Trouble Helix

Trouble Helix is the fourth episode of Ben 10: Omniverse.

Plot
Late at night, Khyber appears at Max's Plumbing and manages to sneak inside the Plumbers' base after bypassing the security. Blukic and Driba are testing a new weapon against Chromastone. When it malfunctions and the two start arguing, Chromastone yawns and transforms back into Ben. Ben then asks Driba and Blukic about whether they are done testing the weapon on him in order for him to go home and says that he thought that Galvans were supposed to be the smartest beings in the universe, which he remarks through saying that being smart enough to quickly figure out stuff in order for him to be able to go home. Blukic pretends to laugh at Ben's remark and says that while they may not look it. Driba says that they are still smarter than any human and prepares to fire the gun. Ben responds through saying that he has yet to see any indication that Blukic and Driba are smart and he transforms into Cannonbolt and continues to block the weapon. As he blocks the weapon, Cannonbolt asks about the reason why that the Plumbers had hired Blukic and Driba again, which causes Blukic and Driba to argue once again. Meanwhile, Khyber sneaks past them and enters a file room, inserts in a device, and plays the helix file holo-display.

Once the file is played, it presents a flashback to five years ago on Galvan Prime where Azmuth and Albedo are working on something, Max comes barging into the lab, asking Azmuth to fix the Omnitrix which as it turns out has been malfunctioning so that Ben is stuck as a different alien every week.

Azmuth says that he is not concerned and it is low priority, telling Max to come back in two years, to which Max responds angrily that has not slept in a month. XLR8 enters the lab playing with Azmuth's inventions when he breaks one, Gwen arrives and tells Max that XLR8 insisted on seeing the lab. Annoyed, Azmuth reluctantly fixes the Omnitrix through climbing up to XLR8's chest and slamming the Omnitrix, causing XLR8 to revert back to Ben.

Max tells the kids to sit outside of the lab while he talks to Azmuth and l eaves Gwen in charge of Ben. She then taunts Ben and Ben looks outside and groans. S uddenly outside, something crashes from the sky and lands in a swamp on Galvan Prime. Which as it turns out is a heavily mutated Galvanic Mechamorph.

The Mechamorph emerges from the swamp, absorbs a Galvan's jetpack and flies off to the city, and walks towards Azmuth's lab. Ben sees the explosion and wonders about what is happening. Gwen tells Ben not to think about it and states that he heard what Grandpa Max said. Gwen assumes that it is some type of alien marti gras. Ben asks Gwen if she believes that it is a parade and transforms into Feedback. Feedback stands and states that anything is better than being stuck there. Gwen threatens him to report to Grandpa Max, but Feedback states that it had better be worth it and leaves into the city to see what is happening. The Mechamorph is destroying the buildings in the city and growls when Feedback attacks the Mechamorph through blasting it away. After the Mechamorph gets back up and places scratches into the buildings, Feedback blasts it for the second time. Meanwhile, Max exits the lab and tells Ben and Gwen that its time to go home. But, Max searches the room and discovers that Gwen is still there and Ben is missing. Max asks Gwen about where Ben is, which prompts Gwen to respond that she told him not to go.

Feedback, backed up by the Galvan military, and the Mechamorph battle as Feedback knocks the Mechamorph back with two punches, with the Mechamorph insisting that he will see Azimuth and he throws a chunk of a building's side. Feedback states that the Mechamorph will not and he destroys the chunk with a blast, Feedback then jumps up and projects a blast at the Mechamorph, which destroys a building and creates a cloud smoke, and he lands on the ground. After the smoke clears, the Mechamorph holds Feedback in a headlock and tries to take the Omnitrix, but Feedback throws it off and attacks the Mechamorph through slamming it to the ground. As the Mechamorph was unconscious, Feedback starts absorbing its energy, but the Omnitrix creates some beaping sounds and he reverts back into Ben. After the Mechamorph regains consciousness and wakes up, the Omnitrix recharges and Ben attempts to transform into Diamondhead, but he transforms into Four Arms instead, saying that he would have preferred to transform into Diamondhead and then believes that Four Arms is useful as well, and he goes to fight the Mechamorph. Four Arms and the Mechamorph battle once again. Four Arms throws the Mechamorph into Azmuth's lab and follows it. The Mechamorph blasts him with an eye blast through the many stories until he lands in the actual lab.

