Vilgax (Classic)

Vilgax is an intergalactic alien warlord and conqueror, a Chimera Sui Generis who serves as Ben's archenemy, and the most recurring villain in the on-going franchise. He was introduced in And Then There Were 10, and has since appeared in all the seasons of the original series (however, the only season 3 episode he appeared in was Ben 10,000), as well as season 3 of Alien Force, Ultimate Alien, and Omniverse.

Vilgax was the main antagonist of the first three series (Ben 10, Alien Force, and Ultimate Alien).

Background
A vicious galactic warlord known as "the most dangerous being in the universe", Vilgax's goal is to get the Omnitrix and use it to create an army capable of transforming into any alien to conquer the universe. Though he originally chased Ben only because of this, and had few concerns about his fate once he had the Omnitrix, the several failures the boy caused him, as well as an imprisonment in the Null Void, his hatred for Ben grew to the point that in his latest appearances, he seems to want to kill him as much as, if not more than, getting the Omnitrix.

Vilgax is one of the most feared beings in the universe, having conquered ten planets, destroyed five others and created a black hole. In fact, he is so feared, that almost no organic life form is willing to work for him, forcing him to use Drones for his crew, though he is able to find mercenaries willing to work for him for the right price.

Personality
Vilgax is ruthless, cruel, and power-hungry. His primary objective seems to be obtaining the Omnitrix, so that he can use it to take over the universe. He is known to hold a grudge; most notably against Max and his family. He is also known to be very manipulative, notably so of the Galactic Code of Conduct, in order to achieve his goals. After escaping the Null Void, Vilgax seemed to have gone partially insane, as he was enraged more easily and exhibited facial ticks. He appeared to have recovered by Alien Force.

While stranded on Earth following his defeat at the end of Alien Force, Vilgax skillfully manipulates a group of humans known as the Flame Keepers' Circle into serving him. Upon discovering that his squid-like form resembles the alien of knowledge worshiped by the cult, he adopts the role for his own and manipulates his new followers into helping him escape the planet.

Despite his cruel and villainous tendencies, Vilgax does care about his own people (taking his role as Vilgaxia's ruler and champion very seriously), so much so that he is willing to put his own life on the line and use whatever other means necessary to ensure Vilgaxia's and its people's safety; even if it means begging his enemies for help.

Vilgax is shown to be highly afraid of Ma Vreedle as seen in Vreedlemania.

Background
In the year 1773, Vilgax had been exiled from his homeworld for "ambitious disobedience." He is summoned to Earth by a distress signal sent by a time-traveling Maltruant. There, he makes repairs to Maltruant's damaged transport in exchange for a Chronosapien Time Bomb that he would use some time later. During this, Vilgax encounters George Washington and a time-traveling 16-year-old Ben Tennyson. Watching Ben transform into various aliens is what initially fostered Vilgax's interest in the Omnitrix.

Back when Max was still a young Plumber, Vilgax was stealing warheads from a military base. Max and his partner Phil showed up. In the resulting fight, Vilgax was stuck to a nuclear warhead by Max, and launched into his own ship. At that time, Vilgax was only slightly larger than a human man, compared to his now colossal size, an addition to his cybernetic augmentation.

Ben 10
Vilgax first appeared in And Then There Were 10, where he is seen shooting at Xylene's ship to recover the Omnitrix, forcing Xylene to throw it down to Earth and causing the main plot of the series. His limbs were both destroyed because of the battle thanks to one last-ditch attack that hit the main bridge of the Chimerian Hammer, causing him to be placed by his drones in a repair tank for healing.

As the series progressed, Vilgax soon discovered the Omnitrix had been taken by someone else (though ignoring exactly who it was), and made several indirect attempts to get the device back. This includes sending Drones from his ship, hiring bounty hunters (Tetrax Shard, Kraab, Sixsix and Rojo by fusing her with one of his drones). In the latter, he was able to shortly establish a telepathic link with Ben when the boy was fused to Rojo as Upgrade, warning him he was going to come for him one day.

