired quick fame and fortune after falsifying a story about surviving a Jigsaw trap, at a book signing. Hoffman later makes Bobby go through a series of tests (including re-enacting the very test that he falsely claimed to have survived) in which he comes face-to-face with those who knew he lied (except his wife), but refused to expose his secret; all are killed in separate traps despite his efforts to save them. John appears at the end of the film, where it is revealed that he recruited Dr. Gordon (a survivor of one of Jigsaw's tests in the first film) as an apprentice.

''Jigsaw''

In '' Jigsaw'', John's recorded voice is heard during the tests. He appears in person during the final test, confronting its two participants with the truth of their past misdeeds. After loading a double-barreled shotgun with one shell that he describes as "your key to freedom," he leaves the room. It is later revealed that this test took place ten years ago, and that John chose one of the five victims to become his first apprentice.

''Spiral''

In ''

'', John does not appear (except in photographs) but is said to have inspired the copycat killer central to the film's plot. ''Spiral'' is the only film in the series in which Tobin Bell does not reprise the role of John Kramer.

''Saw X''

In ''

Saw X ''Saw X'' is a 2023 American horror film directed and edited by Kevin Greutert, and written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. It is the tenth installment in the Saw (franchise), ''Saw'' film series, following ''Spiral (2021 film), Spiral'' ...

'', set between the events of ''Saw'' and ''Saw II'', John is undergoing treatment for brain cancer but is given notice that he will soon die of the disease. Through a reunion with an acquaintance from his support group, he learns of an unauthorized operation in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

where a groundbreaking new technique cures cancer patients. He travels there and undergoes the procedure given by Cecilia Pederson, "curing" him of his cancer; however, he soon realizes that the operation was a fake and everyone involved works to defraud cancer patients, making Pederson rich. John enlists the help of Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman, with Amanda traveling to Mexico City to help kidnap each fraudster and subject them to a trap to atone for their behavior. After Pederson seemingly escapes from her restraints, she puts John and Carlos, a local young boy John befriended, into the trap meant for her. However, it is soon revealed that John had planned for this. After Pederson attempts to retrieve the stolen money, John, Amanda, and Carlos are freed, leaving Pederson to attempt to escape her final trap. Ultimately, Pederson and her husband are trapped in the room, with toxic gas slowly filling the space around them. In the room is a single small air hole, just barely big enough for a human head to fit through. Pederson and her husband begin to fight, until she kills her husband and catches her breath through the air hole. However, she is left with no means of escape, and John, Amanda, and Carlos are free to leave. John gives Carlos the money before he leaves. Later on, John and Hoffman capture the man who introduced John to the scam and set him up for a trap.

''Saw XI''

In October 2024, it was confirmed that John Kramer will return again for ''Saw XI'', as his story "isn't done" yet and there is more to learn about his past.

In other media

''Saw: Rebirth''

The character of John Kramer is also featured in the non-canon comic book '' Saw: Rebirth'', which is set prior to the events of the first film. It filled in some of his history, showing him as a toy designer at Standard Engineering Ltd. who was too lazy to do much with his life, ultimately ending his relationship with Jill. ''Saw: Rebirth'' also reveals John's discovery that he had terminal cancer and outlined how his subsequent suicide attempt impacted his train of thought. His relationships with Dr. Lawrence Gordon, Zep Hindle,

Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...

, Amanda Young, and

Mark Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...

were explored, along with his transformation into Jigsaw. ''Rebirth'' continuity was ultimately contradicted by the backstory presented in ''Saw IV''.

''Saw: The Video Game''

Tobin Bell reprises his role as the voice of Jigsaw in the ''Saw'' video game. He is shown on television screens dressed in his signature robes setting up traps for people and preaching his lesson of life appreciation to them. He frequently advises and taunts Detective Tapp as he traverses through an abandoned insane asylum, usually by way of the Billy the Puppet. In the game's "Freedom" ending, Tapp escapes from the asylum, but cannot overcome his obsession with Jigsaw and later commits suicide; the game's sequel confirms that this ending is canon.

''Saw II: Flesh & Blood''

Tobin Bell reprised his role as the voice of the Jigsaw Killer in the ''Saw: The Video Game'' sequel '' Saw II: Flesh & Blood''. Tobin Bell also sold his likeness for John Kramer, who actually appears in the game. John tests Detective Tapp's estranged son

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

, who is wanting to get to the bottom of his father's death. Jigsaw personally taunts Michael throughout the game, always being out of reach. Via case files, it is also revealed that he built nearly half of the city (explaining his numerous hideouts in the series). He appears to seek the destruction of the drug cartel run by corrupt cops. In the ending, he faces either Michael (tempting him into becoming another apprentice) or Campbell Iman (offering him freedom but forced to lure him into a lethal trap when he tries to attack him).

