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==Trivia== |
==Trivia== |
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− | *Max's design in the original series was created primarily by David Williams{{Refn|[[:File:David Williams |
+ | *Max's design in the original series was created primarily by David Williams{{Refn|[[:File:David Williams Designed Max.PNG]]|group = DW}} with some help from [[Dave Johnson]], while his '''Alien Force''' and '''Ultimate Alien''' one was created by Glenn Wong.{{Refn|''link unavailable''|group = GW}} Overall, his design is based on the costume worn by [[Wikipedia:Captain_Marvel_(DC_Comics)|Shazam]] from DC Comics, right down to his open shirt forming a lightning bolt and the colors of his shirt mimicking Shazam's cape.{{Refn|[[:File:Max Design Based on Shazam.png]]|group = DJ}} |
**In '''Omniverse''', Max's eyes are a reference to Shazam{{Refn|https://archive.is/klM3B|group = DJW}} whereas his flashback design from ''[[Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51]]'' was inspired by Shazam's alter ago Billy Batson.{{Refn|[[:File:OV Young Adult Max Inspiration.png]]|group = DJW}} |
**In '''Omniverse''', Max's eyes are a reference to Shazam{{Refn|https://archive.is/klM3B|group = DJW}} whereas his flashback design from ''[[Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51]]'' was inspired by Shazam's alter ago Billy Batson.{{Refn|[[:File:OV Young Adult Max Inspiration.png]]|group = DJW}} |
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*Max was supposed to get the [[Omnitrix (Original)|Omnitrix]], but when Ben found it, his DNA was close enough to Max's that it attached itself to his wrist instead.<ref name="Azmuth" /><ref>''[[The Final Battle: Part 2]]''</ref> |
*Max was supposed to get the [[Omnitrix (Original)|Omnitrix]], but when Ben found it, his DNA was close enough to Max's that it attached itself to his wrist instead.<ref name="Azmuth" /><ref>''[[The Final Battle: Part 2]]''</ref> |
Revision as of 18:37, 29 June 2022
This article belongs to the Classic Continuity |
Click here to see the Reboot Continuity version of this article |
“ | Being a hero isn't about others knowing you did something good, it's about YOU knowing you did something good. Being a hero is its own reward. | ” |
Magister Maxwell "Max" Tennyson or Grandpa Max as his grandchildren call him, is the paternal grandfather of Ben and Gwen. He is a slightly overweight man in his late 50's to early 60's, with a keen sense for adventure and a strange taste in exotic food. Max ends up taking the kids on a summer vacations' road trip across the United States. Max travels in a motor home nicknamed the Rust Bucket, which he has modified with advanced technology.
Max was a semi-retired legendary Magister rank Plumber and is the mentor of Ben, Gwen, Kevin, and the Plumbers' Helpers. Max is widely considered the greatest Plumber in the Milky Way.[9] As of Omniverse, Max quit retirement and joined the Plumbers again, and is currently Magister of Earth.
Appearance
Regular Appearances
In the original series, Max wore a white shirt, covered by a red buttoned-up Hawaiian shirt with a floral design. He had grey hair and blue pants, as well as brown shoes.
In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, Max's appearance did not change except for his blue pants being changed to brown, he had more wrinkles, a slightly darker shirt, and whiter hair. He wore black shoes.
In Omniverse, Max's appearance has not changed that much except for his brown pants, which are now white. He has whiter hair, more wrinkles, and his eyes have been changed to little black dashes. His white shirt that he wore under his red button up shirt has changed to black. Also, his shoes are now grey at the top and black at the bottom.
Occasional Appearances
In the original series, his pajamas were blue and had yellow lightning streaks.
While in the hospital in The Alliance, he wore a light blue hospital gown, with a cast around his left leg, bandages around his head and a band-aid on his left cheek.
In Dr. Animo and the Mutant Ray, he wore an orange life jacket.
As a Lepidopterran hybrid in the same episode, he had a maggot-like body with green skin and six legs. He had four eye stalks with orange eyes and grey hair.
In Back with a Vengeance, he wore a yellow raincoat while touring Niagara Falls on a ship.
In A Change of Face, he wore a pilgrim outfit.
In Merry Christmas, while cursed as Santa Claus, he wore a red and white robe, a red hat and green gloves.
In Game Over, while inside Sumo Slammers Smackdown, he wore grey armor which covered his left pectoral and lower body. He had brown hair on top and on the sides of his head, along with a brown beard.
