Saw: Every Character Who Has Been In Multiple Movies

Over the course of eight Saw movies made so far, the horror franchise has weaved a tangled web, incorporating multiple repeat characters. That web was planned to expand outward this summer movie season, as Spiral: From the Book of Saw was originally set to release in theaters on May 15, 2020. At least that was the case until Jigsaw encountered a foe even he couldn't outwit, the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, Spiral - a reboot starring and executive produced by Chris Rock - won't arrive to play a new game with fans until May 2021.

While that big a delay is bothersome, at least fans still have the eight prior films to revisit and reexamine until then, and with Saw, there's a lot going on to examine. Plot and character wise, Saw is arguably the most complex horror franchise in history. While many Jason and Freddy movies just start the action without really acknowledging the ending of the prior installment, Saw revels in its attention to continuity.

It remains to be seen how much Spiral will tie into Saw's past, but Rock has said his film is one diehard fans will find satisfying, and most Saw diehards love how few things ever get forgotten completely. To that end, here are all the major characters to put in appearances in multiple Saw films, further entrenching themselves into the series' exceedingly gory universe.

John "Jigsaw" Kramer (Tobin Bell, 1-8)

The straw that stirs Saw's drink is John "Jigsaw" Kramer, a terminal cancer patient who sets out to use his engineering knowledge to put those he sees as wasting their lives through tests that usually require a pound of flesh or a gallon of blood to survive. John died in Saw 3, but has made posthumous appearances in every following Saw film to date, via flashbacks.

Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith, 1-3 & 6-7)

Amanda Young in the Reverse Bear Trap in Saw.

Amanda Young was a drug addict spiraling downward, that is until she became the first person known to have survived one of Jigsaw's games, the infamous reverse bear trap. Afterward, Amanda became one of John's most loyal apprentices, but when she started making traps designed to prevent escape, John tested her one last time, and she failed. Amanda died in Saw 3, but appeared in flashbacks during Saw 6.

Dr. Lawence Gordon (Cary Elwes, 1 & 7)

The lead protagonist of the first Saw movie, Dr. Lawrence Gordon was left to die in a disgusting bathroom by Jigsaw after he appeared to saw off his own foot. However, Saw 7 revealed that John had saved Gordon, who ended up becoming an apprentice that was kept secret from the others.

Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor, 3-7)

Costas Mandylor as Detective Hoffman in Saw.

Perhaps Jigsaw's most brutal apprentice, Detective Hoffman also used his police powers to keep the authorities off John's trail, and later his own. John realizes he's created a monster, and enlists his ex-wife Jill Tuck to try and take Hoffman out with a reverse bear trap. He survives and kills Jill, but Lawrence Gordon arrives to make sure Hoffman gets his just desserts, leaving him to die at the end of Saw 7.

Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell, 3-7)

Jill Tuck is John Kramer's ex-wife, but that doesn't mean she's on bad terms with him, and agrees to conduct what's intended to be Hoffman's final test willingly after John's death. As noted above though, Hoffman ends up killing her instead, with her death occurring in Saw 7.

Detective Allison Kerry (Dina Meyer, 1-4)

Allison Kerry (Dina Meyer) kneeling at crime scene in Saw

Allison Kerry was one of the first detectives assigned to the Jigsaw case, and is shown investigating the case in the first two Saw movies. Unfortunately, she gets suspicious of a trap that doesn't fit John Kramer's style, and ends up dying in one of Amanda Young's unbeatable traps in Saw 3.

Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell, 1 & 3)

Adam (Leigh Whannell) listens to tape recorder in basement in Saw

A photographer hired by Detective David Tapp to follow Dr. Gordon, Adam ended up chained up alongside him in the original Saw. He's left to die by Jigsaw, but returns for a flashback in Saw 3 where it's shown that Amanda actually killed him, suffocating him with a plastic bag.

Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg, 2-4)

Saw 2 - Donnie Walhberg as Eric Matthews

The hot-tempered Eric Matthews is first tested by Jigsaw in Saw 2, and really deserves it, as he's quite the dirty cop. After assaulting Jigsaw, Eric is is left to die, but he escapes by breaking his own foot, only to end up beaten down by Amanda. Eric ultimately gets his head crushed after fellow cop Daniel Rigg fails a test in Saw 4.

Daniel Rigg (Lyriq Bent, 2-4)

A SWAT commander, Rigg is first seen assisting with the Jigsaw case in Saw 2, before becoming the main test subject in Saw 4. As mentioned, he fails his final test, causing the death of Eric Matthews. He sustained a gunshot wound in the process, and died of his injuries.

Jeff Denlon (Angus Macfadyen, 3-4)

A grieving father, Jeff Denlon was Jigsaw's main test subject in Saw 3, and is the one to actually kill John Kramer by slicing his throat. Doing so triggers a trap that kills his wife Lynn though, as John was trying to teach Jeff to forgive. He's later killed by FBI agent Peter Strahm after pointing a gun at him.

Agent Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson, 4-5)

Peter Strahm with his head trapped in a box in Saw V

Agent Strahm is one of Jigsaw's more resilient foes, escaping from a room after being left to die, then later surviving a trap by self-tracheotomy. Strahm figures out Hoffman is working with Jigsaw, but unfortunately ends up crushed to death as Hoffman watches satisfied. Strahm is then framed for Hoffman's crimes.

Agent Lindsey Perez (Athena Karkanis, 4 & 6)

Strahm's FBI partner, Perez appears to be killed in Saw 4, but it's revealed she's still alive in Saw 6, albeit scarred up. She doesn't believe Strahm was dirty, and eventually uncovers evidence proving Hoffman is Jigsaw's apprentice. So of course, he kills her on the spot.

Agent Dan Erickson (Mark Rolston, 5-6)

Agent Erickson is Strahm and Perez's boss, and teams up with her to investigate Hoffman in Saw 6. He ultimately suffers the same fate, being slashed and then burned alive by Hoffman in the lab fire Hoffman sets to burn the evidence of his guilt.