Characterization

The producers of the ''Saw'' films have fought to differentiate the Jigsaw Killer from other horror film killers.

Darren Lynn Bousman Darren Lynn Bousman (; born January 11, 1979) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in horror films. He has directed four of the ''Saw (franchise), Saw'' films: ''Saw II'', ''Saw III'', ''Saw IV'', and ''Spiral ( ...

, the director of ''Saw II'', ''Saw III'', and ''Saw IV'', has stated on the character's role "He's not

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece is featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Med ...

or Freddy. He's not even

Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling ...

. He's a person with extreme beliefs and he really thinks he's making a difference. He's a

vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating, and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without legal authority. A vigilante is a person who practices or partakes in vigilantism, or undertakes public safety and retributive justice ...

if anything. He thinks he's making a difference."

, the actor who plays Jigsaw, describes his character's role as being more of a scientist or engineer and "he thinks very specifically and very pragmatically." About Jigsaw's games being detail-oriented, Bell said: "My sense is that Jigsaw is so detail-oriented that I think he thinks in terms of worst-case scenario. I think he's a very good judge of character, so his sense that, for example, that Detective Matthews was going to play right into his trap, which he did, was right on. Now, it seems to me that he's always got a second plan in place. And there's probably been a number of second plans. I mean, we've only seen three movies. Maybe there are six more somewhere where he failed, where something didn't play out." Speaking about playing the character, Bell stated that " u have to think of someone like Jigsaw from a very specific point of view. He doesn't view himself as some kind of diabolical psychotic. You know there's a little bit of evil in everyone. It just gets carried further. Most of us have some sort of moral fiber that restricts that. Some framework. And then others because of their lives and what happens to them, the thing develops in some other way." Bousman mentioned that ''Saw III'' was intended to contain a scene in which Jigsaw showed remorse for his actions after seeing the results of his legacy:

For the first time, we actually see him break down and cry. Imagine your entire life's work. You're on your deathbed. You know there's nothing else you can do and here's how you'll be remembered: as a killer, as a murderer. Not as someone who helped people. Not as someone who changed lives. Someone who took away lives. The one thing he didn't want to be and, as he's on his deathbed, he's realizing this.

As a result of his cancer and suicide attempt, John decided to dedicate the rest of his life to teaching people to appreciate their own lives. The producers of ''Saw III'' and director Bousman see Jigsaw, not as a serial killer, but a "scientist" who is determined to initiate the survival instinct in his "subjects," believing that humanity no longer uses its instinct of survival. While the character's discovery that he has cancer is acknowledged to be the "final straw" that drove him to his actions, Bell has stated in an interview that "His terminal cancer is one of the elements of his life but he's as angry over the fact the world is going to hell in handbasket because it's no longer the survival of the fittest; it's the survival of the mediocre. That drives him as much as anything else. He doesn't just talk about his frustrations, he does something about them, and he puts himself on the line. His cancer was about one element in about 130 elements that caused him to create the world that he's created." John is depicted in the ''Saw'' films as being extremely cunning and intelligent. In ''Saw: Rebirth'', he is depicted doing extensive study in multiple fields to gain knowledge for designing his tests, and recurring director Bousman himself has described Jigsaw as being "extremely educated" in an interview. ''Saw X'' director Kevin Greutert said bringing Tobin Bell back as Jigsaw was the first thing he wanted out of the film and "to have a little fun with the tropes of the ''Saw'' series and maybe not present John Kramer as completely infallible, and, in fact, he stumbles rather badly a few times in this film, but hopefully the sacred aspects of the character remain satisfying for the audience". Lane Rozin Phifer writes that ''Saw X'' was less focused on traps "and mostly centers around John's complex character, highlighting the hypocrisy of his own work against others doing things that are just as bad, if not, worse." Chase Hutchinson writes that the events of the film "essentially birth Jigsaw into the maniac that will carry out even more harebrained torture schemes" and he is granted "a new lease on life" despite remaining sick.