Eventually, his body was repaired and cybernetically enhanced in Secrets, making him far taller and stronger than before. He then went on Earth to get the Omnitrix by himself. Ben's aliens proved to be no match for him, and Vilgax captured him. Though surprised to see the one who had caused him so many problems was just a human child, Vilgax revealed his plan for the Omnitrix to Ben and attempted to extract the Omnitrix from him, seemingly by sectioning his arm with an alien tool. After several complications, including interruption from Gwen and Max and Ben losing control of his transformations, the Chimerian Hammer exploded, seemingly with Vilgax still aboard.

At the end of the second season, Vilgax is still alive, having survived the destruction of his ship by teleporting out just before the explosion, but having been frozen as a result. He is found encased in ice by Kevin. Discovering Kevin's connection with the Omnitrix, Vilgax decides to team up with him in another attempt to retrieve the Omnitrix, however both are locked away in the Null Void dimension by the end of the episode.

A dream version of Vilgax appears in the episode Perfect Day, where he appears to confront Ben. The battle lasts for a short time, and then Vilgax tries to send Ben to the Null Void. As Four Arms, Ben throws him in instead, but this proves to be an error on the part of the Forever Knights, as Vilgax was about to send Ben to the Null Void without first obtaining the Omnitrix. This is the reason why Ben found out that the battle with "Vilgax" was just a set-up.

Vilgax reappears in Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix, where he once again attempts to retrieve the Omnitrix, having somehow escaped the Null Void (the enhanced version of Secret of the Omnitrix revealed that he stumbled on a Null Void portal being opened and used it to escape). During a flashback, Tetrax reveals that Vilgax destroyed the Petrosapiens' home world, and he (Tetrax) unwittingly gave Vilgax the final element needed to carry out his plan. Vilgax refers to his anger at having been trapped in the Null Void (including showing a short nervous twitch at its mention), which has deepened his grudge against Ben to the point where he refuses to acknowledge the danger threatening the universe if the Omnitrix self-destructs (but nevertheless gains enough respect for Ben to the point of calling him by his first name instead of his last name). He confronts Ben on Tetrax's ship and attacks him, only to be shot out into space through the airlock. He is finally defeated when Azmuth, the creator of the Omnitrix, gives Ben access to a massive alien, Way Big, who hurls Vilgax into outer space.

Five years prior to Omniverse
A flashback occurs where Vilgax is seen with a tied-up 11 year old Ben. Vilgax then threatens to feed Ben to his numerous squid monsters, but Ben breaks free and transforms into XLR8. The flashback ends with XLR8 being grabbed by a Squid Monster.

Alien Force
Vilgax returns in Vengeance of Vilgax, having come back in a currently unknown way. His appearance has changed again; he is less cybernetically enhanced and his mouth is visible again. In addition to his traditional army of drones, he has been joined by new alien assistant, Psyphon. In order to justify his invasions, he now follows a Galactic law, fighting champions of a planet he attacks and defeating them to gain the right to legally conquer that world. In this manner, he conquered ten worlds, the last of which was Ultimos', and absorbed the champions' powers with the help of Psyphon, giving him powerful, new abilities. Despite all of his new-found power, Vilgax retains his obsession with the Omnitrix.

After his victory against Ultimos, Vilgax returns to Earth, where he quickly defeats Max and the Plumbers' kids. He does not however, choose to absorb their powers and instead uses them as messengers to Ben, challenging him in the rules of the Galactic Code, as he did with his other conquered planets, and leaving him 24 hours to answer, after which Vilgax will enforce his legal right to destroy Earth. After accidentally overloading the Omnitrix which mutates Kevin and recollects his escaped aliens, Ben comes and fights him. After a long and feral battle, Vilgax eventually smashes Chromastone to pieces, seemingly killing him. However, as Vilgax is about to take the Omnitrix, it reformats Chromastone's remnants into Diamondhead, bringing Ben back to life. Due to both his age and the practice he had with this form during summers, Diamondhead proves to be strong enough to defeat Vilgax, and the Galactic Conqueror, according to the laws, is forced to leave Earth with his army and never come back. He begrudgingly accepts his defeat, but vows to get revenge on Ben one way or another.

Although Vilgax is manipulating the rules of the Galactic Code (which were established by the Galvans to prevent the massive loss of live) for an evil purpose, he does follow through on his adherence to them, despite his plan back firing.

