Ben 10 (2005 TV series)

Ben 10
File:Ben tennyson.png Ben Tennyson, about to transform into Fourarms.
Created by	Duncan Rouleau Joe Casey Joe Kelly Steve Seagle
Starring	Dee Bradley Baker Fred Tatasciore Jim Ward Meagan Smith Paul Eiding Richard McGonagle Richard Steven Horvitz Steven Jay Blum Tara Strong
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13 (So far)
Production
Running time	22 minutes approx.
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	December 27, 2005 – present

Ben 10 is an American animated television series, created by Man of Action (a group consisting of Duncan Rouleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Steve Seagle), and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Its style is partially influenced by anime. The pilot episode aired on December 27, 2005 as part of a sneak peek of Cartoon Network's new Saturday morning lineup. The second episode was shown as a special on Cartoon Network's Fridays on January 13, 2006, on which the first and second episodes were shown back-to-back. Currently, Ben 10 airs every Saturday morning (10:00 A.M. EST/PST), as part of their new action lineup on Saturday morning.

Plot

When 10-year-old Ben Tennyson discovers a mysterious device, called the Omnitrix, it bestowes him with the ability to transform into ten different alien heroes, each with unique powers. With these abilities at his disposal, Ben realizes that he has a greater responsibility to help others and stop evil doers, but that doesn’t mean he's above a little superpowered mischief now and then.

Heroes

Ben Tennyson

Ben is a typical 10-year-old boy - he plays video games, rides his bike, and sometimes gets in trouble (just like all 10-year-old boys do). During a camping trip with his grandfather, Max, and his cousin, Gwen, he finds the Omnitrix, an alien device that gives him the ability to turn into ten different aliens. Upon discovering its awesome powers, he becomes a superhero. He finds the job trickier than he imagined (especially with an alien force after him that will stop at nothing to get the Omnitrix). No matter what bizzare form Ben takes, however, he's still the same good-hearted, yet mischievious, 10-year-old boy inside (although Gwen would like to think otherwise).

Gwen Tennyson

Whenever Ben is ready to dive headfirst into trouble, his 10-year-old cousin Gwen is the voice of reason that tries to keep him from it, often unsuccessfully. Ben usually doesn't want to hear from her and thinks that (from his point of view) she doesn't know when to stop nagging him. Gwen is always trying to plan ahead and calculate the consequences of their (especially Ben's) actions. As such, she is convinced that Ben never thinks before he acts. She uses her laptop to research any strange people and/or creatures they might come across. Although the two of them bicker a lot, she continually tries to help Ben figure out how the Omnitrix works (much to her own dismay). She also seems to know martial arts. Most of the time, she holds Ben in constant contempt, but deep down has some respect for him.

Max Tennyson

Max is Ben's grandfather. With a keen sense for adventure and a strange taste in food, Max always ends up taking the kids (and their taste buds) on interesting trips. Max was in the army and has been through his share of scrapes, though Ben and Gwen do not seem to be aware of this. They believe him to have been a plumber. As soon as school lets out, Ben looks forward to going on a traditional summer road trip with Max. Much to Ben's dismay, he discovers that his cousin Gwen (who he dislikes) is joining them, as well. Thanks to what he's seen in his long life, Max takes his grandson gaining superpowers in stride, and he supports Ben in anyway he can. Max seems to know more about what's happening than he lets on, since he automatically recognizes Heatblast as an alien.

Villians

Doctor Animo

Doctor Animo was once a promising researcher in veterinary science. His career was cut short when it was discovered that he was performing twisted genetic experiments on animals. He had hoped that his research would win him the Verties Award, which is an award in veterinary science. Because of the nature of his research, he lost the award to another doctor, named Kelly. This drove him mad, and he dropped off the map for five years until he could perfect his research. In the episode Washington B.C., he finally finishes his work. By using the Transmodulator, a device of his own design, he could mutate animals into giant versions of themselves. The second phase of his work involved reanimating dormant cells, literally bringing dead animals back to life. All of this was in pursuit of the award which he had lost. His quest ended in failure, since Ben was there to stop him. He was arrested in that episode.

