When Kevin convinces Steam Smythe to adopt a modern approach in fighting Ben, our young hero must resort to old-fashioned thinking to save the day.
Plot[]
In a desert, Steam Smythe repairs his broken-down Clocktopus as he grouses over having lost to Ben once again. He ponders if people don't care about steam power anymore, when suddenly, Kevin appears behind him. He suggests to Steam Smythe that he tries a different approach. Steam Smythe demands to know who he is, and his opinion on steam. Kevin introduces himself as the "chief authority on Tennyson whooping", and reveals he believes steam is dumb. Steam Smythe is hurt by his words, but soon realizes that would mean Kevin had defeated Ben prior. Kevin falsely confirms such as the case, and Steam Smythe decides to take his advice. Kevin gives Steam Smythe a tablet, although Steam Smythe is clueless about what it is.
Ben and Gwen having a water fight
Elsewhere, Gwen and Ben have a cowboy standoff in the Rustbucket, although they're using water guns. Ben uses the Omnitrix to transform into Four Arms, quadrupling his output of water. Max then opens the Rustbucket's door, only to be sprayed in the face with water. He angrily asks what's going on, and Four Arms tries to cover it up as cleaning the Rustbucket. Max notices his now-water-covered tablet sparking, and tells his grandchildren they're going outside.
Team Tennyson treks through the desert, but Ben and Gwen collapse from the heat. However, Max reveals that they've barely left the parking lot, and the town they're going to is only a short walk away. Max teases them with the promise of seeing the toughest showdown in the wild west, rejuvenating the duo.
Steam Smythe and Kevin bicker
In the town, Ben is unimpressed by a display of mannequins in cowboy costumes. Gwen says she could find a documentary more interesting, but Max reminds the two that they ruined the tablet in their water fight. Ben lays down on the ground, disappointed, but Max tells him there's lots of things to do in the wild west. Gwen asks him to prove it, when suddenly, Max's parasol is fried by a laser. The three then see an upgraded Clocktopus, now sporting a silver coating and a digital clock. The prepare for a fight, but are confused when the Clocktopus stops moving. Inside of the machine, Steam Smythe inquires Kevin (who's laying in a hammock) about the clock, but Kevin tries to get him to shoot more lasers. The two start fighting, all while Team Tennyson is left befuddled. Just then, the Clocktopus starts moving and firing lasers, albeit erratically. Ben is separated from his family, just as Kevin finishes setting the time for Steam Smythe. They try to crush Ben, but he transforms into Slapback and scales the tentacle of the machine. He climbs onto the head of the Clocktopus, and it bashes itself in the head with its own tentacle, along with cloning Slapback.
A Slapback double mocks Steam Smythe through a camera on his Clocktopus, thanking him for the assist, and the two start jumping up and down on the Clocktopus. It tries to grab them, but that only splits them into four. They run away, and Steam Smythe follows them. He asks Kevin how to deploy the explosive carrier pigeons, but Kevin tells him to just shoot more lasers. Steam Smythe ignores him, and tries to smash one of the Slapbacks, only for him to turn into two smaller ones. He tries it again, but fails again. Kevin grabs his fist, explaining what he's doing wrong, and personally activates the lasers.
Two townies watch the Clocktopus, and one says that if he were to build a robot octopus, he'd make it run on clockwork. Gwen and Max then shove them out of the way, as the lasers almost hit them. The Clocktopus then destroys a trough filled with water, casuing one of the legs to begin sparking. Max tells Gwen to help Ben distract the machine, while he grabs something from the Rustbucket. Meanwhile, the various Slapbacks grab the tentacles of the Clocktopus, and restrain it with their weight. He then times out, reforming as Ben on top of the Clocktopus' head. Ben slides down the Clocktopus and tries to activate the Omnitrix, as Gwen catches up to him. She points out to him the presence of solar panels on the Clocktopus' backside, and how destroying them might power the machine down. Ben notes that solar panels aren't Steam Smythe's usual style. The two are then knocked away by one of the tentacles slamming near them, with Ben transforming into Humungousaur at the last second.
