The Ultimate Saw Movie Guide: Unveiling the Mind-Bending Jigsaw Timeline

Summary

The Saw franchise has a complex and intertwined storyline, with nine films in the timeline. Keeping up with all the entries can be challenging.

Saw X resurrects John Kramer, despite his demise in Saw III, deviating from the consistent plot of the first seven films where he played a central role. The series extensively incorporates flashbacks, potentially perplexing viewers who aren't fully focused and attentive to the timeline.

The Saw storyline is a complex and interconnected narrative, spanning over nine films. While the franchise was popular, some critics felt that as the series progressed, it became more difficult to understand without having seen all the previous entries, preferably in a recent timeframe. The debate of whether this was a major issue remains unsettled, but Saw made sincere efforts to link everything together, something that other horror series often neglected.

For the first eight films, the series consistently followed a storyline centered around John "Jigsaw" Kramer. However, the spinoff ninth film, Spiral, takes place years later and introduces a copycat killer of sorts. In a shocking move, Saw X, set to release in 2023, brings Jigsaw back into the fold despite his death in Saw III. With subsequent films utilizing numerous flashbacks following his demise, the series can become confusing even for the most attentive viewers.

Before Saw (2004)

The events in the Saw movies are closely connected to incidents that occurred before the original film. Prior to becoming Jigsaw, John had a successful career as a civil engineer, while his wife Jill managed the Homeward Bound Clinic. Their happiness was shattered when an addict named Cecil Adams robbed the clinic, resulting in the loss of their unborn child and plunging John into a deep depression. His life continued to spiral downwards as he developed brain cancer and faced mistreatment from insurance executive William Easton.

One of the clinic's patients, Amanda Young, who had unknowingly persuaded Cecil to commit the robbery, is abducted by John and subjected to a test involving a notorious reverse bear trap. Miraculously, she passes the test and gains a newfound appreciation for life, choosing to join John's mission. Meanwhile, Detective Mark Hoffman, seeking revenge for the murder of his sister's killer, attempts to frame Jigsaw, leading John to reveal himself and manipulate Hoffman into becoming his apprentice. Detective David Tapp becomes entangled in the Jigsaw investigation following the death of his partner, becoming obsessed with capturing Jigsaw. In an effort to mislead Tapp, John and Hoffman conspire to falsely implicate Dr. Lawrence Gordon in the crimes.

Saw (2004)

The first major game orchestrated by Jigsaw begins when Dr. Lawrence Gordon and photographer Adam Stanheight are forcefully taken and confined in a repulsive bathroom by John and Amanda. Adam was previously hired by Detective Tapp to monitor Gordon, who is actively pursuing Jigsaw. Zep Hindle, a former hospital orderly where John received treatment, also becomes involved in the twisted scenario.

Jigsaw imposes a cruel ultimatum on Gordon – either he must kill Adam, or his abducted wife and daughter will meet a tragic fate. Although Gordon fails to carry out the demand, Tapp intervenes, resulting in the survival of Gordon's family. Tapp attempts to apprehend Zep but suffers a gunshot wound, leading to Adam eliminating Zep. However, the ultimate revelation occurs when John unveils himself as the "dead body" present in the room throughout the ordeal. This revelation follows Gordon's desperate act of severing his own foot in an attempt to escape. John then heartlessly abandons the two men, leaving them to their impending demise.

Between Saw (2004) & Saw 2 (2005)

Saw 2 (2005)

After the events of Saw, John Kramer returns and takes care of Dr. Lawrence Gordon, nursing him back to health. However, Lawrence becomes an apprentice to John without the knowledge of Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman, the other apprentices. Amanda secretly kills Adam, without informing John. Meanwhile, Detective Eric Matthews, who is already under investigation by internal affairs for mistreatment of suspects, becomes the next major test subject of Jigsaw due to his history of lying under oath and wrongfully convicting innocent individuals. Around the same time, Bobby Dagen, the main character in Saw 7, begins spreading false claims about surviving a Jigsaw trap. In a separate storyline, William Easton denies vital medical treatment to Harold Abbott, leading Harold's family to eventually make the decision to kill him, putting an end to the events of Saw 6.

The next significant challenge for John arises when he confronts Eric Matthews, who is compelled to witness his teenage son and a group of individuals he unjustly incarcerated undergo their own trials within an abandoned house. Surprisingly, the visual content being shown to Eric was pre-recorded, and his son had been securely ensconced inside an actual safe in the same room the entire time. After brutally assaulting John, Eric is left trapped in the bathroom of the initial Saw game by Amanda, who deceptively participated as a victim.

Between Saw 2 (2005) & Saw 3 (2006)/4 (2007)

Eric manages to free himself from the confines of the bathroom, albeit sustaining severe injuries in the process. He engages in a bloody altercation with Amanda, who callously abandons him to his presumed demise. However, Hoffman skillfully tends to Eric's wounds and nurses him back to health. Eric endures months of captivity, while Detective Hoffman assumes the facade of conducting a thorough investigation into the Jigsaw case and Jill Tuck.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gordon and John enlist the expertise of brain surgeon Dr. Lynn Denlon for their next elaborate game, centered around her and her husband Jeff. Tragically, their son had fallen victim to a reckless drunk driver. John also coerces his unscrupulous former lawyer, Art Blank, into reluctant service. Simultaneously, Amanda veers off from John's twisted moral code and immerses herself in the creation of inescapable traps. In the midst of these events, John's health rapidly declines as well.