Jonah Melville

Jonah Melville is a hunter of rare animals, more commonly known as a poacher. He takes the animals he captures and sells them to the highest bidder. He often uses the cover of an animal-rights activist in order to disguise his activities. He appeared in the episode The Krakken.

Kraab

Kraab is one of three alien bounty hunters sent to take the Omnitrix from Ben. He has gold armor, a sideways mouth, four scythe-like legs, and a large, powerful pincer on his left hand. Within the pincer is a power blaster. He can also use his legs to burrow under the ground and travel quickly from place to place.

Limax

The Limax are shape-shifting aliens from an unknown world. They come to Earth to collect old people and devour them. The Limax apparently have a hive mind, being able to coordinate throughout a large area without any contact, though they do speak to each other. The Limax can merge with each other to form much larger versions of themselves. They melt when exposed to water. These aliens appeared in the episode Permanent Retirement.

Sixsix

Sixsix is one of three alien bounty hunters sent to take the Omnitrix from Ben. He has purple armor and strange, clamp-like feet. He also has a jet-pack on his back. His armor is covered with pouches that hold various weapons and projectiles. He also has several small claws and a hand that extend from his shoulders. Unlike the other hunters, Sixsix only speaks in own language. The hunters can still understand him, though.

Vilgax

A vicious, intergalactic conquerer from an unknown alien species, Vilgax will stop at nothing to obtain the Omnitrix and use it to build an army capable of conquering every planet in the galaxy. After being severely injured after a final attack from the ship that was transporting the Omnitrix, he is confined to a regeneration tank, ordering his robotic minions and cosmic bounty hunters to track down the Omnitrix. Little does he realize that his minions are outsmarted and outfought by a 10-year-old boy. Vilgax is a recurring villian in the series.

Secondary Characters

Hoverboard

Hoverboard is one of three alien bounty hunters sent to take the Omnitrix from Ben. He is from the same species that the Diamondhead form is based on. He has nearly inpenetrable grey armor, a black helmet with a small, green triangle (presumably for sight) on it, and carries a large rifle. Unlike the other hunters, Hoverboard is allied against Vilgax.

Krakken

The Krakken is a massive sea-creature that lives in the lake Ben visits in The Krakken. The Krakken looks quite similar to a Plesiosaur, possibly being an off-shoot of that species. The main differences are that it has two tentacle-like tongues, each with a mouth on the end, and large skin-flaps connecting its fore-legs to its body. The Krakken seems to be very territorial, attacking anyone who disturbs its nest.

Shaw

Shaw is a fisherman. He relentlessly pursues the Krakken, a beast that roams the lake in which he fishes. Upon first seeing this creature, he swore to capture it in order to verify his claims. This mission has earned him a less than favorable reputation among the nearby residents. Most think of him as crazy. Ben helps him to reveal the existence of the Krakken, but Shaw is unable to capture it. He only appears once, in the episode The Krakken.

Vera

Vera is Ben's aunt, a stereotypical "senior citizen" who lives in a retirement community in the desert. The specific location is unclear. She seems to have a similar cooking taste to Max, making food that, while not as strange, is certainly unusual even for the current day and age. Her cooking habits are similar to those of women in the 1950's in that she makes gelatin molds with odd contents, such as pork chops. It is hinted that Vera might also have a strange past, as she says goodbye to Ben in Permanent Retirement; however, this may only have been done for comedic effect, and thus may have no actual bearing on the story.

Upcoming Characters

The episodes that these characters appear in have yet to be aired, so information on them is scarce. What little is known is what has been seen in episode descriptions and previews of upcoming episodes.

Hexlord

Hexlord is a magician who's powers seem to manipulate the luck of others.

