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Superheroes are hardly in short supply these days, but few are as versatile as young Ben Tennyson (the voice of Tara Strong). Cartoon Network's enjoyable new sci-fi action comedy "Ben 10" centers on a normal kid who becomes quite north of normal thanks to an otherworldly, watch-like gadget (the Omnitrix) that turns him into 10 different alien heroes, each with uniquely awesome powers! Now he's teaming up with his Grandpa Max (the voice of Paul Eiding) and cousin, Gwen Tennyson (the voice of Meagan Smith), to fight crime, have fun, and figure out how the Omnitrix works. The Omnitrix also happens to be coveted by Vilgax, an intergalactic nogoodnik obsessed with possessing it. Ben realizes a greater responsibility to help others stop evil-doers, but that doesn't mean he's above a little super-powered mischief every now and then. The show premiered January 14, 2006 and airs on the Cartoon Network. The continuing chaos of "Ben 10" can be seen Saturdays at 10am. With a clever premise and colorful, attention-getting animation, the series stands a good chance to click with kids ... and former kids.
The 10 Alien Heroes Heatblast (the voice of Steven Jay Blum): This hot alien form is on fire and can spit, spray, hurl, and shoot bolts of fire. He's awesome, as long as he doesn't get wet! He is the first alien Ben turns into (in the pilot episode). Fourarms (the voice of Richard McGonagle): Got butt-kickin' powers? This 12-foot tall four-armed brute does! He's Ben's fave alien form for putting the smackdown on bad guys. Stinkfly (the voice of Dee Bradley Baker): This bug-alien form lets Ben take to the sky like a jet pilot and battle bad guys with pincers and a sharp tail. Just don't get him wet or he's grounded. Ripjaw (the voice of Fred Tatasciore): It's uglier than dirt, but Ben's Ripjaw form can swim like a fish! It also lets Ben breathe underwater and munch burgers (and bad guys) with a nasty set of teeth. XLR8 (the voice of Jim Ward): Ben's high-speed dino form can race at 300 mph across ground, mud, water, and even up buildings! He can also make a tornado by running in circles, but it still takes forever to do homework!
Upgrade (the voice of Tara Strong): Changing into this liquid-metal alien form lets Ben merge with mechanical stuff and upgrade it. Just imagine plugging him into an Xbox 360! Grey Matter (the voice of Richard Steven Horvitz): Even aliens are nerds. This little alien form is a wee grey guy that makes Ben super smart so he can fix stuff. Being smart is great, but he's super weak! Ghostfreak (the voice of Steven Jay Blum): Turning into this shadowy alien lets Ben walk through walls and turn invisible, as long as it's kinda dark. He's super-powerful and super-spooky. Diamondhead (the voice of Jim Ward): When Ben turns into this crystal alien, he's impervious to damage, super strong, and can bounce lasers around. But, loud rock 'n roll tunes can shatter him! Wildmutt (the voice of Dee Bradley Baker): This dog-like alien form is part wolverine, part quill-shooting porcupine, and all blind. Ben can't talk in this form, but his super-senses means he doesn't need to see to pee on your leg!
The Episode Guide "And Then There Were Ten" (ep 1, pilot): In the very first episode of the animated television series, Ben discovers The Omnitrix Prototype. The ten-year-old has his first test as a hero when Vilgax sends a hoard of Mechadroids to steal The Omnitrix wrist device. "Washington B.C." (ep 2): Next, Ben and his alien personas must battle Dr. Animo, a crazed mad scientist bent on revenge. Dr. Anime was once a renown scientist, but recently, he has fallen deep into the pits of rage and despair. And now that the good doctor is armed with a DNA-altering Transmorpher Device, he intends to right whichever so-called wrongs he sees exist. "The Krakken" (ep 3): Ben encounters a sea monster called a Krakken. Through a series of events, Ben must determine who the real villain is, the Krakken or the evil poacher Jonas and his high-tech deep-water thieves whose motives are rather unclear at first. "Permanent Retirement" (ep 4): Things hit a little bit closer to home in this episode, as Ben must use his alien heroes to defeat shape-shifting aliens and rescue his aunt and his oft-dependable Grandpa Max. "Hunted" (ep 5): Ben's situation with the wrist device intensifies as the young man finds himself hunted by three alien bounty hunters. These bounty hunters include the crustacean-like Kraab, the mechanical assassin Sixsix and the mysterious Hoverboard, who have been hired by Vilgax to retrieve The Omnitrix. "Kevin 11" (ep 6): After an argument with Grandpa Max, Ben goes out on his own and meets Kevin, a mutant with the power to absorb any form of energy. Ben soon realizes however, that Kevin may only be after the powers of The Omnitrix. "Tourist Trap" (ep 7): Next, our hero Ben Tennyson inadvertently releases mischievous creatures made of electrical energy, he must use his alien hero personas and his own practical joke-loving ideas to recapture them. "The Alliance" (ep 8): In this episode, after a battle with Fourarms, a gang member winds up merging with some leftover pieces of the Vilgax drones and becomes Rojo -- a powerful, cybernetic combo of the two. "The Last Laugh" (ep 9): Another episode that has Ben dealing with things more personal, Ben must overcome his fear of clowns in order to save his cousin Gwen from a bunch of wicked circus performers. "Lucky Girl" (ep 10): Ben battles Hexlord, an evil sorcerer whose power emanates from several Mystic Charms, one of which falls into Gwen's possession. After the battle, the charm turns Gwen into her very own superhero, Lucky Girl. "A Small Problem" (ep 11): When Ben is disallowed the chance to catch a ride on a particular attraction at a water park because he doesn't meet the height requirement, he decides to go "alien" and get even with the ride's attendant. "Side Effects" (ep 12): When Ben catches a summer cold, the normal symptoms take on strange physical changes in his alien personas. While having to deal with these side effects, Ben must stop a disgusting creature made from a colony of cockroaches. "Secrets" (ep 13): Much time has passed since Ben had originally discovered The Omnitrix--and as such, the intergalactic pirate Vilgax is fully healed and enhanced from his injuries. Vilgax decides to procure The Omnitrix for himself. Grandpa Max's mysterious past begins to come to light as well, which includes a little personal history with Vilgax that culminates in the final showdown between Vilgax and the combined Tennyson family.
The Official Tara Strong |
