Osmosian

Introduction
Osmosians are an alien species that dwell on the distant planet Osmos (Aggregor once referred to it as Osmos V). The name "Osmosian" is a play on the word "osmosis", the name of the physical process by which a solvent (i.e. water) diffuses from an area of a high concentration through a semi-permeable membrane into an area of low concentration--it is also the process by which living cells absorb nutrients.

Powers/Abilities
Osmosians are able to absorb, hold, redirect and discharge virtually any type of energy through their bodies, primarily electricity and the life force of other a life form's (killing their victim in the process). According to Dwayne McDuffie, Osmosians can also absorb water, fire, and other similar substances (indicating that there is no limit to what they can absorb) though it is unknown what it does to them physically (ex. absorbing solid matter causes them to grow an outer armor-like skin and allows them to shape-shift their limbs into weapons; absorbing raw energy increases their strength and durability and allows them to hold, redirect, and discharge it at will; absorbing a living creature's life force and DNA causes their body to mutate into a chimerical amalgam and take on all of the creature's powers and abilities, though they will only be 1/10 of their original potency).

It is revealed in "Ben 10: Ultimate Alien" that Osmosians can feed off of any form of energy, primarily electricity and the life force of other life forms (killing that life form in the process). However, if they were to absorb energy (such as the energy of the Omnitrix or Ultimatrix) without considering the possible consequences of their actions and dangerous risk involved, they will become mentally unstable. Storing that same energy without discharging it properly can also cause mental instability in an Osmosian. Both features were shown repeatedly in Kevin's debut, where he is shown absorbing energy whenever the opportunity presents itself and how whenever he was depleted of energy he seemed relatively stable. Since the life force and biological energy of other life forms is their primary source of sustenance, it does not cause Osmosians to go insane, as Aggregor was able to keep a stable mental state after absorbing the life force, energy, and DNA of a Geochelone Aerio in Escape From Aggregor.

While overindulgence in energy and storing it for periods of time can cause Osmosians to become mentally unstable, it is possible that an experienced and mature Osmosian, like Devin, knows their limits and can control their cravings and discharge energy better than a young or inexperienced one, who give in to their cravings whenever the opportunity presents itself and do not know how to discharge energy properly. This explains Aggregor's behavior and is why he was so desperate to obtain the newborn Celestialsapien's incomprehensible and immeasurable powers and abilities. This also explains why Kevin began absorbing the life force of whoever he came across to satisfy his insatiable hunger in Absolute Power Part 1 and Absolute Power Part 2 and how his sanity was immediately restored after he was drained of the energy he had absorbed.

As demonstrated by Kevin in Alien Force, Osmosians and half-Osmosians are also able to absorb the mass and properties of physical materials and grow an armor-like outer skin as durable as the material used to make it and by extension proportionately increase the Osmosian's strength and durability to even higher power

levels. Osmosians can extend their armor to anything they are touching when absorbing matter, as demonstrated by Kevin in Plumbers' Helpers. While absorbing the matter, the Osmosian can also momentarily merge with the actual matter and alter its form by releasing a liquid version of whatever substance they have absorbed and hardening it again. Also, after absorbing matter, the Osmosian can absorb extra mass to gain limited regenerative abilities as well as shape-shift its limbs into various weapons, tools, and forms.



As mentioned in Escape From Aggregor," when Osmosians absorb the DNA and life force of other life forms, they gain most, if not all of that life form's powers (or at least their primary abilities). However, they can only acquire the original creature's powers at 1/10 of their original potency without mechanical aid. As seen in Ken 10, whenever an Osmosian takes on a chimerical mutation caused by absorbing the DNA and life force of other life forms, they can willingly shift between their normal form and mutant form once their DNA has fully restored itself. (Dwayne McDuffie confirmed that during the flashback in ...Nor Iron Bars a Cage, Kevin had managed to change back to his human form once (which explains why he was wearing jeans instead of cargo shorts) before becoming stuck his mutant form again due to his age and lack of experience and control.) They will retain that mutant form so long as they use it periodically. Even after the mutation has worn off, the initial transformation leaves its genetic imprint on their DNA, even after their own genetic structure has overridden the alien DNA. This means that the mutation can be passed down to their offspring. This is shown with Devlin, who has the unique ability to shift between his father's first mutated form and human form at will.

