Ben 10 Omniverse Season 1 Episode 1 — "The More Things Change: Part 1"

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The soft-reboot of the franchise begins here! Ben 10: Omniverse takes a bold new direction in storytelling, art style, and character dynamics. The next era kicks off with Season 1 Episode 1, "The More Things Change: Part 1," introducing us to a slightly older Ben Tennyson, an entirely new look, and a mysterious underground alien world.

After Gwen and Kevin leave Bellwood for college, Ben prepares to operate as a solo superhero with his newly unlocked New Omnitrix. However, Grandpa Max has other plans and assigns him a straight-laced, by-the-book Plumber partner named Rook Blonko. Together, they stumble upon a hidden alien city right beneath their feet.

“New look. New partner. New Omnitrix. The universe just got a whole lot bigger, and a lot more dangerous.”

Episode Summary

Ben wants to go solo, enjoying his status as an independent, world-famous hero. But his solitary plans are short-lived when Grandpa Max introduces him to Rook Blonko, a rookie Plumber from the planet Revonnah. While Ben is reckless and relies on instinct, Rook is disciplined, relying on advanced Plumber tech like his versatile Proto-Tool.

Their first investigation leads them to a local Bellwood electronics store, where they cross paths with a gang of alien extortionists. The trail takes Ben and Rook underground into Undertown, a massive, thriving subterranean city populated entirely by aliens living secretly on Earth.

As they explore Undertown, they discover that a dangerous alien hunter named Khyber is tracking Ben's movements. Khyber's vicious pet uses a device known as the Nemetrix to transform into the natural predators of Ben's aliens, setting up a massive threat that Ben has never faced before.

Themes & Character Development

Embracing Change: The episode deals heavily with moving forward. Ben must adapt to life without Kevin and Gwen while accepting a partner who does things completely differently.
The Rookie and the Veteran: The dynamic between Ben and Rook flips the script—Ben is now the experienced hero trying to teach a formal rookie how to adapt to chaotic situations.
Hidden Worlds: The introduction of Undertown expands the world-building of the franchise, showing that aliens aren't just occasional invaders, but active, hidden residents of Earth.

Production Details

First Aired: August 1, 2012 (sneak peek), officially September 22, 2012
Created By: Man of Action, developed by Derrick J. Wyatt and Matt Wayne
Written By: Marty Isenberg
Directed By: Dan Riba
Produced By: Cartoon Network Studios
Art Style: A complete visual overhaul directed by Derrick J. Wyatt, featuring stylized, fluid, and highly expressive action-comedy animation.
Voice Cast:
- Yuri Lowenthal as Ben Tennyson
- Bumper Robinson as Rook Blonko
- Paul Eiding as Grandpa Max
- David Kaye as Khyber and Shocksquatch

Fun Facts & Trivia

Did You Know?

This episode introduced the "New Omnitrix," which is the actual finished version of the watch, unlike the prototype Ben wore in previous seasons.
Rook Blonko's name is a play on the chess piece "Rook," symbolizing his solid, defensive, and strategic personality.
The art style change was highly controversial among fans at launch, but it allowed for much more dynamic and fluid fight sequences than Ultimate Alien.
We see flashback sequences featuring an 11-year-old Ben, voiced again by Tara Strong, tying the new series directly back to the original 2005 show.
The primary antagonist's weapon, the Nemetrix, is the first explicit introduction of anti-Omnitrix transformations based on biological predators.

Legacy & Impact

"The More Things Change: Part 1" successfully set the tone for the entire 80-episode run of Omniverse. By introducing Rook, Undertown, and Khyber, it revitalized a franchise that was growing structurally predictable, infusing it with vibrant energy, humor, and cosmic depth. It proved that even as things change, the core spirit of Ben 10 remains immortal.

The beauty of Ben 10: Omniverse is its willingness to respect the past while building a completely fresh future. This premiere made one thing certain: Ben's superhero journey was far from over.