The Sampler is basically a power freak. After The Thief has finished stealing Kris' money, another ominous man whom the credits identify as The Sampler (Andrew Sensenig) kidnaps her and takes her to a remote medical trailer for a bizarre operation in which he removes the bug from her body and implants it into a piglets. Using highly expressionistic imagery, Carruth makes it clear that an element of Kris' consciousness has been transferred to the animal (and via versa). But that's not all: By virtue of obtaining possession of the bug, The Sampler is able to continue to impact Kris' experience with her surroundings -- not unlike what The Thief did. But The Sampler's agenda is quite different. Rather than merely take advantage of her resources, he wants to continue to influence her consciousness, toying with her awareness by creating various sounds and sensations in his remote location that impact her waking life. In essence, he's playing god.