Joey

Joey is a tough, female thief that is thwarted by Ben when she tries to rob a jewelry store. She then finds the remnants of one of Vilgax's defeated drones and becomes Rojo, a powerful cyborg.

Kevin

Kevin is a sociopath that Ben meets after having an argument with Max. Kevin is able to absorb any type of energy.

Megawatts

Megawatts are a group beings composed of eletrical energy.

Zombozo

Zombozo is a zombie clown with psychic powers. He controls an entire circus of evil minions.

Omnitrix

The Omnitrix is a watch-shaped, alien device that allows the wearer to transform into ten different aliens, each with its own special abilities. Each form is listed below. It works by binding alien DNA to the hosts genetic structure, effectively rewriting their DNA into the alien of their choice. The Omnitrix only allows the wearer to occupy a form for a limited amount of time, which seems to vary between forms. Ten minutes seems to be a rough estimate for the total time. The reason for this is unknown, but likely has something to do with the capacity of whatever powers the device and triggers the genetic changes.

Diamondhead

Description	Diamondhead is a crystalline alien whose body is harder than diamond, making him invulnerable to most physical attacks and allowing him to cut and slash his way through almost anything. He can make crude, yet sharp, tools from his body parts. His crystalline body-structure also allows him to reflect light- and beam-based weapons. Like any crystal, sonic weaponry will shatter his body.
First Appearance	Episode #1 - And Then There Were 10 - Ben first transformed into Diamondhead when he needed to fight Vilgax's giant robot.
Advantages	Has a crystalline body, known to be harder than diamond. Is nearly invulnerable to damage. Can morph his body-parts into extremely crude, yet sharp, tools and weapons. Can refract both light- and beam-based weaponry.
Disadvantages	Sonic-based attacks will shatter Diamondhead's crystalline body. His sharp edges also make it difficult to grab objects without slicing them.

Fourarms

Description	Whenever Ben needs to smash, throw or beat up something, Fourarms is the hero of choice. Standing twelve feet tall, this formidable, four-armed alien can use his tremendous strength to dish out punishment, while his armored body protects him from harm. All the added muscle-mass and his large size make Fourarms slow and clumsy.
First Appearance	Episode #2 - Washington B.C. - Ben first transformed into Fourarms when he needed to fight the giant mammoth that Dr. Animo had reanimated.
Advantages	Has tremendous strength. Has extremely thick, armored skin. Has heightened endurance. Can leap great distances. Can create sonic waves by clapping all four hands at once.
Disadvantages	His agility is limited and he is very clumsy, due to his large size and excess muscle-mass.

Ghostfreak

Description	Ghostfreak is a shadowy, phantom-like alien, able to phase through walls and turn completly invisible at will. His ghastly appearance is also good for putting fear into the hearts of criminals everywhere. In fact, even Ben gets a little creeped out when he changes into Ghostfreak. Direct light will nullify Ghostfreak's invisibility.
First Appearance	Episode #4 - Permanent Retirement - Ben first transformed into Ghostfreak when he wanted to get away from his aunt Vera for awhile.
Advantages	Can become intangibile (move through solid matter) at will. Can become invisibile (unable to be seen by the naked eye) at will. Can fly, though not as fast or as expertly as Stinkfly can. Has minor telepathic and telekinetic abilities.
Disadvantages	Direct light render Ghostfreak's invisibility useless.

Grey Matter

Description	At a mere five inches tall, Grey Matter is a part of an alien race bred to enter complex machines and repair them from inside. Consequently, he's able to squeeze through incredibly tiny spaces, and is extremely smart. When using this form, Ben gets an extreme boost of intelligence.
First Appearance	Episode #2 - Washington B.C. - Ben first transformed into Grey Matter when he heard that a Gold Sumo-Slammer card could be found in a box of cereal. Gwen found him looking for the card in the cereal boxes at the supermarket.
Advantages	Has enhanced-intelligence. Can respond quickly to his environment. Can squeeze through incredibly tiny spaces. Has slimy skin that sticks to walls, allowing him to climb most anything.
Disadvantages	Grey Matter's size makes him weak and easily trampled. Unlike the other forms, he is not meant to be used for combat.

