--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thomas had a depressing - and scary…" description: "\"Thomas had a depressing - and scary - thought. 'Am I . . . replacing someone? Did somebody get killed?' Minho shook his head. 'No, we're just training ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/james-dashner-989_break_thomas-had-a-depressing-and-scary-though_2067751.png" --- # Thomas had a depressing - and scary - thought. 'Am I… ![“Thomas had a depressing - and scary - thought. 'Am I . . . replacing someone? Did somebody get killed?' Minho shook his head. 'No, we're just training you - someone'll want a break. Don't worry, it's been a while since a Runner was killed.' For some reason that last statement worried Thomas…” quote by James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/james-dashner-989_break_thomas-had-a-depressing-and-scary-though_2067751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/james-dashner-989_break_thomas-had-a-depressing-and-scary-though_2067751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/james-dashner-989_break_thomas-had-a-depressing-and-scary-though_2067751.png) > “Thomas had a depressing - and scary - thought. 'Am I . . . replacing someone? Did somebody get killed?' Minho shook his head. 'No, we're just training you - someone'll want a break. Don't worry, it's been a while since a Runner was killed.' For some reason that last statement worried Thomas, though he hoped it didn't show on his face.” [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thomas fears he might be replacing someone or causing harm, but the reality is he is merely being trained for a purpose. **In simple terms:** Thomas worries about replacing or harming others, yet he’s just being trained. Key Takeaway Recognize training as preparation, not a threat. Themes fear identity training survival Mood tense introspective Type dramatic psychological When to use this quote - team drills - military training - survival scenarios - psychological counseling Key Concepts psychology ethics group dynamics self‑doubt Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with fear of replacement? - What supports help during intense training? A Different Perspective Training can still be stressful and emotionally taxing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Killed Minho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killed-minho-3977227/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Runner Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runner-killed-3977231/) [Runners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runners/) [Scary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scary/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Thomas Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas-depressing-3977233/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried/) [Worried Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried-thomas-3977225/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worry Runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-runner-3977229/) ## Related quotes > [“Don’t worry, I’l be back soon,” said Delsani. “Tell me what happens to the roadrunner when I get back.” “Don’t worry. The runner always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-ferguson/don-t-worry-i-l-be-back-soon-said-delsani-tell-me-what-happens-to-the/) [R. Alan Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-ferguson/) > [Good try, ya bugging shank. The Gathering elects Runners, and if you think I'm tough, they'd laugh in your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/good-try-ya-bugging-shank-the-gathering-elects-runners-and-if-you/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [The toughest question has always been, "How do you get your ideas?" How do you answer that? It's like asking runners how they run,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-johnston/the-toughest-question-has-always-been-how-do-you-get-your-ideas-how/) [Lynn Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-johnston/) > [A slow band can be great. A slow 100-metres runner is just obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gylve-nagell/a-slow-band-can-be-great-a-slow-100-metres-runner-is-just-obsolete/) [Gylve Nagell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gylve-nagell/) > [The runner's greatest asset, apart from essential fitness of body, is a cool and calculating brain allied to confidence and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-stampfl/the-runner-s-greatest-asset-apart-from-essential-fitness-of-body-is-a/) [Franz Stampfl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-stampfl/) > [Runners like to train 100 miles per week because it's a round number. But I think 88 is a lot rounder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-kardong/runners-like-to-train-100-miles-per-week-because-it-s-a-round-number/) [Don Kardong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-kardong/) > [Remember that failure is part of the process of successful running. Performance is a roller coaster; to think otherwise is irrational and will cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lynch/remember-that-failure-is-part-of-the-process-of-successful-running/) [Jerry Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lynch/) > [I would like to see a fierce Fantasia mixed with Blade Runner, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars all in one. