B10:UA Season One was 20 episodes. A little unusual, but syndicated animated shows apparently march to a different drum. Season two: 32 episodes? And they took a hiatus of months after the first 12. The Fortress has decided not to wait. We are weighing in on the first half. Who knows when the season will end?
Does this look like a girl who would wait for season to end?
Is Elena an old flame? A mature scientist crushing on a teenager? An evil robot? All of the above?
Is there an arc this season? Not really. It is a parade of single episode enemies both old and new. Fortunately the Ben 10 universe is interesting, vast and diverse. With 9 combined seasons of Ben 10 franchise, there are plenty of embittered, goofy and strange opponents to revisit our “hero”. We almost want to call him an anti-hero since he is so lackluster, self centered and uncaring.
We hope Ben keeps in mind that Eunice is a robot.
Is Ben getting more likable this season? They may be trying a little. It would not take much considering last season’s rock bottom status. However we also think people are just getting used to his leaden personality. He was more likable as a bratty grammar school kid.
Young Grandpa Max kisses- …an energy creature?
Years later, his grandson smooches with a robot?
After Kevin’s monster period last season, he has returned to be the most likeable member of the three stars. Who does not like the “rogue with a heart of gold”? It is a tried and true formula you may have seen before.
Yes, Kevin is Han Solo. Ben is Luke, however only in his heroic action role, not in likeable personality. And Gwen is indeed the wise-cracking, hard-nosed, no-nonsense, down-to-business, cool-headed Princess Leia type (all those dashes!). Although she has a little attitude, the team is getting along better. They have moved through their Star Wars: A New Hope banter, through their Empire Strikes Back bickering, and finally into their Return of the Jedi acceptance and teamwork.
Azmuth is back, and crotchety as ever. He points a lot.
Tabloid TV character Will Harangue is back, and also crotchety as ever. Just stay out of politics Ben 10 creators.
Professor Paradox is back. He is not crotchety, however he never seems to pop in with good news.
Last season Gwen was unhappy all the time and did not like it. This season Gwen is unhappy all the time and is resigned to it. Speaking of females in the show, what happened to Ben’s supposed girlfriend Julie? You will be hard pressed to find a bigger bit- uh, …un-pleasable girl with constantly nagging bad attitude. We know Ben is not great catch, but still. All the Julie episodes this season have higher levels of uncomfortableness.
Oh look, Gwen is mad again. That’s different… *not*
Ben and Julie’s unfun relationship serves as an example to relationship counselors of how not to relate. No mass! No mass!
Here are other questions you may ask:
- Is there any daylight this season? Very little.
- Is the world still a strangely uninhabited place? More or less.
- What about the only female this season without an attitude? She’s a robot.
Sunny is Gwen’s cousin with a rebellious streak and a desire to break things. Uh, bad combination even before the energy powers are added…
One thing the Fortress was especially pleased with was the rebirth of the Forever Knights, our favorite villains. We thought they were launched well with their mysterious King way back in the original series. Since then their status has fallen to “losers”, and finally “a joke”. But the return of their founder, Old George, with some high-tech gizmos no less will hopefully reinvigorate them for the rest of this season and beyond. We’ll see.
Could mysterious Old George really be the ancient, original Forever Knight? And where did he get those long overdue armor upgrades? (And why doesn’t he trim that beard?)
The writing continues to be quality, although quirky and perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea. Sometimes episodes are slow-moving and resolve less than satisfying ways. At least there is less unfun anticipation of the three leads arguing. They do it less now.
Terraspin has to be the lamest alien transformation.
The Ben 10,000 continuity has been completely rewritten with some alternate dimension excuse.
Oh look, they resurrected the old “evil military officer” stereotype. Doesn’t he know aliens are not bad (even the bad ones), they are just misunderstood?
Is this (half) season worth watching? We think so (despite annoying Julie). Especially if you want to see appearances by Azmuth, Professor Paradox, Grandpa Max, and …Vilgax? Well sort of.
Didn’t I see you in one of those Pirates of the Caribbean movies?
Check out our Ben 10 franchise takes:
Alien Force Season 1
Alien Force Season 2
Alien Force Season 3
Ultimate Alien Season 1
Ultimate Alien Season 2 (part 1)
Ultimate Alien Season 2 (Conclusion)
Ben 10: Destroy All Aliens
Way too many fillers…
This season is WORSE than the previous one, in my opinion. And Kevin is only the most likable of the three because Ben and Gwen are so horrible; Kevin himself is still a bad, annoying character.
We understand your sentiment. Sometimes it seems as though the show is is just looking for excuses to launch new creatures- to be sold as dolls. It is not about the creatures, it is about character. We here liked Diamondhead. He had character. Rath has character. But some of those others… On some we think “eh”, on others we go all the way to “ugh”. *cough*Terraspin*
Make an entertaining show and merchandising will naturally follow. Make characters, not toys.
io adoro kevinnnnnnnnnnn
Even with how he looks below? Ha.
Ultimate has finally ended. We chronicled the conclusion of Ultimate Alien with a plethora of pictures. Yes, plethora is the right word! Look at the post and you will see.
Ultimate Alien Season 2 (Conclusion)
Your interest will explode! It’s hot! (And all sorts of other puns to go along with this picture.)
