Spiral: From the Book of Saw

In the climactic ending of Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Zeke finally uncovers that his partner, William Schenk, also known as Emerson, is the copycat Jigsaw killer. Emerson’s vendetta is personal: he’s the son of a man Zeke helped send to jail, whose father was killed by corrupt officers like the ones Zeke works for. Emerson sees himself as a crusader against a corrupt police system, targeting officers who have committed atrocities under a secret article called Article 8. This law effectively authorized police to kill innocents to maintain order, but it spiraled into widespread abuses, including the killing of Emerson’s father.

Zeke learns that Emerson’s killings are motivated by a desire to expose and cleanse this corrupt system by punishing the officers responsible, including Zeke’s own father, Marcus. In the explosive final scene, Emerson gives Zeke a gun with only one bullet, offering him a choice: shoot and save his father, Marcus, or shoot Emerson to end the cycle of violence. Zeke chooses to save Marcus, and the mechanism lowers his body, seemingly saving him. However, Emerson activates a trap, setting Marcus' body on a mechanical lift that suddenly reveals a gun attached to Marcus’s arm. The SWAT team, thinking Marcus is still alive and a threat, fires and accidentally kills him, while Emerson escapes.  

The film closes with Zeke devastated by the loss of his father and aware that the hunt for Emerson, the true Jigsaw, is far from over. Emerson’s manipulation, including faking his death and planting clues, leaves Zeke with the knowledge that the fight against this corrupt system and its twisted enforcers continues. The ending reflects a cycle of vengeance, deception, and moral questioning, leaving viewers contemplating whether justice was truly served or if the system’s deeper corruption remains unpunished.

Last Updated: July 21, 2025 at 10:30