Saw X introduced viewers to John Kramer’s softer side – but he’s still as brutal as ever. See for yourself, as we break down every character who dies in Saw X.
It’s been nearly 20 years since the first Saw dropped, and since then we’ve been treated to nine more movies, as well as video games, comic books, toys, and even a theme park ride. Although more recent films such as Jigsaw and Spiral have received a mixed reaction from the fans, the latest film entry, Saw X, reinvigorates the storyline and gives us a whole new perspective on John Kramer.
As per the official synopsis: “Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through a series of ingenious and terrifying traps.”
In Kramer’s own words, “This is not retribution. It’s a reawakening.” So, who makes it out of Jigsaw’s games alive, and who falls victim to the traps? Read on to find out who dies in Saw X. Warning: Major spoilers ahead!
Who dies in Saw X?
In order of their deaths in the movie, the characters Valentina, Mateo, Gabriela, and Parker Sears – all of whom were involved in the healthcare scam – die in Saw X. But, not all of them die from the traps. Additionally, Cecilia Pederson and Michael Beach may have died, although it’s not shown on screen.
First up is Valentina, the so-called “nurse” who’s actually a sex worker, and one who was set for a big payday for her role in the scam – had Cecilia targeted anyone but Kramer. Big mistake. Valentina’s trap is brutal to watch play out, with her options being: cut off her entire leg using a Gigli saw wire and suck out enough bone marrow to release the key, or get decapitated by a separate saw wire.
Although she manages to lop her leg off in excruciating fashion, the bone marrow extraction just isn’t enough and she runs out of time. Her head is chopped off and she becomes the first casualty in Saw X. And if that weren’t awful enough, Cecilia later pulls out her intestines and uses them as rope to get hold of a phone. No, really.
Mateo – the “anesthesiologist” (he’s actually a drug dealer) – dies next after the trap he’s stuck in forces him to perform his own brain surgery. Sans anesthetic. As said by Kramer, “Trust me, you will want to remain alert.” In order to obtain the key he needs to free himself, Mateo has to cut a piece of gray matter, aka a piece of his brain, out and chuck it in a beaker of acid.
Just like Valentina, had he been given a few more seconds to complete the game he would have made it out alive. But he doesn’t, and instead a contraption to the side of his head closes shut to form a replica of the ancient Mexican statue Kramer saw earlier on in Saw X. Only this one has burning hot filaments on the inside, essentially sizzling Mateo’s head until he dies.
Now, Gabriela’s death is sinister for a whole other reason. You see, she survives her trap – which involves being suspended in the air by one hand and one foot in chains, and having a radiation therapy machine blasted in her direction. Her task is to break her hand and foot so she can set herself free, before the radiation levels turn deadly.
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She manages to do it in the nick of time, but she’s not in a good way, and Kramer insists on taking her to the hospital to treat her injuries. However, before his apprentice Amanda Young has time, Parker Sears – a supposed fellow victim of the scam – reveals his true identity. He’s actually Cecilia’s boyfriend, and has been in on her ploy the whole time.
He holds Amanda and Kramer up at gunpoint, while Cecilia shows her true sadistic nature. As Kramer insists Gabriela gets taken to the hospital as she won the game, Cecilia doesn’t care for his empathy. Not wanting to waste time, she breaks Gabriela’s neck with her foot and kills her, leaving Amanda and Kramer devastated.
We never thought there’d be someone wicked enough to make John Kramer look like an angel but here we are.
But, in Saw X’s final big reveal, it turns out Kramer’s been one step ahead of them this whole time. After fooling Cecilia and Parker into believing they have the upper hand, he flips the switch and traps them in one of his games. The couple get locked in a room as poisonous, burning gas starts seeping in.
Although there’s a head-sized hole in the wall providing a gateway to a room with fresh air and relief from the gas, there’s only one of them. As Kramer tells them: only one can survive this final game. Cecilia and Parker battle it out, but ultimately she wins, managing to overpower Parker in time to plunge a blade into his stomach. He succumbs to the gas, making him the fourth one to die in Saw x.
Cecilia runs to the hole, puts her head through it, and sighs in relief. However, she makes it to the “maybe” pile because, right at the end, Kramer and Amanda leave, meaning Cecilia is locked in the room. She might have a space with fresh air, but can she get out of the warehouse or will she die there? That’s for the Saw creators to know and us to (potentially) find out – if a Saw 11 gets the greenlight.
Another character in the maybe pile is Henry Kessler, a fellow cancer survivor who convinces Kramer to give the “miracle” treatment a go, claiming it saved his life. Although we don’t think about this much as the carnage commences, right at the end of Saw X there’s a post-credits scene, where we find out Henry was part of the scam too.
Not only is Kramer there to teach him a lesson – with one of his grisly traps – but he’s joined by none other than Detective Mark Hoffman, Jigsaw’s apprentice from the earlier films who would later go on to adopt the mantle. The scene cuts just before a series of blades hit Henry’s stomach, meaning we don’t get to find out if he survives or not. But, put it this way, it’s not looking good for him.
That’s everything we know about who dies in Saw X, which is out now. You can check out more of our coverage below:
- Saw X review: A glorious, gory return to form
- Saw X cast: All actors & characters
- Saw X: All of the traps explained
- Saw X: Everything you need to know
- How many Saw movies are there?
- Saw does spoof of Nicole Kidman’s AMC ad
- Saw fans slam takedown of AMC parody
- Saw X post-credits scene explained
- Saw producers reveal most “horrific” trap
- Saw 11 could happen thanks to “cliffhanger” ending
- Is Saw X based on a true story?
- Why Saw X is the longest movie in the franchise
- Saw X producers clear up timeline confusion
- Saw X soundtrack: Full score and tracklist
- Saw composer reveals if John Kramer is a serial killer
- How to watch Saw X – is it streaming?
