At a local swap meet, Ben instead sets his sights on a Sumo Slammer collectible, but when Kevin takes it for himself, our hero must get it back by overcoming Kevin’s secret weapon: an 11th alien!
Plot[]
Team Tennyson arrives at a 90s-focused swap meet. While Gwen is excited about the Lucky Girl merchendise, Max prepares to sell his Gotchigotchi toy to a collector. Seeing him getting emotional over his toy, Ben questions Max's parenting qualifications. Max reminds the two to spent the money he's allotting them wisely. Just as Ben is promising to do such, he becomes enamored by 90s paraphernalia and runs off. Max and Gwen tell him to meet back up with them at the food court. Ben excitedly spots something he wants, and ignores a man advertising "meteor feet", disappointing him. He runs up to a box of Sumo Slammers cards, which are promptly taken by a collector. He asks if he's getting all the cards, and the collector pretends to ignore him, claiming nothing after Y2K exists at the swap meet. Ben shrugs it off, since they were all blue cards, before then spotting something even more valuable - a vintage mint-condition solid gold 1997 Sumo Slammers All-Star figure. They both try to claim it, with Ben transforming into Shock Rock for an advantage. He creates small sumos out of electricity, which jolt the Collector and cause his hair to stand on end. The collector calls him a loser and leaves.
Shock Rock tries to claim his figure, but is interrupted by Kevin, wearing a 90s outfit and riding around on roller-skates. Shock Rock asks him what he's doing there, and Kevin tells him he's looking for cool 90s stuff. Kevin surmises he was using Shock Rock to fight over Sumo Slammers merchandise, and suggests he should start collecting them if it makes him a bad guy. Shock Rock, remembering Max's advice about self-control, deflects being a bad guy. Kevin responds by transforming into Rush, the Antitrix's equivalent to XLR8. He nabs the figure and speeds off, and Shock Rock gives pursuit. They run through the swap meet, and Rush taunts Shock Rock, prompting him to hurl a ball of electricity his way. However, he misses, and instead blows a hole through the meteor feet guy's sign. His chase continues, leaving more destruction in their wake. Rush returns to taunt him once more, and Shock Rock goes for another attack, but is interrupted by the collector, who demands to know where the Sumo Slammers figure is. Shock Rock tells him to stay out of the way, and disperses his electricity, which then brings some dolls to life. The dolls swarm the collector as Shock Rock goes to find Rush.
Meanwhile, Max and Gwen shop around. Rush speeds past them, and Gwen identifies him as Kevin. The collector, now beat up, explains to Max and Gwen that "those two monsters are ruining the 90s". Gwen tries to give Ben the benefit of the doubt, but the collector shows them the meteor feet guy's damaged sign.
Elsewhere, Shock Rock spots a sign depicting Ben reading "Kevin wuz here Ben is a loser". He keeps looking, but hides upon seeing Max announcing that Ben will be in big trouble when they find him. Shock Rock reverts back to Ben, and he crawls away. Meanwhile, Rush finds the food court, and switches to his equivalent to Stinkfly, Skunkmoth. He swoops down and grabs some grub, dropping the figure on the table. Ben sees it and makes fun of Skunkmoth for leaving it unguarded. Skunkmoth turns around and sprays it with his slime. He grabs Ben and throws him to the ground, along with the now-damaged figure. Ben checks the figure, and finds it in disrepair, flashing back to his time in school.
In school, a student makes fun of Ben for not beating him in a game involving Sumo Slammers cards. Despite this, Ben stays determined, saying he can't lose. Kevin then farts in his face, throwing him off. The student questions if Ben is taking the game seriously, and rescinds his offer to duel.
Back in the present, Ben transforms into Four Arms and tells Skunkmoth he stinks. Skunkmoth tells him it was just a joke, but Four Arms tells him to try something original. He then grabs Skunkmoth by the horn and throws him into the concrete repeatedly. Skunkmoth reverts back to Kevin, who defends himself by saying he was just fooling around. Four Arms tells him it isn't fun for him and questions why he's always following him around and copying him. Kevin tells him to go run back to his grandpa, and Four Arms says at least he has someone to run back to. He soon realizes the weight of his words and tries to apologize, but Kevin ignores him and transforms into Bashmouth, a wolf-like alien. Bashmouth grabs Four Arms by the head and tosses him into a pillar. He tries to punch Four Arms in the head, but he ducks in the nick of time. He throws Four Arms around like a ragdoll, and when Four Arms tries to counter-attack, he blocks with the metal plating on his arms. The two continue to fight, with Four Arms using a piece of a pillar as a weapon. Basmouth covers his teeth in metal, and bites down on the concrete, destroying it. Four Arms then reverts back to Ben, and he tries to call a time-out.
