Ultimately, the novel’s title is a rhetorical question aimed at the reader. Is wickedness found in the virus-driven violence of the infected, or in the cold, calculated survivalism of the "True"? By the final act, Yates suggests that the most terrifying form of wickedness is not the one that asks for your skin with a smile, but the one that allows you to turn a blind eye to others' suffering in order to stay safe.
Natalie’s storyline on Puffin Island provides a grounded, intimate look at these ethical dilemmas. Trapped in a lighthouse with a pregnant mother and a grandfather who has already turned Wicked, Natalie must decide how far she will go to protect a newborn. Her struggle highlights a key theme: the sacrifice of one’s own safety for the sake of another. The "Wicked" grandfather, despite his murderous intent, remains a tragic figure, illustrating the thin veil between the person he was and the monster he became. How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates Pdf
: Being "Vexed" requires surviving a process that killed most of an entire generation, framing immunity as a survivor's guilt. Ultimately, the novel’s title is a rhetorical question