Supergifted

Megan’s encounter with Katie Curtis lends depth to a character that risks being a stereotype: the snobby, petty, and mean-spirited cheerleader. Megan vividly remembers watching Hardcastle’s cheerleaders as a young girl and idolizing them for their athleticism, beauty, and confidence. Seeing Katie Curtis triggers a sense of familiarity and excitement in Megan, highlighting her desire to be a part of something bigger—to captivate an audience and bask in the glory that comes with being in the spotlight. This suggests a longing for recognition and validation, but Megan’s fantasies are immediately undercut when Katie reveals herself to have fallen under the spell of the supposed superkid. The exchange highlights Megan’s awkward position. She has carefully cultivated a particular public image for herself, but Noah’s stint as the superkid has now opened her eyes to how empty and false popularity can be. The simile Megan uses to describe her disillusionment in this moment employs humor and vivid imagery to convey a sense of Noah’s unwelcome presence: She says she can’t have a conversation “without Noah coming up like a bad burp that tasted like yesterday’s guacamole” (119). The comparison not only captures Megan’s distaste for Noah, but its comedic nature also enhances the light and playful tone of the narrative.

These chapters also consider Noah’s inability to recognize true friends, as when he remarks, “Hashtag kept asking me if I was sure I was fine. I don’t think Donovan was ever this concerned about my welfare” (127). Donovan has consistently shown a protective and caring attitude toward Noah, shielding him from bullies before Noah gained fame as the superkid and trying to help him navigate his celebrity afterward. By contrast, Hashtag’s sudden interest in Noah’s well-being after his rise to fame suggests superficiality and opportunism. He likes “to make an entrance” at parties (127), and with superkid on his side, his entrance gets “even better.” Korman here shows Noah’s social difficulties exacerbating the temptations of celebrity. Noah seems genuinely saddened by the tension between him and Donovan; when he senses that their friendship is ending, he says that he “misse[s] him,” implying that he still feels Friendship and Loyalty toward his old friend. However, he takes his new friends’ behavior at face value and concludes that he would be letting them down if he distanced himself from them.

Despite Noah’s rejection of his help, Donovan continues to prove his own loyalty by following him to Megan’s party. His effort backfires comically when he plunges into the pool in a belly flop, creating a massive splash that he hyperbolically describes as “visible from outer space” (133), amplifying the humor. Even amidst the comedy, however, his role as Noah’s protector is evident: He likens his plunge to a “depth charge,” a kind of bomb used to target submarines. Chloe likewise shows loyalty to Noah when she tries to warn him about Trussman, though no more successfully than Donovan.

Heavy Metal’s erratic behavior builds suspense, raising the expectation that something will go disastrously wrong during the governor’s visit. However, it also provides an opportunity for Donovan to showcase his particular talents when he catches the drone. Chloe’s response—“It can take someone ordinary to perform the extraordinary” (138)—highlights that heroism is not limited to individuals with extraordinary abilities, like the “supergifted” Academy students. Donovan is an “ordinary” boy who performs “extraordinary” acts—not just dramatic feats of heroism (e.g., saving Megan’s house, which demonstrates his bravery, resourcefulness, and selflessness) but also smaller moments of common sense or quick thinking that elude Chloe and her peers. The line develops the theme of Embracing Differences by underscoring the various ways in which people contribute positively to the world.