Symbolic representations

Traps

In the series, John usually builds deadly traps for his subjects, which are often a symbolic representation of what he perceives as a flaw in the person's life (most of the traps are made of scavenged materials, rusty bolts, decaying iron, or anything else he thinks will help him create a new "game"). John calls these tests "games", and tells the person the "rules" of the game, usually by microcasette or video tape. The rules are tasks that the person must perform in order to pass the test and survive, though the tasks often involve extreme self-mutilation; however, not only have there been occasions where it is possible for the subject not to harm themself if they are bright enough (such as the "razor box trap" in ''Saw II'' ), but not all of the traps require self-mutilation, as one trap actually required a man (Jeff Denlon) to burn his deceased son's possessions to retrieve the key to save the second victim. Many of the games involve measured time constraints provided to the victims, such as clocks or active timers. John elaborated on his appreciation of "time" in ''Saw II,'' outlining the importance of savoring every moment. He also stated his belief that telling someone the time in which they may die would awaken an alertness for every moment of existence. Jake Huntley wrote of the complexity of Jigsaw's character in the ''Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies''. Huntley described the intention behind John's actions, and evaluated the extent to which they can be analyzed to fit into the philosophies associated with

Deleuze Gilles Louis René Deleuze (18 January 1925 – 4 November 1995) was a French philosopher who, from the early 1950s until his death in 1995, wrote on philosophy, literature, film, and fine art. His most popular works were the two volumes o ...

, Darwin, and

Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher. He began his career as a classical philologist, turning to philosophy early in his academic career. In 1869, aged 24, Nietzsche became the youngest pro ...

The subject of one of Jigsaw's games is therefore always presented with an opportunity, the aim of which is to reinvigorate the potential of the subject, jump-start the survival instinct and instill a celebration or "savoring" of life. In Deleuzian terms, it is the potential of life that is at stake... It is this that gives Jigsaw's games their Deleuzian tone, the urgent revitalisation of life occasioning new experiences to be learnt and assimilated: such as the perverse, singular and aberrant situation of waking to find a man-trap secured around your neck. There is then the instruction to live or die, to make your choice, to survive the encounter with affect, or the affection-image... There is no thrill, sadistic or otherwise, in setting these games; they are throws of the die by the subjects, aleatoric opportunities... As Jigsaw makes clear to Detective Matthews during their conversation in ''Saw II'', where Jigsaw's motivation and philosophy are most comprehensively explored, "I've never murdered anyone in my life. The decisions are up to them." Whilst it probably wouldn't stand up in court, he is at least correct in his usual, carefully literal sense. The decisions, the choices, the selection of a potential, are in the hands of the subjects of his games and he only intervenes in order to keep the game within its rules so a decision can be reached. The subjects are faced with a shocking choice that forces them to acknowledge what Deleuze identifies as the virtual – that is, the unacknowledged aspects of our experience with reality. This, in effect, is the particular game that Jigsaw himself plays; one where the organism might be failing but the flow of desire succeeds and endures. Jigsaw might resort to discussing Darwin's "little trip to the Galapagos Islands" to provide a theoretical underpinning for his project and echo Nietzsche in talking of the will to survive, but this merely misdirects investigators and witnesses in the same way that the gruesome traps and freely flowing gore earn him his unsettling serial killer soubriquet. Jigsaw's games are designed to crack open the world of their respective players: the challenges are nearly always relevant to the subject's lifestyle in a symbolic or literal way, bringing them to painful self awareness, prompting a reappraisal of their squandered potential.

Through his traps, John intends to force his victims to prove that they are "worthy" and "deserving" to continue living; ideally, the victims will also learn to abandon what he perceives to be their vices. He often expressed a desire for his victims to succeed, but stressed that their fate was always in their own hands. The video and audio tape instructions for his games often echo this idea: "Live or die. Make your choice."

Billy the Puppet

Billy the Puppet is an icon of the Jigsaw character. John has often used this puppet character for the purpose of delivering messages to his victims via a television screen, but at times it has also been physically present with the victims during their tests. He provided the (disguised) voice for Billy when it delivered its messages. It is shown in ''Saw IV'' that the original puppet was created by John as an intended toy for his unborn son Gideon, who died while Cecil Adams was robbing the clinic; Cecil accidentally pushed the door into Jill, which resulted in Gideon's death. John is shown constructing a more sinister Billy puppet in ''Saw III'' for the purpose of its inclusion in his "games."

