Death Cure Part 7: Everyone Instantly Hates Thomas

Hello. Welcome to Sunday. This seems weird to be blogging on a day that isn't Tuesday. But we'll see how this goes. Anyway, onto the reading!

Chapters 29-32

So we start out with the gang going to a coffee shop to get something to eat. The pick a table near the back and Jorge goes to get everyone some provisions. While they are sitting, Thomas notices a strange dude sitting near the window. He isn't drinking his coffee, but just staring at one space on the wall with a blank expression. Thomas points this out to Brenda, who says that he's on the Bliss and would end up in jail if anyone else noticed.

Jorge returns with food and everyone eats. They all stand to leave and Brenda tells Jorge and Minho to wait outside because she has to tell Thomas something. Minho gets frustrated with all the secrets being kept, but Thomas assures Minho that he will tell Minho everything. I just used Minho three times in one sentence, but it's the only way to be clear. Fucking limited English pronouns. Anyway, Minho and Jorge leave Thomas and Brenda alone. She begins to tell him the she meant everything she said in the Scorch, that he deserves to know things, and that there are things she needs to tell him. This all falls on Thomas's deaf ears because he

Thomas doesn't care anymore and it's lovely.

couldn't give less of a shit. He tells her flat out that he doesn't want to know. He doesn't care about the past, only what needs to happen next. She tells him that he is doing the right thing and she will keep helping.

Just then, the strange man by the window takes something out of his pocket and sticks it in his elbow. He instantly relaxes, catching the attention of a red-shirted Flare tester by the door. Red-Shirt walks over to strange window man. They start talking, but Thomas can't hear what they are saying. He watches intently. Brenda tells Thomas that they need to leave. He stands to go when Red-Shirt pulls out a gun. He announces to the crowd, "We've got an infected! Everyone evacuate the building!" Super helpful, dude. Nothing says 'doing your job' like causing mass panic. Everyone freaks out and runs for the one exit.



Thomas is separated from Brenda. He hangs back because he realizes he can't get infected, so why not watch the show? It's becoming obvious that Thomas is a bit of a dumbass sometimes. There is a struggle between Red-Shirt and strange window man in which the gun is knocked away. Thomas then realizes that the crowd has evacuated and he is alone with Red-Shirt and window man. Red-Shirt also notices this. He tells Thomas to make himself useful and find the gun. Thomas, ever the dumbass, tells Red-Shirt that he is immune. Thomas finds the gun and hands it to Red-Shirt. Again, dumbass. Thomas tells Red-Shirt that he thought the man was on the Bliss. Red-Shirt asks why he didn't tell anyone and what is wrong with him. They pointedly discuss where Thomas is from. Thomas respond with, "I'm not from around here." Seriously,

Thomas is such as idiot in this section

dumbass. Red-Shirt then tests Thomas for the Flare to make sure he is immune. Thomas then tells Red-Shirt that he works for WICKED, because why not continue to make terrible choices? Red-Shirt doesn's buy it and tells Thomas to sit down and shut up or he'll shoot.

Just then, some more people arrive. They are all dressed in green plastic, like the people who took Thomas from the Scorch after he was shot. They use a strange device to cover the window man is blue goo that keeps him immobile. Red-Shirt then tells Thomas that Thomas is coming with him.

The green-clad people take away the window man who is now completely covered in blue goo. When they leave, Minho (who was standing just outside with Brenda and Jorge) walks in. He tells Red-Shirt that he needs to take Thomas, because they are friends and they need to leave. Unsurprisingly, Red-Shirt is unmoved. He asks Minho if they are all immune and Minho just fucking bolts. You can tell why he was the leader of the Runners back in the Maze. Red-Shirt chases him to the door, but doesn't leave.

We already know most of this, but it's important to note.

