Who is the Pig in the Saw Horror Franchise?

As an avid gamer and content creator immersed in the world of horror games, I couldn‘t resist delving deeper into the iconic pig mask from the notorious Saw movie franchise. For those unfamiliar with these cult classic films, the pig mask is worn by the main antagonist Jigsaw and his disciples to conceal their identities while putting victims through sadistic "games" and traps.

The History and Meaning Behind the Terrifying Pig Mask

In the first Saw film released in 2004, writers Leigh Whannell and James Wan wanted to give their villain an unsettling mask that would become synonymous with fear. According to multiple behind-the-scenes sources, they settled on adorning Jigsaw with a rotting pig‘s head after testing different options. This disturbing image was chosen to represent the antagonist‘s warped worldview and his belief that people are "rotting" on the inside.

The iconic pig mask has appeared in every Saw movie since, with several characters wearing a variation of it while carrying out Jigsaw‘s work:

• Amanda Young – Jigsaw‘s first secret apprentice played a major role across several films after surviving one of his traps herself. Often depicted wearing a black robe and the signature pig mask while abducting victims or overseeing games.
• Pighead – The secondary antagonist in the Saw video game spinoff (voiced by Jigsaw actor Tobin Bell). Wears a more stylistic and menacing pig mask while assisting Jigsaw.
• The Pig Vat Trap – One of Jigsaw‘s most gruesome contraptions featured in Saw III, involving a mask filled with rotting pig corpse remains that a victim wears.
• Masked pig minions – Several anonymous followers of Jigsaw wear versions of the mask while setting up elaborate traps and kidnapping subjects to test.

So in summary, while John "Jigsaw" Kramer is the original killer and mastermind, the pig mask itself has become a symbol of fear donned by his many disciples in the franchise. Its meaning has expanded from representing Jigsaw‘s philosophy to also concealing identities and striking greater anxiety into victims.

Analyzing Deeper Symbolism of the Pig Concept

Pigs are considered taboo in several cultures and religions, seen as dirty or impure animals that stereotypically represent greed and gluttony. This likely inspired Saw creators to use an unsettling pig concept to symbolize the perverted morality and worldview of their "saintly" serial killer antihero Jigsaw.

By adorning his minions and even victims in his games with rotting pig parts, it dehumanizes them and strips their dignity. Jigsaw believes they are flawed beings in need of rehabilitation which he will violently see through via his traps.

Interestingly, in the Chinese Zodiac, pigs represent wealth and prosperity. But they are also seen as indulgent, naive, and lacking common sense if not kept in check. This seems relevant as Jigsaw considers his subjects to be ungrateful for not appreciating their lives. In his own twisted way, his games purport to teach them gratitude and humility.

So in many ways, Jigsaw labeling subjects as pigs and adorning them with a literal pig concept is him appointing himself as their caretaker to fix their "indulgent" ways. It further feeds into his own crazed delusion of being a righteous mastermind teaching ungrateful souls a lesson through horrific games of life and death.

Origins and Background of Jigsaw‘s Character

To provide further context around the mask‘s meaning in the Saw franchise, it‘s worth exploring the background of key antagonist Jigsaw himself. Before he became a serial torturer and killer, John Kramer was married to a woman named Jill Tuck. They ran a rehab clinic together to help save lives.

But tragedy struck when a drug addict named Cecil robbed their clinic for drug money to fuel his addiction. During the robbery, Jill suffered the loss of their unborn baby. This combined with John later being diagnosed with cancer sent him down a dark path where he emerged as Jigsaw seeking twisted punitive justice against those he deemed morally deficient but ungrateful for the gift of life.

The name "Jigsaw" itself was coined from John cutting puzzle-shaped skin flesh from his first test subject Cecil as symbolic retribution for failing to escape the trap he‘d built. John began designing elaborate moral tests and traps for victims reflecting the motto "I want to play a game." These games gave their "players" a perverted path to redemption if they proved themselves worthy and embraced a gratitude for life.

But in reality, even those who "won" Jigsaw‘s games and passed his tests were forever damaged and scarred from the horrific experiences (physically and mentally).

Amanda Young fell into drug addiction after surviving her trap, later becoming devoted to Jigsaw‘s cause. But as sequels show, she struggled to apply his mantras and ended up creating impossible or intentionally fatal traps – seeking revenge rather than rehabilitation.

So the demented killer with warped principles created disciples like Amanda who spiraled further out of control, before turning on him.

Ultimately this ties back to how the pig represents the rotten and the damned in Jigsaw‘s eyes. Even his followers often twist his mantra and fall deeper down the path of lacking empathy, humility and gratitude…proving irredeemable in Jigsaw‘s games.

Conclusion: An Iconic Horror Image Symbolizing Twisted Morals

In summary, the pig concept in Saw franchise (through masks, vicious traps, or references) has become a powerful icon representing the warped perceptions and principles of Jigsaw and violent acolytes. It dehumanizes victims being put through horrific tests, stripping them of dignity while sending a symbolic message they are "swine" needing rehabilitation which only mutilation and torture will provide.

The mask allows Jigsaw‘s minions to remain anonymous while abducting subjects, setting up grisly games. But it also serves as a metaphor for the rotting, ungrateful souls they seek to fix through failed violent redemption. Victims and those who survive the games remain emotionally and physically scarred. Meanwhile followers like Amanda Young struggle with living up to impossible standards, often losing themselves further in the darkness instead.

So next time you see those glowing red eyes cut into an eerie pig‘s head in a Saw movie trailer or poster, you‘ll know exactly what it means and the demented psyches behind donning this disturbing yet iconic horror image.