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Become the teacher and save a life. Go back to where it all began.
— Jigsaw guides Rigg to his third test[src]

The Spike Trap is a trap from the Saw franchise, appearing in Saw IV.

Design and Function[]

This trap was the third one in a series of tests. It was located in a classroom at an elementary school. Two victims, each one waring a leather harness, were chained to a metal column back to back. Both of their bodies were impaled by eight long, thin metal spikes. While the spikes only caused flesh wounds on the first test subject, the other victim was mortally wounded as each spike impaled one of their major arteries. In order to survive and to avoid bleeding to death, the first victim had to pull out all the spikes, which would inevitably result in the other victim's death. (Saw IV)

History[]

Preparation[]

The persons tested in this trap were Rex, an abusive husband and father; Morgan, his wife who had been abused and humiliated by him for several years; and Daniel Rigg, an officer obsessed with saving everyone around him. One night, Art Blank, Rex's lawyer, who had become a victim of John Kramer, better known as the Jigsaw Killer, abducted him and Morgan while he was forced to wear a device which would cut his spine and kill him if he didn't follow the orders given to him. After subduing them, he took them to a classroom at the elementary school of their daughter, Jane. After that, he put a leather harness on them and chained them back to back to a metal column in the middle of the room. Then, Art used a dangerous device, which worked similar to a nailgun, and shot the eight metal spikes through their bodies. While Morgan only received severe flesh wounds, Rex was mortally wounded as the spikes had pierced his major arteries. After that, Art chained a tape recorder to Morgan's wrist which contained the instructions for her test. Additionally, he positioned a chart of the human body in front of Morgan and a wooden chart with the words "Your life is in her hands" in front of Rex and also hung up numerous X-rays of the broken bones and injuries Morgan had received from Rex in the past. Having finished the preparations, Art went on and also set up a test for Officer Rigg, who was planned to arrive at the school shortly after Morgan's test. Therefore, he set up a timer, placed a second tape recorder for him on a table and placed a box with a photo of Tracy, Rigg's wife, behind the body chart. After that, he wrote the words "Save As I Save" on the blackboard and finally left the building. (Saw IV)

Morgan's Test[]

The human body is a fascinating organism. It can withstand the most brutal injury... and yet repair itself miraculously. But you know this all too well. How many broken bones have you suffered at the hands of your husband? How many flesh wounds have you endured? With time, the bruises have healed, but your pain has not. Today, I empower you to take control of your life. Can you disconnect from the one thing that has brought you and others so much pain? With time, your wounds will heal. His, however, will not. Remove the ties that bind you...or bleed to death from your inactivity. The choice is yours.
— Morgan's tape[src]
RexMorgan

Rex and Morgan in their trap

Shortly afterwards, Morgan eventually woke up. Immediately frightened by the situation, she began to scream and played the tape attached to her wrist. This message, recorded by John Kramer, told her what she had to do in order to survive. If she wanted to live, she had to pull out the spikes from her body. However, this would inevitably kill her husband. Despite this, Morgan barely hesitated and began to pull out the spikes as soon as the tape ended. Rex, who had woken up from her screams, panicked and tried to prevent her from doing so. Morgan however, was able to remove most of the spikes, causing Rex to succumb to his wounds. (Saw IV)

Daniel Rigg's Test[]

Hello, Officer Rigg. What have you learned thus far? Experience is a harsh teacher. First comes the test, second comes the lesson. If you are to save as I save, then you will see the person in front of you is but a student. So I ask you, Officer Rigg: Has the pupil learned her lesson? Has she been told the error of her ways? Does she now view the world differently? Officer Rigg, the key to this person's freedom lies in the palm of your hand, but only after she has done her own part. Can you play your role in her salvation? Once judgement has been made, though, the key to finding your next destination is just off the map.
— Jigsaw explaining the rules to Rigg[src]
MorganRexRigg

Morgan is found by Rigg

Not much later, Officer Rigg arrived at the building as expected, as he had to face a series of tests on his own in order to overcome his obsession with saving everyone around him. Therefore, John had left a clue at the Alexander Motel, the location of Rigg's previous test, to guide him to the school. While walking through the hallways, he came across the room where he and his men had found the remains of Troy four days earlier. Eventually, he reached a classroom with a red question mark painted on the door. Upon entering, he saw the words "Save As I Save" written on the blackboard. As he went further into the room, he found Rex and Morgan, still strapped to the metal column. When Rigg approached them, he thought that Morgan was dead like her husband, and was scared to death when she suddenly started to move and stare at him, claiming that she had won. When Rigg asked her what she had done, he realized what her task had been. He then tried to calm her down, before picking up the second tape lying on a table nearby, which told him about Morgan's test. While listening to the tape, Rigg took a look at the various X-rays hanging from the ceiling. The tape further told him that the key to his next destination was "just off the map."

RiggPullsOutSpikeMorgan

Rigg helps Morgan by pulling out the last spike

After the tape ended, Rigg asked Morgan who put her in this situation and eventually pulled out the final spike from her shoulder. After doing so, Morgan thanked him for finally saving her. Moments later, Rigg realized that the map mentioned on the tape was a chart of the human body, which had been positioned in front of Morgan. Behind it, he found the photo of Tracy with the words "Go Home" written on its back. Frightened that she could have been in danger, Rigg asked Morgan if she knew where Tracy was. However, Morgan couldn't tell him anything useful. As she was freezing, Rigg covered Morgan with his jacket and handed her the second key that he had found earlier in his apartment, telling her that she had to save herself. Morgan panicked and begged him not to leave her there alone, but before departing, Rigg set off the fire alarm to make sure that Morgan would be found quickly. (Saw IV)

Aftermath[]

PolicePhotographer

The photographer is killed by a spike

Due to the fire alert, the Metropolitan Police Department was able to find Morgan in time to save her. After a brief interrogation, during which she identified Rigg as the one who saved her, she was taken to the hospital. After that, Special Agent Peter Strahm and Special Agent Lindsey Perez investigated the crime scene. Shortly after their arrival, Perez received a call and was informed about a connection between Morgan and Rex and the previous victims of Rigg's tests: all of them were clients of Art Blank, who had been able to defend all of them successfully in the past. Additionally, he was also the former lawyer and business partner of John Kramer as well as the lawyer of Jill Tuck, Kramer's ex-wife. However, only moments after she shared her new knowledge with Strahm, one of the forensic investigators accidently activated the device used to pierce Morgan and Rex, which subsequently shot one last spike Perez' direction. Peter Strahm managed to pull her away but instead the spike pierced the head of a police photographer. Rex's corpse was later sent to the morgue for his autopsy by Dr. Adam Heffner, while the tapes, spikes and the spike gun were taken to the evidence room. (Saw IV, VI)

Trivia[]

  • The creators of Saw IV originally discussed the idea of having an elderly couple in the trap. However, this was changed as it was deemed too disturbing.

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