Red-Shirt then tells Thomas that, "You'll bring me a good hunk of cash." He doesn't elaborate as to why or how. He tells Thomas that he doesn't like him, which is something we hear about Thomas again and again. No one likes him at first. Red-Shirt then walks Thomas out of the building while pointing his gun at Thomas's spine. On the way, Thomas sees a new poster on the wall of a building. It's a PSA about the Flare. I've included a picture of it, so you can get the full experience yourself. They walk to an alley, where Red-Shirt
has a car waiting. He tells Thomas to get into the car. As he does, something called a 'cop machine' arrives in the alley. It has guns on it and, in a twist of fate that will surprise no Star Trek fan, Red-Shirt dies. He is blasted with machine gun fire in spectacular fashion. The cop machine hovers outside of the car and Thomas hears a familiar voice coming from it. "Get out of the car Thomas," says the disembodied voice of everyone's favorite antagonist, Rat Man.

Thomas is relieved to not be dead, but also very relieved that Rat Man isn't actually there. He's on a screen that is embedded in the cop machine. He and Thomas talk. Rat Man tries to convince Thomas to come back. He is apparently their best hope at finding a cure. In this instance, Thomas is Obi-Wan and Rat Man is Princess Leia. Sorry, I just really wanted to make that reference. Thomas says he'll think about it because he is acutely aware of the machine guns on the cop machine. For once, he's not being a dumbass. Good job, Thomas. Rat Man then warns Thomas that Newt is getting worse. He says that the Flare is progressing really quickly in him. The cop machine then flies away.

Minho is more concerned about Newt than he lets on and it's tragic.

At that moment, the rest of the gang appear. Minho sees Red-Shirt super dead. "Holy... What happened to him?...And you? You okay? Did you do that?" Minho showing concern is my favorite thing. Thomas sarcastically responds they yes, he did kill Red-Shirt with the machine guns he just has. Thomas then relates what has just unfolded and tells the others that they need to find a way to go check on Newt. Jorge tells Thomas that something weird is happening. All the people have vanished from the streets. He says, "This city is just giving me the creeps, hermana. Like it's alive and waiting to unleash something really nasty." That's super cheerful, Jorge. Keep up the good work. They then head out to try to find a way out of the city and check on Newt.



Analysis

Okie dokie. So, some serious shit just went down. Everything seems to be important in it's own way, so we'll go one by one.

First up, Thomas finally verbalizing his desire to completely ignore the past. At this point, he straight doesn't give a fuck. He is beyond caring about what circumstances put him were his is. All he cares about now is what comes next - how he can take WICKED down. I think this is an important shift because it's showing the reader that the past isn't important. We still have very little knowledge of what Thomas was like before the Maze and frankly, we don't need to. That version of Thomas isn't important. All that matters is who Thomas is now.

Next, the whole business with the infected man, Red-Shirt, and the Bliss. I have a sneaking suspicion that the gang is going to procure some Bliss for Newt, but that's for later. What's really important about this section is the fact that WICKED isn't the only threat to the gang. There are other people out there who want the immunes. Red-Shirt basically tells Thomas that he's going to sell Thomas to someone for a shit-ton of money. But why? and to whom? What do these others want with them? This illustrates that, once they are done with WICKED, they aren't necessarily safe. They may never be safe again. This series is just one ball of sunshine isn't it?

The re-emergence of Rat Man is important because it indicates that WICKED has always known where they were. Even now, they are being watched. This brings up the thought that this could just be another test. This 'escape' could be an elaborate ruse. I would not put this past WICKED. They have shown, time and again, that they are super fucking evil. I mean, they are willing to use Newt to emotionally blackmail Thomas into coming back. I just want to reiterate that THESE ARE CHILDREN. At most, they are TEENAGERS that WICKED is manipulating, murdering, and scaring for life. WICKED is fucking evil and no one will convince me otherwise.

Okay, that about sums it up for the day. Any questions, comments, arguments, hellos, recipes, elaborate diagrams, or haikus are welcome in the comments.

Until next time, happy reading.