Teamwork In Rodman Philbrick's Freak The Mighty

A strong teamwork is built when the team members ameliorate each other’s weaknesses with their strengths. In Rodman Philbrick’s Freak the Mighty, Maxwell Kane and Kevin Avery work together as a team, mitigating one another’s shortcomings and making friends in the process. Max and Kevin’s symbiotic relationship helps the boys socially, brings their good out into the world, and morphs them into a bionic body that makes up for the other’s flaws.

As both Max and Kevin have been alienated for their uniqueness, they form a tight bond with each other. This is shown when Max finds Kevin in need of help and reaches out in kindness by retrieving his ornithopter, saying, “You want this back or what?” (12). Max awkwardly accosts Kevin, reflecting his

inept social skills. Nevertheless, his effort resulted in Kevin opening up to him about himself, commencing their friendship without further complications. After their successful conversation, a frightened Gwen takes Kevin back, and as she does so, he looks back at Max, “Freak is in the wagon and he’s trying to look back at me, trying to shrug his shoulders and let me know he doesn’t understand what got into the Fair Gwen, but I know” (20). As if trying to communicate an apology for his mother’s odd behavior, Freak attempts to glance back at Max. He does not understand why his mother is running away with him, but he wants to apologize because he doesn’t want Max to feel bad, a sure sign of Max and Kevin’s developing friendship. Max and Kevin are a pair that cannot be kept away from each other because their similarities are magnets that draw them together.
In order to make their world a better place, Freak the Mighty go on quests and adventures together.

An example of their adventures is when Kevin mouths at Tony D. and his gang, defending Max and himself; after of which he discovers that Max could not have fought Tony and incredulously questions, “You mean you couldn’t take him and I was giving him lip?” (31). Kevin’s words reveal his trust in Max. He incited Tony, believing Max would be able to protect the both of them. The boys’ next conflict, an encounter with Iggy, the head of a troublemaking motorcycle gang, and Loretta, his wife, show Max’s concern for Kevin and his wanting to keep Kevin safe: “I feel real bad for Freak because he hated it when people try to rub his head for luck, but I don’t say a word, I just run us home, thumping the short way back around the pond, and my big feet never trip me up because I’m on automatic, I’m this running machine” (72). Max is very attuned and sensitive to Kevin’s feelings, an important quality in a friendship. Also, his desire to protect Kevin and keep him away from Iggy and Loretta prevent his clumsiness from impeding his speedy progress to home. The conflicts Freak the Mighty encounter prove the boys’ undeniable teamwork and

compatibility.
Freak the Mighty can be considered as a bionic body: this is proved in their replacing his friend’s vulnerability with his forte. At school, Kevin climbs on top of Max to show the class how the two become Freak the Mighty, and Max feels like he is something more when together with Kevin, “I’m standing there with Freak high above me and it feels right, it makes me feel strong and smart” (78). Max gets the impression of having become smarter with Kevin on his shoulders. To the boys, becoming Freak the Mighty was becoming complete. It was like placing a head on his headless body: the head acquired transportation and in turn, the body carried intelligence. That’s why when Kevin dies, Max becomes Kicker, his tantrum-throwing young self, once again, “Then I’m running down the hall and it’s like I’m Kicker again ready to blast anybody who dares touch me, and I just have to keep running” (155). Max is upset because he’s lost an important friend and his brain. Together, he and Kevin were so complete that when Kevin wasn’t a part of him anymore, he regresses to Kicker, not knowing any other method to deal with the loss. Freak the Mighty kept each other strong and each developed his asset to complement his companion’s handicap.
As Freak the Mighty, Kevin and Max cooperate to fortify each other mentally and physically in a form of a symbiotic relationship. Their irrefutable teamwork make for the perfect pair and they make the best of it by helping their neighborhood. Together, the both of them overcome their social difficulties and provide moral support to the other, strengthening their relationship. Kevin and Max both have chinks in their armor, but they cover them up when they become Freak the Mighty, the world’s first bionic body.