In Ghost Town, Vilgax breaks Zs'Skayr out of his prison in exchange for the secrets of the Omnitrix. However, Zs'Skayr betrays him and invades his homeworld, Vilgaxia, by possessing the majority of its inhabitants and turning them in Ectonurite slaves. After vainly fighting the invasion, Vilgax escapes and reluctantly asks help from Ben and his team. After an uneasy alliance between them, they eventually reached Zs'Skayr, and Ben let himself be possessed in order to absorb him back into the Omnitrix. Though it was successful, Zs'Skayr took over Ben's personality, resulting in a battle between Ben's team, Vilgax, and himself (the former two parties now in contention over whether or not Zs'Skayr should be harmed while in Ben's body). Vilgax was eventually able to produce enough light to weaken Zs'Skayr, allowing Ben to take over again and turn back to human form. Vilgax then allows Ben, Gwen, and Kevin to leave, having earned their freedom for their help. Vilgax later gloats to himself about having acquired the secrets of the Omnitrix.

In Primus, Vilgax attacks the planet, Primus, causing the Omnitrix to teleport Ben, Gwen and Kevin to the world as well. The Omnitrix leaves Ben's wrist to find Azmuth. Azmuth uses the Omnitrix himself to fight Vilgax and protect Primus. Vilgax defeats Azmuth and takes the Omnitrix from him. As the device has recalibrated since he last operated it, Vilgax no longer knows how to use it, forcing him to ask Ben for the information in exchange for his friends' lives (after taking them captive).

Ben activates the Omnitrix, turning Vilgax into Goop, but Ben steals the artificial gravity disk and turns it off; leaving Vilgax as an immobile puddle. Ben takes the Omnitrix out of the puddle of Vilgax as Goop, changing Vilgax back to normal and then re-attaches the device to himself. Cannonbolt throws Vilgax into the Codon stream (which is full of the DNA the Omnitrix accesses to transform its wearer) where he grows considerably larger. Ironically, at the end of this episode Ben throws Vilgax into space after changing into Way Big similar to Vilgax's defeat at Ben's hands 5 years prior. It has been revealed by Dwayne McDuffie that this was intentional. Some time after, Vilgax returns to his usual size.

Vilgax returns in The Secret of Chromastone searching for Tetrax Shard, who had stolen back the crystal Vilgax used to destroy Petropia (which Tetrax had originally sold to Vilgax). Tetrax had discovered (unknown to neither him, nor Vilgax, at the time of the destruction of Petropia) that the crystal serves as a back-up for Petropia and its people. Vilgax tracks Tetrax to Earth and demands he turn over the crystal he stole, only to discover that Tetrax had given it to a freed Chromastone in order to restore Petropia (mistakenly revealed by Kevin). Vilgax leaves Earth and travels to Sugilite's location only to discover the newly restored Petropia. Outraged that "his crystal" was stolen to revive a "dead world" (one he destroyed), Vilgax beats Sugilite (who he compares to little more than a common thief). Sugilite begs Vilgax to let him revive the Petrosapiens and pleads for mercy, but Vilgax reveals he has no mercy to give. Vilgax mercilessly beats the helpless Sugilite, until he is confronted by Ben's Team and an angry Tetrax. Vilgax uses his shield to stop Tetrax's projectiles and then removes the "Petropian backup crystal" from Sugilite's head only to discover its energy had been used up. Seeing that the crystal was no longer useful, Vilgax throws it away and leaves Petropia (seeing it as nothing more than a lifeless planet and no threat to him) in disappointment. However unknown to Vilgax, Sugilite created a second backup crystal which is used by Ben to restore the planet's population. Tetrax later tells Ben he plans to settle the score with Vilgax, but Ben wonders how, given Vilgax's current invulnerability, he'll be able to do so. Vilgax returns to his home on Vilgaxia and is outraged to find out he had caught Ben's cold. The episode ends with Psyphon handing Vilgax a tissue.

Vilgax reappears in the series finale The Final Battle, wherein he teams up with Albedo, claiming he just wants to kill Ben Tennyson and will let the Omnitrix go to Albedo so he can regain his Galvan form. Though the plan is successful, Ben escapes thanks to Max's help, and Vilgax ultimately betrays Albedo, taking him prisoner and keeping the Omnitrix for himself in order to give its powers to his army of Bioids (robots synchronized with the Omnitrix for the purpose of assuming the alien form selected from the device).

