Ben 10 - The boy next door

Ten year old Ben Tennyson is the main character of Cartoon Network’s much loved cartoon ‘Ben 10’. Ben is just a normal child who plays video games, rides his bike and occasionally gets into trouble. All that changes, however, when he discovers a mysterious watch-like device called the Omnitrix. This super powered gadget gives Ben extraordinary abilities which allow him to transform into ten different alien heroes.

Like other comic book protagonists, Ben decides to use his power for the forces of good, however, as a 10 year old boy he still likes to dabble in the occasional bout of superhero mischief. Ben’s main appeal lies in the fact that he is similar to his audience in terms of age, interests and appearance. Children all over the country see Ben Tennyson and imagine that they too can be that superboy, fighting evil and saving the planet.

The general format of each show involves Ben fighting against various evil forces. With his Omnitrix in hand, Ben can choose a particular alien silhouette by twisting the face of the gadget. By pushing the face down Ben transforms into an alien with its own unique superpowers. For smashing and demolishing things Ben chooses ‘Four Arms’, to produce acrobatic moves he chooses ‘Stinkfly’, for a boost in intelligence he opts for ‘Grey Matter’, and when fire is needed ‘Heat Blast’ is the alien of choice. With ten alien forms to choose from there are a number of exciting ways Ben can choose to defeat the enemy. The challenge arises however when the Omnitrix malfunctions and Ben transforms into an alien which is less than suitable for the task at hand. The unpredictable nature of the Omnitrix makes for a more interesting battle between good and evil and adds a down to earth dimension to this other worldly device.

The villains in ‘Ben 10’ are also interesting in that they are both alien and human. One of the main characters from the first series is a vicious, intergalactic ruler called Vilgax who is unstoppable in his quest for the Omnitrix. Another enemy is Kevin 11, a rebellious sociopath who can absorb Ben’s powers. This human enemy offers another aspect which little boys can relate to. Kevin 11 could be their school bully and is therefore an enjoyable target for the audience to hate.

The role of the family is paramount in ‘Ben 10’ thanks to the characters of Grandpa Max and cousin Gwen. Grandpa Max supports Ben when he gains his superpowers and his army training helps to get them out of various scrapes. Gwen on the other hand is a cautious girl who looks at the consequences of Ben’s actions. Her character adds a female presence to the cartoon as she helps to reflect Ben’s reactionary nature through her careful assured advice. Whether Gwen likes it or not Ben shows what little boys would do if they were super heroes, and that is the ultimate charm of this popular cartoon.