Brainstorm

This article belongs to the Classic Continuity

Brainstorm (alternatively spelled as Brain Storm)^[1] is the Omnitrix's DNA sample of a Cerebrocrustacean from the planet Encephalonus IV.

Appearance

Ben as Brainstorm

Brainstorm has a light orange crab-like appearance with pincers for hands. He can open his skull plates at will to reveal his huge brain, which is pink in color.

In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, Brainstorm had six legs and wore a silver and black neck brace with the original Omnitrix/Ultimatrix symbol on it to help him hold up his head.

In Heroes United, Brainstorm looked mostly the same except his shell was a more vibrant orange and his skull plates were black.

In Omniverse, Brainstorm has a black loincloth with a green stripe in the center of it on the bottom of his body. He also has a black stripe in the center of his head with a green stripe running across it. He now has four legs instead of six, and each leg has a single joint instead of two, with a black stripe on each one. The hair-like spikes on Brainstorm's face and forehead are now longer, and his eyes connect to a large black strip that extends around his forehead. He also has two spikes on each elbow, and he wears the Omnitrix symbol on a white and green neck brace.

Albedo as Negative Brainstorm

In Ultimate Alien, Negative Brainstorm looked just like Ben's Brainstorm in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien except his eyes were recolored red and he lacked an Ultimatrix symbol.

In Omniverse, Negative Brainstorm looks just like Ben's Brainstorm in the same series, except his shell is recolored pale pink, his teeth are recolored yellowish, his eyes and shell stripes are recolored red, and he wears a red Ultimatrix symbol on a red and white neck brace.

Brainstorm in Heroes United

Albedo as Negative Brainstorm in Ultimate Alien

Albedo as Negative Brainstorm in Omniverse

Personality

Brainstorm usually speaks with very high vocabulary, which can make it difficult for others to understand what he is talking about.^[2] He can also come off as arrogant and egotistical, as according to him, he has skill, not luck.^[3][4]

In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, Brainstorm originally spoke with a British accent. As of Omniverse, Brainstorm now speaks with an Austrian accent.

Powers and Abilities

• Electrokinesis/Openable Cranium
• Electrical Telekinesis
• Enhanced Intelligence
• Enhanced Mind Imagery
• Accelerated Calculations
• Enhanced Agility/Predictions
• Wall Scaling
• Voltage Control
• Enhanced Strength
• Enhanced Durability/Tough Shell
• Sharp Pincers
• Telepathic Speech
• Underwater Breathing
• Levitation
• Enhanced Dexterity
• Enhanced Acrobatics
• Electrokinetic Levitation
• Electric Field Waves
• Electric Beams
• Force Field Generation
• Technokinesis
• Web Scaling
• Cold Resistance

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Brainstorm's cranium holds an immense brain, giving him super-massive intelligence. He can solve very difficult calculations mentally in roughly seconds, and knows and can visualize equations and movement of objects as if they're actually there.^[5] He can even determine mechanical values and physical properties by simply looking at them.

With his intellect, Brainstorm can perfectly understand the mindsets and mannerisms of his enemies, take advantage of weaknesses, and any useful objects around him, so he can know exactly what moves to make to take down his enemies. His IQ is shown to be 10^30, or one nonillion.^[3]

Brainstorm can produce and manipulate electricity in a variety of ways, such as electrocuting or launching enemies and disabling or destroying machinery, by opening the exoskeleton plates on his skull. He can also charge up his electrical energy to produce a concentrated beam of electricity strong enough to blast Ship out of the air.^[6] Additionally, he can control the voltage of his electrokinetic attacks.^[3]

Brainstorm can create electric field waves from his brain to block attacks and knock away enemies^[7] and generate protective force fields powerful enough to topple an Evolved Arburian Pelarota.^[8]

Brainstorm can use his electrokinesis to telekinetically move objects, size and mass ranging from trains to living beings without damaging or hurting them.^[9] He can also generate and fire electricity from both his pincers and his brain that can control machinery and other technology, giving him a form of technokinesis.

