Ben 10: Difference between revisions

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Movie-wise, this (the original series) has three based on it. A [[Live Action Adaptation]] ''[[Ben 10 Race Against Time (Film)|Ben 10 Race Against Time]]'' (Notable for starring Lee Majors as Grandpa Max), a regularly animated hour long flick ''Secret of the Omnitrix'' and a (supposedly non-canon) all CGI film called ''[[Ben 10 Destroy All Aliens (Film)|Ben 10 Destroy All Aliens]]''.
Movie-wise, this (the original series) has three based on it. A [[Live Action Adaptation]] ''[[Ben 10 Race Against Time (Film)|Ben 10 Race Against Time]]'' (Notable for starring Lee Majors as Grandpa Max), a regularly animated hour long flick ''Secret of the Omnitrix'' and a (supposedly non-canon) all CGI film called ''[[Ben 10 Destroy All Aliens (Film)|Ben 10 Destroy All Aliens]]''.


Not to be confused with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bren_Ten Bren Ten].
Not to be confused with the [[wikipedia:Bren Ten|Bren Ten]].
{{tropelist}}
{{tropelist}}
* [[Abusive Parents]]: Kevin's, who apparently threw him onto the street. Later Kevin himself, using his son Devlin to get his revenge on Ben.
* [[Abusive Parents]]: Kevin's, who apparently threw him onto the street. Later Kevin himself, using his son Devlin to get his revenge on Ben.
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** Vilgax, being the [[Arch Enemy]], ''also'' had the role of secondary [[Big Bad]] in seasons 2 and 4.
** Vilgax, being the [[Arch Enemy]], ''also'' had the role of secondary [[Big Bad]] in seasons 2 and 4.
* [[Big Damn Movie]]: Secret of the Omnitrix.
* [[Big Damn Movie]]: Secret of the Omnitrix.
* [[Biker Babe]]: Rojo, who's also a [[Hot Blooded]] (bordering on [[Ax Crazy]]) [[Badass Biker]].
* [[Biker Babe]]: Rojo, who's also a [[Hot-Blooded]] (bordering on [[Ax Crazy]]) [[Badass Biker]].
* [[Black and White Morality]]
* [[Black and White Morality]]
* [[Black Box]]: The Omnitrix itself. Even its ''creator'' doesn't know exactly what he's made.
* [[Black Box]]: The Omnitrix itself. Even its ''creator'' doesn't know exactly what he's made.
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* [[Cowardly Lion]]: Gilbert in "Camp Fear". When he's not running around screaming his head off, he's quite helpful fighting off the mushroom monsters and protecting the younger campers.
* [[Cowardly Lion]]: Gilbert in "Camp Fear". When he's not running around screaming his head off, he's quite helpful fighting off the mushroom monsters and protecting the younger campers.
* [[Creepy Child]]: Meet Kevin, eleven years old and willing to kill a subway load of people without a second thought.
* [[Creepy Child]]: Meet Kevin, eleven years old and willing to kill a subway load of people without a second thought.
* [[Cross Dressing Voices]]: [[Tara Strong]] as Ben.
* [[Cross-Dressing Voices]]: [[Tara Strong]] as Ben.
* [[Cute Monster Girl]]: In "My Big Fat Alien Wedding" the majority of the shapeshifting aliens are very ugly non-humanoid sludge monsters in their true form. The non-evil one (who's marrying a human) oddly looks like a fairly attractive purple-skinned woman in her true form. Despite being the daughter of the episode's villains.
* [[Cute Monster Girl]]: In "My Big Fat Alien Wedding" the majority of the shapeshifting aliens are very ugly non-humanoid sludge monsters in their true form. The non-evil one (who's marrying a human) oddly looks like a fairly attractive purple-skinned woman in her true form. Despite being the daughter of the episode's villains.
* [[Daddy's Little Villain]]: Charmcaster to Hex (though it's more of a case of Uncle's Little Villain).
* [[Daddy's Little Villain]]: Charmcaster to Hex (though it's more of a case of Uncle's Little Villain).
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He's Ben 10! (Ben 10, Ben 10!) }}
He's Ben 10! (Ben 10, Ben 10!) }}
* [[Expy]]: Zombozo demonstrates similar behavior to [[IT|Pennywise]], he even turns into a giant spider in a hallucination(?)!
* [[Expy]]: Zombozo demonstrates similar behavior to [[IT|Pennywise]], he even turns into a giant spider in a hallucination(?)!
