Ben 10: Alien Force

Ben 10: Alien Force is a 46 episode American animated series created by team "Man of Action" (a group consisting of Duncan Rouleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Steven T. Seagle), and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It takes place five years after the series, Ben 10. The series takes a different turn than its predecessor, taking on a somewhat darker tone. It was nominated for four Emmy Awards, winning one for Outstanding Sound Mixing - Live Action and Animation. The series premiered on Cartoon Network on April 18, 2008^[2], in the United States and ended on March 26, 2010. This series is followed-up by another sequel series titled, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.

The series premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on May 24, 2008^[1] and stayed on the block until its demise on September 20, 2008. The series also appeared on Toonami Jetstream.

Plot[]

Five years after the original series, 15-year old Ben Tennyson has returned to a normal, everyday life. His adventures all done, Ben has taken off the Omnitrix and has grown from a young boy into a confident teenager; however, the mysterious disappearance of Grandpa Max makes Ben put back the Omnitrix again, as well as forcing him, his cousin Gwen, and his old enemy Kevin to search and locate Grandpa Max. At the same time, they must enlist the help of the Plumbers' kids (children or grandchildren of retired Plumbers which are commonly half human and half alien) and repel attacks from a new enemy, the Highbreed.

In the third and final season, Vilgax returns as the main antagonist forcing Ben, Gwen, and Kevin to tackle bigger problems and find out more secrets about the Omnitrix.

Characters[]

Protagonists[]

Ben Tennyson — At the age of fifteen, Ben fills the role of the leader after Grandpa Max mysteriously disappears. The Omnitrix has recalibrated, giving him access to a new set of alien heroes. Over the past five years, Ben has matured dramatically, and has gained wisdom.

Gwen Tennyson — At the age of fifteen, Gwen is much more skilled and proficient with her magical powers, able to control and manipulate pure magenta/fuchsia-colored magical energy directly as opposed to casting magic spells and reciting incantations (this is eventually revealed to be due to Gwen having an alien heritage from a free-spirited alien race called "energy beings" or Anodites), where she can freely create, control and manipulate pure magenta/pink/fuchsia-colored energy to create incredibly strong magenta energy blasts, energy bursts, energy waves, energy beams, shields, barriers, and energy-like grapple holds. Although she's not nearly as fiery or short-tempered as before, Gwen is still always looking out for her cousin Ben.

Kevin Levin — A former nemesis of Ben, Kevin is now getting by as an alien tech dealer. He unintentionally gets involved in the Highbreed plot, and joins Ben out of a desire to make up for his actions. His Osomosian abilities now allow him to absorb the properties of any solid matter he touches.

Julie Yamamoto — Julie is Ben's love interest and girlfriend in the series. She enjoys tennis, eating chili fries, and caring for her pet, Ship (an alien Galvanic Mechomorph found by her and Ben)

Max Tennyson — Max is a semi-retired member of the Plumbers and Ben and Gwen's grandfather. He disappears while investigating the Highbreed plot, leaving only a few cryptic messages for Ben to find. He is briefly reunited with his grandchildren in "Max Out", but sacrifices himself to destroy a Highbreed factory at the end of the episode. In the episode "Voided", Ben and Max reunite in the Null Void, and he promises Ben that he'll come back soon. He eventually returns in the second season finale of the show to aid Ben in his final assault against the Highbreed.

Aliens[]

Swampfire- A humanoid plant-like alien that can shoot fire out of his hands and can control plant life.

Echo Echo- A little robotic alien who has the abilities to split into multiple versions of himself and has a sonic scream ability.

Humungousaur- A humanoid dinosaur that has super strength and can grow taller than he already is.

Jetray- A red humanoid manta-ray with the ability to fly and can shoot lasers from his eyes and tail.

Big Chill- A humanoid moth like alien with ghost abilities and has a frost breath power.

Chromastone- A humanoid crystal-like alien that can shoot and redirect energy beams.

Brainstrom- An intelligent crab with the ability to shoot lighting from his brain.

SpiderMonkey- A blue monkey with the abilities of a spider.

Goop- A living green piece of slime with acid powers and has an anti-gravity projector that lets him fly.

Alien X- A power alien who has the ability to do anything just by thinking it, but the power is limited by two heads in alien which has to agree to what alien x can do.

Antagonists[]

The Highbreed — The Highbreed believe themselves to be the purest and most powerful of all species and intend to cleanse the galaxy of impure lower life forms. It was later revealed that they were dying out, having become sterile and vulnerable to disease due to heavy inbreeding, and that they intend to destroy the rest of the universe with them.

DNAliens — Hybrids of humans and alien drones that serve the Highbreed called Xenocytes, the DNAliens are able to disguise themselves as humans using special identity masks, called ID Masks.

The Forever Knights — A paramilitary organization that has worked in secret ever since their formation in the Middle Ages. The Forever Knights will trade alien technology with anyone who's willing, even the Highbreed.

Vilgax — Vilgax returns in Season 3 with new powers and abilities. He loses to Ben in the episode "Vengeance of Vilgax" and was banished from Earth, though he swore vengeance. Keeping his promise Vilgax returned in the episode "The Final Battle" to procure the Omnitrix and destroy Ben, but was unsuccessful.