Bashmouth continues his attempts to hit Ben, and Ben tells him he's out of control. Bashmouth loudly yells out "Who cares?!", cracking the ground around him. He then smells meat, and Ben uses it as an opportunity while Bashmouth's animal instincts take over. Ben questions if Kevin really is just a new-and-improved version of him, but Max and Gwen (now wearing 90s oufits) appear, refuting the idea. Ben hugs his family, but is forced to transform into Humungousaur as the deck they are crumbles on top of them. Gwen suggests he uses his tail to blast away the debris blocking the civilians' exit, but he points out his tail is stuck under rubble. He asks Bashmouth for help, who sees Gwen and has a change of heart. He obliterates some boulders, and tells people to get out. Max and Gwen take his job while he helps Humungousaur hold up the deck. Humungousaur suggests they're on the same team, which Bashmouth vehemently denies, punching the deck and brining it down.
Humugousaur escapes the deck's remains, and reverts back to Ben as Bashmouth runs into the woods. Max suggests to Ben that they help the swap meet attendees clean up.
In the forest, Bashmouth reverts back to Kevin. He overhears the Forever Knight, who taunts him for losing again due to his lack of control. The Forever Knight offers to help Kevin surpass Ben in every way, which he reluctantly accepts.
Back at what remains of the deck, the collector finds the Sumo Slammers figure amongst the rubble. He kisses it, only to find out how gross it had become.
It is revealed that the Antitrix contains 11 aliens, consisting of duplicates of Ben's first 10 aliens and Bashmouth, hence Kevin's alias being "Kevin 11".
Kevin: Wow, Tennyson. Maybe I should start collecting baby toys if you're willing to go bad guy for them. Shock Rock: (gasps) You're the only bad guy here, Kevin. Kevin: Didn't you know? In the 90s, it's cool to be bad? See? (shows shirt) Shock Rock: "Mama said you got dunked on to the max!" Woah, that is cool.
Four Arms: What is that?! Bashmouth: This big guy? I think I'll call him - Bashmouth!
Gwen: Ben, of course you're good enough. Even when you're totally annoying. Sorry. Max: What she means to say is, just because something's new and flashy doesn't mean it's better than the original. I mean, look at these tight threads. What's important is, you figure out who are you are, and don't get caught up with comparing yourself to other people. That's what makes it all good, yo.
This episode contains several references to popular culture in the 1990s:
Multiple lines in the episode are a reference Smash Mouth's popular song, All Star.
Furthering the idea of Lucky Girl being based on the Sailor Moon franchise in this continuity, a poster of Lucky Girl in the swap is done in the art style of the original Sailor Moon anime series.
The Gotchigotchi toy Max has is a parody on the Tamagotchi digital pet.
The toy birds Ben brings to life with Shock Rock resembles that of the Furby plush dolls.
The text reading "Come on and slam!" on the box containing Sumo Slammers cards references the lyrics from the song Space Jam.
Amongst the 90s references, there are plenty of references to the Pokémon anime:
Ben has an inner voice monologue in the scene when he's playing a Sumo Slammers card game. This is a common anime trope and is very much inspired by that of Ash Ketchum.[EA 1]
The scene where Kevin rotates his hat before transforming into Rush is similar motion to when Ash prepares to throw the desired Poké Ball.
The message "Kevin was here Ben is a loser" the latter wrote on the sign is a reference to the sixth episode of the anime, where Ash's rival Gary wrote a similar message on the Cerulean City sign.
Errors[]
Kevin wears his usual outfit during his transformations into Rush and Bashmouth instead of his 90s clothes.
Wrong outfit
Wrong outfit
Trivia[]
This episode chronologically takes place before Buggy Out, as Kevin aligns himself with the Forever Knight starting in this episode.
Gwen was originally going to wear an outfit inspired by Misty from Pokémon.[EA 2] However, it was discarded for unknown reasons.
Despite this, there is a fanart by Eleisiya Arocha that shows how Gwen could had looked like in that outfit.[EA 3]