The Maze

The whole Maze as seen in the film after the Gladers escape.

The Maze was Phase One of the Trials created by WICKED personnel for the Gladers to solve.

The 8 different sections of the Maze.

Description

In the books, there are two Mazes, one for Group A and one for Group B. Both are built deep into the bedrock that lies under the main buildings of WICKED's headquarters. Since they are underground, the sun and sky are simulations and it is always sunny (until the Ending is triggered). The Mazes can be entered and exited through the Griever Hole.

The two Mazes are identical in design and described as giant labyrinths. They are divided into eight sections surrounding the Glade. Every night, the Walls of the Maze change, repeating the same pattern every month. This pattern is a code. In the book, the code consists of keywords which are formed by the walls of the eight sections at the rate of one letter a day. The Gladers had kept records on paper of the Maze patterns for a year or so, and they knew that each month the patterns repeated. Thomas discovered that letters could be found by placing the maps of the eight sections from the same day over each other. When a month's worth of maps were examined, they discovered that the letters formed the keywords FLOAT - CATCH - BLEED - DEATH - STIFF - PUSH.

Eventually Thomas realized that the keywords were a shut-down code for the Maze. Once the Gladers broke out of the Maze and made it into the Griever hole, Teresa entered the keywords into a computer. All of them worked except the last one. Chuck realized that "push" was not a word to be typed, but instead referred to a button below the computer console that read KILL THE MAZE. Thomas pushed it and successfully shut down the Maze.

Origin

In The Fever Code, Thomas and Teresa helped WICKED construct the Maze for Group A, working on it until it was complete before entering themselves. Aris and Rachel, two other teen subjects, worked on the Group B Maze. Due to Aris, Rachel, Teresa and Thomas's incredible intelligence, WICKED used them to help build the Mazes. After his friends were sent in, Thomas observed them using Beetle Blades before being sent in the Maze himself by his request (although his memory was wiped without his consent). In the epilogue of The Fever Code, it is revealed that Teresa and Aris kept their memories when entering their Mazes, coordinating everything telepathically on WICKED's behalf.

Portrayal in the movies

In the film, the Maze is not underground, and the sun and sky are the real ones. Hence, the Gladers experience fluctuations of weather (Precpitation, temperature change, etc.) In addition, the maze for both Group A and Grpup B is designed significantly different from that of the maze in the book. Unlike in the book, where the maze is a square shape, the maze in the film is circular. In addition the maze is not divided into 8 distinct sections, rather it is divided into three circular sections. The difference between each sections is the density of the Maze paths, with the inner ring closest to the center (the Glade for Group A and the Spring for Group B) having the greatest density of paths. The next two ring have less number of path. The outer most ring is also divdided into eight sections, which seems to correspond to the way the Maze in the book is divided. Group B's Maze is slightly different form Group A's Maze. Whereas Group A's Maze remains flat throuhout, the outer section of Group B's Maze becomes vertical. The climate between the two Mazes in the film universe also differs. While Group A's Maze enjoyed a temperate climate with their center living area filled with decidous trees, Group B's Maze endured a far colder climate, with evidence of extensive snowfall and their maze center area filled with coniferous trees. Instead of the keyword sequence mentioned above, the code is the opening sequence of the Maze sections: 71526483. In addition to this, the Griever hole as such does not exist; instead, there is a secret room in the Maze they happen to find.

Pictures