| “ | WCKD is Good. | „ |
| ~ Ava Paige |
Ava Paige is the main antagonist in "The Maze Runner" film series and an antagonist in its book series. She is the true main villain in the 2014 film adaptation The Maze Runner, the main antagonist in the 2015 film adaptation Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and is set to be the main antagonist in the 2018 film adaptation Maze Runner: Death Cure. She is the highest ranking official of WICKED.
She was portrayed by Patricia Clarkson, who also portrayed Margaret White.
Film history
Chancellor Ava Paige appears at various times throughout the film in Thomas' visions, but doesn't fully appear until the end.
As Thomas and the Gladers invade the WCKD headquarters, they find a video of Chancellor Paige explaining the Flare to them. In the background of the video people are breaking in and shooting members of WICKED. Before they reach Chancellor Paige, she commits suicide. Thomas sees a body laying where she was filming and goes over to check but is interrupted.
In the end, A woman walks into another WCKD headquarters and its revealed to be Chancellor Paige, alive and well, who says they are ready for "Phase Two".
In the second film, Thomas realizes she is alive when he sees her communicating with Janson. She tells him what to do to the kids but tells him not to hurt them. Later Thomas finds out that Ava is harvesting the Immunies of an enzyme that makes them immune to the Flare (that cannot be manufactured in a lab), so they can find a way to create a cure. She would sacrifice a whole generation, only to get a cure.
In the end, she shows up at the Right Arm's camp after her soldiers attack. She speaks with Thomas and takes Teresa and many others with her. Thomas then declares that he is going to kill her.
Notes
- While Gally was the main antagonist of the first film, Chancellor Paige is revealed to have been the true villain in the ending of the film. She takes the role fully in the sequel; however, her minion, Janson, does most of the work, arguably placing them in the role, with Janson as the Heavy and Paige as the Big Bad.
- Her role is somewhat different in the films than in the books. Also in the books she eventually tries to protect Thomas, while it seems she will remain the main antagonist in the films. She also never directly appears in the first two books, while she is the true antagonist of their film adaptations.
- She is also somewhat an anti-villain, as her goals are heroic but the ways in which she tries to achieve them are most definitely not.
- Paige is similar to President Coriolanus Snow from The Hunger Games trilogy, as they command powerful organizations and serve as the overarching villains of their respective franchises.