* [[Extra Strength Masquerade]]: As a [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] show borderlining on [[Planet Eris]], it's ''really'' inconsistent with regards to whether the existence of aliens, robots, and mutants is commonly accepted knowledge, or whether such things are supposed to be regarded as myth by the general public.
* [[Extra-Strength Masquerade]]: As a [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] show borderlining on [[Planet Eris]], it's ''really'' inconsistent with regards to whether the existence of aliens, robots, and mutants is commonly accepted knowledge, or whether such things are supposed to be regarded as myth by the general public.
* [[Face Fault]]: Look hard enough, Gwen in Charmcaster's body in "A Change Of Face" has these.
* [[Face Fault]]: Look hard enough, Gwen in Charmcaster's body in "A Change Of Face" has these.
* [[Flanderization]]: Early on, the Omnittrix is fairly reliable, only transforming Ben into the wrong alien once every few episodes, and Ben is justifiably surprised when it happens. Fast forward to the Season 3 finale, and out of the four times Ben transformed in the first part, he only got the alien he wanted ''once'', and he's reduced to frantically begging the Omnitrix to ''please'' cooperate with him this time...
* [[Flanderization]]: Early on, the Omnittrix is fairly reliable, only transforming Ben into the wrong alien once every few episodes, and Ben is justifiably surprised when it happens. Fast forward to the Season 3 finale, and out of the four times Ben transformed in the first part, he only got the alien he wanted ''once'', and he's reduced to frantically begging the Omnitrix to ''please'' cooperate with him this time...
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* [[Freudian Excuse]]: Kevin being abandoned by his parents and mocked by peers for being a "freak". Once he couldn't take it no more, he decided "[[Then Let Me Be Evil|to show them just how much of a freak he could be.]]"
* [[Freudian Excuse]]: Kevin being abandoned by his parents and mocked by peers for being a "freak". Once he couldn't take it no more, he decided "[[Then Let Me Be Evil|to show them just how much of a freak he could be.]]"
** Also, Charmcaster being raised by her [[Abusive Parents|blatantly abusive]] uncle Hex. He did his job too well, and she [[The Starscream|ends up betraying him for her own evil goals.]]
** Also, Charmcaster being raised by her [[Abusive Parents|blatantly abusive]] uncle Hex. He did his job too well, and she [[The Starscream|ends up betraying him for her own evil goals.]]
* [[Full Contact Magic]]: Played perfectly straight; mixing a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and <s> magic</s> alien energy-manipulation powers gives Gwen dynamic and fluid fighting scenes.
* [[Full-Contact Magic]]: Played perfectly straight; mixing a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and <s> magic</s> alien energy-manipulation powers gives Gwen dynamic and fluid fighting scenes.
* [[Future Badass]]: Ben 10,000, Gwendolyn, and cyborg Max. That is all.
* [[Future Badass]]: Ben 10,000, Gwendolyn, and cyborg Max. That is all.
* [[Future Me Scares Me]]: When Ben and Gwen go to the future, Future Ben is pretty much a jerk.
* [[Future Me Scares Me]]: When Ben and Gwen go to the future, Future Ben is pretty much a jerk.
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** With [[Non-Mammal Mammaries]], even after she states that her race does not take care of their young at all ("On my planet, once you hatch, you're on your own.")
** With [[Non-Mammal Mammaries]], even after she states that her race does not take care of their young at all ("On my planet, once you hatch, you're on your own.")
* [[Growing Up Sucks]]: ''Ben 10,000''.
* [[Growing Up Sucks]]: ''Ben 10,000''.
* [[Hands On Approach]]: Done with Gwen teaching Ben to dance in "My Big Fat Alien Wedding." See [[Relationship Writing Fumble]] below.
* [[Hands-On Approach]]: Done with Gwen teaching Ben to dance in "My Big Fat Alien Wedding." See [[Relationship Writing Fumble]] below.
* [[Harbinger of Impending Doom]]
* [[Harbinger of Impending Doom]]
* [[Hey It's That Voice]]: Grandpa Max is voiced by none other than Paul Eiding, who voices Colonel Campbell from the ''[[Metal Gear]]'' games.
* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: Grandpa Max is voiced by none other than Paul Eiding, who voices Colonel Campbell from the ''[[Metal Gear]]'' games.
** Not to mention Perceptor from the original Transformers Generaton One cartoon
** Not to mention Perceptor from the original Transformers Generaton One cartoon
** [[Actor Allusion|I thought I told you to turn the game console off!]]
** [[Actor Allusion|I thought I told you to turn the game console off!]]
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* [[Hurricane of Puns]]: Witty one-liners make up a good 75% of dialog, mainly when Ben is in alien form.
* [[Hurricane of Puns]]: Witty one-liners make up a good 75% of dialog, mainly when Ben is in alien form.
* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: A bit of it in "Gwen 10", where Ben keeps telling off Gwen for doing things he knows perfectly well he did in the past.
* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: A bit of it in "Gwen 10", where Ben keeps telling off Gwen for doing things he knows perfectly well he did in the past.
* [[I Am Not Left Handed]]: A couple of occasions, but possibly the most awesome is in "Grudge Match", where Kevin 11 has Ben trapped, and boasts that he can handle any of Ben's 10 aliens, since he IS all those aliens combined. Ben then reveals that he's unlocked a new form since Kevin last saw him: Cannon Bolt. Kevin gets ''hammered''.
* [[I Am Not Left-Handed]]: A couple of occasions, but possibly the most awesome is in "Grudge Match", where Kevin 11 has Ben trapped, and boasts that he can handle any of Ben's 10 aliens, since he IS all those aliens combined. Ben then reveals that he's unlocked a new form since Kevin last saw him: Cannon Bolt. Kevin gets ''hammered''.
** A similar, if more subtle version comes from "Ben 10,000", when Vilgax makes the same boast about all TEN THOUSAND of Future Ben's aliens, except that Future Ben has one form Vilgax overlooked: human.
** A similar, if more subtle version comes from "Ben 10,000", when Vilgax makes the same boast about all TEN THOUSAND of Future Ben's aliens, except that Future Ben has one form Vilgax overlooked: human.
* [[I Have Come Too Far]]
* [[I Have Come Too Far]]
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* [[Never Say Die]]: All the deaths are either offscreen, not outright stated, or obscured by explosions, with a good dash of [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]] to 'lighten' it further.
* [[Never Say Die]]: All the deaths are either offscreen, not outright stated, or obscured by explosions, with a good dash of [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]] to 'lighten' it further.
* [[New Super Power]]
* [[New Super Power]]
* [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]]: How Vilgax says hello.
* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: How Vilgax says hello.
* [[No Ontological Inertia]]: The episode "The Big Tick" features an [[Eldritch Abomination]] which completely ravages its surroundings for several hundred meters around. After it's destroyed, the local area returns to its former state immediately, despite there being nothing to suggest that the destruction was illusory! For some reason, the characters find this to be perfectly acceptable.
* [[No Ontological Inertia]]: The episode "The Big Tick" features an [[Eldritch Abomination]] which completely ravages its surroundings for several hundred meters around. After it's destroyed, the local area returns to its former state immediately, despite there being nothing to suggest that the destruction was illusory! For some reason, the characters find this to be perfectly acceptable.
** This one is a little [[Justified Trope|justifiable.]] [[Apocalypse How|If your world was being destroyed]], but you killed the [[Big Bad]] causing it and everything went back to normal, would you complain?
** This one is a little [[Justified Trope|justifiable.]] [[Apocalypse How|If your world was being destroyed]], but you killed the [[Big Bad]] causing it and everything went back to normal, would you complain?
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** The many, many times Ben tries to turn into one alien but ends up as one that's more suited to the situation.
