The Saw franchise features a large cast of characters created primarily by directors and screenwriters James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Darren Lynn Bousman, Patrick Melton, and Marcus Dunstan.
The films mainly focus on the character of John Kramer (Tobin Bell), the "Jigsaw Killer", who seeks out those he considers to be wasting their lives and subjects them to torturous and lethal traps, referred to as "tests" and "games", in an attempt to make them appreciate being alive.
The franchise consists of ten films: Saw (2004), Saw II (2005), Saw III (2006), Saw IV (2007), Saw V (2008), Saw VI (2009), Saw 3D (2010), Jigsaw (2017), Spiral (2021), and Saw X (2023).
Overview
Character Films Video games Saw(2004) II(2005) III(2006) IV(2007) V(2008) VI(2009) 3D(2010) Jigsaw(2017) Spiral(2021) X(2023) The Game(2009) Flesh & Blood(2010)Principal characters John Kramer Tobin Bell Tobin Bell Tobin Bell Amanda Young Shawnee Smith colspan="2" Shawnee Smith Shawnee Smith Jen Taylor Lawrence Gordon Cary Elwes Cary Elwes Cary Elwes colspan="2" Mark Hoffman Costas Mandylor |} Jill Tuck Betsy Russell Recurring major characters Adam Stanheight Leigh Whannell colspan="2" David Tapp Danny Glover Earl Alexander Allison KerryDina Meyer Eric Matthews Donnie Wahlberg Xavier Chavez Franky G Addison Corday Emmanuelle Vaugier colspan="3" Daniel Rigg Lyriq Bent Jeff Denlon Angus Macfadyen colspan="2" Peter Strahm Scott Patterson Dan Erickson Mark Rolston Major characters (single-media) Steven Sing Ken Leung colspan="2" Zep Hindle Michael Emerson Alison Gordon Monica Potter colspan="2" Daniel Matthews Erik Knudsen Jonas Singer Glenn Plummer Laura Hunter Beverley Mitchell Lynn Denlon Bahar Soomekh colspan="4" Brit Stevenson Julie Benz Luba Gibbs Meagan Good Charles Salomon Carlo Rota William Easton Peter Outerbridge Bobby Dagen Sean Patrick Flanery Logan Nelson Matt Passmore Brad Halloran Callum Keith Rennie Eleanor Bonneville Hannah Emily Anderson Keith Hunt Clé Bennett Zeke Banks Chris Rock William Schenk Max Minghella Angie Garza Marisol Nichols Marcus Banks Samuel L. Jackson Cecilia Pederson Synnøve Macody Lund Parker Sears Steven Brand Gabriela Renata Vaca Diego Joshua Okamoto Mateo Octavio Hinojosa Valentina Paulette Hernández Henry Kessler Michael Beach Campbell Iman Michael Tapp Recurring supporting characters Paul Leahy Mike Butters Mike Butters Jeff Ridenhour Ned Bellamy Dex Manley Carla Song Alexandra Bokyun Chun Alexandra Bokyun Chun Donnie Greco Oren Koules Oren Koules colspan="2" Obi Tate Timothy Burd Timothy Burd Marc Carr Michael Marks Noam Jenkins Noam Jenkins Gus Colyard Tony Nappo Tony Nappo SWAT Member Pete Kelly Jones SWAT Member Joe Vincent Rother Timothy Young Mpho Koaho Troy J. Larose Corbett Denlon Niamh Wilson Nurse Deborah Kim Roberts Lindsey Perez Athena Karkanis Athena Karkanis Detective Fisk Mike Realba Cecil Adams Billy Otis Billy Otis Dr. Adam Heffner James Van Patten James Van Patten Trevor Kevin Rushton Mallick Scott Greg Bryk Greg Bryk Pamela Jenkins Samantha Lemole Simone Tanedra Howard Addy Janelle Hutchison Tara Abbott Shauna MacDonald Emily Larissa Gomes Jennings Foster Troy LundSupporting characters (single-media) Mark Wilson Paul Gutrecht Brett Benito Martinez Diana Gordon Makenzie Vega colspan="2" Judge Halden Barry Flatman Danica Scott Debra McCabe Chris Alan van Sprang Art Blank Justin Louis Officer Lamanna Simon Reynolds Ivan Landsness Marty Adams Brenda Sarain Boylan Vagrant Julian Richings Morgan Janet Land Rex Ron Lea Ashley Kazon Laura Gordon Seth Baxter Joris Jarsky Chief of Police Al Sapienza Eddie Marty Moreau Allen Shawn Ahmed Hank Gerry Mendicino Debbie Caroline Cave Harold Abbott George Newbern Brent Abbott Devon Bostick Dave Darius McCrary Josh Shawn Mathieson Gena Melanie Scrofano Shelby Karen Cliche Aaron James Gilbert Matt Gibson Chad Donella Joyce Dagen Gina Holden Cale Dean Armstrong Nina Naomi Snieckus Suzanne Rebecca Marshall Brad Sebastian Pigott Ryan Jon Cor Evan Chester Bennington Anna Laura Vandervoort Ryan Paul Braunstein Mitch Mandela Van Peebles Carly Brittany Allen Edgar Munsen Josiah Black Marv Bozwick Dan Petronijevic Detective Fitch Richard Zeppieri Peter Dunleavy Patrick McManus Jeannie Lewis Ali Johnson Kara Bozwick Zoie Palmer Morgey Silva Dylan Roberts Detective Drury K. C. Collins Deborah Kraus Edie Inksetter Coroner Chada Nazneen Contractor Tim O'Brien Thomas Mitchell Speez Chris Ramsay Lisa Banks Genelle Williams Pat Jones Trevor Gretzky Melissa Sing Kahn Doan Oswald McGullicuty David Scully
Saw
Adam Stanheight Portrayed by Leigh Whannell Appears in: Saw, Saw II, Saw III, Saw V (mentioned only), Saw VI, Saw 3D, Saw X, Saw II: Flesh & Blood (mentioned only) Status: Deceased Died in: Sometime between Saw and Saw II (actual); Saw IIIAdam's death was confirmed in Saw II, but his death scene is shown in Saw III. (depicted)