Ben confronts Vilgax again and activates a lessened form of the Omnitrix's self-destruct mode (one that will destroy the device itself, without destroying the Universe along with it), hoping Vilgax will give it over before it detonates. Vilgax doesn't take his threat seriously however, allowing the Omnitrix to detonate. Enraged, Vilgax programs his ship to crash into Bellwood and attacks Ben and the others. Ben then frees Albedo and forces him to give up the Ultimatrix (which Ben then equips himself with). While Ben fights Vilgax as Ultimate Swampfire, Max and Gwen successfully cause the ship to crash in the ocean before reaching Bellwood. Now in the water, Vilgax reveals his "true form", transforming into a giant monstrous, octopus-like creature. He intends to swallow Ben, but the hero escapes, leaving Vilgax behind as his ship explodes. However, Ben, knowing that Vilgax has survived far worse, suspects that he may return.

Ultimate Alien
In The Big Story, Ben tells Jimmy that he has nightmares about Vilgax.

In Ben 10,000 Returns, it is revealed by future Ben that Vilgax is alive and will return.

Vilgax returns in The Flame Keepers' Circle, where he reveals that he had survived the events of his last battle with Ben. After surviving the explosion created by the fusion reactor on board his ship, Vilgax was left in a weakened state and thus unable to return to his usual form. He eventually washed up on a beach and was discovered by humans who made him into an exhibit at a traveling carnival. Although he was subjected to the indignity of becoming a spectacle for the masses, Vilgax took advantage of the situation and slowly regained his strength until a group of financialists liberated him. The Flame Keeper's Circle discovered him in his squid-like form, believing the intergalactic conqueror to be the legendary "Diagon" - an alien of wisdom and knowledge. Guided by the prophecies of their founders, the group began to worship Vilgax in the hopes that he would bring about a "Golden Age" of prosperity to the Earth through the use of alien technology. Vilgax is eventually discovered living in a fish tank in the group's main office building while Ben is out gathering information about the cult, during which he tells his arch nemesis of his plans to reclaim his empire once he gains access to a spaceship. Ben gets this information to Kevin and Gwen, who manage to disable to the Plumber's Ship that had been stolen by the cult. They attempt to expose Vilgax's true identity to the Flame Keeper's Circle, but the members remain unconvinced. Echo Echo then shatters the tank holding his nemesis, swearing to stop him if Vilgax makes another attempt to leave the Earth.

In A Knight to Remember, Vilgax is seen sulking in his aquarium, demanding that the Flame Keeper's Circle give him a means to regain his power. He learns from them that Diagon's Heart was the main source of the creature's power and quickly orders them to take him to it so that he may claim it for his own. During the ensuing battle between Diagon's cult and the Forever Knights, the weakened Vilgax stops Sir George's attempt to destroy the heart and removes the First Knight's sword from it. The power unleashed from the weapon subsequently allows the intergalactic conqueror to regain his normal form, covering him with knight armor and allowing him to absorb the heart. The Flame Keeper's Circle realizes that their leader is a fake, but Vilgax uses his newfound powers to knock out his former followers and the Forever Knights in a single blast. Winston, now possessed by Diagon, then tells Vilgax that he can gain even greater power by breaking the seal in which the Lucubra was captured. Unaware that Diagon is only using him to gain his own freedom, Vilgax travels to the site and begins to slash away at the stone with Old George's sword. Ben's team figures out the truth and arrives to stop him, but Vilgax ignores their advice. Ben then transforms into Eatle to fight him, but Vilgax proves too powerful and repels him with minimal effort, quickly using his heat vision to take down Kevin as well. He then opens the seal and gets sucked into Diagon's dimension, leaving behind the sword and armor.

In The Beginning of the End, it is revealed that while Vilgax was in Diagon's dimension, Diagon made him his most powerful follower and he became the Herald of Diagon. When Sir George arrives at the seal, Diagon sends Vilgax to fight him. The other Forever Knights attack Vilgax, but he easily defeats them, leaving George alone. After Heatblast arrives, Vilgax then moves forward towards to the seal and attempts to break it; though in remains intact, the cave wall around it crumbles and opens a void to Diagon's dimension.

