The Maze

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

Description
In the books, there are two Mazes, one for Group A (The Gladers) and one for Group B. Both are built deep into the bedrock that lies under the main buildings of WICKED. Since they are underground, the sun and sky are simulations and it is always sunny. 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.

In the films, the Maze is not underground, and the sun and sky are the real ones. Hence, the Gladers experience fluctuations of weather (rainfall, temperature change, etc.) In addition, the Mazes for both Group A and Group B are designed quite differently from the book. In the book, Group A's Maze is a square shape, but in the film the Maze is circular. In addition, the film's Maze is not divided into eight distinct sections, but is rather divided into three circular sections. The difference between each section 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 rings have fewer paths. The outermost ring is also divided into eight sections, which seems to correspond to the way the Maze in the book is divided.

Group B's Maze in the movie is itself significantly different from Group A's Maze (unlike in the books, where the two Mazes are identical). Whereas Group A's Maze remains flat throughout, The Scorch Trials Official Graphic Novel Prelude (canon to the movie universe) shows that 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 central living area filled with deciduous trees, Group B's Maze endured a far colder climate, with the Maze walls constructed of ice. They also had extensive snowfall, and their Maze center area was filled with coniferous trees.

In the roleplay, both the Gladers' and Group B's mazes are a hybrid of the books and films representations of the mazes. The only difference is that instead of two mazes, there are three mazes to accommodate the three groups WICKED puts on trial: Group A, Group B and Group C. The only known surviving member of Group C is Kaylana (more commonly known as Dr.Reyes). Kaylana describes Group C's maze as 'a rainforest of sorts' full of creatures known to the group as 'Keens' that looked like large electric eels predominantly made out of metal with 'beady lil' red eyes'. Group C's maze was mostly filled with bog water, which meant running away from the 'Keens' was difficult as they could also swim in the bog water. While Group A's Maze enjoyed a temperate climate with their central living area filled with deciduous trees, Group C's Maze endured a far humid and wet climate, with the Maze walls constructed of stone and steel. They also had extensive rainfall, and their Maze center area was filled with strangler and curtain fig trees.