Spiral Ending Explained

Spiral Ending Explained Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re explaining the ending of “Spiral.” For this video, we’ll be providing a deep dive into the final act of this “Saw” successor, exploring the themes, symbolism, and what it could all mean for the future. In case you haven’t seen “Spiral” yet, consider this your spoiler warning. What did you think of “Spiral?” What’s your take on the ending? Let us know in the comments. Although it derives from “The Book of Saw,” “Spiral” changes up the game with a brand new set of players. The film does keep several long-standing traditions alive, however, including the complex deathtraps and a twist ending. The final act of “Spiral” returns to the franchise’s twisted roots when Chris Rock’s Detective Zeke Banks figures out who’s been sending him body parts in boxes. It’s none other than his rookie partner, William Schenk. As we see through flashbacks, Schenk is revealed to be the son of the witness who was murdered in cold blood by a crooked cop. Zeke actually crossed paths with a then-preteen Schenk, comforting him after his father’s death. Adopting the alias of William Schenk, he infiltrated the police department to target officers who have misused their power. Zeke reported the cop who took Schenk’s father’s life. Thus, Schenk asks Zeke to become his partner in crime, together serving a bloodier brand of justice. While Schenk was inspired by John Kramer, he doesn’t claim to be one of his apprentices like Amanda Young or Detective Mark Hoffman. Schenk also has different motivations, seeking to clean up law enforcement by sniffing and snuffing out the corrupt cops. Schenk dropped several clues that he was the Jigsaw copycat, mentioning that he joined the force because of Zeke’s father and that he had been waiting for this opportunity since a young age. It was also telling that we never saw his wife and kid, who turn out to be fabrications. We’re not sure why Schenk went to the trouble of devising a phony family, but we supposed it fleshed out his backstory. The skinned body at the butcher shop was perhaps the biggest indicator of Schenk’s true identity… at least for the audience. Receiving a hunk of skin with a tattoo resembling Schenk’s, Zeke is led to believe that the skinned victim was his partner. With all the other victims, we see their deaths play out in gruesome detail. The skinned victim’s fate takes place off-screen, though, suggesting that it could be someone other than Schenk. Speaking of which, who was the skinned victim exactly? Given Schenk’s MO, he was likely another dirty cop, but we’re not given much info on why the victim deserved to have his skin removed. Most of the deathtraps in “Spiral” have a deeper meaning. Detective Marv Boswick lied on the stand, for example, so his tongue was put in a compromising position. How is the skin symbolic in this particular death, though? It turns out that the skinned victim is actually Detective Fitch, who lost more than his fingers after failing to survive his deathtrap. Speaking of symbolism, Schenk conceals his identity by wearing a pig mask. This look isn’t new to the “Saw” franchise, as John Kramer and several of his apprentices wore pig masks. James Wan and Leigh Whannell felt a pig mask would best represent Jigsaw’s worldview that society was going rotten. The pig mask ultimately carries a more significant meaning since John and Jill’s baby was supposed to be born during the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of Pig. For Schenk, however, the pig aesthetic could mean something else. After all, “pig” is a derogatory term for cops, who Schenk exclusively murders. So, even if Schenk didn’t take a page from Jigsaw’s book, a pig mask would still be a fitting disguise. One of the cops that Schenk abducts is Zeke’s father, Marcus Banks, who’s hooked up to an elaborate deathtrap in the finale. Marcus also has blood on his hands, letting corruption slide in his department for years. Giving Zeke a gun with one bullet, Schenk plays a final mind game. Zeke can either shoot a target that’ll release his father or shoot Schenk. If Zeke chooses the latter, Marcus dies. Zeke ultimately saves his father, but Schenk had a backup plan. Schenk is a literal puppetmaster, rigging the trap to make it look like the stringed-up Marcus is about to open fire as a police squad enters. Despite Zeke’s pleas, Marcus is gunned down while Schenk makes a clean getaway down an elevator. Schenk might not use Billy the Puppet, but he does borrow the red spiral sign painted on his cheeks. The spiral’s presence in this film can be interpreted in a few different ways. On one hand, it symbolizes the seemingly never-ending cycle of police misconduct that both Zeke and Schenk are fighting against, albeit in different ways. It also plays into the cycle of violence that’s been a staple of this franchise from the beginning. On that note, the spiral may represent things coming full circle, as this film’s final act mirrors the ending of the original “Saw.” Although Schenk didn’t pose as a dead body, he was hiding in plain sight the whole time. Like Adam Stanheight, Zeke is left screaming as the villain escapes as some familiar music plays and the screen goes black. Since spirals can go on indefinitely, it’s safe to assume that this isn’t the last we’ll see of Schenk. A “Spiral” TV series is in early talks and the upcoming tenth film in the franchise will reportedly be called “Saw X.” Does that mean the next movie will shine the spotlight back on Jigsaw? Or, being a Jigsaw copycat, maybe Schenk’s crimes could attract the attention of Logan Nelson, Lawrence Gordon, or another living disciple of John Kramer. Chris Rock has stated that he’d be down for reprising his role as Zeke. If Zeke were to track Schenk down in a sequel, would he hang on to his morality or would he put revenge before justice? In any case, the game is far from over.