In The Ultimate Enemy: Part 1, Vilgax is still battling Heatblast and Sir George. Kevin and Gwen arrive and battle Vilgax; he attacks The Seal, then Ben, Gwen, George, and Kevin. He fires at the team, however Gwen is able to shield them with a large mana field. Unfortunately, Vilgax has been able to damage the seal just enough, so that Diagon is able to produce a wave that transforms every living person on the planet into an Esoterica. Ben, Gwen, Kevin and Sir George are not effected due to Gwen's mana field, as well as Julie, whom Ship shielded from the wave by transforming into a suit around her. Every being on Earth is now under Diagon's control. Heatblast then melts the rock under Vilgax, who gets trapped and cannot escape the rock. He asks his master Diagon to give him more power, so that he may free himself and break the seal. Diagon agrees and Vilgax glows blue and grows stronger as he breaks out of the rock. He attacks Ben and George, and Ben transforms into Eatle to fight him. After a long and difficult battle, Eatle is able to ram into Vilgax and send him flying. Vilgax breaks through several buildings and crashes into the top of a pyramid.

While George and Ben think that he has been defeated, Vilgax raises up and breaks the top off of the pyramid, then throws it at them. Eatle is able to cover and protect George, but the large building falls on top of them. Vilgax crosses the wreckage and approaches the seal, then starts to destroy it. As Vilgax is attempting to destroy the seal, Diagon grows angry at him, for the power he was given was more than enough to break the seal. Eatle and George rise from the wreckage and begin to attack Vilgax. Ben mentions to Vilgax that he is not a true servant of the Diagon, and he only wants something out of it for himself. Vilgax is angered and attacks Ben again. He successfully attacks Ben and George, knocking them away. Ben transforms into Humungousaur and runs towards Vilgax. Vilgax manages to knock Humungousaur away again, and he nearly falls onto Kevin, who has arrived in the car to tell them that Diagon's got Gwen, however she snapped out of it thanks to Kevin. Gwen, George, Ben and Kevin now corner Vilgax and demand him to tell them how to stop the Diagon from coming, and how to change everyone back from being Esoterica. Vilgax asks his master Diagon for more power, but is met with silence; a ship comes in from overhead, and Psyphon exits it. Vilgax is angry that Psyphon is late, but Psyphon claims that gathering everything Vilgax asked for took more time than expected. Gwen, George, Ben and Kevin approach Vilgax and Psyphon, and Ben transforms into Jury Rigg. However, a large tremor shakes the cave, and the seal glows with a bright light, as Diagon's voice booms and reveals that it has finally escaped. The seal glows brighter, then breaks apart. Both sides approach it and look into Diagon's dimension, but find nothing. They hear his booming laugh, and run out to the cave's exposed ceiling to find Diagon in the sky, as he boasts that he is 'everywhere'.

In The Ultimate Enemy: Part 2, Vilgax and Psyphon suddenly disappear after Diagon freed himself. While Ben's team fight Diagon and his Esoterica, Vilgax waits for Psyphon to prepare the machine. After Diagon defeats Chromastone and kills Sir George, Vilgax and Psyphon return with the machine. Thinking it's a weapon, Diagon used his laser beams and tried to destroy it; however, the machine absorbs powers from other living beings and, due to Diagon's essence being only power, he was fully absorbed within the machine. Psyphon fired the machine at Vilgax, and he absorbed all of Diagon's powers. Immediately he fires his laser beams at the team, but Gwen teleports them to the Mount Rushmore Base.

Vilgax quickly finds them and sends his Esoterica to attack the base. After his Esoterica are defeated, he rips off the George Washington head and goes inside the base to fight Ben. Ben learns how to use Ascalon and the two of them start to fight. Ben stabs Vilgax and seals Diagon within the Ascalon. Defeated, Vilgax tempts Ben into using Ascalon, the Ultimatrix and Diagon's power to rule the universe. Ben begins to get tempted, but thanks to Julie, Ship, Gwen, and Kevin he snaps out of it and used Ascalon to turn every Esoterica to normal.

According to Matt Wayne, Vilgax lost the powers he stole at the end of Ultimate Alien.