Humungousaur destroys the solar panels
Humungousaur quickly scales the Clocktopus, and smashes the solar panels with his spiked tail. As expected, the machine shuts down, and Steam Smythe panics. Kevin explains what must've happened. Humungousaur and Gwen celebrate their victory, when all of the sudden, the former is hit by one of the tentacles. Kevin mocks them for thinking they didn't have a backup power source, and the two start aiming for Gwen. She dodges their swipes, and Humungousaur chucks a wooden wall at the Clocktopus. However, he is quickly outmatched by the upgraded Clocktopus' attacks. Cockily, Steam Smythe tries to deploy laser pigeons, which causes Kevin to argue with him. He opens the camera app and presses the capture button, which starts a countdown. Believing it is a bomb, he panics. The tablet takes a selfie of the two, confusing Steam Smythe. Kevin tells him how to delete it, but Steam Smythe accidentally sends it to LaGrange. In LaGrange's apartment, he laughs at the photo taken.
Back in the desert town, the Clocktopus uses a wooden beam to combat Humungousaur, while Gwen tries to come up with a plan. The Clocktopus attempts to crush Humungousaur with the beam, only to be spray with water. Humungousaur hurls the beam into the Clocktopus' head, and Max appears, donning cowboy clothing and wielding a water gun. Max asks Gwen if she's okay, which she confirms. She asks if the water gun is hers, which Max de-confirms. He shows her a water cooler, which only opens after he types in a code, scans his handprint, scans his eye, and gives it vocal recognition. Inside the cooler is even more water guns. Max explains to Gwen that the Clocktopus is like his tablet, so they can use water to destroy it. Gwen and Humungousaur gear up for the fight.
Meanwhile, the Clocktopus pulls the wooden beam out of its head. Gwen reveals herself to Steam Smythe. Both parties ready their fire, but Gwen gets the first hit, blasting the machine with water. It stumbles back as Max joins in, and the evil-doers panic. Kevin brings the Clocktpus up to full power, allowing it to resist the water. Gwen and Max call upon Humungousaur, who uses a Gatling gun-like water gun. They push the Clocktopus towards a nearby water tower, and Kevin explains to a panicked Steam Smythe their weapons are down and they can't do anything. Humungousaur leaps into the air, and knocks them into the tower, finally destroying the Clocktopus.
After Team Tennyson celebrates, the hatch to the Clocktopus opens, and Steam Smythe and Kevin emerge. Team tennyson is confused by Kevin's presence, and he blames Steam Smythe for their loss. Steam Smythe, however, does not give up, and reveals his plan B. The Clocktopus recovers and reveals its steam components are still a part of it. Kevin rejoins him, and tells him to fire the pigeons. Steam Smythe plays along, telling him to pull a lever. However, upon being pulled, Kevin is shot out of the Clocktopus. He lands in some shrubs and makes his getaway.
Steam Smythe annouces his plan to show the Tennysons the superior power of steam, which catches the attention of the townies. They're impressed with his creation, which makes Steam Smythe feel appreciated. They ask him to give a lecture at a steampunk festival the next week on coal and steam, which he agrees to. The police then show up to arrest Steam Smythe. He happily goes with the authorities, telling his fans not to worry and that he will be back. The police drive off, and Max compliments his grandchildren's cowboy work. Gwen tells him it was quick thinking to use water against the Clocktopus. Max agrees, and then tells them they still owe him a tablet.
Ben: I feel deliberately misled. Max: What are you talking about? This is living history. Ben: "Living history" looks an awful lot like a parking lot full of mannequins.
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Chest: Voice authentication required. Max: I. Love. My. Grandkids.
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Steam Smythe: Controls are malfunctioning! Shoot a laser at them - blow them up with your magic techy stuff! Kevin: I can't! Our weapons are down! Steam Smythe: I dislike you, very, very, much.
This is the first episode where Kevin does not use the Antitrix to transform into any of his aliens.
This episode was originally aired on October 12, 2019 in Germany.[1][2]
This episode chronologically takes place before Roundabout as Kevin is not yet trapped between space and time.[DR 1] This is because new episodes were ordered at the last minute.[DR 2] The extra season 3 episodes were supposed to be spread throughout the season.[DR 3]
This article belongs to the Reboot Continuity
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