Ben 10 '23 Premier

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**Ben 10 '23 Premier** is an episode of

Title - I Was A Teenage Alien Hero?

## Foreword

Hello, and thanks for choosing to at least look into what I'm writing.

It's not the first thing I've written here, but it sure feels like it, huh?

It's been 12 long years of me writing Ben 10 fan fiction, ever since I was 9 years old. I wasn't old enough to even be Ben 10 when I chanced across this website (and I can't even remember how), yet, here I am now, almost (Ben) 23 in just two more years.

I don't really have much else to say on the title, other than the lenses of identity it might suggest.

It's been 12 long years of clicking through each hyperlink with the passion of a book-starved child, of wishing I had access to cable television until finally earning it just as it lost its edge, of watching but not yet truly understanding Avatar the Last Airbender, of pretending to have read *A Song of Ice and Fire*, of reading and discarding Homestuck in pursuit of some sense of false academia, of rediscovering my love of design for creatures and character design, of languishing through depression only to be saved by a man named Kamina, of running away from home and earning a degree that I now ultimately understand to be completely pointless, of trying to tell myself I'm not scared of the creepy-crawly bad guys on television or film, and realizing that Ben, Gwen, and Kevin are, ultimately, my role models.

And, of course, in true Sol passion, in the past twelve years, I don't think I've watched more than half of the Ben 10 series.

Yet, it is not with arrogance that I have come to write Ben 10 '23. It is with hope, it is with passion, it is out of recognition that this little backwater wikia, repurposed from information gathering (and some would say harvesting) into creativity and storytelling, deserves something back from me after all the life it has given me. Am I in a position to give it? Who knows. But I believe it's worth an attempt to try.

I have many stories to tell: Stories of retired war heroes, of plucky backstreet punks turned himbo heroes, of academic girlbosses kicking ass with purple mana constructs. Stories ranging from the mere acquisition of a wristwatch - something I don't necessarily want to tell, but that I feel like I must, because not every powerful, impactful story has to start from a lofty beginning (though I do try my hardest) - to the loss of familiarity in one's hometown, horrific acts of imperialism we might not even be aware we're committing, and petty squabbles between powerful men that will shape the history of reality for millennia to come, but, ultimately, stories of growth, redemption, and of course, great power and the greater responsibility that it necessitates (though not necessarily vice versa).

I think what appeals to me about Ben 10 is the universality of it. It is Ben 10, of course, and I know the fans have strong, offending, and contrasting opinions of his characterization of the years, as if Ben 10 continuity (for better or for worse) has ever been consistent in anything. I think this is all besides the point of the show, of course. Much like the Spiderverse, I don't think it matters who wears the watch.

Ben 10 is not the story of a chosen hero. Ben 10 is the story of a young child who fails his way into success, supported by friends and found family close to him, who deals with changing identities and uses each one of them like tools in a toolbox to save the day and put the world into some sort of working order. In this way, identities transmutable a la Judith Butler, isn't each one of us Ben 10?

On multiple levels, Ben 10 is the ultimate pulp hero. He is the culmination of pulp fiction: the stories of comic book heroes, of space adventurers, of horror monsters, of melodrama on the western plains, of mysteries in dark alleyways, of clumps of pixels in an arcade machine, of caped crusaders and sci-fi aliens and other creepy creatures that go bump in the night, a ten-in-one inheritor of a long tradition that has been denigrated and debased for its wide accessibility. To raise its status seems Herculean, Sisyphean, or at the very least an Atlas-esque task. To try and make the next *Watchmen* out of Ben 10 is probably impossible and far beyond my capabilities. But, still, Ben 10 has inspired to be a hero, and like a hero, I must try to leave this tradition of creativity, identity, and the human spirit better than I found it.

I also feel the need to address Ben 10 Re-wri10, which is a series I heavily admire.

Ben 10 '23 is not a rewrite. I wouldn't exactly call it a sequel. I would probably call it a reboot. It will break canon and mischaracterize your favs and make very questionable design choices that are somehow probably worse than anything the official Ben 10 franchise could possibly pull off. It will probably not ever get more than a few episodes published. But, above all else, it's my attempt at writing the best loveletter to the Ben 10 franchise, the Ben 10 Fan Fiction community, and pulp fiction that I can.

With all that said, I hope you enjoy Ben 10 '23. Come with me on my stupid freaking journey.

## Summary

A young, unlucky boy gets an alien watch stuck to his hand while going on vacation with his well-meaning-but-unrelatable annoying cousin and grandfather. Mechanical alien attacks ensue.

