Mike Makes Right

From Adventures in Odyssey Wiki

020: Mike Makes Right
Season	1988
Album	03: Heroes
Aired	April 02, 1988
Written by	Paul McCusker
Directed by	Steve Harris and Phil Lollar
Produced by	Unknown
Sound Design by	Bob Luttrell
Music by	Unknown
Prev: Recollections Next: The Case of the Missing Train Car

[edit] General information

Theme: Pride, Handling power, Dealing with bullies

[edit] Summary

Billy Barton, the bully of Odyssey Elementary, gets into a fight with Mike Caldwell. When Mike wins, he becomes arrogant and lets stardom go to his head.

[edit] Plot

Fight! Fight! All the kids at Odyssey Elementary are gathered around to watch Billy Barton, the biggest bully in school, beat up poor Donnie. As the fight progresses, Mike Caldwell walks over. Mike tells a kid named Freddy that Billy should cut it out, then Mike yells for Billy to pick on someone his own size. Billy hears this and is insulted. He finishes up with Donny, then turns his anger on Mike. Fortunately, Mike is literally saved by the school bell signaling the end of lunch. But Billy tells Mike to meet him the next day for the thrashing of his life. Mike is naturally petrified.

At the fight the next day, Mike gets predictably whipped-until Billy grabs Mike's shirt and tears it. Mike is enraged! He attacks Billy, punching him wildly. Billy backs away from the onslaught as best he can, but a sidelong punch connects solidly with Billy's nose. The blood flows, and so do Billy's tears. Beaten, Billy runs away.

Mike's an instant hero! Everyone is proud, heaping praises upon him. But soon, Mike gets arrogant about the fight and begins taking over Billy Barton's place as the school bully! "Magnificent Mike" generally abuses and pushes around the other kids. Then he runs into Sam, a new kid who's never heard of Billy Barton. Mike tries his conceited routine on Sam, who responds with a swift punch to the Magnificent One's stomach. Suddenly, the kids have a new hero! Lying on the floor, gasping for breath, Mike realizes that his pride has gone before his enormous fall-a lesson he won't soon forget.

[edit] Discussion Questions

1. Should Mike have stood up to Billy Barton? Why or why not?
   1. When is it more appropriate to "turn the other cheek"?
2. How could Mike have kept himself from becoming a bully?
3. Read Matthew 20:25-28. What does Jesus say about being the greatest?

[edit] Cast

[edit] Notes

• VERSION DIFFERENCE: The broadcast version of this episode contains an opening scene where Chris discusses definitions with an English scholar.

• The show title is a modification of the phrase "might makes right."

• For radio, the fight scene wouldn't have sounded exciting at all-mainly a lot of scuffling and grunting from the participants, with screaming and yelling from the onlookers. So Freddy was added as a miniature sportscaster in order to have someone provide a funny, blow-by-blow description of the fight. That way, the listeners would know everything that was happening-without realizing they were hearing all about it.

[edit] Reviews

[edit] Quotes