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/i-would-like-to-see-a-fierce-fantasia-mixed-with-blade-runner-lord-of/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I studied Tom Cruise running in all the Mission Impossibles. I think he's one of the best screen runners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-studied-tom-cruise-running-in-all-the-mission-impossibles-i-think/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Nearly all runners do their slow runs too fast, and their fast runs too slow." Ken Mierke says. "So they're just training their bodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/nearly-all-runners-do-their-slow-runs-too-fast-and-their-fast-runs/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I am an avid runner, mainly on weekends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/i-am-an-avid-runner-mainly-on-weekends/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have Nature, and that is much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juha-vaatainen/stadiums-are-for-spectators-we-runners-have-nature-and-that-is-much/) [Juha Vaatainen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juha-vaatainen/) > [To be a champion long-distance runner you have to run on the edge of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toshihiko-seko/to-be-a-champion-long-distance-runner-you-have-to-run-on-the-edge-of/) [Toshihiko Seko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toshihiko-seko/) ## More by James Dashner > [“sometimes you don't look very hard for things you don't believe will or can happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/sometimes-you-don-t-look-very-hard-for-things-you-don-t-believe-will/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“Sometimes I wonder," Thomas murmured. "Wonder what?" "If being alive matters. If being dead might be a lot easier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/sometimes-i-wonder-thomas-murmured-wonder-what-if-being-alive-matters/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“Are they changed because they want to go back to their old life, or is it because they're so depressed at realizing their old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/are-they-changed-because-they-want-to-go-back-to-their-old-life-or-is/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [She and Thomas had helped construct the Maze; at the same time she’d exerted a lot of effort to build a wall holding back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/she-and-thomas-had-helped-construct-the-maze-at-the-same-time-she-d/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [There are so many things hinted at that will be fun to reveal in depth. For years, fans have made it abundantly and enthusiastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/there-are-so-many-things-hinted-at-that-will-be-fun-to-reveal-in/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“Shuck it,” Minho responded. “I’m tougher than nails. I could still kick your pony-lovin’ butt with twice this pain.” Thomas shrugged. “I do love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/shuck-it-minho-responded-i-m-tougher-than-nails-i-could-still-kick/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [KILL ME!" And then Newt's eyes cleared, as if he'd gained one last trembling gasp of sanity, and his voice softened. "Please, Tommy. Please."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/kill-me-and-then-newt-s-eyes-cleared-as-if-he-d-gained-one-last/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [She smiled for the first time, and he almost had to look away, as if something that nice didn’t belong in such a glum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/she-smiled-for-the-first-time-and-he-almost-had-to-look-away-as-if/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“A veces el conocimiento da asco”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/a-veces-el-conocimiento-da-asco/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“Didn't know you could measure distance so well with nothing but you bloody eyeballs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/didn-t-know-you-could-measure-distance-so-well-with-nothing-but-you/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and ripped it open, then took out the slip of paper. The soft lights that ringed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-pulled-the-envelope-out-of-his-pocket-and-ripped-it-open-then-took/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“To fully appreciate the Sleep, you had to embrace the Wake and all its drudgery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/to-fully-appreciate-the-sleep-you-had-to-embrace-the-wake-and-all-its/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“He forced himself forward trying to seem innocent without acting like someone who was guilty who was trying to act innocent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-forced-himself-forward-trying-to-seem-innocent-without-acting-like/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“without flaw, trying to calculate his surroundings and predicament. Knowledge flooded his thoughts, facts and images, memories and details of the world and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/without-flaw-trying-to-calculate-his-surroundings-and-predicament/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [Though he’d never know for sure what had happened to them, his mind was super talented at imagining the absolute worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/though-he-d-never-know-for-sure-what-had-happened-to-them-his-mind/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) [Explore all 290 James Dashner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) [Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dunne/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) [Browse all 8,188 Break quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thomas had a depressing - and scary - thought. 'Am I . . . replacing someone? Did somebody get killed?' Minho shook his head. 'No, we're just training you - someone'll want a break. Don't worry, it's been a while since a Runner was killed.' 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