Microcassettes

Another of John's trademarks is his use of

microcassette The Microcassette (often written generically as microcassette) is an audio storage medium, introduced by Olympus in 1969. It has the same width of magnetic tape as the Compact Cassette but in a cassette roughly one quarter the size. By using ...

s to deliver instructions to his victims, disguising his voice as on the Billy videotapes. A flashback in ''Saw IV'' reveals that he accomplished this by speaking into a reel-to-reel tape recorder, then slowing down the playback. Often, a victim would find a microcassette recorder left for them with a tape already loaded in, while at other times the tape would be found separately in an envelope marked with the victim's name or the tape on its own reading "Play Me." One tape was found in John's stomach during his autopsy at the beginning of ''Saw IV'', coated in wax to protect it against his digestive acids. Both of his apprentices, Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman, eventually began making their own microcassettes, but not always altering their voices as he did. In ''Saw 3D'', Hoffman recorded one set of instructions on a standard-sized cassette, and another on an

8-track tape The 8-track tape (formally Stereo 8; commonly called eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, and eight-track) is a magnetic-tape sound recording technology that was popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s, when the compact cassette, ...

for use in a car stereo. Huntley remarked that John's voice recordings operated for a specific purpose as part of his M.O.: they allowed John to be present, not as "a participant or even a spectator but instead as a referee, observing the rules pertinent to that particular subject rather than salaciously enjoying the 'victim's agony.'"

Pig mask

The pig mask is a thematic prop worn by John and his accomplices throughout the ''Saw'' film series to conceal their identities while abducting their "test subjects". As the series continues, the purpose of the pig mask is explored in detail; it is explained to be a tribute to the "Year of the Pig," the year in which John started his work. The origin of the pig mask was shown in ''Saw IV'', revealing the first known pig masks to have been latex strap-on masks used at a "Year of the Pig"

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

festival. John had snatched them and donned one, while using the other one to hold his

chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane (often abbreviated as TCM), is an organochloride with the formula and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and po ...

-soaked rag. The second mask was then used to knock out his first test subject, Cecil, by placing the mask over his head with the chloroform rag still inside. When working on the original ''Saw'' film, writer

Leigh Whannell Leigh Whannell (; born 17 January 1977) is an Australian filmmaker and actor. He has written multiple films that were directed by his friend James Wan, including ''Saw (2004 film), Saw'' (2004), ''Dead Silence'' (2007), ''Insidious (film), Insid ...

and director

James Wan James Wan (born 26 February 1977) is an Australian filmmaker. He has primarily worked in the horror fiction, horror genre as the co-creator of the ''Saw (franchise), Saw'' and Insidious (film series), ''Insidious'' franchises and the creator of ...

wanted their antagonist to have some sort of mask. After some discussion, the idea of Jigsaw wearing a rotting pig's head was chosen to symbolize his pessimistic view of the world and the disease that he was "rotting" from. Nevertheless, the mask given to them from production (a rubber

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

mask) was considered by them to be less than satisfactory. A number of things were added to make it look more gruesome, including long black hair and pus running from its eyes and nostrils. Whannell has still admitted to being disappointed with its final appearance compared to his intended one, but has admitted that the mask has since become one of the "staples" of the ''Saw'' franchise. Along with Billy and perhaps John himself, the mask has since become one of the more iconic symbols of the franchise. It has appeared on both the posters for the first film and the fourth. The mask has also been featured on many forms of merchandise. Officially licensed pig mask accessories have been sold for Halloween. In addition, the mask has been featured on numerous Jigsaw action figures. NECA has released two Jigsaw figurines with the pig mask; the original was John wearing the mask in his black cloak, and a ''Saw III'' variant of John wearing it in his red cloak. In addition, the Be@rBrick line has released a "bear" version of John wearing the pig mask. Medicom has also released a figurine of John wearing his infamous pig mask in the "Real Action Hero" line. On the commentary track of ''Saw IV'', several discussions occur about John's decision to use references to pigs. In the series, the producers explained that John was a spiritual person; however, it has never been revealed what religion he follows. In ''Saw IV'', John's ex-wife Jill explains his organized and planned lifestyle, stating that she had conceived their miscarried son Gideon, with John planning for him to be born in the Year of the Pig. On the commentary track, the producers explain that in the

Chinese zodiac The Chinese zodiac is a traditional classification scheme based on the Chinese calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year (or duodenary) cycle. The zodiac is very important in traditional ...

