Hero Time (Semblance)

* Bad Copy

**Hero Time** is the Semblance of Ben Tennyson.

**Bad Copy** is the name of Albedo Tennyson's identical Semblance.

## Description

Hero Time allows Ben to change his physical form when his Aura comes in contact with Dust, or Dust combinations. When transformed, Ben is able to access a variety of powers related to the Dust used, along with being able to use an entirely different physiology at times, such as additional legs or a tail.

If multiple Dust types are combined before being used on Ben, they will have a different effect on his transformation than if they were used separately but simultaneously.

* For example, Water Dust and Wind Dust can combine to make Ice Dust. If Ben uses Ice Dust, he becomes Arctiguana, but if he uses Water and Wind Dust separately at the same time, he becomes Jetray.
* As an additional example, in order for Ben to access Lodestar, he must combine Gravity and Lightning Dust to make an electromagnetic field, and then use that at the same time as Rock and Metal Dust.

Ben's transformations last for as long as his Aura can sustain them. Transformations that require more Dust types don't last as long as those with fewer types, and exerting himself more in combat will drain his Aura faster. Additionally, Ben feels a tremendous amount of physical pain when his transformations begin. It subsides after the fact, but it deals a significant initial blow to his Aura reserves. Perhaps the biggest drawback to Hero Time is Ben's fear of using it. Aside from his own physical pain, the transformations are not a typical kind of Semblance ability. Seeing someone suddenly become an intelligent crab with force fields and electricity can be frightening, and those negative emotions can attract the Grimm.

To some extent, Ben has a subconscious control over what his transformations look like. This grants the transformations more unique appearances than just being Ben covered in the Dust type. However, it can cause overlap in designs, such as the purple and black rock armor present on both Chromastone and Diamondhead.

Albedo's Bad Copy Semblance operates the same as Ben's. However, his transformations are mirrored and hue shifted.

Ben regulates and more easily uses Hero Time through the use of the Omnitrix, a watch-like device containing Dust cartridges Ben can inflict upon himself.

## History

Throughout *Trix Up Their Sleeves*, Ben shows a reluctance to even talk about his Semblance, much less use it. It isn't until a conversation with Professor Ozpin about Ben's new role as the leader of his team that Ben decides to use it. However, he still displays caution. The only person he opts to train with using this Semblance is Ruby Rose, the leader of Team RWBY, and even then, he asks her to remain calm before using it. Once Ruby assured him she would remain calm, Ben used the Omnitrix to activate his Semblance, and become Chromastone.

## Trivia

* Hero Time get it's name from Ben's catchphrase in other media, "It's hero time!", before he transforms. Ben even says a line similar to this when revealing his Semblance to Ruby, though it is currently unknown as to where the name came from, as Ben's fear of the transformations wouldn't immediately make one associate "hero" with them.
	+ Albedo's name for the Semblance, Bad Copy, comes from Albedo's debut episode, *Good Copy, Bad Copy*. The idea for this was given by Shark.
	+ The twins having similar Semblances implies a genetic factor to them. Genetic Semblances do exist, such as the Glyphs used by the Schnee's, or the Vasilias family having water-related Semblances. The full extent of this is unknown currently, given the ambiguous nature of genetic Semblances as is, along with Max and Gwen being their relatives and not having the same or similar Semblances. An additional factor in the vagueness is that not all twins get related Semblances, such as the Branwen twins, with Qrow having Misfortune and Raven having Kindred Link.
* Under normal circumstances, Ben's transformations would be referred to as aliens given their otherworldly origins. However, the Hero Time transformations are not pre-existing species in *RWBY: Grimm Force*, and are therefore not aliens.
	+ Additionally, it is unknown if aliens exist in the world of Remnant. No canon media has made any reference to aliens, outside of maybe the Brother Gods. Official, but non-canon, media that *does* reference the existence of aliens are *RWBY Chibi*, when Nora Valkyrie brings up alien invasions during a game of Compost King, and *RWBY/Justice League*, in which Team RWBY and the Remnant Justice League face off against Starro, an alien from another universe. It should be noted Clark Kent in this story was also not an alien.
	+ This brings into question Alien X's name. Ben hasn't currently mentioned naming his transformations to begin with, but if they were named in-series, it is likely Alien X would have to take on a different name, or find different origins for the "Alien" part of his name.
* Given the properties of Dust, aliens like Jetray or Big Chill who could otherwise survive in space, cannot do so in this series. At some point in the atmosphere, Dust stops working, and thusly Ben would lose any Dust abilities if he were to fly that high. This limitation has also perpetuated the lack of aliens in *RWBY* lore, given the inability of space travel, outside of the Brother Gods, Jessica Cruz, and Starro.
	+ Victor Stone was part of a secret space program that managed to get Dust to work further into the atmosphere, but did not work in space. This resulted in an explosion that almost killed Victor before Jessica saved him, and brought him back down to Remnant where he took on his cybernetic body.