Summary

• The Saw franchise has produced 10 movies and nearly two decades of gruesome events, with Saw 3D almost being the end of it all.
• John Kramer/Jigsaw's quotes are either witty or have hidden meanings, showing his twisted sense of fun and motivations for his tests.
• Saw X brings back John Kramer and explores his motivations and personal mission to help people be better, providing insights into his character.

Nobody has gotten better Saw quotes than the main character of the franchise, John Kramer/Jigsaw. Every statement he makes is either witty or has some sort of hidden meaning to it. After attempting suicide due to a terminal illness, the former engineer came to appreciate life even more, and he sought to impart that same death-defying lesson to those whom he believed did not value their lives. Thus began a gruesome chain of events that has thus far spanned 10 movies and nearly two decades. Saw 3D, released in 2010, looked to be the death knell for the iconic horror franchise.

The lackluster reviews of Saw 3D from critics and audiences alike almost made it the final Saw movie but the series has since produced more sequels and a spinoff. The biggest change in those installments was the lack of Tobin Bell as John Kramer. However, 2023's Saw X saw the return of John Kramer and he brought with him some more memorable Jigsaw lines that rank among the best Saw quotes in franchise history.

25 "Oh, Yes. There Will Be Blood."

Saw II (2005)

The kill counts in the Saw movies show that Jigsaw is a man who is willing to shed blood in order to make his point. But despite all of his self-important rhetoric about how he is simply helping people, there does sometimes seem to be a twisted sense of fun he gets from just how brutal his tests can be. In Saw II, Jigsaw reveals to Detective Matthews that his son is among the several captives taking part in one of his games. As he explains the fate his son faces, he cannot hide his amusement in delivering this gruesome promise. It is one of the rare times Jigsaw seems like a bloodthirsty killer.

24 "You Can’t Help Them. They Have To Help Themselves."

Saw IV (2007)

There is an interesting aspect to Jigsaw in how he views humanity. Before he began his path as Jigsaw, it seemed as though John Kramer had lost his faith in people but that doesn't mean that he had given up on them. He had seen examples of people who offered to help those struggling in life only to see that help squandered. In the end, John comes to the realization that the goodness in others will not change these people, but rather that they need to have their own life in their hands to help put their lives right.

23 "Welcome To Your Rebirth."

Saw IV (2007)

There have been a few different motivations given for why John Kramer started on his path to become Jigsaw. One of these explanations comes in Saw II where a flashback shows that, following his terminal cancer diagnosis, John attempted to end his own life by crashing his car. He survived the crash and the painful injuries helped him to gain a new appreciation for the life he had. In a way, that was John's moment of rebirth and he has been trying to give others their chance at starting life again with a new perspective. He delivers this line to Rigg ahead of his test.

22 "Those Who Don't Appreciate Life Do Not Deserve It."

Saw II (2005)

As much as Jigsaw talks about giving people the means to save themselves, it also feels like there are some people he wants to see fail his tests and die. One aspect of his character that is not often discussed is the jealousy he feels towards people who have full lives ahead of them. He is a dying man who is filled with anger at the thought of people not appreciating the life he so badly wants. In some instances, it feels like his tests are less about giving a second chance to those who earn it and more about taking life away from those who don't appreciate it to his liking.

21 "This Is Not Retribution. This Is A Reawakening."

Saw X (2023)

Saw X takes place earlier on the timeline while John Kramer is still alive and explores an unknown aspect of his journey. It sees him lured into a scam for a life-saving cancer operation. When John finds out that it was all a lie to cheat him out of his money, he takes those responsible and places them in a series of traps. It feels like a more personal mission John is on. But even after these people gave him hope for a new life only to take it away, he assures them that he is not looking for revenge but rather seeking to help them be better people.

WHERE TO WATCH: Rent Saw X on Apple TV

20 "If You Find The Meaning Of Your Life, What You’ve Found Is Your Soul."

Saw X (2023)

Saw X is the most critically acclaimed movie in the franchise and a big part of that reason is likely due to how much it puts Tobin Bell's John Kramer in the spotlight. Bell's performance has always been the strongest aspect of these movies and Saw X uses his talents to its full advantage, digging deeper into the character and revealing more. This quote is an insightful one that suggests part of the motivations behind his work is that it gives him purpose and meaning in the final days of his life.