## Script

### Introduction

The show opens on a dark night sky. The camera pans around, showcasing a beautiful array of twinkling white-and-yellow stars, including one emerald shooting star, against a strong dark blue background.

(Narrator): LOOK UP AT THE STARS, TENNYSON.

The narrator speaks in a violent, gravelly voice, as if one had put the cacophony of insects and a factory assembly line through 80s sci-fi horror synthesized autotune, or at least an impression of one of those classic sci-fi ghouls by a voice actor with a bad smoking habit.

The camera zooms down and out, revealing our narrator to be Vilgax, the conqueror. His most identifiable aspect is his head - he has small beady, but violently red eyes. His "hair" - if one could call it that - are locks of sickly seafoam green tentacles, either tied back and cascading down his back or resting on his shoulders. His mouth is fitted with thin black lips that recede to display his violently red gums and long, yellowed canine fangs.

He wears what looks to be a shiny, burgundy chitinous carapace as his astro-knight's armor.

To emphasize his point, he thrusts a bright blue shard of metal - upon closer inspection, a sword - emanating a fierce red flame towards the sky.

(Vilgax): EACH ONE OF THEM... HOME TO A PLANET. MAYBE TEN PLANETS MORE.

The camera continues its zoom out. Vilgax stands on the dark steely grey deck of what one must assume to be an alien conqueror's mothership, but, he is not in space. From a look at the background, one can see the dark green silhouettes of tall evergreens against the navy night sky.

(Vilgax): EACH HOME TO AN EMPIRE, STANDING TALL, ON ITS OWN, WANTING TO CONQUER THE OTHER STARS. WANTING TO CONQUER... EVEN YOU.

Vilgax almost wickedly grins as he brings his sword down, pointing it perpendicular to his standing position. Its red aura diminishes. The camera stops its zoom and begins panning to the side of the screen, in the direction of where the sword is pointing.

When the camera stops moving, a glowing green light appears in the corner.

(Vilgax): I'VE OFFERED YOU THIS SAVING CHANCE ONCE BEFORE, AND I'LL OFFER IT TO YOU AGAIN. JOIN ME, TENNYSON. JOIN MY GALACTIC EMPIRE.

A hand appears on the glowing green light, snuffing some of it out. It turns the dial and retreats. A black hologram flickers into existence...

The look on Vilgax's face turns to one of surprise, almost of horror, if the conqueror could truly be afraid anymore.

(Vilgax): YOU WOULDN'T DARE.

As the hologram stabilizes, we can make out its form: an idol, its arms crossed across its chest like a resting royal sarcophagus. It has two bright, all-seeing eyes and almost a crown of horns jutting from its forehead, but otherwise, an almost featureless humanoid body.

(Tennyson): I think you'll find that the stars in the sky aren't my enemies.

intro of Max defeating VIlgax with Alien X

(Tennyson): That's what sets us apart, Vilgax. You see the stars in the skies as your enemy - I see them as my friends.

Tennyson's hand once again covers the light emanating from the Omnitrix. The hand presses down as Tennyson steps forward. He's bathed in a black light, a white silhouette all that remains of his corporeal form. As his march slowly but powerfully stretches forward, the darkness expands to cover the whole scene. When the whole scene is black, save for Tennyson's white silhouette, the white stars poke through the background.

And then the screen fades to black.

*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!)*

*So if you see him, you might be in for a big surprise*

*He'll turn into an alien before your very eyes*

*He's slimy, freaky, fast and strong, he's every shape and size*

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

*Armed with powers, he's on the case*

*Fighting off evil from Earth or space*

*He'll never stop 'till he makes them pay*

*'Cause he's the baddest kid to ever save the day*

*Ben 10! (Ben 10! B-B-B-Ben! Ben 10! B-B-B-Ben!)*

### Main Plot

The sky is blue, the sun is shining, birds are flying, and kids are screaming.

(Announcer): HERE COMES OUR HERO... BEN! TENNYSON!

The camera pans down, revealing a soccer match played in the back field of a packed high school.

(Announcer): Tennyson's got the ball! He's running towards the goal! But will? He? Make? It? In? Time!?

The camera cuts to an aggressive, waist-high running shot, following a ball which is being kicked forward. Our perspective snakes and weaves through soccer players, through friendly teammates of white and black and past defending (or offending) enemy players clad in shades of sickly green and red wine.

(Announcer): He's got a clean shot! He can't possibly screw this up!

Ben kicks the ball forward. It surges towards the goal. The goalie jumps up, trying to block the shot, and...

Suddenly, another player's elbow enters our perspective.

