Howler (Universe 3008)

## Howler

**Howler**, formerly known as **Benwolf**, is the Omnitrix DNA sample of a Loboan from the lush forest-covered mountain ranges of Luna Lobo, Anur Transyl's moon, coming from Ulfang.

## Appearance

Howler resembles a well-built, werewolf-like being with short gray-blue fur, a bushy tail and a white jumpsuit with dark outlines. A pair of large, bony spikes protrude from his elbows whilst two more such spikes can be found on his shoulders albeit they're significantly smaller than the ones on his elbows and each of his hands and feet have three razor claws attached to them. The Omnitrix symbol is located on the lower portion of his stomach.

Omnitrix Faceplate SilhouettePost-Transformation Pose
## Transformation Sequence

The transformation begins with the Omnitrix being absorbed into Ben's hand as his index finger and middle finger merge together alongside his little finger and ring finger and his thumb morphs into a claw concomitantly with his other two new digits. We zoom on his eye and when the camera pans around Subwolfer's shoulder and elbow spikes pop-up as he howls loudly. A shaggy tail appears as Howler now poses fiercely with his ears pointed upwards and mouth full opened.

## Powers and Abilities

* Enhanced Strength - Howler is strong enough to hold a large Loboan such as Harm in place.
* Enhanced Agility - Howler is extremely agile and can jump very high.
* Enhanced Reflexes - Howler's musculature allows him to dodge incoming attacks at incredible speeds.
* Enhanced Speed - Howler can run very fast, and is able to traverse a few miles in just a relative few minutes.
* Enhanced Stamina - Howler can stay in prolonged combat without showing any sign of fatigue.
* Enhanced Smelling - Howler has an enhanced sense of smell, being able to sniff out anyone in a close perimeter.
* Enhanced Hearing - Howler can hear noises from hundreds of meters away.
* Combat Proficiency - Howler's robust yet well-built physique gives him the upper edge in combat.
* Sonic Howl - Perhaps his most recognizable ability, Howler can unleash a powerful howl which will knock off any one of his enemies of off their feet.
* Sonic Propulsion - By howling into the ground, Howler can propel himself into the air.
* Sharp Claws - Howler is able to cut through most metal doors and objects of equivalent durability.
* Strong Teeth - Similarly to his claws, Howler's feet can pierce most (Earthly) objects.
* Prehensile Feet - Howler can use his feet to latch onto things.
* Night Vision - As every native of the Anur system, Howler can see in the dark.
* Corrodium Immunity - Howler is immune to the effects of Corrodium.

## Weaknesses

* Restrained Sonic Howl - Howler cannot use his sonic howl if his muzzle is forced shut by something, such as Mummite bandages or Florauna vines.
* Sensible Hearing - Similar to most Earth canines, Howler has sensitive hearing. Therefore, he cannot handle loud noises like those of giant bells or sonic howls coming from other Loboans.

## History

* Howler first appeared in Benwolf, where he was added to the active playlist when the Omnitrix sampled Ulfang's DNA. Curiously, when the Loboan sample was taken, the Omnitrix got stuck between sampling mode and active mode, thus slowly transforming Ben into Subwolfer (then called Benwolf) throughout the rest of the night, giving Wes and everyone else the false impression that Ben was turning into a Yenaldooshi. Seeking to cleanse him of this "curse", the team ventured to find an Arbol Del Matrimonio, a cactus whose juice could (allegedly) cure a Yenaldooshi's victim. However when they finally found it, the team discovered that Ben was not turning into a Yenaldooshi, but rather, into "an alien werewolf". Having finally gained complete access to the newly acquired form, Ben would later go on to save Grandpa Max and Wes from an incoming lava influx before reverting back to human.
* In Game Over, Howler jumped from one floating platform to another whilst slashing through Kenko's robots.
* In Monster Weather, Howler defeated S.A.M. by unleashing his powerful sonic howl into a Zeta-T audio system, neutralizing him.
* In Hoodoo Voodoo, Ben accidentally transformed into Howler in the middle of the night, due to another nightmare caused by Charmcaster toying with a voodoo doll of him. Enraged and tired, he sought out the mischievous witch in hopes of stopping her fiendish endeavors. When he arrived at the Longhorn Forest, he was immediately seized by the nearby enchanted verdure, and after a grueling struggle, he passed out and detransformed.
* In Ben 10 vs The Negative 10: Part 1, Howler fought the Forever Ninja while Gwen and Grandpa Max tried to stop Zombozo and his minions from robbing Fort Knox.
* In Wolves Will Hunt Wolves, Howler fought Harm, managing to overpower his own genetic donor.

## Appearances

* Ben 10

Season 3
* *Benwolf* (first appearance)
* *Video Games*
* *Monster Weather*

Season 4
* *Hoodoo Voodoo*
* *Ben 10 vs Negative 10: Part 1*

Season 5
* *Wolves Will Hunt Wolves*

## Etymology

His former name, Benwolf, is a combination of the name "Ben" and the word "wolf".

The name Howler is a play on howling, referring to his main ability.

## Trivia

* Howler is Ben's 13th alien.
	+ He is also the first alien Ben obtained by sampling another being's DNA.
* Howler's Original Series design was made by Tom Perkins.
* Howler's tongue retracts and stows itself away when his muzzle splits.
* Howler's voice was originally strangely pitched, almost muffled and had a glottal reverb. This was changed in his later appearances, his voice now sounding like that of an old gruff German huntsman.

## Notes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dwayne McDuffie, one of the main writers and show runners for the UAF era, attempted to stomp on another lightbulb by claiming that Harm (known in the canon show simply as "the werewolf") was not the DNA source for Subwolfer despite both pop-up trivia and the canon show implying otherwise. Unsurprisingly Ben 10 Wiki (AKA: Ben 10 Planet) took this fib as canonical. Aside the completely unnecessary nature of this "retcon" it also destroys the special connection Omnitrix aliens have with their respective genetic donors and vice versa.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Blitzwolfer, while not a bad name, simply did not make it for me, thus, i've decided to change his name to Howler both as a choice of preference and originality.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 While the name Benwolf is catchy and charming in it's own way i ultimately don't like the idea of Ben's name being sellotaped onto the names of his transformations. Other characters may still refer to Howler as Benwolf, but Ben does not refer to him as such anymore.
4. ↑ The name Yenaldooshi is derived from yee naaldlooshii, a Navajo term for mythological shapeshifting witches known as Skinwalkers. In the show, however, a Yenaldooshi is a werewolf-like god whose presence is a sign of pure evil.