List of Ben 10 aliens
The Omnitrix is an alien device in the American animated television series Ben 10 that is capable of transforming the user into different alien forms.
Description
The Omnitrix is a watch-shaped, alien device. When the button on the side is pressed, the face pops up and shows a silhouette of an alien. The face can then be twisted to select different aliens. By settling on a specific alien and pushing the face back down, the Omnitrix transforms the bearer into the alien they selected. After the transformation, the Omnitrix settles somewhere on the alien form, usually on the shoulder or chest, to act as a timer. Each form is listed in the sections below. When first discovered, the Omnitrix had ten specific aliens available. Other aliens have also been recently discovered, suggesting that it may carry a great many aliens within it.
The Omnitrix works by binding alien DNA to the hosts' genetic structure, effectively rewriting their DNA into the alien of their choice. It also seems to copy the clothing scheme of the user during the initial transformation. 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, though abstract amounts occur every now and then, either being unusual highs or lows. When the Omnitrix is about to deactivate, it beeps and flashes red. When it finally deactivates, it remains red and is unusable until it recharges and turns green again. The recharge time varies between episodes. The reason for time limit is unknown, but likely has something to do with the capacity of whatever powers the device and triggers the genetic changes.
It has safeguards against outside tampering. Should anyone other than Ben attempt to remove it, it will emit a large feedback pulse that repels the assailant. Both Vilgax and Kevin have experienced this first-hand. On the other hand, those who know how to operate it can do so safely, regardless of whether or not the current user wants them to.
The aliens the Omnitrix contains seem to currently exist in the galaxy, though where exactly they reside is not made clear. It would seem that these aliens are some of the most powerful in the galaxy, which is likely why they where added to the Omnitrix. A few have been featured in various episodes, most notably Hoverboard, who is a member of the race that Diamondhead belongs to, and Tiny, a female Tetramand. The names of some of their various home planets have also been revealed, though where exactly those planets are is still unclear. Many of the names that have been revealed are mentioned in merchandise for the series. So far, this information has remained consistent with the series, though not all of it has been confirmed.
'Twould appear that the beings "residing" within the Omnitrix are members of extinct, or nearly extinct, races. This theory is supported by the episode "Big Tick", where a new being is revealed just before it is said that said being's planet, and presumably race, was wiped out recently.
Problems
The Omnitrix has been shown to have several problems, which range from merely annoying to severe. The most common of these is its tendency to implement the wrong change when activated, which it has done in just about every episode to varying degrees. There is no clear reason for this, as each instance had completely different outside factors (all though it seems to happen most often when Ben is trying to become the same alien twice in a row). It has also refused to activate on several occasions, actually resisting Ben's attempts to push the face down. The first time this happened, the following change lasted a very short time. On the second occasion, it lasted much longer than the Omnitrix usually allows, but this may have been due to how it was eventually activated.
The Omnitrix also reacts strangely to Earth-based contagions. When Ben caught a cold, it caused strange mutations in his alien forms. Wildmutt's nostrils were covered with mucus, preventing him from sensing anything. Fourarms skin became paler and he developed foul-smelling hives on his underarms. Heatblast had the most severe reaction. His body shifted from a mix of red and orange to red and blue, and his powers completely reversed, giving him control over ice instead of fire.
The Omnitrix also doesn't react well to excess energy. When overcharged, it begins switching the user from one form to another at random without reverting them to their normal form. This continues until it is shut down manually or the power normalizes.
Purpose
Both Vilgax and Hoverboard have described the Omnitrix as the ultimate weapon in an intergalactic struggle between good and evil. Though Ben's problems with the Omnitrix and its current limits make this seem unlikely, some episodes suggest that the current limits of the Omnitrix can be surpassed if the one using it knows how. In the episode "Secrets", a visual metaphor was used to show Vilgax's plan to mass-produce the Omnitrix and conquer the universe. The scene showed an army of Omnitrix aliens attacking an ice fortress. One soldier switched from Fourarms to Heatblast without reverting to its normal form. Ben experienced a similar effect when the Omnitrix became overcharged and began switching between aliens at random. Its time limit also seems to be surpassable, as Ben has been in one or several forms for much longer than the Omnitrix allows. It's also been shown that the Omnitrix can be deactivated manually, though Vilgax is the only one who knows how. He accomplishes this by pressing the white part of the Omnitrix symbol with a glowing red finger. All this would make the Omnitrix much more versatile than it seems to be when Ben is using it.