** The many, many times Ben tries to turn into one alien but ends up as one that's more suited to the situation.
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: "It" in "Tourist Trap".
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: "It" in "Tourist Trap".
* [[Sci Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale]]: In Negative 10, the power source has "as much power as the sun." Then Max goes on to say that if it goes off, it can blow up a continent the size of Texas to outer space ([[Critical Research Failure|Good thing every single one of them is a lot bigger than that by definition...]]). An energy source that powerful would blow up more than a continent.
* [[Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale]]: In Negative 10, the power source has "as much power as the sun." Then Max goes on to say that if it goes off, it can blow up a continent the size of Texas to outer space ([[Critical Research Failure|Good thing every single one of them is a lot bigger than that by definition...]]). An energy source that powerful would blow up more than a continent.
** Not to mention the fact that, when the [[Big Bad]] finally absorbs this ultra-powerful energy source into his [[Powered Armor]], the most he can think to do with it is use it to shoot rather mediocre [[Eye Beams]].
** Not to mention the fact that, when the [[Big Bad]] finally absorbs this ultra-powerful energy source into his [[Powered Armor]], the most he can think to do with it is use it to shoot rather mediocre [[Eye Beams]].
** And in ''Ben 10,000,'' to unlock ten thousand alien forms in thirty years would require an average of one new alien form every single day for the entire time, though that would leave a bit of extra time.
** And in ''Ben 10,000,'' to unlock ten thousand alien forms in thirty years would require an average of one new alien form every single day for the entire time, though that would leave a bit of extra time.
*** Or once you unlock master control a few thousand aliens come with it.
*** Or once you unlock master control a few thousand aliens come with it.
* [[Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers]]
* [[Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers]]
* [[Second Person Attack]]: At least [[Once an Episode]].
* [[Second-Person Attack]]: At least [[Once an Episode]].
* [[Secret Legacy]]
* [[Secret Legacy]]
* [[She Is All Grown Up]]: Gwen in "Ben 10,000". Ben himself bears a suspicious resemblance to a well-built [[Star Trek the Next Generation|Commander Riker]], [[Mr. Fanservice|much to the delight of some]].
* [[She Is All Grown Up]]: Gwen in "Ben 10,000". Ben himself bears a suspicious resemblance to a well-built [[Star Trek the Next Generation|Commander Riker]], [[Mr. Fanservice|much to the delight of some]].
* [[Shout Out]]:
* [[Shout-Out]]:
** [[Star Wars|"I find your lack of faith disturbing."]]
** [[Star Wars|"I find your lack of faith disturbing."]]
** [[Casablanca|"We'll always have Roswell."]]
** [[Casablanca|"We'll always have Roswell."]]
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* [[We Are Team Cannon Fodder]]: Version two, Gwen and Grandpa Max.
* [[We Are Team Cannon Fodder]]: Version two, Gwen and Grandpa Max.
* [[Webcomic Time]]: The summer road trip lasted nearly the whole of the original series.
* [[Webcomic Time]]: The summer road trip lasted nearly the whole of the original series.
* [[Wham Episode]]: "Secrets", which resolves the [[Myth Arc]] hinting at Max's past and formally introduces [[Knight of Cerebus|Vilgax]] to Ben's life.
* [[Wham! Episode]]: "Secrets", which resolves the [[Myth Arc]] hinting at Max's past and formally introduces [[Knight of Cerebus|Vilgax]] to Ben's life.
* [[What If]]: The out-of-mainstream-continuity episode "Gwen 10"; some would classify the "Ken 10" episode under this.
* [[What If]]: The out-of-mainstream-continuity episode "Gwen 10"; some would classify the "Ken 10" episode under this.
** Not to mention the show's last episode: "Goodbye and Good Riddance"
** Not to mention the show's last episode: "Goodbye and Good Riddance"

