WCKD

"WCKD is Good."

- Teresa Agnes

World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department, generally abbreviated to WICKED (WCKD in the movie adaptation), is an organization originally formed to find a cure for The Flare, and the main antagonists of The Maze Runner book trilogy and movie series. After the Sun Flares, the remaining governments of the world combined their resources to set this organization up, for the world was in desperate need for a cure. For the purpose of experimenting, they selected about 100 children between the age of 12 and 17, many of whom were immune to the Flare. They passed them through The Trials, such as the Maze and the Scorch, which involved various variables which were designed to stimulate the Killzone of the brain so they could record specific patterns. They planned to use these killzone patterns to discover why these children's brains were able to fight off the Flare, hopefully allowing them to produce a cure. Thomas, Teresa, Aris, Rachel, Brenda, and Jorge are all WICKED members that went through the trials.

Throughout the series, Teresa Agnes and Ava Paige frequently mention that WICKED is good, implying that every action or intention WICKED does is justified. This oxymoron is a prime example of doublethink, and serves as a type of propaganda tool for WICKED. Of course, as seen throughout the series, WICKED is indeed wicked, with the organization performing very few good deeds. Towards the end of the series Teresa finally realizes that WICKED is not really good at all, but Chancellor Paige still clings to the idea.

In The Kill Order, Mark reads messages between members of the Post-Flare Coalition, a government organization of sun flare survivors. He learns of a secret branch, the Population Control Committee who release the Flare due to limited resources and increased population. It can be assumed that these organizations are precursors to WCKD as Chancellor Paige admits WCKD released the Flare for means of population control.

WICKED's ultimate fate is unknown, although it is safe to assume that WICKED is destroyed by the Right Arm during their attack in The Death Cure.

Members

 * Chancellor Ava Paige (2231)
 * Assistant Director Janson
 * Chancellor John Michael (2217 - 2220)
 * Katie McVoy
 * Randall Spilker
 * Ladena Lichliter
 * Chancellor Kevin Anderson (2220 - 2231)
 * Jorge
 * Brenda

Creations

 * The Glade
 * Bulb Monster
 * Beetle Blade
 * Grievers