As the other player's figure grows larger, closer, more ominous, our perspective begins to fade to black once more...

The crowd erupts into uproar. We can't tell if it's supposed to be good or bad, and by the second, it's growing more cushioned, more muffled, more distorted.

The referee blows his whistle.

TWEET!

TWEET!

TWEET!

TWEED!

DWEED!

DWEEB!

DWEEB!

(Girl's Voice): C'mon, dweeb.

(Girl's Voice): It's not even a concussion.

We open back up to Ben's PoV. His vision is blurry and teetering from side to side. As his vision clears up, we can tell that we're in the back of an ambulance.

(Ben): Guh-wen?

Gwen is sitting in the corner of the ambulance, reading from a book that she's got balanced on her knee.

(Gwen): Well, look who's finally up.

(Ben): You... were calling out to me?

(Gwen, dryly): No. You must have been hallucinating.

(Ben): Oh... Did I... At least make the goal before I... wound up here-

The camera cuts to a third person perspective. Ben is on a stretcher, still wearing his soccer uniform. His hair is ruffled, matted, and he's a little bit scratched and dirty on the cheek.

Gwen snickers.

(Gwen): Ben, you were on the bench the whole time! You were starting at some girl in the crowd when a ball came straight at you, hit you in the side of the head, and knocked you out *cold*.

Ben blushes, slightly embarrassed. He moves to sit up on the stretcher, and Gwen doesn't stop him.

(Ben): Oh... Well... Go get someone! Tell 'em to get me back on the field! I can make that goal now!

Gwen frowns and rolls her eyes.

(Gwen): Well, about that? You'll have to ask coach next season.

(Ben): What?

(Gwen): Are you dull? You were out for the whole game.

Ben falls back down against the pillow and stares against the metal ceiling of the ambulance.

(Ben): Did we at least win?

(Gwen): Bellwood lost 10 to none.

Ben groans.

(Ben): I'm surprised Grandpa Max's not here. He's gonna be pissed if this delays our road trip-

(Gwen): Y'know, you almost say that like you tried to get this to happen on purpose. What, you don't wanna spend all summer with your favorite cousin?

Ben looks at her, confused.

Gwen finally closes her book - it's one on head trauma.

(Gwen): Hanlon's razor, I guess.

(Ben): Is this Hanlon the guy that knocked me out?

(Gwen): You could say that. Anyways... Grandpa's just outside in a lawnchair. He... Fell asleep while waiting for you to wake up. Pretty much everyone else did, except your mom, who threw a total *tantrum* and got this ambulance here. I figured I'd step in and take watch to stay away from her while she and your dad fussed with the EMTs who don't exactly think they should waste their time on little old babies like you.

Ben sighs.

(Ben): Everyone this family ends up a loser.

Gwen rolls her eyes.

(Gwen): *None taken, Ben*.

Ben looks on, confused once more. Grandpa suddenly thrusts his graying head around the corner of the ambulance.

(Grandpa, a bit too loud and excited): Ben! Glad to see you're up and awake, good as new! Hey, your parents are out here-

(Ben, sarcastically): Great....

Before anyone can do anything else, Ben's parents rush in. His father is a middle-aged, slightly-overweight balding brown-haired man wearing clothes that look like they passed their prime in the 1970s. On the other hand, his mother has hair that looks too voluminous and yellow to possibly be true.

His mother, with no respect for boundaries, hops up into the ambulance as clumsily as her heels will allow. She stumbles past Gwen and nearly collapses on Ben's stretcher, grabbing at him in a maternal frenzy.

(Mother Tennyson, *thick Jersey accent*): Oh, Ben! I was so worried about youuuu! I ran down from the stand as fast as I could once I heard the news that my little boy got *bopped* on the head during his big game!

(Father Tennyson, *equally thick Jersey accent*): Yeah, and your mother dragged me here all the way from the shop... Hey, uhh, sorry I couldn't have been here to see you playing, but you know how business is, son!

His dad forces a nervous laugh. Gwen bites down, trying to hide her smile. It's apparent that neither of Ben's parents were watching the game.

Ben's face is beet red. He rubs the back of his head.

(Ben): It's, uhh, fine... Dad...

(Gwen): Don't worry, you guys didn't miss too much.

(Mom): Ooh, nonsense! Our little boy's the star athlete! The college scouts are gonna be all over him in no time!

(Ben, struggling): Yeah, but... As for right now, mom.... You kinda are...

His mother pulls back, only slightly.

(Dad): Your mom's got a point, though, ya know? Keep on practicing, you get a scholarship, you can go to college like Chris or Uncle Frank.