, the Pig stands for fertility and rebirth. John is seen several times throughout the series with figurines of clay soldiers and

buddhas In Buddhism, Buddha (, which in classic Indic languages means "awakened one") is a title for those who are spiritually awake or enlightened, and have thus attained the supreme goal of Buddhism, variously described as awakening or enlighten ...

, further symbolizing his reverence to various Asian cultures.

Jigsaw puzzle pieces

Cut-outs were made, in the shape of jigsaw puzzle pieces, from the flesh of John's deceased victims who failed to pass their test. John received the nickname "Jigsaw" from the police and the press stemming from his tendency to perform such a ritual; however, he never encouraged that name and in fact disapproved of it. Huntley argued that the jigsaw pieces that John cut out of the flesh of his failed test subjects was not intended as a mere stylized signature, but rather that it had a much deeper philosophical reflection. He stated that:

Far from being a stamp of final approval, a post-(mortem)-script to the game, the jigsaw piece represents the admission of the subject's missing survival instinct, the corporeal body's non-relational or "snagged" desire. Those marked with jigsaw pieces are the ones that got away, left inert, reduced to the zero intensity of death. It would seem strange that Jigsaw – surely the last figure ever to be deemed sentimental – should choose to extract this symbolic jigsaw piece from these subjects, except that Jigsaw is linguistically consistent in explaining how he "takes" or "cuts" the piece of skin. The jigsaw shape marking those who "fail" is the adding of a subtraction – in effect, the removal of their inability, their unfulfilled potential or their lack – the excision that leaves the whole of the body that is not the closed, inert corporeal body but is, instead, the " body-without-organs," that is, the nexus point where energy pools amid the flow and fold of forces and durations, existence beyond the living organism.

A hand-drawn jigsaw puzzle piece was also present on the back of a photograph in ''Saw'' as part of a clue for one of his games.

Apprentices

Throughout the ''Saw'' series, John developed a tendency to recruit "apprentices" to carry on his perceived mission. Amanda Young, Detective Mark Hoffman, Dr. Lawrence Gordon, Logan Nelson, and two masked men named Pighead (''Saw: The Video Game'') and Pighead II (''Saw II: Flesh & Blood'') are the only known Jigsaw apprentices. Jill Tuck was an assistant in a certain game. Huntley analyzed Jigsaw's intentions in taking in protégés as stemming from the terminally ill character's desire to overcome death itself, and argues that this is further evidence of his thought process being characterized by Deleuzian philosophy. Huntley argued:

Jigsaw decides that the answer is to achieve immortality through a legacy, having a successor to continue with his work. The impulse is Deleuzian. Jigsaw remains calm, neutral and impassive throughout the ''Saw'' films (not least because of his terminal condition) yet his only expressed wish, concern or desire, is that his legacy is maintained – the work of testing the fabric of humanity should go on. "Jigsaw" – as the intensive site of being, a locus of desire, the body-without-organs – can survive the death of the organism John Kramer... What seems to be consistent thematically through the Saw films is that "Jigsaw" is a part for various players, an identity composed of pieces...

John was also assisted by Obi in the kidnapping of the victims of the nerve gas house, shortly before the events of ''Saw II'', and Zep Hindle throughout the first film. It is said in the directors commentary that Brad and Ryan worked for Lawrence and acted as his muscle, recruited after their trap. They helped Lawrence to abduct Hoffman and they chained him in the bathroom.

Kevin Greutert Kevin Greutert ( ; born March 31, 1965) is an American film editor and director, best known for his work on the ''Saw'' film series, as well as character-based supernatural horrors. He is married to actress Elizabeth Rowin. Career Greutert ...

, the editor of ''Saw'', ''Saw II'', '' Saw III'', ''Saw IV'', and ''Saw V'', and the director of ''Saw VI'' and ''Saw 3D'', stated that Amanda, in particular, is "such a peculiar aspect of the Jigsaw character," citing that John had developed genuine "tender feelings" for her.'Interview: Saw VI Filmmakers Kevin Greutert, Mark Burg, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton'
Retrieved February 21, 2010. The term "apprentice" was used in the official plot synopses for ''Saw III'' and ''Saw IV''.