Omniverse
Vilgax returns in Vilgax Must Croak, where Ben and Rook had to escort him to Incarcecon, while under attack by Attea and her mercenary thugs Sixsix, Sevenseven and Eighteight who were seeking to kill Vilgax. During most of the episode, Vilgax was wearing Shock Manacles to keep him contained. While alone with Ben, he mocked Tennyson for lacking the nerve to ever finish him off, as well as the repercussions of Incursean victory. He later convinced Ben to release the shackles so they could fight Attea together, though he betrayed Ben and escaped down a shaft. He managed to avoid being caught by the bounty hunters, only to be re-shackled by Ben and forced to continue on with him. They later wound up in a stand off between their enemies and the plumbers. When Attea fired the Techadon Dissipator towards Ben, Vilgax jumped in the way, saving Ben, though he admitted he didn't know why. However, after Ben defeated Attea's group using Gravattack, Vilgax broke free of his manacles and knocked out Ben by blasting him from behind. Later, it was revealed by Grandpa Max that Vilgax went on to escape, briefly trying to take the Omnitrix, in an escape pod.

Vilgax appears as a disguise for Lucy to scare Psyphon in Mud Is Thicker Than Water.

He also appears in Khyber's dream in For a Few Brains More, tied up in the back of the Rustbucket.

In Bengeance Is Mine, a human plumber by the name of Bill Gacks, (who surprisingly looks like human version of Vilgax), accidentally activates a hidden device left by Vilgax as a contingency vengeance plan against Ben. The device released an army of Squid Monsters, which Ben had fought five years prior to the Omniverse series. Following the orders of Psyphon, the monsters began a havoc in Bellwood in the name of their master, but were eventually stopped by Ben, Rook and Bill Gacks disguised as Vilgax using ID Mask.

In And Then There Were None, Vilgax has allied himself with Eon to destroy every version of Ben from every alternate reality, taking several evil Bens from the multiverse as his agents. Vilgax encountered No Watch Ben at the insistence of Eon, who believed that a Tennyson without the Omnitrix was a wildcard that they didn't need ruining their plans. Midway through the battle between multiple Bens, Vilgax activated a Chronosapien Time Bomb, a weapon that would erase all version of Ben (including Eon) and erase every alternate timeline with the exception of No Watch Ben's. This would leave only No Watch Ben, the only one that didn't stand a chance against him. While Vilgax wasted time gloating about his superiority, Professor Paradox rescued No Watch Ben from Vilgax's wrath, taking him to a pocket dimension.

In And Then There Was Ben, Vilgax is first seen when No Watch Ben and Paradox go back in time to the day where everything began. In order to reboot the prime timeline No Watch Ben disabled His ship's defenses as Grey Matter. This allowed the ship to take a last hit from Xylene's ship, making sure that Vilgax mortally injures. Back in the present, he encountered No Watch Ben a few seconds after Paradox saved him and he was glad there was one Omnitrix left. He told No Watch Ben that he doesn't even know how to use it and never will be a hero. However, he turned into Clockwork and undid the effects of the bomb. Clockwork then send back the evil Bens to their own timelines, having Vilgax left alone. Vilgax was beaten by Ben Prime, Ben 23, Gwen 10, Ben 10,000 and was given a final kick by No Watch Ben. He was then taken into custody by Alternate Max and that timeline's Plumbers.

Sometime after that, Vilgax escaped from prison and returned to the main timeline.

In Universe vs. Tennyson, he excitedly watched Ben's trial on his ship.

In Vreedlemania, Vilgax returned to get his revenge on Ben, but fled after he saw Ma Vreedle.

In Malgax Attacks, Vilgax and Albedo stole Malware's remains from the museum. They modified his genetic structure and turned him into a suit which Vilgax wore to defeat Ben Tennyson and obtain the Omnitrix. After their plan failed and Vilgax was mortally injured in the warm core's meltdown, Malware's remains start to ooze out of Vilgax's petrified body.

Powers and Abilities
Before his augmentation, Vilgax didn't display any special powers or abilities, save for tremendous agility and hand-to-hand combat skills. He already had enhanced strength and endurance, once surviving a nuclear explosion at point-blank range, though it's made clear he was seriously injured and widely believed to be dead at that time.