(Ben): Yeah, sure, sounds exciting... Would sure love to be them right now.

His father's brow furrows.

(Dad): Hey, I know you're injured, but be nice to your family. You know how many times they've bailed us out of trouble before?

Ben rolls his eyes. His mother backs the rest of the way off of him and straightens her dress.

(Mom): Besides, Ben, they're coming up right now...

(Dad): Right, Ben. Uhh... Look presentable.

Gwen smirks as Ben looks down, trying to figure out what he's supposed to do to make himself look presentable while he's in the back of an ambulance.

His aunt and uncle poke their heads around the corner of the ambulance.

His uncle is much taller and skinnier than his brother, but looks much more educated and professional. A pair of rectangular browline rest upon his eyes, which have been wrinkled by chronic stress brought about by, one must imagine, his family.

(Uncle Tennyson): Everything alright back here?

(Ben): I mean, yeah, I guess. I'm still alive. Haven't punted doofus yet.

Gwen rolls her eyes.

(Uncle): Lovely!

Ben's uncle steps back and turns to address his whole family. It's clear that he holds some sort of position of dominance within the family structure.

Sandra makes her way to the edge of the ambulance, leaving Gwen and Ben cordoned off in their own little metal chamber.

(Uncle): Well, all things considered, guess we better call off their summer trip for Ben's health. Ben's gotta spend some time recuperating, and...

(Aunt Tennyson): Oh! Gwen can continue on with her tutoring, and college prep classes-

Gwen pumps her fist. Ben makes a disgusted look, but ultimately breathes a sigh of relief.

(Uncle): Oh, my, you're totally right! Well, what a happy coincidence this has turned out to be-

(Grandpa): Hey, hey, wait up - let's not get ahead of ourselves. C'mon, boys, can we... Have a little chat?

Ben's uncle sighs, and nods. The men head around to the side of the ambulance.

(Dad): You're gonna have to do some damn good convincing. You know the kids don't even want to go.

(Grandpa): But... C'mon. Can't you tell the kids really need it this time around?

(Uncle): Didn't you say that the last few times, too?

(Grandpa): C'mon, Frank. You can't tell me you don't feel it too. The Tennyson clan's losing our edge on what made us special.

(Frank): "Special"? I thought you gave that up long ago, Maxwell.

Grandpa Max sighs.

(Max): Fine, alright. I know you guys don't approve of my old lifestyle, and I don't blame you. But, c'mon, face the facts. Bellwood's a calm little town, a small little pond, and the kids are growing out of it. Gwen's running through books faster than the library can get 'em and Ben's starting to pay more attention to girls than his studies. Don't you think it might do them some good to get out of here, and just get a little taste of freedom, before they go out and start searching for it themselves...

Frank and his brother look unimpressed.

(Max): You know.... Like I did?

Ben's dad relents.

(Frank): You can't possibly be siding with him, Carl.

(Carl): I mean, dad's got a point. You want Gwen to turn out like Mom?

(Frank): And you want Ben to turn out like Dad?

(Carl): That's what we're tryna avoid here, I think.

Frank sighs, and relents. He throws up his hands.

(Frank): Fine. It's fine. Just... Promise me no Uncle Gordon, alright?

(Max): Relax, I won't. It'll be a totally normal summer road trip. I've kept it up this many years so far, what's one more?

(Carl): Guess I'll go tell the kids... but, Max, you're telling my wife first.

Max sighs. As his sons walk away, Max looks up to the blue sky.

(Max): What could go wrong?

The camera takes a bird's eye perspective of Max and the ambulance, and zooms out...

### In Space

We briefly tune into a radio transmission.

(Voice): Tennyson, come in-

The transmission is obviously scattered, phasing in and out through rashes of static. Underneath all that noise, though, the speaker sounds like he's got quite the frog in his throat.

(Froggy Voice): -gax has broken through the defenses we established in the -

Despite the static, the speaker continues speaking on urgently.

(Froggy Voice): - Anur System. The Chimeran Hammer is-

The static grows more frequent, longer, and harsher.

(Froggy Voice): - repairing navigation systems -

(Froggy Voice): - take the Omnitrix, Tennyson-

The transmission ends. A distinctly female voice rings out from the void.

(Female Voice): Help us, Tennyson, you're our only hope-

Gwen sighs and rolls her eyes, staring at a page of her atlas.

(Gwen): No, Ben. That's on the other side of Ontatio. We're here, at Huron.

Gwen tilts the atlas in Ben's direction, and points at a location on the map, before dragging her location to another. Ben doesn't care enough to watch what she's doing or showing him with much interest, his eyes still focused on the sights out the window.

