Freak the Mighty characters

Also known as Max

Appears from the start

A very large eighth-grade boy who lives with his maternal grandparents. Max believes he is unintelligent, struggles with reading, and prefers the small room he calls the Down Under to other people's attention. His size makes strangers wary of him, especially because his imprisoned father has a violent reputation, but Max is observant, loyal, and far gentler than he thinks himself to be.

Also known as Freak

First appears in chapter 2

Max's small, physically disabled neighbor and former preschool classmate. Kevin walks with braces and crutches, has an exceptional vocabulary, and treats knowledge and imagination as practical tools. He is quick to challenge pity or mockery and gives Max both a friend and a new way to understand the world.

Also known as Grim

Appears from the start

Max's grandfather and guardian. He is cautious around Max because the boy increasingly resembles his father, yet his reserve covers concern rather than cruelty. Grim values rules, plain speaking, and keeping his family safe.

Also known as Gram

Appears from the start

Max's grandmother and guardian. Warm, attentive, and more openly affectionate than Grim, she tries to protect Max from both his father's legacy and his own harsh opinion of himself.

Also known as The Fair Gwen

First appears in chapter 2

Kevin's mother, who has returned with him to the neighborhood where she grew up. Kevin playfully gives her a name from Arthurian legend. She is protective of her son and initially startled by Max's resemblance to his father, then recognizes Max's kindness and welcomes the boys' friendship.

Also known as Blade

First appears in chapter 6

A teenage neighborhood bully who carries a knife and leads a group that harasses younger children. He targets Max and Kevin during the Fourth of July celebration, treating their unusual appearance as an invitation to intimidate them.

First appears in chapter 10

A woman living in the tenements with Iggy Lee. Kevin and Max first learn of her when they find her stolen purse. Loretta is blunt and familiar with Max's family history, making her an uncomfortable link between Max and the father he scarcely knows.

First appears in chapter 11

Loretta's intimidating companion and a former leader of a motorcycle gang. He knows Kenny Kane and quickly recognizes Max. Although the boys find him frightening, he is careful not to provoke trouble involving them.

Also known as Killer Kane

First appears in chapter 15

Max's father, newly released on parole after years in prison for killing Max's mother. He is physically powerful, controlling, and determined to make Max accept his version of the past. His arrival turns Max's fear of inheriting his father's nature into an immediate danger.

First appears in chapter 22

The hospital doctor who cares for Kevin and speaks honestly with Max about his friend's condition. She treats Kevin's imagination with respect while helping Max distinguish the stories Kevin tells from the limits of medicine.