Due to his cybernetic enhancements, Vilgax became much taller and was granted immense strength and near invulnerability, allowing him to easily leap above skyscrapers and survive in space. His arms were equipped with boost steroids, allowing him to increase his own strength even further at will. Though it causes him great pain, the boosters give him enough strength to smash apart mountains with his bare hands. He proved to be quick, strong and durable enough to withstand Heatblast's most powerful heatwave, break through Stinkfly's goo and once stop a full-speed XLR8. Diamondhead once shattered his own fists against Vilgax. For most of the original series, Ben was unable to defeat him alone, always winning thanks to external help. Once Ben gained access to Way Big, he was able to defeat Vilgax with ease.

After he became the "Conqueror of 10 Worlds", battling and defeating the champions of each, he drained their powers and abilities and added them to his own arsenal. One of those warriors was Ultimos.

Enhanced Strength
 * Vilgax was able to easily defeat Humungousaur, Manny, and Ultimos with a single punch (the impact of which created a large crater in the ground).

Enhanced Durability
 * Vilgax could easily withstand Swampfire's fire blasts and Chromastone's lasers with no visible damage and recover within seconds from the Omnitrix's explosion.

Flight
 * Vilgax can fly at high speeds.

Space Survivability
 * Vilgax was also seen several times flying through space without a ship, where he was seemingly able to breathe without any visible equipment and pass through Earth's atmosphere with no damage at all.


 * Optic Blasts
 * Vilgax can project red laser beams from his eyes, capable of making drastic arcs to assist the pursuit of their target.
 * They were also shown to be incredibly fast, fast enough to catch up with Helen.
 * They were also shown to burn Ectonurites.

Enhanced Hearing
 * Vilgax can hear sounds that are too faint for normal hearing to detect.

Wind Breath
 * Vilgax has breath so powerful that it can cause cyclone-like winds.

In The Final Battle: Part 2, he reveals his ability to turn into a giant octopus-like monster - which he referred to as his true form - in the ocean. He had this ability since the very beginning, and can transform at will.

After becoming the Herald of Diagon, he was given increased power and the color scheme appearance of a Lucubra. He could project and manipulate energy blasts from his hands and eyes, and could also move between Diagon's dimension and back at his, like the Esoterica.

He used to have Diagon's power after he absorbed his essence into himself, which amplified his absorbed powers and Lucubra powers greatly. He lost Diagon's power and his Lucubra powers when Ben Tennyson used Ascalon to take the power into itself and revert Vilgax back to normal.

After he lost the powers he stole from the heroes he defeated, all Vilgax has left is his monstrous physical strength and resistance. In addition, he can also project red energy blasts from his hands.

Equipment
Vilgax could use the Ruby Ray of Ulo as a laser projector, and was able to considerably weaken Ultimos with one shot. According to Vilgax, Ultimos' ability to survive the shot was unusual, suggesting that most other beings would be immediately killed.

Vilgax could use the Shield of Ziegel to generate a powerful personal force field. The force field can become a knight-like shield on his arm or a dome/sphere to protect his whole body, and is able to defend him from attacks such as Ultimos' punches, Jetray's neuroshock blasts, or the guns of a spaceship. It can even let Vilgax cut clean through that same spaceship.

In Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 2, Vilgax used his gauntlet as a taser, allowing him to grab and shock Big Chill while intangible. It also gave him the ability to coat his hands in light energy and use them as boxing gloves.

Vilgax's Sword can project energy beams or coat itself in flames, or crystals able to refract Chromastone's energy blasts. Even without the flames or crystal, the sword is incredibly sharp, able to easily cut though stone, Chromastone, and even an entire space ship with a single stroke.

Vilgax kept a raygun in a holster on his right hip.

Vilgax lost all of his equipment excluding his sword when he was arrested after The Ultimate Enemy: Part 2.

After fusing with Malware's remains, Vilgax gained access to Malware's ability to absorb technology, and access to all the technology Malware absorbed. His already mighty physical strength was increased to where he could literally punch anything off Galvan Prime and Galvan B with no difficulty, including Atomix, one of Ben's strongest aliens.

Weaknesses
Vilgax is vulnerable to the cold virus.

