Grievers

Lore & Background

The Grievers are mechanical and organic hybrids that inhabit the Maze surrounding the Glade. They emerge at night when the Maze walls close, making it deadly for anyone caught outside. Their sting causes the Changing, a painful ordeal that restores lost memories but can drive victims mad. In the story, a boy named Ben is stung and later tries to kill Thomas, leading to his banishment. Alby is also stung while investigating what the Gladers believe is the first dead Griever, and he later attempts suicide by walking into a group of them. Thomas voluntarily gets stung to undergo the Changing and learn the truth about the Maze. During a critical night, Thomas, Minho, and Alby survive an encounter with Grievers by using a trick with the Maze walls, not by leading them off a cliff. Later, when the Grievers invade the Homestead, Gally is killed by a Griever while trying to escape after throwing the spear at Thomas, and the Grievers retreat because Thomas triggers the end of the Maze by inserting the code. The Gladers eventually fight the Grievers in the Griever Hole, where at least four of them die before Thomas and Teresa insert the code to escape—though the casualties are fewer than half.

In Their Own Story

The first major encounter with Grievers occurs when Minho and Alby go into the Maze to see what they think is a dead Griever. Alby is stung and attacks Minho, who knocks him out. Minho carries Alby back but the doors close, leaving Thomas to run in and help. Stranded overnight, they hear Grievers approaching. Minho runs, but Thomas uses ivy to pull Alby up. Minho returns, and together they kill four Grievers by leading them off a cliff. Later, after the Ending is triggered, Gally warns that Grievers will come every night. They invade the Homestead, and Gally throws himself at them, making them leave. In the final battle, the Gladers jump down the Griever Hole to insert the code. Almost half die fighting the Grievers, but Thomas and Teresa succeed with Chuck's help.

Reader's Guide

To survive Grievers in the Maze, never be caught outside after dark when the walls close. If stung, the Changing will occur, restoring memories but risking madness. Use the Maze's ivy to climb walls and escape pursuit, as Thomas did when he pulled Alby up. Leading Grievers off a cliff is an effective tactic, as shown when Minho and Thomas killed four that way. When Grievers invade the Glade, hiding in the Homestead may not be safe; Gally's sacrifice showed that throwing oneself at them can drive them away temporarily. The only permanent solution is to solve the Maze and insert the code in the Griever Hole, but expect heavy casualties in the final fight.

Did You Know?

• The Grievers are described as creatures of metal and flesh.
• Thomas, Minho, and Alby escaped the Grievers using a trick with the Maze walls, not by leading them off a cliff.
• Gally was killed by a Griever while trying to escape after throwing the spear at Thomas, not while throwing it.
• The Grievers retreated because Thomas triggered the end of the Maze by inserting the code.
• At least four Gladers died fighting Grievers in the Griever Hole, though the casualties were fewer than half.