Wait a second. We thought this was a book about Max, not Freak. Well, Max may be writing the book, but he's writing it about his friendship with Freak. And together, these two form Freak the Mighty. Let's let Freak explain:
Sometimes we're nine feet tall, and strong enough to walk through walls. Sometimes we fight gangs. Sometimes we find treasure. Sometimes we slay dragons and drink from the Holy Grail. (12.48)
Sure, Freak the Mighty is just Freak sitting on top of Max's shoulders, but it's about much more than the physicality of it all.
For Freak, Freak the Mighty is a way to explore and go on quests, to get beyond the limits of his body and to make a connection with Max. For Max, it's more about hiding. It's difficult to hide from the world when you're a kid who's the size of a grown man, but as Freak the Mighty, Max can hide in plain sight behind Freak's brain and enormous personality.
When Freak dies and Max is alone again, he has to decide if he's going to stand up on his own and be Max the Mighty or go back to being, well, a butthead. Want to know what he chooses? Check out our discussion of "What's Up With the Ending?"