In Monster Weather, he wore blue jeans, a brown headband, a brown vest and brown sandals along with his red Hawaiian shirt.
In Under Wraps, he briefly wore a blue bath robe.
In Under Wraps, The Return and Be Afraid of the Dark, he wore a hazmat suit.
As Ultra Grandpa in Perfect Day, he had a stereotypical superhero costume. He wore frameless blue goggles, a cyan shirt and white pants. He also donned a white cape like Ultra Ben.
In Divided We Stand, in addition to his red Hawaiian shirt, he wore brown shorts and brown strap sandals.
After being turned into a 10-year-old in Don't Drink the Water, Max's hair was similar to a crew cut, and rather than fat, he looked skinny and athletic. He initially wore his own clothes, then switched to Ben's clothes.
In Big Fat Alien Wedding, during the wedding ceremony, he wore a black tuxedo.
In Ben 10 vs. the Negative 10: Part 2, he wore a grey exo-suit with blue markings on its visor.
In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, he sometimes wore a short-sleeved white T-shirt with light brown pants and a green pouch with a sling that hangs on his shoulder.
In a flashback in Ben 10 Returns: Part 2, Max wore his regular shirt as well as dark blue shorts, white socks and brown shoes.
In Max Out, he wore a light brown long coat and a brown hat with a horizontal black stripe, over his regular outfit.
While under the identity of the Wrench, he wore a black T-shirt and light brown pants under a brown robe.
In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, he occasionally wore a Plumber suit.
In Alien Swarm, Max wore a blue Hawaiian shirt instead of a red one. He wore a brown jacket over this outfit near the end of the movie. In a video recording, he wore a bluish grey vest over a long-sleeved white shirt, as well as blue pants.
As seen in a flashback in Moonstruck, Teen Max had short brown hair. He wore a brown jacket over a red shirt as well as light brown pants. He briefly wore his Air Force uniform.
In a flashback in Of Predators and Prey: Part 2, Max's fishing outfit consisted of a brownish grey hat with a horizontal grey line, as well as baggy brownish grey pants held up by black straps.
In a flashback in Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51, as a young adult, Max had black hair and was scrawny. He wore the same Hawaiian shirt he wears in the present.
In Something Zombozo This Way Comes, as a Zombie Clown, Max had white makeup, red lipstick, a red nose and different hair.
Personality
An easy-going, kind, and normally jovial man, Max Tennyson often comes across as pleasantly absent-minded at times, but is actually quite perceptive. For instance, he knew early on in Ben's adventures who was most likely pursuing him, as he was aware of Vilgax's history having fought the alien tyrant many times before.
Max is a very brave man, having dedicated his life to preserve peace on Earth between humans and extraterrestrial life. His bravery has resulted in him being injured, having his DNA spliced, nearly killed in several dozen ways, and more. His prioritization of others' safety above his own even when bereft of a weapon shows his selfless nature at its finest.
Ever the consummate strategist, Max is very intelligent, being able to select the correct weapon to battle Zs'Skayr based on minimal information given to him by Ben, choosing a light-based weapon to bring down the rogue Ectonurite.
Though well-meaning, Max is not without a stern side, having struggled to guide Ben during the first few months of his grandson's possession of the Omnitrix. When pushed, Max can be strict, harsh, but not unreasonably so, not being afraid to call people out on their selfishness and mistakes when necessary.
Max has a weird appetite, which comes from his travels both on the Earth and beyond.[pop-up 1][10]
History
Background | Ben 10 | Alien Force | Ultimate Alien | Omniverse |
---|---|---|---|---|
Click on the images above to see the respective histories.
Powers and Abilities
Although Max doesn't have any super powers, he is very skilled in combat and can take on anyone who does have them as he is quite athletic for someone of his age. As a retired Plumber, he has access to a variety of various Plumber tools and weaponry, which he uses skillfully. Aside from that, his experience from his Plumber days made him knowledgeable on various species of aliens. He is also able to strategize well and is skilled in inventing new machines. He is telepathically connected to his lover, Verdona.[11]
Before joining the Plumbers, Max was a United States Air Force pilot, with dreams of joining NASA and going to the moon. He was an expert at flying an F-104 Starfighter and was able to shoot down an alien spacecraft.[11]
Weaknesses
Despite being highly trained, Max is far from the prime athletic specimen he was during his days as a Plumber. He is a senior citizen, and has not managed to keep in shape, though he does still possess an incredible tactical mind to compensate for his less than stellar physical conditioning.