Heatblast

Description	Heatblast comes from an alien race that lives on a star rather than a planet. He can project bolts of fire from his hands and mouth and create balls of fire that he can throw or roll. He can also absorb both flames and heat, meaning he can put out a fire as fast as he starts one.
First Appearance	Episode #1 - And Then There Were 10 - Heatblast is Ben's first transformation, which was activated when Ben first began playing with the Omnitrix.
Advantages	Can project bolts of fire from hands, eyes, and mouth. Can create fireballs to throw or roll. Can absorb heat/fire as well as create it.
Disadvantages	Any items that extinguish typical fires, such as water, can kill Heatblast if used in excess. Otherwise, he'll just reignite after a short wait.

Ripjaw

Description	The aquatic alien Ripjaw is an extraordinary swimmer. Like any aquatic creature, he can breathe underwater. He has a very large tail with fins that allows him to swim at incredible speeds. The tail can separate on land, revealing a pair of legs within. He's remarkably fast and agile in the water and can fight with his claws or unhinge his powerful jaws to deliver a devastating bite. Ripjaw can only remain on land for a short time before needing to get back in the water.
First Appearance	Episode #3 - The Krakken - Ben first transformed into Ripjaw in order to take the Krakken's eggs back from Jonah.
Advantages	Can breathe underwater. Can morph legs into a tail with fins and back again. Is a fast and agile swimmer. Has sharp claws and powerful jaws.
Disadvantages	Ripjaw is rendered useless on dry land, although he can breathe air normally; he does not walk very well and his gills must be kept wet or he'll dehydrate rapidly.

Stinkfly

Description	Stinkfly is a winged, insectoid alien and expert flyer, able to pull off amazing acrobatic moves in midair. He can take care of himself in a fight, using his pincers and sharp tail as impressive natural weapons. He can also shoot slime from both his mouth and his four eye-stalks. Much like Earth insects, he has a tough exoskeleton, but very thin wings.
First Appearance	Episode #2 - Washington B.C. - Ben first transformed into Stinkfly when he had to save Gwen after she fell from the Washington Monument.
Advantages	Can fly expertly thanks to his four wings. Has six pincer legs and a razor-sharp tail. Can spit slime from mouth and eye-stalks.
Disadvantages	Like any insect, he is weak against poisonous gases and water. The latter of the two can render him incapable of flying if too much gets on his wings.

Upgrade

Description	A living machine with a liquid, metallic body and a system of organic circuits, Upgrade is a biomechanical alien that can merge with any mechanical device, from a blender to a bicycle to a boat if need be. While merged, he can "upgrade" the device, making it far more advanced than any equivalent Earth technology.
First Appearance	Episode #4 - Permanent Retirement - Ben first transformed into Upgrade to stop some criminals who were robbing an ATM.
Advantages	Can merge with and control technology. Can upgrade technology, giving it capabilities far beyond its original design. Can fire Positronic energy blasts.
Disadvantages	Acids and metal-corrosives can dissolve Upgrade. Electromagnetic pulses can also render him useless.

Wildmutt

Description	Less humanoid than most of his forms and more akin to a canine, Wildmutt is a alien with super-human athletic ability and heightened senses of smell, hearing, and taste. The downside is that this form has no eyes. His lack of vision is supplemented by his hearing and smell, which works almost as well as actual vision (appears as red figures against a green backdrop). Wildmutt cannot communicate verbally, but can growl, grunt, and make other similar noises. The razor-sharp quills on his back act as projectile weapons, and he can fire them with amazing accuracy.
First Appearance	Episode #1 - And Then There Were 10 - Ben first transformed into Wildmutt after his second experiment with the Omnitrix. This was the first intentional transformation.
Advantages	Has super-human athletic ability. Has heightened senses of smell, hearing, and taste. Can fire razor-sharp quills from his back. Has radar-like "sight" thanks to his enhanced hearing and smell.
Disadvantages	Since Wildmutt sees through hearing and smelling, he is useless when there is no sound present and nothing to smell.

