Plumbers (Classic)

This article belongs to the Classic Continuity

The Plumbers
General Information
Leader	Magistrata
Notable Members	Gwen Tennyson Max Tennyson Kevin Levin Rook Blonko
Allies	Azmuth Professor Paradox
Related Groups	Ben's Team Plumbers' Helpers Alpha Squad Rooters (Splinter Faction) Plumbiers (Earth predecessor)
Objectives	To safeguard and promote the public well being throughout the galaxy
Details
First Appearance	Truth
Gallery

“	To safeguard and promote the public well-being throughout the galaxy.	”
– The Plumbers' mission.

The Plumbers are an intergalactic law-enforcement organization that makes use of many high-tech gadgets and weapons to protect the planets in the universe from various alien threats and attacks. The name has also been used by an independent and secret government organization that protects the general public of Earth.

History

Main Timeline

The independent Earth-based Plumbers was first established by the Founding Fathers in the 1700's. George Washington was one of the first members. They were created to "plug the leaks" (hence the name) in the normal everyday world like extraterrestrials, monsters and ghosts, making sure alien life was not discovered or encountered by humans. Operating in secret, the Plumbers took on anything too tough or weird for normal law enforcement to handle.

The Plumbers' main adversary was the alien warlord Vilgax, who was ultimately defeated by a younh Max Tennyson. Most of the Plumbers eventually disbanded over the years. However, Max, his relatives, and a few other members remain in a semi-active capacity.

Ben 10

In the original series, Max is effectively forced out of retirement after his grandson Ben obtains the Omnitrix. Max uses his experience as a Plumber (along with various Plumber gear and weapons) to aid Ben in various battles along the road.

In Truth, the Null Void projector stored at the Plumbers' main base at Mt. Rushmore was stolen by Phil Billings as a part of scam to profit from catching aliens he himself had released. However, his plan was thwarted by Max and Ben.

In Big Fat Alien Wedding, it is revealed that the Plumbers have had a generations-long feud with the Lenopans. However, when a close relationship was formed between Plumber Joel Tennyson (Max Tennyson's nephew) and a Lenopan named Camille, a truce was forged as a result of their relationship and their wedding was to be the first ever marriage between a Lenopan and a human and was meant to put an end to years of fighting. Camille's parents and ex-boyfriend tried to stop the wedding; however, they were defeated by the combined efforts of Camille and the Tennysons and thus, the two were married. Though Joel's parents were against the marriage at first, they later realize how unfairly they had treated Camille and finally accepted her as their daughter-in-law, thus putting an end to the feud.

In Ben 10 vs. the Negative 10: Part 1, it is revealed that there are Plumbers bases located within Fort Knox and the Seattle Space Needle.

In Ben 10 vs. the Negative 10: Part 2, it is revealed that the Mt. Rushmore base also contains the Sub Energy.

Regardless of timeline, the Plumbers have many secret bases hidden in ordinary and public places. Throughout the United States, at least one base has been built in every state including every major military base in the country.

5 years prior to Omniverse

At some point between Ben 10: Destroy All Aliens and the Omniverse flashbacks, the independent Earth-based Plumbers joined the larger intergalactic organization of the same name.

The Rooters were a secret branch of the original Earth Plumbers, and were retained as such when they joined the larger intergalactic organization as an "experiment in cultural sensitivity".

Alien Force

In Alien Force, Max discovers that the Highbreed and their minions, the DNAliens, are up to no good and he warns Magister Labrid there is trouble brewing on Earth. Labrid quickly discovers Max has gone missing.

In Ben 10 Returns: Part 1, Labrid mistakenly tries to capture Ben and Gwen, believing that they were stealing the Omnitrix. Upon discovering who they are, he asks for their assistance in discovering the reason for Max's disappearance. The three of them manage to interrupt an arms deal between the Forever Knights and the DNAliens, with Ben's old-rival, Kevin as the middle-man. After a brief battle, they captured Kevin and convinced him to help them find out what was going on, Kevin decided to help as he had not been paid. They tracked the weapons back to one of the Forever Knights castles.

In Ben 10 Returns: Part 2, Labrid is fatally wounded during a battle with the Forever Knights. His dying wish was for them to finish their mission and charged them with protecting the Earth from this new threat.

In Everybody Talks About the Weather, it is revealed that Plumbers possess special badges. All Plumber Badges bear the intergalactic peace symbol. There is also a practice where alien Plumbers who have inter-bred with humans give their hybrid-offspring a Plumber Badge to prevent them from being wrongly arrested by other Plumbers for interplanetary trespass.

In Darkstar Rising, Ben, Gwen and Kevin are forbidden to fight against the Highbreed threat by Magister Prior Gilhil, who doubts they are a threat. However, his opinion changed after he, Ben, Kevin, and a Highbreed are captured by Darkstar to feed his powers. With the help of some DNAliens, Gwen frees them and Darkstar is arrested while the other villains escape. In gratitude, Prior Gilhil makes the team honorary Plumbers so they can legally defend the Earth.