The Mechamorph enters the lab a fter Four Arms reverts back into Ben, demanding Azmuth to give him an upgrade like he promised and knocks Max and Albedo away. Azmuth addresses the Mechamorph as Malware and tells him that it is not the way and claims that he needs more time, but Malware demands an upgrade immediately and states that there is no more time and he has had enough of Azmuth's lies. Albedo states that he will be unable to understand Azmuth's unfinished upgrade and claim to be the only one, aside from Azmuth, who can complete the Helix which in turn is what Malware needs to fix himself. After Malware becomes angry and pulls his head towards Albedo, Azmuth says that the Helix is not finished and that he needs more time to help him. Malware, having no more patience with Azmuth and saying that his time is up, takes the incomplete Helix, kidnaps Albedo and flies away.

The four run to the Tennysons' ship and Azmuth tells them that Malware will be going to the moon Galvan B. Max, Ben, and Azmuth enter into the ship, with Gwen staying behind, as there is no room for her on the ship to give chase to Malware. On the ship, Azmuth explains to Ben and Max that Galvan B was once like Earth's moon, but while he conducted an experiment that terraformed the moon, he created a new species called the Galvanic Mechamorphs in the process. The Galvans then gave the moon to the Mechamorphs, who built a peaceful civilization. After Azmuth shut down the helix experiment that made Galvan B habitable, one Mechamorph came out of the process incomplete and corrupted. Azmuth created Malware, an incomplete and destructive Mechamorph who absorbed technology, rather than mimicking it. Azmuth has tried many times to help him help Malware, but his condition is very complicated. Azmuth intended to create a secondary Helix to be connected to the first. Ben is disgusted with Azmuth's refusal to correct his error in order to help Malware and then Gwen appears as a hologram and says that if anything goes wrong, there will be an explosion.

Arriving on Galvan B, the group discovers that Malware has sucked dry several other Mechamorphs, Azmuth says that he can save them using the ship. After Gwen asks Max about what she should do, Max instructs Gwen to assist Azmuth and retrieves Plumber equipment from the ship to see that Ben has wandered off after Gwen asks if he ditched him. Max tells Ben to wait and that they need a plan, but Ben states that he has a plan and that it it hero time. Ben then transforms into Heatblast. In a building, Malware rushes Albedo, who is working on the helix, and continues to destroy the ground with his fist. Albedo bothers Malware with his bragging and Malware threatens to end his life. Heatblast arrives and Malware tells Heatblast that the upgrade is his right. Before Heatblast could tell him about what Azmuth had said, Malware blasts him away with an eye blast. Malware states that Azmuth says a lot of things and asks Heatblast about Azmuth's location. Heatblast, as he recovers and tries to get up, responds that Azmuth is right outside and trying to save the other Galvanic Mechamorphs. Malware growls and then runs up to and grabs Heatblast and slams him to the ground repeatedly, claiming that Azmuth has always cared for them and states that the Mechamorphs outside deserved to be destroyed. Heatblast says that Malware's statement is backwards and he shoots fire from his hands at Malware, but his flames are ineffective against Malware and Malware forms sharp claws with his fingers and is about to stab Heatblast with them. Fortunately, Max arrives and blasts Malware away with his weapon, telling Malware to keep his claws off of his grandson, and Heatblast, after being freed from Malware's grasp, and fights with Malware, who has just recovered from the blast. Heatblast then creates a small fire board from a small section of the ground and rides on it to fly. While riding on the board, Heatblast shoots fire at Malware and Malware shoots an eye beam at him, but Heatblast manages to dodge the eye beam and he flies down and crashes his fire board into Malware. After Heatblast lands and continues to fight Malware, Max tells Albedo to stop working, but Albedo says that if he does, Galvan B will be destroyed with them on it. The Helix emits a red beam and Albedo exits from it, claiming that even Azmuth would not have thought of that. Heatblast tries to wrestle Malware down, but Malware stretches his hands and begins to absorb the helix, stating that he will be cured at last, and knocks Heatblast away when he tries to wrestle him down. Heatblast reverts back into Ben and he is comforted by Max. As Malware receives his upgrade and states that he feels his life code changing, Ben wonders about whether he has won.

Malware gets his upgrade and he is destroyed. Ben begins to celebrate their victory through saying that they rule, which prompts Max to say that they were lucky. Ben questions Max about the luck that they had and states that Malware is defeated because of himself and the Omnitrix. Albedo reveals that he sabotaged the process to destroy Malware and taunts Ben, which prompts Ben to say that Albedo is getting on his nerves. But Albedo's plan backfires, and Malware transforms into a "Negative" Mechamorph, stating that his upgrade has been complete.

