The Scorch Trials

James Dashner

73 pages 2-hour read

James Dashner

The Scorch Trials

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2010

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Thomas is a quick-witted teenager bearing the weight of his terrifying experiences in the Maze. Haunted by the loss of his friends, he tries to make sense of WICKED's relentless manipulations. He discovers his neck tattoo designates him as someone "To be killed by Group B," a disturbing directive that colors his actions. He struggles to understand his own past involvement with WICKED while trying to keep his fellow Gladers alive during the deadly Scorch Trials.

Key Relationships

Telepathic Partner of Teresa

Friend of Minho

Friend of Newt

Telepathically Connected to Aris

Test Subject of Rat Man

Traveling Companion of Brenda

Teresa is the only female member of Thomas's original Maze group. Smart and resourceful, she shares a telepathic link with Thomas and has lingering memories of working for WICKED before the Maze experiments began. Following the rescue, she mysteriously vanishes from her assigned room, leaving behind a new door plaque labeling her "The Betrayer."

Key Relationships

Telepathic Partner of Thomas

Counterpart of Aris

Minho is a pragmatic Glader who steps up as the de facto leader of the group during Phase Two. His neck tattoo officially designates him as "The Leader," a role he accepts reluctantly after urging from the others. He commands the group through the unforgiving Scorch wasteland with a hot-headed, aggressive style that sometimes sparks conflict.

Key Relationships

Friend of Thomas

Friend of Newt

Reluctant Ally of Jorge

Newt is the former leader of the Gladers who steps back to let Minho take charge. Marked by a WICKED tattoo identifying him as "The Glue," he serves as the emotional core holding the traumatized boys together. He walks with a limp from a previous injury but maintains his physical and mental resilience as they face the trials.

Key Relationships

Friend of Thomas

Friend of Minho

Supporting Characters

Aris is a newcomer who survived a different maze experiment alongside a group of fifty girls. Labeled "The Partner" by his WICKED tattoo, he has the rare ability to communicate telepathically. He serves as a mirror to Thomas's experience, carrying his own grief from the brutal loss of his partner during their escape.

Key Relationships

Telepathically Connected to Thomas

Friend of Rachel

Counterpart of Teresa

Brenda is a resident of the post-apocalyptic city enduring the early stages of the Flare virus. Highly intelligent and quick with a knife, she maneuvers through the dangerous Underneath tunnels. She views Thomas and the Gladers as a potential ticket to reaching the safe haven and acquiring a cure.

Key Relationships

Companion of Jorge

Guide for Thomas

Jorge is a young Crank who leads a faction of survivors taking shelter in the city. He maintains strict control over his territory. Recognizing an opportunity, he decides to guide the Gladers toward the mountains in exchange for a portion of the promised cure.

Key Relationships

Companion of Brenda

Antagonist of Minho

Guide for Thomas

Rat Man is a thin spokesperson for WICKED who dresses in a clean white suit. He coldly informs the Gladers that they have been infected with the Flare and introduces the deadly rules of Phase Two. He represents the clinical, manipulative authority testing the teenagers from afar.

Key Relationships

Authority over Thomas

Authority over Minho

Winston is one of the surviving Gladers forced into the Scorch Trials. He suffers a severe injury early in the journey when an unnatural, liquid silver trap targets him in a dark corridor, requiring immediate help to survive.

Key Relationships

Friend of Thomas

Frypan is a surviving Glader trekking through the Scorch. He provides occasional commentary on the horrors they face and struggles alongside his peers through deadly lightning storms and harsh desert elements.

Key Relationships

Friend of Thomas

Harriet is a co-leader within Group B, the all-female counterpart to the Gladers. Like the boys, she and her group must confront WICKED's variables while dealing with the strange, violent directives they have been given regarding Thomas.

Key Relationships

Co-leader of Sonya

Connected to Thomas

Sonya is a member of Group B who survived her own maze experiment. She works with Harriet to command the girls and tries to make sense of the deceptive scenarios WICKED forces them to participate in.

Key Relationships

Co-leader of Harriet

Connected to Thomas

Blondie is a Crank residing in the ruined city. He and his companions corner Thomas and Brenda, forcing them to attend a dangerous party. He possesses a rare, rusted firearm that poses a severe threat in the desolate environment.

Key Relationships

Captor of Thomas

Captor of Brenda

David is a representative of WICKED involved in the later logistical stages of the Scorch Trials. He handles the transport of the subjects and treats the teenagers as entirely disposable assets in pursuit of WICKED's goals.

Key Relationships

Antagonist of Thomas

Rachel was Aris's best friend and telepathic connection in Group B. She was killed during their escape from the Maze while one of her peers was under WICKED's mind control, leaving Aris with deep psychological scars.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Aris

Ava Paige is the Chancellor of WICKED. Operating firmly behind the scenes, she observes the teenagers' progress, evaluates their emotional responses, and views their immense suffering as a necessary sacrifice for humanity's long-term survival.

Key Relationships

Overseer of Thomas