| “ | That's far enough. Don't hurt yourself. | ” |
— Jigsaw prevents Michael from entering an area secured by a sensor.[src]
| ||
The Shotgun Vest is a trap from the Saw franchise, appearing in Saw II: Flesh & Blood.
Design and Function
The shotgun vest was a metallic vest which could be easily put around its victim's chest. There were nine shotgun shells attached to the vest in two vertical rows, directly aiming at the victim's back. Each of these shells had an own trigger which all had to be activated individually. The vest was attuned to some kind of signal coming from certain sensors. If the victim stayed in certain areas and was exposed to this signal for two long, the vest was activated and the nine shells shot their back one by one. (Saw II: Flesh & Blood)
History
Michael Tapp's Trial
| “ | The truth is often concealed in darkness. The vest in front of you holds a light that will aid in your game. But be warned. If you stray from the path, the vest will make sure you do not get very far. | ” |
— Michael Tapp's tape[src]
| ||
Michael finds the vest
The victim of this trap was Michael Tapp, a dishonest reporter and son of David Tapp, a discharged detective formerly working for the Metropolitan Police Department, who commited suicide after having been unable to arrest John Kramer, better known as the Jigsaw Killer. After having been abducted by Pighead II, one of Jigsaw's accomplices, Michael had to face series of tests. As he made his way through the abandoned Holmes Hotel, he reached the pool area of the building by riding the elevator. Right after leaving the elevator, he found a mannequin in the middle of a small room, wearing a the Shotgun Vest with a flashlight attached to it. Written on the floor before it were the words "Live or die. Make your choice." As Michael approached it, a TV turned on and a mechanical ventriloquist puppet appeared on the screen, informing him that he would need the flashlight in order to progress. However, the shotgun shells would kill him if he strayed from his path and stayed in certain areas for too long. Seeing no other possibility than following the rules, Michael quickly decided to put the vest on.
Jigsaw warns Michael not to enter the area
Michael went on and tried to enter another room moments later. However, just as he was about to do this, his vest suddenly made a beeping noise, causing him to back off. Seconds later, Jigsaw entered the room and calmly warned him not to get closer as there was a sensor on the wall, which would activate Michael's vest and kill him if he entered the room. During their brief conversation, Jigsaw told Michael about Gideon, his son, who died before his birth due to a miscarriage. At the same time, Pighead shoved a water pump into an elevator, moments before Jigsaw followed him. Once he was alone, Michael deactivated the sensor with a nearby panel.
As Michael's game went on, he eventually left the hotel and found himself inside an abandoned chemical plant. There, he had to reach the generator room in order to restore the power to a freight elevator. As the path was blocked by a barrier made of wooden beams and razor wire, he had to go through another room first. In this room, there were several carts, which blocked his way and which he had to push and pull in the right way to free his path. However, he couldn't stay in the area for long as there were sensors that activated his vest. Because of that, he either had to hurry up or retreat occasionally. Furthermore, Barry, an insane pyromaniac he had already briefly encountered in the hotel, appeared on a catwalk above him and attacked him with molotov cocktails. Nonetheless, Michael managed to overcome this obstacle and fled to the next room.
Michael on the carousel
Michael continued his game and ultimately ended up in an abandoned railway building. As he traversed the area, he entered another big hall. In front of him was a giant rotating carousel, which was divided into several segments by large fences. Additionally, there were several red spotlights illuminating the carousel. As Michael went further, a TV turned on in front of him and Jigsaw's puppet warned him to avoid the spotlights as they would immediately activate his shotgun vest. Nonetheless, Michael had to enter the carousel. To get to the other side of the room, he had to find a way past the fences while avoiding the red lights. By carefully moving forward, Michael ultimately overcame this obstacle and went on. (Saw II: Flesh & Blood)
Trivia
- The function of the vest is almost identical to that of the Shotgun Collar from the first video game.