Even without absorbing energy or matter, Osmosians possess a minor degree of superhuman strength and durability. While not on the same level as Tetramands or Petrosapiens, they are still far stronger and more powerful, and more durable than a baseline human. This has been repeatedly demonstrated by Kevin, who is strong and powerful enough in his normal form to lift and throw the combined weight of several people and resist physical trauma that would severely injure an ordinary human with moderate discomfort. According to Dwayne McDuffie, an Osmosians strength and durability does not solely come from the energy and matter they absorb; rather they possesses a minor degree of superhuman strength and durability in their normal form that is simply increased whenever they absorb energy or matter.

Little else is known about Osmosians so far, except that they are outwardly indistinguishable from humans except for the fact that Osmosians live for hundreds of years, and after about one hundred years when an Osmosian is fully mature, they begin to grow small horns.

Trivia

 * It is confirmed by Dwayne that absorbing energy makes all Osmosians insane, mature or not. He also confirmed that Osmosians normally don't absorb energy unless they are put in a situation were they absolutely have to.
 * Kevin Levin, one of the main characters, is a human/Osmosian hybrid; his father (Devin Levin), was an Osmosian, and his mother (Mrs. Levin) is a human.
 * The potential danger from a premature Osmosian's physical and mental state from absorbing raw energy would explain Kevin's lacked control of transforming into Ben's original ten aliens and then mutation whereas his older, more experienced future counterpart could freely control his absorbed powers. It also explains his aggressive sociopathic behavior in the original series but later becoming relatively well-moraled after returning to his normal physical self. Aggregor however is unaffected by this as he is both fully mature and was already amoral and power-hungry to begin with, as shown in Ultimate Aggregor. It is possible that the degree of insanity affects each individual Osmosian differently and that a mature Osmosian is more likely to be more level-headed and less and aggressive than a younger one.
 * In Ultimate Aggregor, Aggregor disagrees with Kevin's belief that uncontrollably or improperly absorbing raw energy causes insanity in an Osmosian. He states that this is simply a lie told by the strong to control the weak.
 * As seen in Escape From Aggregor and Absolute Power, Osmosians are parasitic by nature, feeding off of the life force of other life forms as their primary source of sustenance, killing their victim in the process (during Absolute Power, Kevin seemed to be absorbing life force to satisfy himself rather than for simply the sake of becoming more powerful) and that absorbing raw energy (such as the energy of the Omnitrix or Ultimatrix) without restraint turns it into an addiction rather than a method of feeding. This explains why Kevin also stole the powers of his victims as he killed them (by draining them of life force).
 * It is confirmed by Dwayne McDuffie that there is Osmosian DNA in the Ultimatrix.
 * In Fused, Aggregor calls Kevin a hatchling. Probably because Kevin's age, power and experience is far below that of Aggregor- however, the term hatchling could signify an Osmosian method of procreation- laying eggs. It is highly unlikely to be their method as Kevin is a Human-Osmosian hybid, and they are therefore capable of breeding with humans.
 * If an Osmosian tries to absorb the power of multiple aliens at once, as Kevin did with the Ultimatrix and Omnitrix, the Osmosian will become a mixture of most or all of the aliens. This happened to Kevin in 'Kevin 11' when Kevin tried to steal the Omnitrix from Ben.
 * The Osmosian home planet is Osmos.
 * Osmosians are more advanced than humans.
 * In "Ultimate Aggregor", is confirmed that Aggregor lives on Osmos V.
 * Dwayne McDuffie has stated the concept of Osmosian's growing antlers as they age is something they thought of after the episode Paradox, in which Kevin was temporarily turned into an old man, which is why there were none on Kevin's head at the time.
 * Dwayne McDuffie confirmed that Osmosians are a little stronger than humans, and are a lot more resilient to injury.

Notable Osmosians

 * Devin Levin
 * Kevin Levin (half-Osmosian)
 * Devlin Levin (quarter-Osmosian)
 * Aggregor