Saw IV Traps

This category contains a list of all traps appearing in Saw IV.

The Mausoleum

The victims of this trap were Trevor and Art Blank. It was located inside a mausoleum. The trap itself consisted of a large, heavy metal contraption positioned in the middle of the room. In the center of the contraption was a winch with a long metal chain going through it. This chain was on both ends attached to two shackles around Art and Trevor's necks. If the chain was pulled on strong enough, a metal pin would be pulled out from the metal device and thereby activate it. After that, the winch would start to turn and would thereby pull the chained up victims to the center of the room where they'd ultimately be strangulated. Each of them had a different advantage in the game. On the side of the room where Trevor would wake up was a wooden box with several metallic tools which could be used as weapons, such as a hammer, a small axe and a hook. However, his eyes were sewn shut. Art, who was on the other side of the room, was able to see, but had his mouth shut and had no tools on his side. Due to their respective handicaps they were unable to communicate with each other in their attempt to get the key to their shackles, which was attached to the back of the shackle of the blinded Trevor.

Rigg's Trial

The victim of this trap was Officer Daniel Rigg. He woke up trapped inside the bathroom of his own apartment. Within 90 minutes, he had to face a series of tests all around the city in order to overcome his obsession with saving everyone around him. Thereby, he was led to believe that within these 90 minutes, he had to save his partners, Detective Eric Matthews and Detective Mark Hoffman. In fact however, his tests were designed to convince him not to save anyone but rather to let them save themselves. After each test, he found a clue leading to the location of the next part of his game.

The Scalping Seat

The victim of this trap was Brenda. It was the first part of Daniel Rigg's trial. Brenda was chained to some sort of a mechanic chair in the middle of the living room of Rigg's apartment. This chair consisted of a seat, which was mounted onto a heavy machine with an exposed gear system. Brenda's chains were secured by a combination lock. Additionally, her hair was put through a metal lug and then tied up to a small metal axis. She also had one of Jigsaw's pig masks on her face. It was Officer Rigg's task to leave her behind and just continue his way to his next test. However, if he decided to try to free Brenda and removed the mask, a metal pin connected to this mask would be pulled out of the machine. This would activate the gear system and therefore the axis. As it started to turn, it would slowly pull back Brenda's hair and subsequently tear out her scalp. The only way to escape the trap was to open the combination lock attached to her chain. Therefore, the necessary numbers had been written in the gears. As they weren't visible from her position, Rigg had to open the lock for her. Unknown to him, Brenda was tested as well and was tasked to kill him with a knife provided for her after Rigg saved her, as otherwise, Rigg would arrest her for her crimes due to several photos in the room, which prove that she was a criminal.

The Bedroom Trap

The victim of this trap was Ivan Landsness. It was the second part of Daniel Rigg's trial. Rigg had to force Ivan into a trap located in room 261 at the Alexander Motel owned by Ivan. The trap consisted of a bed and four large metal columns positioned on each corner of it. These columns were mounted to heavy metal contraptions with gear systems. Attached to each of the columns was a chain with a shackle on its end. Rigg had to help Ivan to strap all four of his limbs. Additionally, another metal device, resembling a vise, was positioned at the headboard and was used to hold Ivan's head in place. On each side of the vise was a long miniature scythe. Before the start of the game, Rigg handed Ivan two triggers, one for each scythe. Once the game began, Ivan had 60 seconds to press both triggers, which would cause the scythes to gouge his eyes out. If he didn't accomplish his task in time, the metal columns would fall back one by one and thereby rip out his limbs.

The Spike Trap

The victims of this trap were Morgan and Rex. It was the third part of Daniel Rigg's trial and was located in a classroom at an elementary school. Morgan and Rex, each of them wearing a leather harness, were chained to a metal columns back to back. Both of their bodies were impaled by eight long, thin metal spikes. While the spikes only caused flesh wounds on Morgan's body, Rex was mortally wounded as each spike impaled one of his major arteries. In order to survive and to avoid bleeding to death, Morgan had to pull out all the spikes, which would inevitably result in Rex' death. Once the game had played out, Rigg had to give Morgan the key to free herself.