Brainstorm is strong enough to pin opponents against walls using his pincers^[3] and rip an Arachnichimp's webs off his face.^[4] His pincers are also sharp enough to stab through metal.^[3]

Brainstorm is very durable thanks to his shell.^[3]

Brainstorm seems to have enhanced dexterity, as he can use a golf club very easily despite having pincers.^[5]

Brainstorm is very agile and can perform acrobatics such as somersaults and forward rolls.^[10]

Brainstorm can scale walls^[3] and walk on an Arachnichimp's webs.^[4]

Brainstorm can levitate several stories above the ground.^[9][7]

Brainstorm is capable of breathing underwater^[11] thanks to his gills, which he has to keep them moist when he is on land.^{[DM 1]}

Brainstorm's shell gives him a protective coat-like layer, which can resist the cold temperatures of places such as mountains.^[12]

Brainstorm possesses mnemokinesis, which he can use to alter and erase other beings' memories and thoughts by manipulating their brain pulsations, and electrical telepathy, capable of reading minds by sensing electrical pulses of their minds; these feats were exclusively demonstrated by Servantis on the Amalgam Kids.^[13][14]

Weaknesses

• Vulnerability to Sonic Screams
• Trapped in Webbing
• Durability Limit
• Egotistic Attitude

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The sonic screams of a Sonorosian can give Brainstorm a headache and make it hard for him to concentrate, suggesting that concentration is required for him to use his powers.^[15]

As mentioned above, Brainstorm tends to be rather arrogant and egotistical, which can make him forget to do simple things, as shown when he was too busy trying to convince an escaped Spidermonkey to return to the Omnitrix before he was reminded by Gwen to reabsorb him.^[4]

Brainstorm can be shorted out due to the electricity in his brain.

Being a Cerebrocrustacean, Brainstorm is vulnerable to being trapped by a member of Vicetopus' species, as demonstrated with Dr. Psychobos.^[16]

If Brainstorm's shell is closed when releasing electricity, it will shock and injure his brain, as also demonstrated with Dr. Psychobos.^[17]

Brainstorm is vulnerable to the gravakinetic abilities of a Galilean, as demonstrated with Servantis.^[13]

History

Alien Force

• Brainstorm first appeared in Pier Pressure, where he defeated Ship and protected Julie from him.
  • The same scene reoccurred on TV in Fame.
• In What Are Little Girls Made Of?, Brainstorm defeated Kevin in a play-fight.
• In Good Copy, Bad Copy, Brainstorm defeated Negative Big Chill, but was defeated himself by Negative Echo Echo, so he switched into Jetray.
• In Voided, Brainstorm saved Manny from some Null Guardians and battled D'Void before retreating with Manny and Helen. Later, Brainstorm was defeated by D'Void.
• In War of the Worlds: Part 2, Brainstorm piloted Ship in "Battle Mode" to reach Augstaka.
• In Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 2, Brainstorm fought and recaptured the escaped Spidermonkey.
• In Inferno, Brainstorm built a pen for some Pyroxovores out of a train and some railway tracks.
• In Singlehanded, Brainstorm battled Sunder before switching into Humungousaur.

Ultimate Alien

• In Escape from Aggregor, Brainstorm took control of a Yeti, told it to attack Dr. Animo, and then freed it before capturing the latter.
• In Fused, Brainstorm was defeated and nearly killed by Aggregor, but was saved by Ra'ad.
• In Eye of the Beholder, Brainstorm defeated Strabismus and freed Baz-l, but accidentally awoke the Sanctuary Guardians in the process.
• In Greetings from Techadon, Brainstorm got a hole in one in golf using his "mental calculations." He then switched into Goop to fight a Techadon robot.
• In The Ultimate Sacrifice, Brainstorm defeated Sentient Ultimate Cannonbolt before turning into Diamondhead.
• In Ben 10-Generator Rex: Heroes United, Brainstorm appeared as one of the many aliens when Ben was explaining his story to Rex.
• In Night of the Living Nightmare, Negative Brainstorm figured out that Ben somehow broke free from the Cassiopeian Dream Eater in a dream.