XLR8

Description	XLR8 (a pun on "accelerate") is a lizard-like alien with lightning-quick reflexes and the ability to reach speeds in excess of 300 mph. His speed power comes from manipulating friction, which allows him to run over almost any surface, including non-solid and slanted ones. XLR8 is noticeably weaker than most of the other alien forms, but makes up for it with his speed. XLR8 has trouble in the presence of strong magnetic fields, as they disrupt his nervous system.
First Appearance	Episode #1 - And Then There Were 10 - Ben first transformed into XLR8 when he decided to play around a bit with his newfound power.
Advantages	Has lightning-quick reflexes. Is capable of incredible speed (up to 300 mph). Can manipulate friction. Is capable of running on most any surface. Is a very-quick fighter thanks to the previous benefits.
Disadvantages	Magnetic-based attacks cause XLR8's nervous system to go haywire. His strength is also noticeably lower than that of other alien forms. Grey Matter would be the obvious exception due to his size.

Episodes

So far, 26 episodes have been ordered. Only the first 13 have titles at the moment.

Season 1

1. And Then There Were 10
2. Washington B.C.
3. The Krakken
4. Permanent Retirement
5. Hunted
6. Tourist Trap
7. Kevin 11
8. The Last Laugh
9. The Alliance
10. Lucky Girl
11. A Small Problem
12. Side Effects
13. Secrets

Trivia

• Ben 10 might be an alternate take on, or influenced by, Dial H for Hero - a comic from the 1960's. In that series, a teenager, named Robby Reed, found an alien device which would transform him into one of a thousand different super heroes. The device was shaped as a dial with HERO written on it. By dialing HERO, he would be transformed into a random superhero.

• Marvel Comics previously had a super-villain with a crystalline body called Diamondhead, who was one of Nova's arch-enemies.

• The villain looks much like the Weird and Wild Creature card Version of Cthulhu, having tentacles under his mouth. Vilgax is also is an alien much like The Great Old Ones.

• Vilgax is also reminecent of Kit Fisto from Star Wars.

• The basic set-up for the series is not too different from that of Bio-Booster Armor Guyver, wherein the protagonist can transform into a superhero using alien technology he came by accidentally in an out-of-the-way locale.

• The Omnitrix seems to malfunction when exposed to water. The only instance of this so far when Ben tries to use it to turn into Ripjaw and ends up becoming XLR8 instead.

• Ben 10 also has some unique similarities to the Ultraman television series. First, both Ben and the bearers of the Ultraman power use an alien object to shift from human to alien form (Ultraman bearers wore a pendant to shift while Ben carries the Omnitrix). Additionally, both have devices and powers that can be adversely affected by things in Earth's environment. Whereas the Omnitrix seems to malfunction in the presence of water in The Krakken, the Ultraman bearers could only maintain the Ultraman form for a limited time due to Earth's atmosphere.

Voice actor information

• Dee Bradley Baker - Stinkfly, Vilgax's henchmen, and Wildmutt

• Fred Tatasciore - Ripjaw

• Jim Ward - Diamondhead and XLR8

• Meagan Smith - Gwen Tennyson

• Paul Eiding - Grandpa Max

• Richard McGonagle - Fourarms

• Richard Steven Horvitz - Grey Matter

• Steven Jay Blum - Heatblast, Ghostfreak, and Vilgax

• Tara Strong - Ben Tennyson, Upgrade

See also

• Ben 10 - Episode Summaries

External links

• The official website for Ben 10.

• Ben 10 review at Animation Insider.

• Template:Tvtome show.