User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 473: Red Lightning, Review./@comment-1248963-20160217091753/@comment-7418318-20160217142952

Freed was always the strongest of the Thundergod Tribe, so it's hardly surprising that he'd be the one to still be conscious, instead of Bickslow or Evergreen.

Bickslow was weak enough to be beaten by Lucy and there's no way that Evergreen could carry several people, so it really had to be Freed to stay somewhat active.

As a matter of fact not a single person, including you, ever commented on it feeling odd that Freed would be able to do it, so I wouldn't interprete too much into that.

It's more than clear that Mashima didn't plan this matter out ahead for more than a couple of chapters and certainly not all the way back in the Tartaros arc.