Saw 3 (2006)/4 (2007)

To increase clarity, the events of Saw 3 and Saw 4 need to be combined as they occur simultaneously. During this crucial time, John is on the brink of death, fully aware that his time is running out. Jill pleads with him to abandon his mission, but he adamantly refuses. Internal conflict arises within John's group, causing Amanda and Hoffman to clash. Hoffman cunningly devises a plan to eliminate Amanda by exploiting her connection to the death of John's son.

While being tested, Lynn and Jeff Denlon are accompanied by police officer Daniel Rigg, who is simultaneously engaged in his own series of tests organized by Hoffman and involving Eric Matthews. As a result, Rigg becomes falsely implicated in the Jigsaw killings. In a tragic turn of events, both Lynn and Jeff meet their demise, with Jeff mistakenly killed by FBI Agent Peter Straham following Jigsaw's death. Amanda, Eric, and Rigg also suffer the same fate.

Saw 5 (2008)

Agent Strahm is ambushed and trapped in a Water Cube contraption by Hoffman. However, he ingeniously escapes by performing an impromptu tracheotomy using a pen. Hoffman cunningly stages a rescue of Jeff and Lynn's abducted daughter Corbett, earning himself praise from the media and status as a hero. Nevertheless, Strahm quickly becomes suspicious of Hoffman's motives. Before he dies, John leaves behind a recorded message that forewarns Hoffman of impending events. In Saw 5, the central focus shifts from the actual test and its participants to Hoffman's desperate efforts to outsmart Strahm and his partner, Agent Perez. To deceive Hoffman, Perez feigns her own demise. Strahm eventually catches up with Hoffman, but irony strikes when Strahm fails a seemingly straightforward test, leading to his eventual demise under the crushing weight.

Saw 6 (2009)

Saw 6's central game revolves around William Easton, who is confronted with the troubling reality of his company prioritizing profit over saving lives. Simultaneously, Hoffman cunningly employs Strahm's severed hand in an attempt to frame him for the Jigsaw murders. While Perez and her FBI boss Erickson eventually catch Hoffman in the act, he ruthlessly eliminates everyone present and sets the room ablaze to obliterate any incriminating evidence. Unbeknownst to Hoffman, John had instructed Jill to place him in the reverse bear trap as his own test and had also entrusted Dr. Gordon to intervene if anything were to happen to Jill. Remarkably, Hoffman manages to survive, laying the groundwork for the subsequent movie.

Saw 7 (2010)

After patching himself up, Hoffman sets his sights on Jill, seeking help from internal affairs cop Mark Gibson, who had witnessed Hoffman shooting a man years ago. Unfortunately, despite seeking police protection, it proves insufficient. The main objective revolves around self-help expert and alleged Jigsaw survivor Bobby Dagen, who is subjected to a series of tests due to his ongoing deceit. Using Dagen's game as a deceptive tactic, Hoffman ruthlessly slaughters a group of cops to draw Gibson away from the police station, allowing him to sneak in and ultimately kill Jill with the Reverse Bear Trap. However, the tables turn on Hoffman as Gordon captures and abandons him in the original Saw bathroom, leaving him to meet his demise.

Jigsaw (2017)

Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)

Taking place eight years after John's demise, Jigsaw, the eighth installment of the Saw franchise introduces a new character connected to the infamous Jigsaw killer. However, the events that unfold in the central game, overseen by the previously unknown apprentice, Logan Nelson, actually transpired before the first Saw movie. The discussion of this particular storyline is included here to avoid confusion caused by the significant time gap between the two films. In the present day, Logan seeks vengeance against Detective Hallorann, a corrupt cop, by framing him for the recent murders. This act of retribution stems from Hallorann's failure to apprehend a killer who later took the life of Logan's wife. Notably, Nelson's character is not further mentioned or explored after these events.

Spiral takes place in the same area, an unspecified number of years after the events of Jigsaw. Apart from the new killer, William Schenk, adopting some of John's methods, there is no direct link between these two characters or the previous Saw narratives. It is revealed that many years prior to Spiral, Detective Zeke Banks, the main protagonist, witnessed his partner Peter Dunleavy commit a murder of a witness. Zeke exposed Dunleavy, resulting in him being shunned by the corrupt police force as a whole. The victim of Dunleavy's crime, a man named Emmerson, happened to be William's father. As an adult, William decided to carry on Jigsaw's legacy in order to cleanse the police department. His ultimate plan was to recruit Zeke as his partner after subjecting him to a series of tests, but Zeke declined, and his former corrupt father, who was the chief, died as a consequence.

Saw X (2023)

2023's Saw X is the latest addition to the franchise and represents a return to its roots. Unlike Jigsaw and Spiral, which had a limited presence or completely excluded John Kramer, Saw X brings him back to the forefront. Although details about the film are scarce, it appears to be set between the original Saw and Saw II. The story revolves around John collaborating with his apprentice, Amanda, to subject a group of individuals who defrauded him with a deceptive experimental treatment program to a series of traps. This installment aims to reunite fan-favorite characters, John and Amanda, with the Saw series.