Francis will unbedingt seinen Geburtstag zu Hause verbringen - und das aus gutem Grund: Denn an der Militärakademie ist es Brauch, dass an diesem Tag das Geburtstagskind am ganzen Körper rasiert und in einen Tümpel geworfen wird. Reese hingegen hat beim Ringen gegen ein Mädchen verloren und beschließt nun, sich ab sofort nie mehr auf dem Schulhof zu prügeln. Doch als darauf die blanke Anarchie ausbricht, ist Reese gezwungen, ganz schnell wieder die alte Ordnung herzustellen.
Reese is suddenly the school hero when he joins the wrestling team, but after he gets thrashed by a girl wrestler, he misses that feeling of pride. He decides to give up being the school bully and instead tries to do many misguided good deeds. The school kids are excited to be out from under the reign of Reese, but Malcolm soon learns that not everyone appreciates his sarcastic comments all the time, and now that his brother is no longer there to protect him, everyone wants to beat up Malcolm because he hurt their feelings. Just as Reese is about to join a feel-good cult, the Krelboynes beg him to regain his crown as school bully because lots of little bullies are causing anarchy. Francis, scared of the school tradition of having every hair shaved from his body on his birthday, begs his parents to fly him home, but they can't afford it. Finally, he thinks he has an out when he injures his hand and the nurse takes pity on him and invites him over to her apartment for birthday cake. Lois
Reese participe à un jeu de combat et se fait battre par une fille. Humilié, il perd confiance en lui, change de comportement... et devient de plus en plus gentil...
Reese viene sconfitto a wrestling da una ragazza, così smette di fare il bullo. Inizialmente sembrerebbe andare tutto a gonfie vele, ma le persone che avevano subito torti da Malcolm colgono l'occasione per vendicarsi su di lui senza poi incorrere nella vendetta del fratello. Inoltre altri ragazzi cominciano a vessare gli studenti più giovani e deboli, e addirittura i disabili, senza controllo. È anarchia, e i secchioni chiedono aiuto proprio a Reese. Francis invece cerca in ogni modo di tornare a casa per il suo compleanno per evitare le tradizioni che ci sono per festeggiarlo.
Quando Reese abandona seu posto de valentão da escola, Malcolm sofre a virulência de seu sucessor. Enquanto isso, Francis teme a chegada de seu aniversário na Academia Militar Marlin.
Después de haber sido golpeado por una niña en una pelea de lucha grecoromana, Reese abandona su imagen de la intimidación, provocando que los niños que le tenían mucho temor empiezen aprovecharse de la situación para poder vengarse de Malcolm por hacer comentarios burlones hacia ellos. Mientras tanto, Francis trata de evitar su cumpleaños en la academia porque los cadetes afeitan "todo" el vello corporal a la persona que celebra su cumpleaños 17.