Albedo — Albedo is a young and arrogant Galvan. At one point, he was the assistant to Azmuth, whom he asked for an Omnitrix of his own. When Azmuth refused, he built one of inferior quality and synchronized it to work exactly like Ben's; but as Ben's form is the default, Albedo was transformed into a clone of Ben (until his Omnitrix came into contact with Ben's, giving him whitish-gray hair, a dark red jacket, black pants and deep red eyes). As a result, he also developed many of Ben's habits, which he considers utterly repulsive.

Voice Cast[]

Character	Voice Actor
Ben Tennyson	Yuri Lowenthal
Gwen Tennyson	Ashley Johnson
Kevin Levin	Greg Cipes
Max Tennyson	Paul Eiding
The Omnitrix, The Ultimatrix, Albedo, Brad, Orb, Ishyama	Yuri Lowenthal
Carol Smith, Chimera Sui Generises, Cicely	Ashley Johnson
Swampfire, Spidermonkey, Echo Echo, Humungousaur, Ultimate Humungousaur, Jet Ray, Big Chill, Chromastone, Brainstorm, Goop, Cannonbolt, Upchuck, Way Big, Diamondhead, Lodestar, Decka, Ambassador Zaw-Veenull, Hugo, The Tiffin, Commander Sangfroid, Sugilite, Rath Albedo, Seven Seven, Psyphon, SSSerpent	Dee Bradley Baker
Lukik, Mouldywarp, Kenko	Paul Eiding
Magister Labrid, Azmuth, Ultimos, Zs'Skayr, Ghostfreak, Kraab	Jeff Bennett
Vulkanus, Gorvan, Octagon Vreedle, Judge Domstol, Rath, Ragnarok	John DiMaggio
Julie Yamamoto, Ship, Ingenue, Probity, Myaxx	Vyvan Pham
General Groff, Reinrassig III, Highbreed Supreme	Richard McGonagle
Sheriff Mason, Incursion Emperor Milleous, Sir Morton, TV Narrator	Kevin Michael Richardson
Mrs. Levin	Pamela Adlon
Simion, Lu	Diedrich Bader
Verdona Tennyson (Human Form)	Barbara Bain
Sunder	Powers Boothe
Alien Dragon	Clancy Brown
Bellicus	Kevin Conroy
Dr. Joseph Chadwick	Tim Curry
Edna	Diane Delano
Tetrax Shard	Dave Fennoy
Ken Tennyson, Shem	Will Friedle
Mayor Coleman	Brian George
Devin Levin	Ioan Gruffudd
Lucy	Kim Mai Guest
Connor	Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Tyler	Wallace Langham
Natalie Tennyson, Verdona Tennyson (Anodite form), Helen Wheels, Tini	Juliet Landau
Cash Murray	Matt Levin
Serena	Vicki Lewis
Sandra Tennyson	Beth Littleford
Paradox	David McCallum
Carl Tennyson	Don MacManus
JT	Scott Menville
Cosmic Mom	Diane Michelle
Trina	Kamali Minter
Frank Tennyson	George Newbern
Cooper Daniels	Corey Padnos
Baz-El, Rhomboid Vreedle	Rob Paulsen
Manny Armstrong, Hex	Khary Payton
Argit, Jarrett	Alexander Polinsky
Vilgax	James Remar
Alan Albright	Zeno Robinson
Dr. Animo	Dwight Schultz
Magister Ghilhil	J.K. Simmons
Princess Attea	Tara Strong
Commander Raff	James Arnold Taylor
Charmcaster	Kari Wahlgren
Darkstar	Wil Wheaton
Pierce	Adam Wylie
Forever King Patrick	Michael York

Gallery[]

Ben 10 Alien Force Toonami Bumpers

Episodes[]

Season	Episodes	U.S. Season Premiere	U.S. Season Finale
1	13	April 18, 2008	August 31, 2008
2	13	October 10, 2008	March 27, 2009
3	20	September 11, 2009	March 26, 2010
Movie	01	November 25, 2009	November 25, 2009

Originally, series producers Dwayne McDuffie and Glen Murakami designed the first 26 episodes to be the first season. Cartoon Network, without their consent, split the order into the first two seasons. At the 2008 Comic Con, series producers revealed the show was picked up for a third season. The third season was revealed to have 20 episodes (instead of the usual 13) on story editor/executive producer Dwayne McDuffie's forum.

All episodes of Ben 10: Alien Force have been released on DVD in the United States.

Broadcast History[]

Ben 10: Alien Force premiered on Cartoon Network on April 18, 2008, in the United States and ended on March 26, 2010. The pilot of the series set a record as the most-watched original series premiere in Cartoon Network history among various young age groups according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The one-hour premiere also scored as the highest-rated telecast of the day on both cable and broadcast among similar age groups.^[2] Internationally, the series also aired on Cartoon Network in the UK, beginning on May 5, 2008, as well as Teletoon in Canada beginning on September 6, 2008.

United States (Cartoon Network) — April 18, 2008 - March 26, 2010
United Kingdom (Cartoon Network) — May 5, 2008 - 2010
Canada (Teletoon) — September 6, 2008 - 2010

Toonami Broadcast History[]

The series made a brief run on Cartoon Network's Toonami block, from May 24, 2008 to September 20, 2008. It was also notably part of Toonami's final broadcast on September 20, 2008.