A Plumber badge in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien

In War of the Worlds, all of the Plumber's Kids and Max participate in the final battle against the Highbreed. Notably, Gwen, Kevin, Cooper and Professor Paradox warped into the Plumber base in Mt. Rushmore to free Darkstar in order to participate in the battle.

As a result of Ben's defeat of Vilgax and neutralizing the Highbreed threat, as well as his status as Bearer of the Omnitrix, Ben holds a special status among the Plumbers ranks, even leading his own team.

At the end of War of the Worlds, Max recruits a team of Plumbers In-Training, with himself as both their leader and mentor. Max's team later fights and is defeated by Vilgax in Vengeance of Vilgax: Part 1.

Ultimate Alien

In Fame, it is revealed that all governments on Earth secretly recognize the Plumbers organization in dealing with alien threats (explaining the existence of secret bases within Mount Rushmore, Fort Knox and the Seattle Space Needle, as they were likely set up with the help of the United States government to aid the Plumbers).

In Escape from Aggregor, Prior Gilhil answered a distress call from Galapagus aboard Aggregor's Ship, only to be told by Aggregor on arrival that the distress call was a computer error. After demanding a search of the ship, he soon locates Aggregor's prisoners, only to be murdered by Aggregor. Aggregor stole Prior Gilhil's ship and suit.

Plumber ships coming out of hyper space

In Too Hot to Handle, it is revealed that Plumber Badges can act as radiation detectors. At the end of the episode, Aggregor is shown attacking the Plumbers' ship which was carrying P'andor, the windows crack from Aggregor's attacks and throw the Plumbers into space, killing them.

In Deep, there is a place called Plumber Central Command and there is a Magister Plumber named Magister Pyke stationed on Piscciss.

In The Enemy of My Enemy, the Plumbers Academy had made an appearance and Magister Coronach is running the academy and he doesn't approve of the place being a prison or a battlefield.

In Basic Training, Ben, Gwen and Kevin are sent to a different Plumbers Academy where they were trained by Magister Hulka, the toughest Plumber of all.

In A Knight to Remember, a squad of Plumbers help Ben's Team fight the Flame Keepers' Circle in an attempt to capture Vilgax but failed.

Omniverse

The Plumber Headquarters beneath Max's Plumbing is where most captured villains are imprisoned if they are not sent to the Null Void.

In The Final Countdown, the Plumber Headquarters was launched into space during an attack by Master Kundo.

Alternate Timelines

Ben 10,000 Timeline

Plumbers in the future

In the Ben 10,000 Timeline, the Plumbers wear armored suits as their standard uniform.

In The End of an Era, the Plumbers, along with various people throughout the galaxy, were having a celebration of Max Tennyson's retirement, who had also given Rook his position of Magistratus.

Dimension 23

Plumbers (Dimension 23)

In Dimension 23, the Plumbers have different members in the organization than their main timeline counterparts. Their uniforms also had a bluish color scheme, much like everything else in Dimension 23.

Race Against Time Timeline

File:Earthplumbers.png

Plumbers (RAT Timeline)

This timeline's Plumbers had been fighting against mostly supernatural threats up until Eon first appeared on Earth in the 1800's, at which point they made it their main objective to protect the Hands of Armageddon from Eon over the next 200 years.

Over time, the Plumbers kept the Hands hidden in a secret underground base. They did not make the connection between Eon and the Omnitrix until earlier in the summer due to similar energy signatures.

Known Plumbers

• Ben Tennyson (deputized agent)
• Magister Max Tennyson (formally retired)
• Gwen Tennyson (deputized agent; semi-active)
• Kevin Levin (deputized agent; semi-active)
• Magister Rook Blonko
• Magister Patelliday
• Galvan
  • Blukic (technician)
  • Driba (technician)
  • Luhley
  • Galvan Teacher
• Fistina (cadet)
• Scout
• Lucy Mann
• Jerry
• Magister Arnux
• Plumbers' Helpers
  • Alan Albright
  • Helen Wheels
  • Manny Armstrong
  • Cooper Daniels
• Rook Shar (cadet-in-training)
• Bromeba
• Stick Doug
• Leadfoot
• Chortle
• Tack
• Alpha Squad
  • Hobble
  • Molly Gunther
  • Zorian
  • Brannigan
• Magister Pyke
• Bryk
• Morty
• Elliot
• Sheriff Wat-Senn
• I.M. Werfzel
• Magistrata
• Magister Coronach (also teacher)
• Magister Hulka
• Joel Tennyson
• Bel Biv Kaboom
• Judicator the Super Plumber