Malware approaches the group and states that while other Mechamorphs upgrade technology, he absorbs the technology and upgrade himself. Malware grabs Max's weapon and absorbs it and then states that he shall upgrade himself with Azmuth's greatest creation. Ben looks at the Omnitrix and states that he will not allow for that to happen. Ben then transforms into Cannonbolt and saves Max and Albedo from being blasted by Malware. As Cannonbolt rolls around Malware to avoid his blasts, Max tells Cannonbot that the building is collapsing, but Cannonbolt says that he has a plan and goes off to fight Malware. After Cannonbolt rolls around the building, Malware blasts Cannonbolt with a weapon and pins him to a wall and tries to tear off the Omnitrix from Cannonbolt with a hand that he generates from his stomach. Before he can do anything, the Omnitrix times out and Cannonbolt reverts back into Ben. Ben manages to run away, but Malware blasts the ceiling and buries Ben in rubble. After Malware digs through the rubble, he discovers that Ben secretly transformed into Diamondhead and emerges from the rubble unharmed, asking about whether Malware is tired of being wrong. Diamondhead and Malware fight as Diamondhead dodges a blast from Malware's weapon and Diamondhead manages to knock Malware away into the helix with a two punches. After Diamondhead walks up to Malware, the Mechamorph shoots a blast at him and Diamondhead jumps into the air and shoots Malware with crystals. After Diamondhead lands and protects himself when Malware blasts him with his weapon again. Diamondhead wrestles with Malware, stating that Malware should give up due to the fact that they will not be able to walk away from the battle, but Malware states that he is correct about that and blasts Diamondhead away with a weapon that he generated from his stomach. After Diamondhead tries to get up, Malware tries to absorb the Omnitrix and Diamondhead realizes that Malware can't get through crystal and creates the crystal in order to protect the Omnitrix followed by encasing Malware's body in it, paralyzing him. Malware says that he will be free and take over the universe, but Diamondhead encases Malware's head in crystal and reverts back into Ben. On Galvan Prime, a crowd of Galvan see the Tennysons off as they exit from the planet through flying in the Skipper.

In the present, Khyber copies and saves the file, along with all of the others, and exits from the base unnoticed. While outside, Khyber reunites with his dog and tells her that he has everything he needs and no secrets are safe.

Major Events

 * XLR8, Cannonbolt, Heatblast, and Diamondhead make their flashback Omniverse debuts with 11 year old Ben.
 * Malware's and the Galvanic Mechamorphs' origins are revealed.
 * Malware's name is revealed.
 * Khyber infiltrates the Plumber's Secret Base and learns more about Ben's past and obtains data about him as well the helix files.
 * Azmuth and Albedo make their flashback Omniverse debuts.
 * Driba and Blukic make their first non-cameo appearance.

Omnitrix Aliens Debuts

 * Chromastone (Omniverse debut)

Characters

 * Ben Tennyson (11 and 16 years old)
 * Gwen Tennyson (11 years old)
 * Max Tennyson (61 years old)
 * Galvans
 * Azmuth (first re-appearance; past)
 * Albedo (first re-appearance; past)
 * Blukic (present)
 * Driba (present)
 * Fergi (first appearance; past, cameo)
 * Y-it (first appearance; past, cameo)
 * Chadzmuth (first appearance; past, cameo)
 * Galvan Soldiers (first appearance; past)

Present Villains

 * Khyber
 * Zed (cameo)

Flashback Villains

 * Malware

By 16 year old Ben

 * Chromastone (first re-appearance; off-screen transformation; cameo)
 * Cannonbolt

By 11 year old Ben

 * XLR8 (first re-appearance; off-screen transformation)
 * Feedback
 * Four Arms (accidental transformation; selected alien was Diamondhead)
 * Heatblast (first re-appearance by 11 year old Ben)
 * Cannonbolt (first re-appearance by 11 year old Ben)
 * Diamondhead (first re-appearance)

Allusions

 * The title of this episode is an allusion to a Double Helix, a double stranded molecular structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

Trivia

 * This episode reveals Malware's origin.
 * The Omnitrix problem where Ben is stuck as a different alien mentioned by Max is similar to what Ben went through in A Small Problem.
 * Chronologically, this was the first time Ben met Albedo.