19 "So, Your Advice To Me Is To Die Easy?"

Saw X (2023)

Saw X takes place in between the first and second movie, showing John Kramer very near the end of his life and dealing with that pending death. How he chooses to address the end of his life is another interesting and thought-provoking aspect of the character. After being told his time is limited, the doctor gives John advice on how to make his final days easier. However, this sounds absurd to John. Why would he want to die easy? Why wouldn't he want to fight against it with every last bit of strength he had left? From that perspective, John might think his victims have an obvious choice to make.

18 "I'm Sick Of It All"

Saw (2004)

John Kramer revealed his motivations to the police early in the franchise in 2004's Saw when he was close to being apprehended in his warehouse while one of his victims was close to his death in a trap of his creation. This prompted the officers to call Jigsaw sick, which makes him list the various things that make him sick. Though a slightly tropey bit of villain monologuing, the quote offered early insight into the psyche of the Saw franchise's leading antagonist. These Saw quotes showed why John was doing this, to begin with.

"Yes, I'm Sick, Officer. Sick From The Disease Eating Away At Me Inside. Sick Of People Who Don't Appreciate Their Blessings. Sick Of Those Who Scoff At The Suffering Of Others. I'm Sick Of It All!"

17 "When Faced With Death, Who Should Live Versus Who Will Live Are Two Entirely Separate Things."

Saw VI (2009)

2009's Saw VI introduced a new series of traps arranged by Jigsaw after his death and carried out by his latest successor that was designed to test William Easton, head of a major health insurance company that raked in incredible riches by denying medical claims based on their immoral policies. While many horror movie series lose steam after the first few entries, Saw VI was an unexpected break for Saw — a shot in the arm for the franchise and boldly served as something of an origin story that better fleshed out Kramer's backstory and motivations. Though he's technically been dead for some time during the events of the film, his words still sting from beyond the grave.

16 "I've Never Murdered Anyone In My Life. The Decisions Were Up To Them."

Saw II (2005)

In Saw II, Jigsaw has seemingly allowed himself to be caught. However, when a police squadron led by Eric Matthews arrives at his hideout, they find the villain to be in the process of conducting a game — or so they believe. In exchange for freeing his captured son and Jigsaw's other victims, he asks only that Matthews have patience and partake in conversation. Matthews, understandably, accuses him of murder, but Kramer responds by claiming that he's never murdered anyone, as those who died in his traps chose to. It's an odd rationale, but it's central to Jigsaw's concepts of sacrifice and redemption.

15 "How You Play The Cards You're Dealt Is All That Matters."

Saw IV (2007)

Jigsaw's earliest victim was revealed in 2007's Saw IV, a film that further explored the history of John Kramer when his ex-wife revealed how the miscarriage of his unborn daughter at the hands of a drug-addicted thief had driven him insane. That thief was put into one of John's first traps, which he even managed to escape, though John gave him a final lesson on fate and good life decisions with these Saw quotes.

"Good doesn't lead to good, nor bad to bad. People steal, don't get caught. Live the good life. Others lie, cheat, and get elected. Some people stop to help a stranded motorist and get taken out by a speeding semi. There's no accounting for it."

14 "Once You Are In Hell, Only The Devil Can Help You Out."

Saw II (2005)

Obi was one of Jigsaw's assistants in 2005's Saw II who helped kidnap the assembled victims of the sequel's trap house. However, he was put through his own test to gather antidotes for the poison coursing through their bodies. He was forced to climb into a furnace, where Jigsaw's clue gave him the answer to escaping after it ignited thanks to a painted devil pointing to his salvation if he dared to reach through the flames. Jigsaw's recorded message featured motivational Saw quotes in different situations. "If you're going through hell, keep going."

13 "The Choice Is Not So Clear When You're Face To Face With The People Whose Blood Will Stain Your Hands"

Saw VI (2009)

Another of the tests Easton was forced to undertake in Saw VI continued to test the policies of his company by making him choose between a young healthy male with no relatives or a middle-aged family woman with a history of diabetes in her family, showcasing Jigsaw's typical game of high-stakes moral conundrums. Jigsaw's Saw quotes remind Easton that, while it may be easy to make life-and-death decisions about people he'll never meet, things are much direr when done face-to-face.

