A Royal Conundrum

The themes of teamwork, friendship, and collaboration are central to The Royal Conundrum, shaping the Misfits’ growth as individuals and as a unit. Initially, their differing personalities and skills create friction, but as they navigate new obstacles, they learn that their true strength lies in their ability to work together. As they work through setbacks involving miscommunication, personal insecurities, and contrasting abilities, the Misfits ultimately prove that their success is dependent upon mutual trust, understanding, and cooperation.

NOCK assembles the team because the students’ individual strengths combine to form a uniquely potent mix. As Monica explains, “You must be ready to work as a cohesive team. Part of the reason you five were selected was that your talents and personalities balance each other’s” (83). However, the Misfits soon learn that merely having complementary skills does not guarantee group cohesion. As they wrestle with personal doubts or overconfidence, their inhibitions and issues initially prevent them from fully trusting or relying on one another. Olive, for example, constantly questions her place on the team, feeling like an imposter among her skilled peers, while Iggy’s combat abilities and self-assurance make her dismiss others’ input, leading to interpersonal tension and reckless decisions. These struggles emphasize that teamwork requires each member to work on honing their skills and learning to trust and uplift one another.

As time goes on, burgeoning friendships strengthen the bonds between the Misfits, making their teamwork more effective, even when momentary misunderstandings and disagreements cause interpersonal setbacks. For example, when Iggy insults James for his reluctance in combat, this negative interaction creates a temporary rift between them. Though Iggy never directly apologizes, she does make amends in her own way by gathering all James’s missing homework. This moment highlights the fact that friendship does not always require explicit apologies, as meaningful gestures can be just as important. In this instance, James accepts Iggy’s actions as an implicit apology, and the healed rift in their relationships indicates their growing respect for each other.

The team’s lowest point comes after their failure at the gala, where miscommunication and frustration drive them apart. In this moment, Olive momentarily succumbs to her old insecurities and fears losing her first friends, even going so far as to wonder whether she may have “lost the only true friends she had ever known” (187). However, their commitment to one another remains intact, as is demonstrated when they keep their communication devices on despite their anger at one another. They also put aside their differences to rescue Olive when she is in danger, and this pivotal moment demonstrates that even when they are in conflict, their bond endures.

The novel also contrasts the Misfits’ teamwork with other relationships, reinforcing the importance of trust and support. Modest and Monica, despite their differences, form a highly effective duo, and their ability to complement each other serves as a model for the Misfits to follow. By contrast, Auntie Winnie, who is really the master thief known as “the Cat,” operates largely alone, and even though her crew, the Bling King Ring, functions as a team, they lack the cohesion that comes from true collaboration. Unlike the Misfits, who support and protect each other, the Cat quickly abandons her team and her granddaughter, Jinx, just as Jinx prioritizes personal gain over loyalty. Jinx’s betrayal of her grandmother—her decision to sell and steal the Winky brooch to earn extra money—ultimately exposes the Cat’s operation, demonstrating that a lack of trust and teamwork can lead to defeat. The Cat’s fate is a direct contrast to the Misfits’ success, reinforcing the idea that although deception may be practical in the short term, true success requires trust and cooperation.