Theatrical robe

John is usually seen wearing a black theatrical robe with a large hood and red lining when running traps or abducting victims. On the commentary track for the first ''Saw'' film, it was revealed that the producers originally wanted Jigsaw to have a red robe with a black interior. Thinking that the red robe was too vibrant for the film, they soon reversed the robe to make it black with a red interior. Amanda wore a similar robe in ''Saw III'' in an attempt to symbolically emulate her mentor. On the other hand, Mark Hoffman always wore the dark blue rain parka he'd worn since the murder of Seth Baxter when he donned the pig mask, further illustrating the gap between him and John. Both Pighead and Pighead II wear similar robes to John, with the only difference being that the Pighead robe is red.

Reception

A review of ''Saw II'' in the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' praised Tobin Bell and John as being "more terrifying than the movie villains in Hollywood's last five horror films put together; even though he's in a wheelchair and hooked up to multiple IVs." Don Summer, a writer for ''Best-Horror-Movies.com'', stated that "the villain, in Jigsaw, is brilliant and formidable" and that actor Tobin Bell has done a "fantastic job" for his role. Neil Smith, a film reviewer for the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, described Bell's Jigsaw as "creepy," describing the character as adding "a palpably sinister charge" to the scenes he appeared in. Sorcha Ní Fhlainn, a reviewer for the ''Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies'', remarked that Tobin Bell's Jigsaw had become such an entrenched staple of the ''Saw'' franchise, that the character's reduced appearance in ''Saw V'' was drastically felt. Ní Fhlainn also commented that Jigsaw's unique character was not successfully compensated for by his apparent successor in ''Saw V'', Mark Hoffman. Ní Fhlainn went to the extent to remark that the character of Jigsaw is so central to the ''Saw'' franchise, that it should have ended as a trilogy considering Jigsaw's death at the end of ''Saw III''. Similarly, several critics who reviewed ''Saw 3D'' lamented Bell's minimal screentime in the film, with Eric Goldman of ''

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

'' writing that he found it "impossible not to be bothered by how little time was spent" with the character. Reviewing ''Saw X'', Owen Gleiberman wrote that John Kramer was "so front and center that Tobin Bell has never given such a full-scale performance as the human behind Jigsaw." Some commentators also noted that Bell and Smith had noticeably aged since last playing their characters in films set after the prequel. Tobin Bell was nominated for a

Spike TV Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel and the flagship property of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, who operates it through the MTV Entertainment Group. The network's headquarters are locate ...

'' Scream Award'' three times in the category of "Most Vile Villain" for his portrayal of Jigsaw in 2006 for ''Saw II'', in 2007 (alongside

Shawnee Smith Shawnee Smith (born July 3, 1969) is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career at a young age, making her feature film debut at age 11 in '' Annie'' (1982). A few years later, she made her stage debut in '' To Gillian on Her 37 ...

's portrayal of Amanda) for ''Saw III'', and in 2008 for ''Saw IV''.'Scream 2007 Awards Coming to Spike TV on October 23'
Retrieved October 11, 2009.
. Retrieved October 11, 2009. Jigsaw ranked 30th in ''

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

'' magazine's "100 Greatest Movie Characters" list, 47th on ''

Total Film ''Total Film'' was a British film magazine published 13 times a year (published monthly with a summer issue added, between the July and August issues, every year since issue 91, 2004) by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and of ...

's'' list of "100 Greatest Movie Villains," and 4th on ''

Yahoo! Yahoo (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web portal that provides the search engine Yahoo Search and related services including My Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Sports, y!entertainment, yahoo!life, and its a ...

Movies'' "13 Iconic Villains in Horror History" list. Horrornews ranked Tobin Bell as 10th on their list of the Top 13 Greatest Horror Movie Actors.

References

External links

Jigsaw character description in the ''Saw'' video game
{{Saw Fictional attempted suicides Fictional characters with cancer Fictional civil engineers Fictional inventors Fictional kidnappers Fictional mass murderers Fictional serial killers Fictional toymakers and toy inventors Fictional vigilantes Film characters introduced in 2004 Male horror film villains Saw (franchise) characters Male film villains Fictional torturers Fictional murdered people

Fictional character biography

''Saw''

''Saw II''

''Saw III''

''Saw IV''

''Saw V''

''Saw VI''

''Saw 3D''

''Jigsaw''

''Spiral''

''Saw X''

''Saw XI''

In other media

''Saw: Rebirth''

''Saw: The Video Game''

''Saw II: Flesh & Blood''

Characterization

Symbolic representations

Traps

Billy the Puppet

Microcassettes

Pig mask

Jigsaw puzzle pieces

Apprentices

Theatrical robe

Reception

See also

References

External links