Omniverse

• In Malefactor, a kid failed to dunk Brainstorm before the latter was successfully dunked by another kid.
• In A Fistful of Brains, Negative Brainstorm briefly fought Astrodactyl until they both reverted.
• In The Vengers, Brainstorm defeated the Vengers.
• In A New Dawn, Brainstorm appeared for a short time when Ben was cycling through his aliens.

Appearances

Video Games

Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks

Brainstorm is a playable alien in the game. He can launch energy bolts and create large energy blasts. 

Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable Versions

Due to the Omnitrix rebooting after Ben's abuse of the quick-change feature during his battle with an animated Mr. Smoothy mascot, Brainstorm was temporarily locked until Ben's arrival on Encephalonus IV.

Brainstorm is able to use his vast intellect to interact with computers for a variety of purposes, such as uploading a virus or unlocking a sealed gate. Similar to Chromastone, Brainstorm's unique block animation allows him to redirect focused energy beams to provide power to structures.

Lightning Storm is an unlockable combo move for Brainstorm.

Brainstorm is vital for progression on the Bellwood, Encephalonus IV, and Mor' Otesi levels of the game.

Nintendo DS Version

Brainstorm and Big Chill are reunlocked upon Ben's arrival on Encephalonus IV.

Brainstorm is able to provide power to lifts scattered around Encephalonus IV.

Ben 10 Alien Force: The Rise of Hex

Brainstorm is a playable alien in the game.

Due to the Omnitrix shorting out after Ben fiddled with it, Brainstorm and Swampfire were the only aliens available on Ben's arsenal at the beginning of the game.

Brainstorm is able to power generators, in order to move platforms or to open sealed gates.

Brainstorm's small size allows him to navigate areas that most of Ben's aliens and Ben himself are unable to access.

Brainstorm is the only alien form capable of defeating Techadon Kevin.

Naming and Translations

Etymology

Brainstorm's name comes from the word "brainstorm", which means a spontaneous group discussion to create new ideas and solve problems. It references how he always creates new ideas and solves problems with his IQ. It also refers to the electrical powers in his brain, as electricity is usually produced from "storm" clouds.

Trivia

• Brainstorm had concept art drawn by Eric Canete, whereas his final design was created by Glenn Wong, with color styling by Chris Hooten.^{[GW 1]}
• The reason Brainstorm has a British accent in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien is because the British are stereotyped to being smart and royal.
  • Brainstorm's accent in Omniverse is based on that of Ludwig Von Drake.^{[DJW 1]} He is the also only alien to have his accent changed between shows.
• Brainstorm's mouth does not move except to show emotion. He does not speak through his mouth because his thoughts are projected as sound waves.^{[DJW 2]}
  • In War of the Worlds: Part 2, his mouth opened when he accidentally vomited on Azmuth. It opens and closes depending on his motion.
• Brainstorm's electricity was originally yellow in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien before being recolored green in Omniverse.
  • As a result of this change, Brainstorm is one of five aliens featured in Omniverse who generate green electricity; the others being Upgrade, Buzzshock, Frankenstrike, and Nanomech.
  • Negative Brainstorm's electricity is colored red.^[18]
• Brainstorm is a brain alien with some minorly electric side powers, hence why he did not appear in Max's Monster alongside the rest of Ben's electric-based aliens.^{[DJW 3]}
• Madison likes Brainstorm better than Rath and refers to him as "the brain crab."^[19]

References

Crew Statements

Glenn Wong

Dwayne McDuffie

Derrick J. Wyatt