Love Interests
Verdona
See Article: Relationship with Verdona
Xylene
During Xylene's early years, she met Max Tennyson, who at the time was a Plumber. She wanted Max to go to Ringa Morr with her, but Max declined it saying he has to defeat Vligax. Later when Xylene was unlocked from her sleeping pod on earth, Max again declined to go with her telling that Ben and Gwen are a new world for him.
Appearances
Ben 10
- All episodes except Gwen 10 and Goodbye and Good Riddance.
- All shorts except Snack Break and Destroy All Aliens
- Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix
- Ben 10: Destroy All Aliens
Alien Force
Season 1
- Ben 10 Returns: Part 1 (first reappearance; hologram)
- Ben 10 Returns: Part 2 (flashback)
- Kevin's Big Score (hologram)
- All That Glitters (hologram)
- Max Out
- What Are Little Girls Made Of? (flashback; silhouette; cameo)
Season 2
Season 3
- Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 1
- Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 2
- Inferno (hologram)
- Fool's Gold
- If All Else Fails (flashback and present)
- Above and Beyond
- Vendetta (flashback and present)
- The Final Battle: Part 1
- The Final Battle: Part 2
Movies
Ultimate Alien
Season 1
- Hit 'Em Where They Live (first reappearance)
- Ultimate Aggregor
Season 2
Season 3
- Prisoner Number 775 is Missing
- Moonstruck (flashback and present)
- The Ultimate Enemy: Part 2 (flashback; cameo)
Specials
- Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United (flashback; cameo)
Omniverse
Season 1
- The More Things Change: Part 1 (first reappearance)
- The More Things Change: Part 2
- A Jolt from the Past (flashback and present)
- So Long, and Thanks for All the Smoothies
- Trouble Helix (flashback)
- Of Predators and Prey: Part 1
- Of Predators and Prey: Part 2 (flashback and present)
Season 2
- Gone Fishin'
- Outbreak
- Blukic and Driba Go to Mr. Smoothy's
- Malefactor (flashback)
- Arrested Development
- Showdown: Part 1 (flashback)
- Showdown: Part 2 (flashback and present)
Season 3
- Store 23
- Vilgax Must Croak
- Ben Again (flashback and present)
- Rad
- The Frogs of War: Part 1
- The Frogs of War: Part 2
Season 4
- Food Around the Corner
- Max's Monster
- Evil's Encore (flashback)
- Mud Is Thicker Than Water
- A Fistful of Brains
- For a Few Brains More
Season 5
- Something Zombozo This Way Comes (flashback and present)
Season 6
- Catfight (cameo)
- The Rooters of All Evil
- Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51 (flashback and present)
- No Honor Among Bros
- Universe vs. Tennyson
- Weapon XI: Part 2 (flashback and present)
Season 7
- Clyde Five
- Rook Tales
- The Ballad of Mr. Baumann (flashback and present)
- Breakpoint
- The Color of Monkey
Season 8
- From Hedorium to Eternity (flashback)
- Stuck on You
- The Final Countdown
- Malgax Attacks
- The Most Dangerous Game Show (cameo)
Books
Cartoon Network Action Packs
- Ole!
- Fast Lane
- Snow Blind
- Fear Itself
- A Villain a Day
- Techno Zombies
- Barbershop Blues
- Blast from the Past
- Nemesis
- The Height of Heat
- Space Camp and Beyond
- Alien Data Files: Wildmutt
- Greasy Lightning
- Alien Data Files: Heatblast
- Alien Data Files: Four Arms
- Swimming with Sharks
- Monkey Business
- Alien Data Files: XLR8
- Eggs with Legs
- Intergalactic Spazz Club
- Aqua Nut
- Sonic Boom
- Pleasant Dreams
- Alien Data Files: Upgrade
- Captured!
- Wanted
- Special Defects
- Alien Data Files: Diamondhead
- Mountains of Trouble
- Alien Data Files: Ripjaws
- Dora Flora
- Alien Data Files: Stinkfly
- Old Friends
- Powerless
Chapter Books
Video Games
Ben 10: Protector of Earth
Max helps Ben in his travel around the country. He was captured by Kevin 11 and had to be rescued by Ben. He accesses to Plumber base in Mt. Rushmore and later defeats Zs'Skayr with a sun gun.
Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks
Max helps Ben and his gang to destroy the Null Void power source. He joins the gang after the level MorOtesi. He appears in holograms on Plumber Badges, in the beginning and ending of each level. He battles the Null Void monsters on Earth.
Ben 10: Omniverse
Max is a non-playable character. He gets captured by Dr. Animo and gets rescued by 11-year-old Ben and Rook.
Trivia
- Max's design in the original series was created primarily by David Williams[DW 1] with some help from Dave Johnson, while his Alien Force and Ultimate Alien one was created by Glenn Wong.[GW 1] Overall, his design is based on the costume worn by Shazam from DC Comics, right down to his open shirt forming a lightning bolt and the colors of his shirt mimicking Shazam's cape.[DJ 1]
- In Omniverse, Max's eyes are a reference to Shazam[DJW 2] whereas his flashback design from Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51 was inspired by Shazam's alter ago Billy Batson.[DJW 3]
- Max was supposed to get the Omnitrix, but when Ben found it, his DNA was close enough to Max's that it attached itself to his wrist instead.[9][12]
- Originally, Max's lucky Hawaiian shirt was given to him by Gwen's older brother, Ken.[pop-up 2][13] However, this was retconned in Omniverse, as Max was shown to be wearing the shirt as a young adult, long before Ken would have been born.[14]
- Max previously thought Gwen's powers were magic. He did not realize it was Gwen's inheritance any more than her parents did.[DM 2]
- Max was a Magister for at least 5 years.[15]
- In the early stages of production of the original series:
- Max was going to be a scientist who drove a blimp.[JK 1]
- Max originally wasn't a Plumber, he was just an average inventor.[pop-up 3]
- Max has been the subject of several running gags throughout the franchise:
- Most humans (especially Ben, Gwen, and Kevin) find his cooking to be disgusting, while aliens such as Rook and Xylene cannot get enough of the alien cuisine.
- Background characters are shown wearing shirts identical to Max's.
- Max was similar to Kevin when he was Kevin's age.[16][5] For example, in Moonstruck, young Max says "Hey! Watch the paint job!" and "My ride!", both of which have been said by Kevin.
- Max's favorite color is either pale green or magenta.[MW 2]
- Max has stock car driving experience.[17]
- Max made an appearance in the fifth episode of the sixth season of Robot Chicken, Hurtled from a Helicopter into a Speeding Train.
- Max once worked with the Saturdays[18] on The Bellwood Experiment, a secret project.[MW 3]
- Max's voice actor, Paul Eiding, likes that Max is more involved in Omniverse.[AC 1]
- Alternate counterparts of Max do not exist on either Rex's or Mad Ben's home dimensions.[DR 1][DJW 5]
- In the case of the former, this was proven true during Ben's visit there, as he hypothesized that Max may not exist on Rex's Earth.[19]
- In Dimension 23, Max died before the Omnitrix reached Earth, leaving Ben 23 with no mentor or moral support until Azmuth 23 took up that position.[20]
Notes
- ↑ Even though they have children, Derrick J. Wyatt said Max has never been married to Verdona.[DJW 1] Correlating with this, Dwayne McDuffie believed that Max has been married more than once.[DM 1] Matt Wayne does not know if they are married.[MW 1]
References
- ↑ Dr. Animo and the Mutant Ray
- ↑ Rook Tales
- ↑ Under Wraps
- ↑ Absolute Power: Part 2
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 What Are Little Girls Made Of?
- ↑ Showdown: Part 2
- ↑ Clyde Five
- ↑ Washington B.C.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Azmuth
- ↑ And Then There Were 10
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Moonstruck
- ↑ The Final Battle: Part 2
- ↑ Perfect Day
- ↑ Blukic and Driba Go to Area 51
- ↑ Malefactor
- ↑ Verdona
- ↑ Framed
- ↑ T.G.I.S.
- ↑ Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United
- ↑ Store 23
Crew Statements
Derrick J. Wyatt
- ↑ link unavailable
- ↑ https://archive.is/klM3B
- ↑ File:OV Young Adult Max Inspiration.png
- ↑ File:Rooters Do Not Consider Max or Gwen a Threat.png
- ↑ File:Mad Ben Has No Max.PNG
Dwayne McDuffie
Glenn Wong
- ↑ link unavailable