Ben 10 2016 Reboot Episode Review: Take 10

[Tactical Ochoa]

Episode Link:
kisscartoon.me/Cartoon/Ben-10-…

Episode Review (contains spoilers):
Damn, these episodes are coming out fast. Ok, let's get onto it now.

This was a...difficult episode to watch mostly because of the way that Ben and Gwen (most especially Gwen) are portrayed as here. A group of bee-themed bank robbers are robbing a bank for their leader, a villain known as the Queen Bee. Ben steps in as Heatblast to stop them but at the same time is also busy with Gwen filming a movie. They ended up paying so much more attention to making their stupid movie that Ben and Gwen ended up letting the robbers get away with the banks money. Throughout the episode, Ben and Gwen are also constantly arguing over what type of movie they should make. Ben wants an action film. Gwen wants a comedy film. Something tells me that this is the writers referencing people's views on the Ben 10 reboot and the production team's direction for the reboot.

In regards to this, again, this was the most difficult part to watch for me. I believe I stated this plenty of times before but I don't care if this is a reboot. To me at least, this is so far the most I have seen these two characters act so out-of-character that what they're supposed to be. Ben would never stoop that low when it comes to him going hero. His ego never got that bad in the franchise until now. Gwen has now reached the point where I just want to sucker punch her. This is not how Gwen is supposed to be. She's not even supposed to be arguing with Ben about what type of movie they're making. I know a lot of people didn't like how mean and snotty Gwen was in the OS and how she and Ben were constantly arguing with each other but here's the thing about her that many don't get. In the OS, Gwen was designed the way that she was because it allows her to be the more mature and responsible character and step in when Ben steps out of line. Gwen is supposed to keep Ben in line and keep him focused on the task at hand. That's a major aspect about Gwen in the OS that made her such a great character. She balanced Ben out and the same can go for vice versa as well. Gwen allows Ben to focus; Ben allows Gwen to have some fun in her life. I would also much rather prefer Ben and Gwen's relationship in the OS over that of the reboot mostly because it makes it all the satisfying and significant for the series and the characters when Ben and Gwen finally got along with each other and grown to care for each other and work together. In this episode, Gwen doesn't even get on Ben's case about him caring more about making a stupid movie over being an actual hero. She just argues with him on wanting to make a comedy show. I had a couple of people tell me that Gwen will also learn lessons alongside Ben as well. SHE DOESN"T LEARN ANYTHING BY THE END OF THIS EPISODE. Instead, Gwen decides to give up on making a movie with Ben in favor of making a cooking show with Max. Speaking of Max, they don't even follow his advice and give up on this whole stupid movie charade. What do Ben and Gwen even plan to do when they finished this movie? Upload it online? Sounds like a really good way to paint a big target onto them since that even more people than before would know about Ben's secret identity.

So there's my little rant on Ben and Gwen in this episode and how they're supposed to be as characters. Let's get back to the episode itself. Ben and Gwen find the Queen Bee's lair and Ben caring more about making a movie than being an actual hero gets him overwhelmed by the Queen Bee's goons and Ben and Gwen end up being captured. Realizing that he took things too far, we get a moment where Ben once again shows just how good of a strategist he is. Ben tricks the Queen Bee into being distracted by her ego while also tricking her goons into double crossing her. This is really good. I like that. Like before in the episode Riding the Storm Out, this is how Ben is supposed to be. A doofus that can really show his true colors when faced with situations and conflicts while going hero. So yeah, at least up to this point, the episode does get a little better.

So, Ben defeats the Queen Bee and her goons and learns to take better responsibility when going hero and the episode comes to an end. Overall, I did not like this episode. This is most especially due to how Ben and Gwen were portrayed as. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to have these two characters act this way. At least Ben learns a lesson but Gwen doesn't learn anything. If Ben hadn't become more unlikable in this reboot, Gwen sure has. Even then, Ben had shown a lot more responsibility and maturity than this even back during the 2005 original series. At least to me, this was so far too out of line for these characters to be portrayed this way. Maybe I'm being a little too harsh here (and if I was, I'll be more than happy to admit that) but still, I find it unacceptable that these two characters are portrayed this way. Anyways, there's my review of the episode.

Edit: Oh yeah, forgot to mention this about Gwen. Gwen does end up eventually getting more serious about the conflict with Queen Bee. However, I don't find this as a way to excuse her from her previous actions in the episode that much. Gwen is already described as a character that's already supposed to know better even in the reboot. Even then, what she did before hand was something that she should've never even done in the first place. Again, she's already supposed to be the more mature and responsible character in this reboot. She's already supposed to know better. Therefore, I still find her behavior and greater focus on wanting to make a movie over being an actual, responsible hero and the voice of reason for Ben to still be unacceptable.