The Maze Runner 4 Can Finally Answer 1 Question I’ve Been Asking For 9 Years

Summary

• The Maze Runner 4 can address unanswered questions about the Flare virus and Post-Flare Coalition.
• Exploring the Flare’s creation and the PFC’s motives can deepen the franchise’s narrative.
• Adapting the graphic novel prelude can provide more context and expand the series’ storyline.

After nine years, a potential The Maze Runner 4 can answer a long-running franchise mystery that I, and millions of other fans, have been desperately waiting for an answer to. The second installment of James Dashner’s book-to-movie The Maze Runner series, The Scorch Trials (2015), introduces the Flare virus, a man-made, brain-eating disease created by the Post-Flare Coalition (PFC) for population control – which evidently backfired. However, the film leaves other details about the Flare up to interpretation, creating several unresolved plot points.

It is known that the PFC created the disease after a massive solar flare hit the earth, creating the Sun Flares to kill the survivors painlessly. However, the gaps in this narrative beyond this information provide a great opportunity for The Maze Runner 4 to explore the Flare and the Post-Flare Coalition more deeply. The Maze Runner’s Flare virus is horrendous, with the films showing the effects of the virus on a human, transforming them into zombie-like beings. However, crucial aspects of the Flare virus story have not been addressed – with one particular question paramount in the minds of Maze Runner fans like me.

The Maze Runner 4 Can Finally Answer A Question I’ve Been Asking Since The Scorch Trials

And It’s Been A Long Time Coming

The Maze Runner 4 reboot presents a prime opportunity to address a question I’ve had since The Scorch Trials – specifically around why the PFC would believe creating a brain-eating virus was a good idea. This, in turn, raises further questions around why they thought this was the best means of population control, and how their plans backfired so horrendously. These crucial motives are unclear, creating huge uncertainty at the heart of the Maze Runner franchise. Even as a dedicated fan, it’s hard for me to get too invested in the story when its origins lack a reasonable explanation.

Understanding the process behind the Flare’s creation will give great context to the dystopian world becoming the way audiences see it in the previous films…

Exploring the decision made by the Post-Flare Coalition will reveal the desperate measures they encountered, and I can’t help but wonder about what ethical dilemmas the PFC faced. It’s possible, for instance, that they tried the Flare on human subjects, witnessing the horrendous effects it has on the brain and making future events seem even more horrific. Understanding the process behind the Flare’s creation will give great context to the dystopian world becoming the way audiences see it in the previous films, additionally shedding light on how the PFC’s plan for population control morphed into a global catastrophe.

The Origin Of The Flare Virus Is A Fascinating Maze Runner Story To Explore

Arguably, It Is The Most Important Plot Line!

Even though the Flare wasn’t introduced until The Maze Runner‘s ending, the origin of the Flare virus is an intriguing plot line that the franchise should explore. The Scorch Trials‘ ending, for example, poses further questions about the storyline. It’s a shame the concept hasn’t been largely discussed because I believe delving into the Flare’s creation and seeing what ethical and scientific implications were considered will truly deepen the franchise’s entire narrative. Seeing the decision-making and deliberate choices behind the Flare’s creation will give context to the series’ depiction of the virus’ effect.

I believe it’s crucial to launch an investigation into the scientists and decision-makers who were pivotal in the Flare’s development, so audiences can understand the extreme circumstances that the Sun Flares posed to humanity, as well as humanity’s response. Sometimes, the most important stories revolve around the character or concept that haunts the plot line – in this case, the Flare is a ghost throughout the entire series, as audiences don’t see its origin. The investigation into the Post-Flare Coalition and the Flare’s origin story would go from a mere plot device to an entire symbol of the calamity of human ambition.

The Maze Runner Graphic Novels Explain More About The Virus (& Should Be Adapted)

Their Adaptations Would Give More Context On Important Concepts

The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: The Official Graphic Novel Prelude by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing offers information about the Flare that isn’t discussed in The Maze Runner films. The graphic novel shows the Flare’s release onto the world, exploring the decisions made beforehand as well as the effects post-release. Not only does it investigate the virus’ origin, but it also lays the groundwork for the Maze’s creation, and what the Post-Flare Coalition consisted of just a few months after the Sun Flares.

Adapting this graphic novel is something I believe would strengthen the narrative of The Maze Runner series, because exploring the issues that shaped the dystopia is crucial in understanding the events in this world. This addition would also introduce new storylines and characters that are essential to the series’ expansion. Integrating rich sources such as Kelly and Lanzing’s graphic novel into the new film would bridge the gaps in the plot line, and offer a much more complete narrative.

By digging into the Flare’s origins, as seen in the novel, The Maze Runner 4 can answer long-running questions and expand the franchise’s scope.