(Ben): I'm a what-now? Actually, I think you'd find that you're the moron-

rest stop

(Ben): Didn't we just stop at a rest stop, like, thirty minutes ago?

(Max): Wait til you get to my age, Ben...

Max groans and stretches.

(Max): Hope you don't inherit the family's kidney stones! Feels like a space rock, or, no, a shard of glass right in your backbone whenever you need to pee...

Gwen flashes a look of disgust.

(Ben): Yeah, TMI, Grandpa.

Ben sees a flash and smoke in the woods

KRAKA-

A flash of light ignites in the atmosphere.

-KOOM

(Ben): Grampa, you alright in there?

(Gwen): No, Ben, look!

(Fire Alien): Grandpa, stay back! I don't want to hurt you!

(Max): Well, let's just say I know a place....

CUT TO:

SNEED's PIPEWARES

Max tries to take the OMnitrix off with power tools, eventually even a power saw

(Gwen): Do you guys hear that... buzzing?

(Ben): Of course I hear it, doofus. It's Max's power tool. Geez, don't you girls know what a tool sounds like even when it's in front of your face-

(Gwen, interrupting): No, like, coming from the sky-

Max turns to look up into the sky. Drones suddenly tear through clouds and swoop in on the Tennyson's "picnic".

(Max): Duck!

battle ensues

(Moth Alien): BIG CHILLLLLLL!

Transformation ending, Big Chill turns in the direction of the offending drone. As if by instinct, Big Chill lets loose an unending gust of breathe, accompanied by the sounds of wind and frost.

Even as it starts to turn white from ice exposure, the robot grows closer to Big Chill and Gwen. It extends blades that end in machines that could only be described as sawblades or rotorized fans, but of some distinct alien physiology. The rotors on the blade almost look like insect legs.

Still, Big Chill does not relent his icy assault, even when the drone's sawblades come within inches of his thin cloak. Only then do ice crystals appear on the machine's major joints and appendages, the icicles soon growing and enveloping the

Big Chill turn towards Gwen and smiles.

Gwen, clearly put off by the giant insect her cousin has turned into, frowns. Before she can make a quick-witted comment, the robot's rotors spin, as if trying to come back to life.

(Gwen): Yeah, let's not wait to find out.

A scream is heard from afar.

Big Chill cups his hands and breathes into them, forming a makeshift mirror. He quickly checks out his appearance in his reflection.

(Big Chill): What, I'm not that creepy looking, am I?

(Gwen): I don't think that's why they're screaming, Ben-

The sound of a short laser burst can be heard. One of the drones from earlier

(Gwen): Ben, think you can fly with that thing?

A *woosh* of air interrupts Gwen. She turns around to find Big Chill's cloak unfurled into a massive set of wings. A fragile, scrawny, and black-and-blue fur covered torso is revealed as his true figure.

(Big Chill): On it.

With one quick flap of his powerful wings, Big Chill swoops into the air and lunges at the airborne drone.

Ben is reluctant to use aliens, especially Heatblast

Ben defeats another drone with Stinkfly

This last drone seems much more "top heavy" than the other drones.

the "boss drone" starts ripping up the store roof

he picks up a rotor and flings it off the roof, at

(Max): You're gonna need something with a lot more firepower than that slime...

(Ben): ... Firepower, huh?

For a moment, the camera trades glances between Ben and the Omnitrix. He's uneasy - he doesn't want to use Heatblast after what happened last time.

Vilgax

Post-credits 2:

At another rest stop, Max pulls out a trunk of memorabilia

In a jar, preserved, is a piece of Vilgax. As Max looks away, it starts to writhe, and clamps up to the top.

Next episode - Consider the Lobsterman?

## Characters

* Max Tennyson
* Vilgax
* Ben Tennyson
* Gwen Tennyson
* Carl Tennyson (102023 debut)
* Sandra Tennyson (102023 debut)

### Aliens Used

* Alien X (by Max, 102023 debut)
* Heatblast (x2, 102023 debut)
* Water Hazard (102023 debut)
* Big Chill (102023 debut)
* Wildmutt (102023 debut)
* Stinkfly (102023 debut)

## Trivia

* The opening scene was quite obviously inspired from the opening of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
* The colors for Bellwood's soccer team were drawn from Ben's original series outfit.
* Ben's parents were modeled from Tony Soprano and Sheila Broflovski, respectively.
* The name of the hardware store, "Sneed's Pipewares", is a reference to Sneed's Feed and Seed from The Simpsons.
* The drones Ben defeats are meant to represent land, air, and sea.