Original alien forms
Normally, the Omnitrix has ten aliens available for the user to select, even though it doesn't always implement the correct change. Two others beyond the original ten have been revealed, but selecting them doesn't seem to be as simple as the original ten.
Diamondhead | |
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| Description | |
Diamondhead is an alien whose body is made of an organic crystal, making him invulnerable to most physical attacks. He can grow crystal on any part of his body to make simple tools that are extremely sharp, allowing him to cut and slash his way through almost anything. His ablillty to grow crystal also means he can regenerate any part of his body. He can also fire crystal shards as projectile weapons. His crystalline body-structure allows him to reflect light- and beam-based weapons. Like any crystal, sonic weaponry will shatter his body. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Diamondhead in "And Then There Were 10" when he needed to fight Vilgax's giant robot. | |
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Fourarms | |
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| Description | |
Fourarms is a Tetramand (tetra meaning "four") from the planet Khoros. [1] Tetramands have an average height of ten feet, and Fourarms is no exception at around twelve feet. They also have four arms and extremely thick skin, both of which are augmented by extremely powerful muscles, making them one of the physically strongest species in existence. However, all the added muscle-mass slows down their attacks. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Fourarms in "Washington B.C." when he needed to fight the giant mammoth that Dr. Animo had reanimated. | |
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Ghostfreak | |
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| Description | |
Ghostfreak is an Ectonurite from the planet Anur Phaetos. [2] Ectonurites are composed of a protoplasm that can change its density, allowing them to phase through matter and turn completely invisible at will. They are even capable of possessing others for a short period of time. They only have one eye, but can position it almost anywhere on their body by moving it along a track on their skin. Ghostfreak 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. Ghostfreak has the unique ability to peel back his own skin, revealing a horrifying mass of innards. He's also been said to have minor telekinetic and telepathic abilities, though he never exhibits them. Direct light and certain chemicals will nullify Ghostfreak's invisibility and intangibility. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Ghostfreak in "Permanent Retirement" when he wanted to get away from his Aunt Vera for a while. | |
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Grey Matter | |
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| Description | |
Grey Matter is a Galvan from the planet Galvan Prime. [3] Galvans were bred to enter complex machines and repair them from inside, thus their average size of five inches. Consequently, they're able to squeeze through incredibly tiny spaces thanks to their small and flexible bones. Their slimy skin also allows them to climb most surfaces, as well as make them harder to grab. They were also bred to be highly intelligent, so Ben's intelligence is increased when using this form. Unfortunately, their small size makes them more vulnerable than other races, since they aren't meant for combat. Instead, they use their knowledge to exploit the weaknesses of their opponents. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Grey Matter in "Washington B.C." 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. | |
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Heatblast | |
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| Description | |
Heatblast is a Pyronite from the star Pyros. [4] Pyronites evolved on a star, rather than a planet, so they are naturally able to control any fire around them. Using their hands, feet, and even their mouths, they can shape fire to their will, as well as draw it into themselves. On top of that, living on a star has made them incredibly resilient, as Heatblast was tossed through several large buildings without any serious injuries. Their natural inclination towards heat, however, makes them weak against things that stifle heat. Should their body temperature be lowered too much, they would die. Since they naturally generate heat, it takes a substantial amount of effort for this to occur. Their unique physiology also causes strange reactions when dealing with terrestrial viruses. When affected by the common cold, Heatblast gained the ability to freeze things, instead of burning them. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Heatblast is Ben's first transformation, which was activated in "And Then There Were 10" when Ben first began tampering with the Omnitrix. | |
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Ripjaws | |
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| Description | |
The aquatic alien Ripjaws is an extraordinary swimmer and, like many aquatic creatures, he can breathe underwater. His dangler is luminesent, allowing him to see in deep, dark places. He has a very large tail with fins that allows him to swim at incredible speeds with great agility. The tail can separate on land, revealing a pair of legs within. He has sharp claws and powerful jaws that can unhinge to deliver a devastating bite. He resembles to a bipedal anglerfish. Ripjaws can only remain on land for a short time before needing to get back in the water, since he'll dehydrate like any fish if given enough time. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Ripjaws in "The Krakken" in order to take the Krakken's eggs back from Jonah Melville. | |