Revision as of 12:10, 25 January 2014

An action cartoon franchise from America; this entry covers the first series.

Ben 10 revolves around the adventures of Ben Tennyson, a 10-year-old boy. While on summer vacation with his grandpa Max and cousin Gwen, he comes into the possession of a mysterious alien device - the Omnitrix - that allows him to change into a multitude of alien heroes. At first, there are only 10 aliens (hence the name "Ben 10"), but more forms were eventually discovered.

Why isn't the device in more capable hands? Well, once it attached to Ben, it was stuck there. It won't come off.

There's more to this show than meets the eye, however. For example, while this and most other American cartoons either Never Say Die or push the Thou Shalt Not Kill Aesop, "people" in this show get killed with reckless abandon with hardly anyone batting an eye. The show's also infamous for the Kissing Cousins vibe between Ben and Gwen. Plus, it has plenty of Nightmare Fuel.

Currently, the Ben 10 franchise has four separate series: the original show, the Time Skipped sequel Ben 10 Alien Force, the sequel to Alien Force, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien and the upcoming sequel to Ultimate Alien, Ben 10 Omniverse. The foursome who created the original series, known as Man of Action, went on to create Generator Rex, and later work on Ultimate Spider Man.

Movie-wise, this (the original series) has three based on it. A Live Action Adaptation Ben 10 Race Against Time (Notable for starring Lee Majors as Grandpa Max), a regularly animated hour long flick Secret of the Omnitrix and a (supposedly non-canon) all CGI film called Ben 10 Destroy All Aliens.

Not to be confused with the Bren Ten.

Tropes used in Ben 10 include:

 It started when an alien device did what it did

And stuck itself upon his wrist with secrets that it hid

Now he's got super powers, he's no ordinary kid

He's Ben 10! (Ben 10, Ben 10!)

  • Expy: Zombozo demonstrates similar behavior to Pennywise, he even turns into a giant spider in a hallucination(?)!
  • Extra-Strength Masquerade: As a Fantasy Kitchen Sink show borderlining on Planet Eris, it's really inconsistent with regards to whether the existence of aliens, robots, and mutants is commonly accepted knowledge, or whether such things are supposed to be regarded as myth by the general public.
  • Face Fault: Look hard enough, Gwen in Charmcaster's body in "A Change Of Face" has these.
  • Flanderization: Early on, the Omnittrix is fairly reliable, only transforming Ben into the wrong alien once every few episodes, and Ben is justifiably surprised when it happens. Fast forward to the Season 3 finale, and out of the four times Ben transformed in the first part, he only got the alien he wanted once, and he's reduced to frantically begging the Omnitrix to please cooperate with him this time...
    • Justified in that he totaled the controls a few episodes back to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.
  • Family-Friendly Firearms: Sometimes justified by the sci-fi setting, but really...where are ordinary gang members, mall cops, and other assorted armed Muggles getting their sci-fi firearms?
  • Foreshadowing: There are many hints that Max wasn't just a normal Plumber, such as knowing that Heatblast is not a monster but an alien, and mentions of Vilgax making him tense.
  • Franchise Zombie: Man of Action Studios only worked on this series. The three following sequel shows were Cartoon Network's doing.
  • Freaky Friday Flip: Gwen and Charmcaster in "A Change Of Face".
    • Later on happens to Gwen and Ben in the same episode.
  • Freudian Excuse: Kevin being abandoned by his parents and mocked by peers for being a "freak". Once he couldn't take it no more, he decided "to show them just how much of a freak he could be."
  • Full-Contact Magic: Played perfectly straight; mixing a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and magic alien energy-manipulation powers gives Gwen dynamic and fluid fighting scenes.
  • Future Badass: Ben 10,000, Gwendolyn, and cyborg Max. That is all.
  • Future Me Scares Me: When Ben and Gwen go to the future, Future Ben is pretty much a jerk.
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar Redheaded Gwen: "Next year, I am so going to band camp!"
    • Also, in "Camp Fear:"

  Ben: "You guys know way too much about mushrooms!"

  Grampa: "Yeah. I still got the right stuff.

 Gwen [nervously]: Couldn't you just slip the watch off?

Vilgax: And what fun would that be?

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