Ben 10 Omniverse - The More Things Change Part 2

And we finally get to see the conclusion of this series debut.  The episode is basically all action, yet it still manages to characterize the main characters well within the action.

Rook and Ben make a really good duo.  The interesting thing is that both of them carry "rookie" attributes, just different ones.  Ben is definitely more experienced with dealing with baddies, but he's immature.  Rook on the other hand is a very skilled fighter, but is somewhat clueless when it comes to the actual procedures.  They play off each other well, as neither one of them truly stands out as superior.  It means that they both have something to learn from each other, and they could have a really interesting relationship.  This is best characterized in a scene where Ben explains to Rook the process of finding the "Big Bad" followed by Ben battling a monster hound that Rook has to rescue him from.

We got to see another recurring character from the previous incarnation: Vilgax's right hand man, Syphon.  While he may not seem like it at first, Syphon really is one of the better villains from the series.  He's not a gimmick, he's dangerously intelligent, and he can come off as quite menacing when he wants to.  He's moved on from Vilgax now and he seems even more dangerous.  I think that he could definitely move up to the role of major villain if they keep him around.

I'm still not as impressed with the actual Big Bad, Khyber.  He just doesn't seem to be bringing much to the show.  Unlike past major villains, he doesn't seem to have any big plan other than take out Ben Tennyson.  Furthermore, throughout the episode he just repeated the same tactic.  He would send out his transforming, monster hound, the two would smash around for a bit, then the hound would retreat.  Sorry Khyber, I'm just not feeling you.

I was also disappointed that we didn't get any more glimpses at 10 year old Ben.  That scene at the beginning has to mean something, yet right now it's just feeling out of place.  I don't know what they have planned here with the whole two timelines thing, but it would be nice to get it straightened out soon.

But I'd say that overall this episode was a good success.  We really got to see Rook and the new Ben in action.  Ben used a variety of aliens, and as usual, the omintrix enjoyed screwing him around.  Shocksqwatch is definitely looking cool, and I love his Canadian accent.

I'm positive for the future.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ben and Rook's relationship, an explanation for the dual timelines, and some villains who are more enjoyable than Khyber.

Ben 10 Omniverse - The More Things Change Part 1

Okay, I haven't been posting much, but that's because there are no good series running right now.  However, I've watched the sneak peak episode of the new Ben 10 series, which will be running in autumn.  So here's my thoughts.

I know a big complaint about the new series was the art shift.  It was quite shocking to see the character suddenly look like goofy cartoons, however, I don't really have much of a problem with it.  The characters look cute in their new style, and it fits the more lighthearted theme they had back in the first series.

The characters are all acting like their usual selves so there's no surprises there.  Gwen and Kevin seem to be heading out of the series though.  I guess that it is time for a little switch up since it's been the same dynamic for so long.  But still, those two will be missed, and are going to need a suitable replacement.  I'll get to him later.

So, the episode begins with Zombozo stealing a brain, leading to Kevin hilariously pointing out, "Why does Bellwood even have a brain bank?"  I was at first annoyed at how Zombozo had been changed from creepy to wacky.  However, I then remembered that they did the exact same thing last time they switched series, so I'm not going to bother complaining.  He's still a monster clown which is the heart of his character.

The true villain is revealed to be Khyber and his transforming dog thing.  To be honest, I'm not really impressed with this villain.  I remember back when Vilgax was big, scary, and menacing.  Khyber doesn't exactly come off as an intimidating villain.  Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but so far he's given me no reason to think that Ben can't handle him.

Now, for Ben's new partner.  Again, I wasn't too happy when I first learned about Rook coming in to replace Gwen and Kevin, however, he hasn't been a disappointment yet.  He's very badass when it comes to fighting, yet he's adorably clueless when it comes to communicating with Ben.  I think that he'll actually be a very amusing character to get to know.

Lastly, we'll go back to the very start of the episode.  We see the ten year old Ben 10 fighting with a new villain called Malware.  No more explanation is given, but perhaps we'll be seeing more flashbacks to this time period.  While I loved seeing young Ben, this does bring up a few problems.  Particularly, problems with the continuity.  Things could get messed up if, apparently, new stuff happens in the past that was never mentioned before.  It could work out nicely, but I'd rather not get into a tangled mess like this.

All in all, I'm impressed with the start.  It's still the same series that we remember, with a few changes.  The series needed some changes to keep it interesting though.  So I have high hopes for when the series actually begins.