12 "Don't Worry, You're Sound Asleep And Can't Feel A Thing."

Saw II (2005)

Saw II opened with the cruelty fans have come to expect from the franchise. Police informant Michael had a spike-filled mask around his neck. Jigsaw informed him that, to free himself, he'd have to slice through his eye to get the key to set himself free. He didn't manage it, so he died. The quote might somehow be Jigsaw's way of implying that most people go through life without actually being alert. They don't feel what's coming until it's too late. Jigsaw added more interesting Saw quotes on top of the one above, saying that "society would call you an informant, a rat, a snitch. I call you unworthy of the body you possess."

11 "You're Probably Wondering Where You Are. I'll Tell You Where You Might Be. You Might Be In The Room You Die In."

Saw (2004)

The very beginning of 2004's Saw showcases one of Kramer's most egregious errors. The bathtub in which Adam woke up contained a key intended to free him from his chains, but it was flushed down the drain immediately. This, of course, is lost on a panicked Adam, who, shortly after, plays a recording meant to clue him in on what exactly is going on. Of course, Jigsaw would never be so forthcoming as to tell his victims exactly what's going on. Rather, he offers the sinister suggestion that the room in which he finds himself may turn into his grave should he fail to solve his captor's riddles.

10 "Congratulations, You Are Still Alive. Most People Are So Ungrateful To Be Alive... But Not You, Not Anymore."

Saw (2004)

Jigsaw's games are meant to test how much people value their own lives. Will they do anything to stay alive, even if it means killing another person or mutilating themselves? This statement was said to Amanda after she survived her test. She did value her life, but she came out broken in the end. It seems that just about everyone subjected to Jigsaw's traps ends up either totally warped or dead, and, most of the time, it's the latter. This lesson was part of why Amanda became a Jigsaw apprentice.

9 "Every Day Of Your Working Life You've Given People News That They'll Die. Now, You Will Be The Cause Of Death."

Saw (2004)

Jigsaw didn't hesitate to explain to his victims what was at stake. Dr. Lawrence Gordon and Adam Faulkner were told what they had to do, but Dr. Gordon was given the most chilling breakdown of what lay ahead of him. Initially, neither of them can understand why are there. Jigsaw's Saw quotes to Dr. Gordon were really meant to show him that he previously handled death very casually, but now he had to be serious with it.

8 "It Will Be Like Finding A Needle In A Haystack."

Saw II (2005)

Jigsaw likes having fun with his victims, and no moment made this clearer than these Saw quotes in Saw II. Here, the killer gives his victims the hardest of tasks, partially inspired by the presence of a drug dealer called Xavier Chavez. He tells them that there is a key in a pit full of needles that'll unlock a door and free them from the trap. All they have to do is dig through the hundreds of needles. The message? Survival isn't easy — not in Jigsaw's world, at least. This task triggers a couple of other events that leave some of the victims dead.

WHERE TO WATCH: Stream Saw II on Shudder

7 "Death Is A Surprise Party. Unless Of Course, You're Already Dead On The Inside."

Saw III (2006)

In Saw 3, Amanda, who is now working with Jigsaw, brings in Dr. Lynn Denlon to treat the killer and keep him from dying, so he can complete the tests and finish training her. John Kramer may have been dying, but he feels that, in a way, those around him are already dead. Jigsaw's near-death experience gave him a new lease on life, and he views those who haven't had the same enlightening experience as the walking dead. Lynn was, in Jigsaw's mind, living an unfulfilling life while on autopilot, so he felt that it was his duty to wake her up in his typical, sadistic fashion.

6 "You Think It's Over Just Because I Am Dead, But The Games Have Just Begun."

Saw IV (2007)

Incredibly intelligent and with access to an almost unbelievable amount of lethal machinery and abandoned warehouses, Jigsaw had quite some time to test and plan out his traps. He had so much time that he managed to implement schemes that would be carried out long after his death. Of course, Jigsaw will always be around, as the franchise has to continue in some form. Another disciple can always take his place, but the movie won't feel complete without him.