Character Relationship Map: The Maze Runner

Characters

• Thomas (played by Dylan O'Brien) — protagonist

  The main protagonist who wakes up in the Glade with no memory. He leads the Gladers through the Maze and the Scorch to find a cure for the Flare.

• Newt (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster) — supporting

  Thomas closest friend and second-in-command in the Glade. He struggles with the Flare effects but remains fiercely loyal.

• Minho (played by Ki Hong Lee) — supporting

  Leader of the Runners, known for his agility, bravery, and tactical mind. He survives the Maze and leads the group through the Scorch.

• Ben (played by Chris Sheffield) — supporting

  A Glader who succumbs to the Changing early on, attacking Thomas before being banished to the Maze.

• Gally (played by Will Poulter) — supporting

  Initially an antagonist who opposes Thomas leadership, he later returns as a reluctant ally in the final film.

• Chuck (played by Blake Cooper) — supporting

  The youngest Glader who forms a brotherly bond with Thomas, ultimately sacrificing himself to save him.

• Winston (played by Alexander Flores) — minor

  A Glader who serves as a builder and loyal member of the community before being lost to the Maze.

• Zart (played by Joe Adler) — minor

  A Glader who works in the gardens, known for his quiet demeanor and loyalty to the community.

• Ava Paige (played by Patricia Clarkson) — supporting

  The high-ranking WCKD official who oversees the Maze trials, believing her cruel methods are necessary for humanity survival.

• Alby (played by Aml Ameen) — supporting

  The original leader of the Glade who maintains order until his death, which marks a turning point for the group.

• Frypan (played by Dexter Darden) — supporting

  The Glade cook and a loyal friend to Thomas, known for his humor and survival skills.

• Jeff (played by Jacob Latimore) — supporting

  A Glader who participates in the Maze trials and supports the group survival efforts.

• Glader (played by Sawyer Pierce) — cameo

  Collective term for the teenage boys trapped in the Glade, serving as the core survivor group.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Gally → Glader (Power Leader) — Gally leads the Gladers who stay behind.

  Gally takes command of the remaining Gladers after Alby's death.

• Ava Paige → Alby (Power Overseer) — Paige's trial indirectly causes Alby's death.

  Paige's experiment leads to the Griever invasion that kills Alby.

• Ava Paige → Glader (Power Overseer) — Paige directs the experiment on the Gladers.

  Paige's video reveals that all the Gladers are test subjects in WCKD's experiment.

• Thomas → Glader (Power Leader) — Thomas becomes the group's de facto leader.

  Thomas emerges as the driving force who leads the Gladers through the Maze to freedom.

• Alby → Glader (Power Leader) — Alby governs the Glader community.

  Alby is the original leader of the Glade who maintains order among the boys.

• Alby → Ben (Power Banisher) — Alby orders Ben's exile.

  Alby and the Gladers force the stung Ben into the Maze, leaving him to die.

• Gally → Alby (Power Successor) — Gally seizes leadership following Alby's death.

  After Alby is killed, Gally takes command of the Glade overnight.

• Minho → Alby (Professional Subordinate) — Minho serves as Alby's top Runner.

  Minho, the lead Runner, follows Alby's orders and retraces Ben's steps with him in the Maze.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Jeff → Frypan (Alliance Teammate) — Fellow Gladers in the community.

  Jeff and Frypan are both Gladers who support the community and the escape.

• Zart → Frypan (Alliance Teammate) — Fellow Gladers on the retrieval mission.

  Zart and Frypan are both part of the group that enters the Maze to find the Griever corpse.

• Winston → Frypan (Alliance Teammate) — Fellow Gladers on the retrieval mission.

  Winston and Frypan are both Gladers who join Thomas's Maze expedition together.

• Frypan → Newt (Social Friend) — Frypan is a friendly supporter of Newt.

  Frypan serves the community as cook and supports Newt's leadership.

• Minho → Newt (Alliance Teammate) — Minho and Newt share leadership duties.

  Minho and Newt work together in the Glade's leadership, coordinating Runners and defenses.

• Gally → Chuck (Conflict Killer) — Gally takes Chuck's life in the lab confrontation.

  Gally fatally shoots Chuck while aiming at Thomas.

• Minho → Gally (Conflict Opponent) — Minho kills Gally to protect Thomas.

  Minho spears Gally to stop him from shooting Thomas, killing him.

Story Analysis

A boy with no memory leads his fellow Gladers through a deadly maze to escape a secret experiment.

Plot Progression

1. The Box and the Glade — Thomas awakens with no memory in the Glade, a walled community of boys. He learns the rules, clashes with Gally, and witnesses Ben's banishment after a Griever sting.
2. First Night in the Maze — Alby is stung while scouting the Maze. Thomas runs in to help, crushes a Griever, and survives the night, earning the Gladers' attention.
3. The Runner's Gambit — Thomas becomes a Runner, retrieves the Griever device, decodes the Maze's pattern, and discovers a potential exit before traps force a retreat.
4. The Grievers' Siege — Grievers invade the Glade, killing Alby and Zart. Thomas stabs himself with a stinger, recovers his WCKD memories, and reveals the truth.
5. Escape and the Cost — The Gladers flee through the Maze, reach the lab, and learn the Flare's truth. Gally shoots Chuck, Minho kills Gally, and survivors are rescued.