Adam Stanheight is a freelance photographer who was hired by the discharged detective David Tapp to follow Dr. Lawrence Gordon, an oncologist whom Tapp suspected of being the Jigsaw Killer. Adam is kidnapped by Jigsaw's apprentice, Amanda Young and placed in a game alongside Dr. Gordon. Adam was targeted by Jigsaw because of his spy work, whereas Dr. Gordon was targeted for his cold and uncaring nature, as well as for cheating on his wife. The two men are chained to pipes on opposite sides of a large dilapidated industrial bathroom, with an apparent corpse (holding a tape recorder and a revolver) in the middle, and are given instructions via cassette tape. Adam's tape urges him to survive, while Dr. Gordon's instructs him to kill Adam by six o'clock. Adam discovers a bag containing two hacksaws, which they unsuccessfully attempt to use on their chains; Adam's saw breaks, causing him to become enraged and hurl the broken saw at a mirror. Dr. Gordon deduces that the saws are actually intended for their feet, and subsequently realises that they were kidnapped by Jigsaw, whom he knows about because he was once a suspect in the case. At six o'clock, desperate to save his family, Dr. Gordon saws off his own foot, much to Adam's horror, and shoots Adam with the apparent corpse's revolver, despite Adam pleading for his life. Adam survives the gunshot, but plays dead. Zep Hindle, an orderly from Dr. Gordon's hospital, opens the door to the bathroom. As he is about to kill Dr. Gordon, Adam rises and bludgeons Zep Hindle to death with a toilet tank lid, believing him to be Jigsaw and therefore responsible for their abduction. Dr. Gordon crawls away to get help, promising to return to Adam. While searching Zep's body for a key, Adam finds a tape recorder that reveals that Zep was also a victim in the game, and was following instructions from Jigsaw in order to obtain an antidote for a slow-acting poison in his bloodstream. As the tape ends, the apparent corpse gets up and is revealed to be John Kramer, the actual Jigsaw. When Adam tries to shoot him, Jigsaw incapacitates him with an electric shock and seals the bathroom door, telling Adam "Game over" and leaving him to die. In Saw II, Adam's corpse is seen (along with that of Zep), revealing that he died some time after the events of Saw. In Saw III, it is revealed that Amanda asphyxiated him with a plastic bag in a mercy killing.
Adam's name is seen in Saw V, as Special Agent Peter Strahm browses through FBI documents of potential Jigsaw victims. His name was listed as 'Adam Stanheight'. Adam also appears in archival footage in Saw VI and Saw 3D.
Adam's decomposing corpse is seen in Saw II, Saw III, Saw 3D and the post-credits scene of Saw X. In Saw II: Flesh & Blood, Adam is mentioned in Tapp's files and audio tapes as having been hired by one of Tapp's colleagues to prove his wife was having an affair, implying this was why Tapp hired him.
Alison and Diana Gordon Portrayed by Monica Potter and Makenzie Vega Appear in: Saw, Saw II (Alison mentioned only) Status: Both alive
Alison and Diana Gordon are the wife and daughter of Dr. Lawrence Gordon. They are held hostage by Zep Hindle as a part of Dr. Gordon's test; one of Jigsaw's reasons for testing Dr. Gordon was because Dr. Gordon had cheated on his wife, as well as being cold and uncaring towards his daughter. Dr. Gordon is ordered to kill Adam, who is chained up in the bathroom with him, by six o'clock, or else Alison and Diana will be killed. When Dr. Gordon fails to do so, Zep attempts to kill both Alison and Diana, but they are rescued by Detective David Tapp. The DVD commentary for Saw 3D reveals Alison divorced Dr. Gordon because of his unstable mindset.
Allison Kerry Portrayed by Dina Meyer Appears in: Saw, Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V, Saw II: Flesh & Blood (mentioned only) Status: Deceased Died in: Saw III
Allison Kerry is a highly experienced detective with specialized knowledge of the Jigsaw case. She has a deep understanding of his methods and motivations, making her an invaluable asset to the investigation. She first appears in Saw, working alongside Detectives David Tapp and Steven Sing. In Saw II, she works with Detective Eric Matthews and Officer Daniel Rigg in order to try to save Eric's son Daniel. In Saw III, after Eric disappears and is presumed dead, Kerry becomes wracked with guilt. She and Detective Mark Hoffman are called to the scene of an inescapable trap, and Kerry is the first to suspect that someone else was responsible, as the trap did not follow Jigsaw's M.O. She is later captured and placed in her own trap, but even though she follows the rules, the trap (which was built and rigged by Amanda Young) tears her rib cage apart, killing her. Her corpse is later discovered by Officer Rigg and the FBI. It is revealed in Saw IV that Kerry's first name is Allison, as seen on a file observed by Officer Rigg. In Saw V, a police memorial service is held honoring those who died in their effort to close the Jigsaw case; Kerry is among the officers honored.
Amanda Young
Portrayed by Shawnee Smith (film) and Jen Taylor (game) Appears in: Saw: Rebirth, Saw, Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, Saw 3D, Saw X, Saw: The Video Game, Saw II: Flesh & Blood (mentioned only), Dead by Daylight: The Saw Chapter Status: Deceased Died in: Saw III