Ben 10

 * And Then There Were 10 (first appearance)
 * Hunted
 * The Alliance
 * Secrets
 * Truth (flashback)
 * Back with a Vengeance
 * Perfect Day (dream)
 * Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix (flashback and present)

Ben 10: Alien Force

 * Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 1 (first re-appearance)
 * Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 2
 * Ghost Town
 * Primus
 * The Secret of Chromastone (flashback and present)
 * The Final Battle: Part 1
 * The Final Battle: Part 2

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien

 * The Flame Keepers' Circle (first re-appearance)
 * A Knight to Remember
 * Night of the Living Nightmare (dream)
 * The Beginning of the End
 * The Ultimate Enemy: Part 1
 * The Ultimate Enemy: Part 2

Ben 10: Omniverse

 * Vilgax Must Croak (first re-appearance)
 * For a Few Brains More (dream; cameo)
 * Bengeance Is Mine (flashback and hologram)
 * And Then There Were None
 * And Then There Was Ben (past and present)
 * Universe vs. Tennyson (cameo)
 * Vreedlemania
 * Malgax Attacks
 * A New Dawn (past)

Ben 10: Protector of Earth
Vilgax is the main villain in the Game, he recruits Zs'Skayr, Dr. Animo, Kevin 11 and more. He sent a robot to earth and extracted DNA from the Omnitrix. He planned to send earth into the Null Void. Oddly Vilgax looked like how he did in the episode Ben 10,000, which takes place in the future.

Punch Time Explosion and XL
Vilgax conquers Chowder's World. Ben then reads a newspaper about Vilgax conquering Chowder's World and goes to stop him. Later Chowder and Ben find Vilgax with Mung who then explains how they are in another dimension instead of another planet. Eventually Vilgax teleports away and a dimensional crack appears and absorbs Ben, Chowder and Mung.

They are then teleported to Bellwood to defeat Buttercup in her Anti-Form.After traveling through caves, blasting with turrets and exploring the Null Void the team finally face Vilgax. Unfortunately Vilgax teleports the team to Primus and summons Ultimate Kevin to destroy them.

When Vilgax is defeated, he flies away from a sinking ship leaving cured Number 1. The heroes then fight Negative Samurai Jack and Vilgax in order to defeat a greater evil.

Ben 10: Vilgax Attacks
Vilgax, instead of trying to conquer Earth like in Vengeance of Vilgax, looked for sub-energy orbs to power his Null Void Projector to send Earth into the Null Void. Ben destroyed all the orbs and Alien X sent Vilgax and Psyphon to the Null Void.

Ben 10: Race Against Time
Vilgax appears as a boss in the game.

Ben 10: Galactic Racing
Vilgax is a Playable unlockable character. He uses his laser eyes to attack other racers.

Ben 10: Omniverse
A robot replica of Vilgax appears as an enemy.

Ben 10

 * Transforming Alien Rocks Ben Tennyson and Vilgax
 * Vilgax Battle-ship playset - includes: Vilgax (Space mode) and clear Ben Tennyson
 * Sumo Slammer Vilgax (Space mode)
 * Sumo Slammer Vilgax (Earth mode/Battle mode)
 * 4 inch Alien Collection Vilgax (Space mode)
 * 4 inch Alien Collection Vilgax (Earth mode/Battle mode)
 * Hyper Alien Vilgax

Ben 10: Alien Force/Ben 10: Ultimate Alien

 * Comic 2-pack #2 - includes: Vilgax (Version #2/Alien Force) and Classic Ben Tennyson

Trivia

 * Vilgax is similar to Cthulhu, both in appearance and plan to conquer the universe.
 * According to the Ben 10 pop-up marathon, Vilgax will meet his death approximately 200 years after the original series.
 * According to Magister Patelliday, there is a rumor that Ma Vreedle once made Vilgax cry.
 * This is confirmed to be true in Vreedlemania, where he left almost instantly after she told him to leave.
 * According to Derrick J. Wyatt, Tramm Wigzell named Vilgax.
 * Vilgax's laser vision is similar to the DC Comics supervillain Darkseid's Omega Beams as both of them can change direction in accordance to their "projector's" whim. He also alludes to another DC Comics character, Superman, with the laser vision, flight, and super-strength.
 * In Project Exonaut, Vilgax is a level 40 suit.
 * Derrick had intended for Vilgax to look like his original self, but Matt Youngberg thought Vilgax's Alien Force/Ultimate Alien appearance had more personality.
 * In Omniverse, Ben seems to snap whenever Vilgax is around to the point of attempting to kill him in Vilgax Must Croak.
 * Myaxx, Helena Xagliv, and Bill Gacks have all been mistaken for Vilgax.