This article was originally published on FearHQ.com.
Saw X arrived in theaters today and, as we write this, it's easily the best-reviewed instalment of the franchise with an impressive 85% on Rotten Tomatoes (making it the only "Fresh" instalment in the entire horror series with 2004's Saw in second place with 50%).
The nostalgia factor appears to be in full effect, mostly thanks to the return of John Kramer and Amanda more than 15 years after both characters were killed off. Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith reprise their roles for a movie set between the events of Saw and Saw II which tells an untold story from Kramer's past.
For the first time in the franchise's history, we get a mid-credits scene, but what happens?
Henry Kessler (Michael Beach), the person who lied to Kramer about being a cancer survivor thanks to the same procedure the killer later undergoes, is shown to be in one of the Jigsaw Killer's traps. As you might expect, Kramer is looking to take his revenge and the action is set in an iconic Saw location: a grimy bathroom.
Earlier in the movie, the serial killer is shown talking on the phone to a detective about an unknown person, but this sequence reveals it was the returning Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) on the other end of the call. He gave Kramer the intel he needed about Henry and, based on past experience, we don't see things ending well for the con man.
As for the significance of this stinger, it's simply a nod to the franchise's storied - and often convoluted - history.
Hoffman appeared in five Saw movies, starting with Saw III and culminating with Saw 3D: The Final Chapter (spoiler alert: it wasn't). He became the new Jigsaw Killer after Kramer's death and this scene simply fleshes out their history as "master" and "apprentice."
Let us know your thoughts on Saw X's post-credits scene in the comments section.
John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most chilling instalment of the Saw franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s most personal game. 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.
Diected by Kevin Greutert and written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, Saw X stars Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Michael Beach, and Renata Vaca, and is now playing in theaters.