Honorary Members

• Camille Mann-Tennyson
• Xylene

Dimension 23

• Azmuth
• Tetrax Shard
• SevenSeven

Race Against Time Timeline

• Max Tennyson
• Edward White
• Doris Dalton
• Postman Hawkins
• Fire Chief Whittington
• Mr. Enguells
• Mr. Jenyx
• Mrs. Carlyle
• An unnamed old man

Former Members

• Max Tennyson (Dimension 23; deceased)
• Magister Wes Green (retired)
• Gordon Tennyson (retired)
• Betty Jean Tennyson (retired)
• Magister Labrid (deceased)
• Rooters (fired)
  • Proctor Servantis
  • Swift
  • Magister Leander
  • Phil Billings
• Vreedle Brothers (fired)
  • Octagon Vreedle
  • Rhomboid Vreedle
• Magister Prior Gilhil (deceased)
• George Washington (deceased)
• Benjamin Franklin (deceased)
• Driscoll (fired)
• Pierce Wheels (deceased)
• Victor Validus (deceased)
• Constantine Jacobs (Race Against Time Timeline; deceased)

Legislation

Casey-Kelly Accords

The Casey-Kelly Accords are a galactic legislation that are responsible for the ratification of the 'Galactic Code of Conduct'. The Code of Conduct, among other things, recognizes the authority of the Plumbers as the only law enforcement agency recognized by all signatories of the Milky Way Treaty, and outlines the rules of the 'Conqueror's Challenge'.

Magister Prior Gilhil cited the Casey-Kelly Accords when asserting the authority of the Plumbers as the only official galactic law enforcement agency. Max Tennyson cited the Casey-Kelly Accords when banishing Vilgax from Earth following his defeat by Ben Tennyson.

Conqueror's Challenge

The Conqueror's Challenge can be issued by a member of one planetary civilization in order to challenge another for the rule of both worlds. The Conqueror's Challenge was created by dozens of worlds in cooperation after a bloody galactic war, then signed onto by hundreds more. The Galvan were among the first signatories. In a Conqueror's Challenge, ordinarily issued by the invading species, members of each species can choose a single warrior to represent them in battle. The winner of the battle then becomes the ruler of both planets, while the loser is banished from the invaded planet forever. The rules of the Conqueror's Challenge are outlined in the Galactic Code of Conduct and ratified by the 'Casey-Kelly Accords'.

Vilgax was one of the most successful conquerors in the Milky Way Galaxy, dominating ten planets through his combat abilities alone. After successfully defeating Ultimos and conquering the planet T-K, Bilgax issued another challenge to Ben Tennyson. Though Vilgax was defeated by Ben and subsequently banished from Earth, Ben did not become the ruler of Vilgaxia after winning the challenge.

Trivia

• The Plumbers were named after the real-life White House Plumbers, a group tasked with stopping or preventing the leakage of classified information to the news media during Richard Nixon's presidency.
• Plumbers built garbage trucks, station wagons, and a riding lawnmower with weapons and gadgets like the Rust Bucket.
• Jetpack repair is a basic skill taught to Plumber cadets.
• Impersonating a Plumber is an interstellar-class felony.
• The original Omnitrix doubled as a Plumber Badge.
• Regardless of timeline, not all Plumbers are fighters like Max. Many current and former Plumbers are simply scientists, researches, explorers, teachers, and technicians working to promote the public well being.
• The Incurseans and most of the Anur System do not recognize the authority of the Plumbers.
• Plumbers have the authority to take other Plumbers into custody.
  • In Ultimate Alien, the Plumbers were forbidden from arresting humans apart from Dr. Animo. This has been changed by Omniverse, as Plumbers can arrest humans only if they have proven themselves to be great enough of treats and/or involved alien-related matters.
• The Plumbers' equivalent of Human Resources is called 'Inhuman Resources'.
• Despite being a trusted advisor to the Plumbers, Azmuth has no authority over them.
• The Plumbers work for intergalactic judges such as Judge Domstol.
• Even though there are other interplanetary and intergalactic law enforcement organizations besides the Plumbers and Galactic Enforcers, the Plumbers are the only law enforcement organization recognized by all signatories of the Milky Way Treaty.
• In the Race Against Time Timeline, the Plumbers took up many jobs in Bellwood so as to not cause any suspicion as to why they were there.
• Though the Plumbers exist in the reboot, it is not in the way older fans remember.

See Also

All the closed Plumber Bases across the United States, with Seattle, Washington highlighted

Locations

• Plumber Headquarters
• Plumbers' Academy
• Plumbers' Research Satellite Delta
• Mt. Rushmore
• Fort Knox
• Seattle Space Needle
• Moon

Organizations

• Plumbiers (precursor to the Earth Plumbers)
• Rooters (formerly a special faction)

Equipment

• Plumber Suit
• Plumber Badge
• Plumber Ship