73 pages • 2-hour read
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Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Co-leader of Harriet
Connected to Thomas
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.
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.
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.
Overseer of Thomas