Top 10 Saw Victims Who Didn't Deserve It

“Saw” (2004)
Adam is the first character seen in the “Saw” universe, and his fate remains as unfair as ever. He gets vague instructions for his game to start with. Apart from having a sarcastic edge to his personality, Adam never displays any lack of appreciation for his life. He also saves Dr. Gordon even after the latter shoots him. Adam shows the kind of survivalist mentality that Jigsaw values, so there’s no reason to let him die. According to the villain, Adam is a “voyeur” who spies on people. But that’s exactly what Jigsaw also does, making his judgment of Adam deeply hypocritical. Even Amanda of all people takes pity on him with a mercy kill.

“Saw” (2004)
Dr. Gordon’s wife and daughter are put through the wringer for no real reason. Jigsaw forces Gordon to choose between saving his family or becoming a murderer by killing Adam. Unlike Gordon, Adam, and Zep Hindle, Alison and Diana have no say over their fate. The mother-daughter duo are essentially made to pay for Gordon’s affair, which they seemingly have no knowledge of, either. It’s only when Alison fights back that she and Diana survive, as Zep was prepared to end their lives. Jigsaw’s twisted his rules quite a lot, but placing an innocent child and her mother in the face of death can’t be justified.

“Saw” (2004)
When you’re feeling sad and lonely, it’s best to get help. According to Jigsaw, though, the right way is to strand a person in a cage filled with barbed wires. That’s what happens to Paul – a victim whose only fault was his depression. Before Paul tries to end things, Jigsaw decides to seal him with no choice but to slice his way through a hellish maze. The villain sees this as a form of poetic justice, claiming Paul only harmed himself to seek attention. In a “Saw IV” flashback, Paul is seen at Jill’s recovery clinic, meaning Jigsaw cut his life short before he could get the help he needed. Rather than reinforcing an appreciation for his life, Jigsaw hands the man a gruesome demise.

“Saw III” (2006)
Jigsaw’s logic is to pretty much play judge, jury, and executioner. This means that a legitimate judge qualifies as a target as well. It’s not possible to pinpoint what Halden’s crime was because he did nothing wrong to begin with. Without witnesses at hand, the judge gave Timothy Young a light sentence for the accidental death of Jeff Denlon’s son. Halden was simply following the rule of law, as his decision was without bias or malice. But the judge is subjected to a terrifying game, nearly drowning in pig guts. Halden shows empathy toward both Jeff and Timothy, encouraging the former to find peace through forgiveness. It’s too bad he gets his head blown off before Jeff gets the point.

“Jigsaw” (2017)
Although he’s guilty of his crimes as Jigsaw’s first apprentice, it all happens because of an honest mistake. As a medical resident, Logan mixes up John Kramer’s X-ray, which delays his cancer diagnosis and subjects him to his fate. The villain places Logan in the Murderers’ Trial for his oversight but miscalculates the anesthetic. Realizing he made a similar mistake, John decides to save Logan. This represents one of the few times that the main antagonist himself goes back on his judgment, feeling that Logan didn’t deserve to be tested for a simple error. Then again, he does end up as the accomplice to a psychotic killer, so our sympathies for Logan remain limited.

“Saw III” (2006)
Kerry is one of the first detectives on the Jigsaw case and comes close to stopping him. This puts her on the villain’s radar, who has his apprentice Amanda abduct her. Kerry’s reason for being tested is because of her “obsession” with being around the dead instead of cherishing her life. However, this is mainly because Jigsaw had Kerry’s former lover Eric Matthews captured and missing for months. In effect, Jigsaw’s responsible for causing Kerry’s life to spiral out of control. Regardless, she becomes one of the few victims to complete her task, only for Amanda to make it an unwinnable trap. All things considered, Kerry has too many factors going against her, as the detective is set up for failure from the beginning.

“Saw VI” (2009)
When it comes to this poor soul, Jigsaw’s M.O. is as arbitrary as it gets. Hank is a janitor with a smoking habit who works in William Easton’s office… and that’s about it. Unlike most other targets with a dark past, Jigsaw picks Hank only because the latter hasn’t kicked his preference for cigarettes. The villain uses him as a pawn in William’s game, as Hank’s test is more of an execution. He and William are strapped into a trap based on who can hold their breath the longest. Since Hank is older and with a heart condition, there’s really no chance he can beat William. Much like fellow employees Addy and Allen, Hank is just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Saw II” (2005)
Daniel is a troubled youngster reeling from his parents’ divorce and his attempts to seek his father’s attention. In response, Jigsaw isolates the teen in a house filled with toxic gas and ex-convicts. He’s another victim whose familial relations are the main reason for his suffering. As Detective Eric Matthews’s son, Daniel has a target on his back in the Nerve Gas House, with each inmate framed by his father. While he’s ultimately saved by Amanda, Daniel still witnesses brutal deaths and is forced to kill. Although he isn’t seen again, Eric’s death leaves Daniel fatherless and having to live with significant trauma for the rest of his life.

“Saw IV” (2007)
Only in the “Saw” universe can being a good cop qualify as a bad thing. Rigg is a SWAT officer who’s tested basically because of his moral code and sense of justice. Jigsaw wants him to get over his “obsession” with saving people even though most of the victims are Rigg’s friends. In simple terms, the villain thinks Rigg is wrong for wanting to rescue innocent lives from a deranged serial killer. With ambiguous instructions moving him forward, Rigg finishes the game by a solitary second. However, he inadvertently dooms himself and everyone since beating the timer triggers all the traps. It’s difficult to see how Rigg is at fault, though, as his intentions are always noble.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Mother-Son Duo Are Scarred After Being Forced to Decide William’s Fate

This Victim Faces a Grisly Demise Even After Showing Remorse for His Actions

Apparently Catching a Serial Killer Justifies Being Flattened to Death

The Only Reason She Dies Is That She Knows Too Much

His Hopes of Apprehending Jigsaw’s Apprentice Literally Go Up in Flames

“Saw 3D” (2010)
Characters don’t get as kind, understanding, and innocent as Bobby Dagen’s wife Joyce. She’s chained to a platform for the entirety of his test, having no knowledge of Bobby’s lies as a Jigsaw survivor. Joyce doesn’t have any means to defend herself, only learning about her husband’s guilt at the end. She still encourages him to complete the game, displaying more of her compassionate spirit that Jigsaw’s trap overlooks. Given that Bobby is the one at fault, it makes no sense why Joyce pays the price for his failure. As far as deaths go, this one is the most unfair in the series – Joyce is merely a bystander who has to suffer an agonizing demise.