Minho

The Head of the Runners who navigates the Maze and becomes Thomas's close friend.

Minho is one of the main characters in The Maze Runner. He is the Keeper of the Runners and is in charge of navigating and mapping out the Maze. As a Runner, he is in very good shape and is described as "an Asian kid with strong, heavily muscled arms and short black hair." He is sarcastic and a jokester, and he tends to react without thinking, which leads him into trouble. He and Thomas quickly become good friends.

Quick Facts

Role: Runner; Head of the Runners
Affiliation: The Gladers (Maze Runner)

Lore & Background

Minho goes into the Maze with Alby to see what they think might be the first dead Griever. Alby is stung by the creature and falls into a coma-like state. Minho drags Alby partway back to the Glade but leaves him when the doors begin to close. Thomas runs into the maze to help, becoming stranded with Minho and Alby. When they hear the sounds of Grievers approaching, Minho runs away, knowing they don't have a chance of survival, while Thomas uses a vine to climb the maze wall and pull Alby onto a ledge. Minho later comes back to help Thomas, and by morning they have killed one Griever by causing it to fall off the Cliff. After returning to the Glade the next morning, Minho suggests Thomas become a Runner, but Gally disagrees. Later, when Alby tries to burn all the maps, Minho and Newt secure the maps in the Weapons Room, saving them.

Role as Keeper of the Runners

Minho serves as the crucial Keeper of the Runners within the Glade, holding one of the most dangerous and vital positions in the boys' society. His primary responsibility involves leading a team through the treacherous Maze to map its shifting walls and track the movements of lethal creatures known as Grievers. This role requires immense physical stamina and courage, as the labyrinth changes configuration every night while housing monsters made of metal and flesh. Minho's expertise is so respected that when Thomas arrives with no memory, Minho immediately nominates him to succeed this leadership position, signaling his trust in the newcomer despite the initial hostility from other Keepers like Gally. Although Gally vehemently opposes the idea, threatening a confrontation, Minho stands by his recommendation, ultimately helping to secure Thomas's path toward becoming a Runner under Newt's interim guidance.

Defining Moment of Survival

Minho demonstrates profound loyalty and tactical brilliance during a catastrophic event involving Alby, the leader of the Glade. After Alby is stung by a Griever and begins his terrifying 'Changing,' Minho attempts to carry him back to safety but finds the massive doors closing before they can enter. Stranded in the Maze with Thomas and the incapacitated Alby as Grievers approach, Minho initially flees, recognizing that staying would mean certain death for all of them. However, true to his character, he returns shortly after to assist Thomas. Together, the two boys manage a daring escape by luring four attacking Grievers off a cliff, killing them in the process. This harrowing night solidifies Minho's reputation as a survivor who balances self-preservation with an unwavering commitment to saving his friends.

Preserving the Maze Maps

As the crisis deepens within the Glade and Alby succumbs to the effects of the Changing, he attempts to destroy all the collected maps in a fit of confusion. Minho, recognizing that these documents are their only hope for solving the labyrinth, acts swiftly alongside Newt to secure them before they can be burned. They hide the critical data in the Weapons Room just hours before Alby's destructive attempt, ensuring the Gladers retain the information needed to decipher the Maze's secrets. This intervention proves vital when Thomas later discovers that layering the maps reveals a hidden code: 'FLOAT CATCH BLEED DEATH STIFF PUSH.' Without Minho and Newt's quick thinking in safeguarding these records, the group would have lost their primary tool for understanding the puzzle WICKED had constructed around them.

Confrontation with Gally

Minho frequently finds himself at odds with Gally, another Keeper who represents a more rigid and fearful faction within the Glade. Their conflict comes to a head during a Gathering where Minho nominates Thomas as the new Runner leader, while Gally argues for punishing Thomas by locking him up in the Slammer. The tension between them escalates into direct threats, highlighting a deep ideological split regarding how to handle the unknown and the arrival of Teresa. Despite this animosity, Minho's actions often prioritize the group's survival over personal grudges. He remains focused on the practical necessities of mapping the Maze and preparing for escape, even as Gally becomes increasingly paranoid about the Grievers and the changing rules of their confinement.