The Ice Block Trap

The victim of this trap was Detective Eric Matthews. It was the fourth and final part of Daniel Rigg's trial and was located in a room inside the abandoned Gideon Meatpacking Plant. The trap itself consisted of a giant seesaw-like scale positioned in the middle of the room. Eric stood on top of a large ice block on one side of the scale and was held in place by a chain noose around his neck which was hanging from the ceiling. On the other side of the scale was an electric chair. Positioned around the ice block were several radiant heaters which slowly melt the ice. The melt water would then flow on the other side of the scale and thereby seemingly kill Detective Mark Hoffman, who was strapped to the chair, with an electric shock. However, the chair was in fact without any function and solely served the purpose to provide Hoffman, Jigsaw's accomplice, the possibility to play the role of another victim in order to be able to observe the game at close range. On the ceiling above them was a large metal contraption with two mechanical arms, which each held a large ice block. The contraption was connected with the room's only door via a long chain. If the door was opened, the arms would swing down. Thereby, the ice blocks would inevitably smash Eric's head. The trap could be deactivated with a single button. However, this only worked if the door remained closed for the duration of 90 minutes.

Perez and Strahm's Trial

The victims of this trap were Special Agent Lindsey Perez and Special Agent Peter Strahm. As they found out about Rigg's trial, they tried their best to find him and end the game before anyone else could die. Thereby, they were tested themselves by Jigsaw, who tried to convince them not to continue their investigations. At the location of one of Rigg's tests, Jigsaw had placed his mechanical ventriloquist puppet as well as a message for Perez, which warned her that Strahm would soon take the life of an innocent man. In fact, the puppet was a trap on its own. If Perez approached it after receiving her message, its head would explode and thereby blow shrapnel at her face. Strahm's part of the test waited for him at the Gideon Meatpacking Plant, where Jigsaw's warning would come true as Strahm would be forced to shoot another victim, Jeff Denlon, in self-defense and would be locked up in the same room. Afterwards, he'd quickly find a secret way leading him out, along with another message, which warned him not to go on and instead wait for reinforcements. If Strahm ignored the warning, he'd then be subdued and trappen in another device, which was designed to drown him without giving him any way to escape.

The Knife Chair

The victim of this trap was Cecil Adams. It was located at the workshop of John Kramer, the Jigsaw Killer. The trap consisted of a wooden chair connected to two metallic contraptions. Attached to the armrests of the chair were blades which would cut Cecil's wrists. To prevent him from standing up, both arms and legs were fixated by metal shackles. These shackles were connected by several metal bars. The central bar was in a vertical position and had a small pressure plate attached to its upper end. This plate was positioned in front of the Cecil's face. In order to get free from the shackles, he had to press his face against the plate. However, there was another device which made this task rather difficult. This device consisted of eight knives, four on each side, which were horizontally positioned in front of Cecil's face. Therefore, he had to press his face through the knives in order to press the plate connected to the shackles.

The Spine Cutters

The victim of this trap was Art Blank. He was forced to wear this trap device, which was attached to his back with a leather harness. It was an elongated contraption with two pliers at its upper end. These pliers were aimed at Art's neck and would cut his spine if he didn't follow the orders given to him. Therefore, he had to built and set up the traps later used in Rigg's trial and also had to abduct the respective victims. Afterwards, he had to go to the Gideon Meatpacking Plant to the same room, where Eric Matthews and Mark Hoffman were imprisoned, and had to oversee them. If Rigg didn't enter the room within the following 90 minutes, Art could free himself and the others from their trap with a button.

Hoffman's Test

Before his death, John Kramer swallowed a wax-coated audio tape, which was later going to be found in his stomach during his autopsy. This tape contained a warning for Mark Hoffman, who was going to continue the games after John's games, and told him that he'd soon be tested as well. Meanwhile, John's ex-wife, Jill Tuck, received a box, which contained a mechanical contraption, a so-called Reverse Beartrap, which she had to use to test Hoffman. The trap was supposed to be locked onto his head. The frontal part of the trap was hooked into his upper and his lower jaw. Once the game began, the trap would burst open and thereby rip his face apart if he wasn't able to free himself within a short time.