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Stinkfly | |
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| Description | |
Stinkfly is a Lepidopterran from the planet Lepidopterra. [5] Lepidopterrans are winged, insectoid aliens, and as such are naturally expert flyers. Much like Earth insects, Lepidopterrans have tough exoskeletons, but very thin wings. They are also able to carry several times their own weight, as evidenced when Stinkfly managed to stay in the air despite having Vilgax hanging from his tail. In addition, they have pincers and sharp tails that act as impressive natural weapons. They are also capable of naturally producing various slimes and toxins, allowing them to create a wide array of weapons to spray at enemies from their mouths and eye stalks. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Stinkfly in "Washington B.C." when he had to save Gwen after she fell from the Washington Monument. | |
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Upgrade | |
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| 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. While merged with a device, he can "upgrade" it, making it far more advanced than any equivalent Earth technology. He can also fire a powerful positronic beam from his single eye, regardless of whether or not he's merged with another device. The downside is that he is vulnerable to electricity and electromagnetic fields, as well as acids and corrosives. Upgrade is the only form where Ben's voice does not change, although it does sound more hollow and distant than normal. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Upgrade in "Permanent Retirement" to stop some criminals who were robbing an ATM. | |
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Wildmutt | |
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| Description | |
Wildmutt is a Vulpimancer from the planet Vulpin. [6] Vulpimancers can vary greatly in size and appearance, but share some common characteristics. All Vulpimancers are incapable of ordinary sight, but have highly sensitive noses (the nostrils are positioned on either side of their necks) and porcupine-like quills that act as ears. This appears as red figures against a green backdrop, much like a radar screen. The quills can also be fired as projectile weapons. Vulpimancers have incredible athletic ability thanks to their oversized arms, allowing them to jump fairly long distances as well as run as astonishing speeds. They cannot speak in the same fashion as most humanoid species, instead communicating through grunts and growls. Wildmutt was originally going to be called Beast, as it said in a teaser commercial. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Ben first transformed into Wildmutt in "And Then There Were 10" after his second experiment with the Omnitrix. This was the first intentional transformation. | |
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XLR8 | |
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| Description | |
XLR8 (read as 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 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 | |
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Ben first transformed into XLR8 in "And Then There Were 10" when he decided to play around a bit with his newfound power. He used it to get revenge on some bullies that he fought with earlier in the episode. | |
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Other alien forms
In the second season, Ben begins discovering new alien forms as a result of random transformations. Accessing these aliens seems to be more difficult than the first ten forms, and how Ben learns to access them consistently isn't made clear.
Cannon Bolt | |
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| Description | |
Cannon Bolt is an Arburian Pelarota, though they are now mostly (if not completely) extinct. The Great One destroyed their planet roughly a week before Ben discovers the form. Cannon Bolt is a hulking, broad-shouldered alien covered in bony armor plating and can roll into a ball like an armadillo. He can then roll into enemies as an attack. He is the first new alien to appear on the Omnitrix. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Cannon Bolt first appears in "Big Tick" as an accidental transformation. Gwen was helping Ben with the Omnitrix at the time. | |
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Wildvine | |
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| Description | |
Wildvine is plant-based with five legs, three-fingered claws, and a venus fly trap around his head. He can grow any part of his body fairly quickly, allowing him to stretch his limbs or grow spikes at will. He also has several regrowable pods on his back that act as powerful explosives. A common misconception is that he is able to talk to plants. This is not the case, as the instance in which he is seen doing this was the plant talking to him, not the other way around. | |
| First Appearance | |
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Wildvine first appears in the episode "Camp Fear" as an accidental transformation. The Omnitrix glows much brighter than normal just before this happens. | |
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