 This article belongs to the Reboot Continuity
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 Click here to see the Classic Continuity version of this article
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 For other uses, see Upgrade
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| “ | Run? Omnitrix? That's it! | ” |
– Upgrade's final words before sacrificing himself to reboot the Omnitrix.[1] | ||
Upgrade is the Omnitrix's DNA sample of a Galvanic Mechamorph from Galvan Prime's moon, Galvan B.
Appearance[]
Upgrade is a black humanoid comprised of liquid metal, with a purple/violet torso and thighs. He has purple stripes that extend from his body, resembling circuitry and a singular eye in the shape of a circle. Upgrade wears the Omnitrix symbol on his chest.
As a sumo in Ben's imagination in Cutting Corners, he has the build of a sumo. The violet part of his body is T-shaped.
As a toddler, Upgrade looks the same except he is in smaller size.
Powers and Abilities[]
Upgrade is not completely solid, as he can alternate between the forms of a liquid and a gelatinous being. Due to this, he can reshape himself to let projectiles or blows pass through him by creating a hole in his body at will.
Upgrade can use his internal nanotechnology to merge with and possess any technology by encasing himself over it. The size of the device is not significant and he controls it as naturally as he would his own body. Whenever he merges with technology, he upgrades it into something far more advanced and futuristic, causing new features to form on it.
Technology does not seem to be the only thing Upgrade is able to merge and enhance with, as he once merged with a suit of armor[2] and a skateboard.[3]
Upgrade can also mimic technology and has a vast library of schematics to draw upon.[4][DR 1]
Possessing technology allows him to transform it with seemingly no limit, such as merging with the Rustbucket and turning it into a space ship. The moment he separated from it, it returned to normal.[5]
Upgrade is capable of making certain technology he possesses explode. Due to being made of living metal, he is able to regenerate himself.[6]
Upgrade can make his head or face appear anywhere on the machines he possesses.
Upgrade is capable of jumping exceptionally high.
Upgrade possesses enhanced reflexes and flexibility, allowing him to dodge attacks with a little effort.
When merged with machinery, Upgrade's strength is increased, strong enough to overpower and toss opponents.
Weaknesses[]
Being living metal, Upgrade is vulnerable to electricity,[7] such as that generated by a Fulmini, as demonstrated with Bootleg.[8]
Upgrade is sensitive to electromagnetic pulse/fields and magnetic fields.
As a toddler, Upgrade cannot completely merge with technology but could if he was stretched long enough.[9]
Upgrade can sustain damage from attacks on whatever object or technology he is merged with, as demonstrated with Bootleg.[10]
Upgrade can be forcefully separated by species with enough strength, as he was easily separated by Vilgax .[1]
History[]
Ben 10[]
- Upgrade first appeared in Freaky Gwen Ben, where he was used by Gwen in Ben's body to destroy the Titan Gauntlets and defeat Hex.
- In Growing Pains, Upgrade defeated Nanny Nightmare.
- In Don't Let the Bass Drop, Upgrade got to DJ Duster's concert.
- In Cutting Corners, Upgrade defeated Gwen and Max inside a Sumo Slammers game in a daydream. Later, he tried to cut the grass but accidentally annoyed the Boblins.
- In Steam is the Word, Upgrade got to Steam Smythe's ship and battled the Mechanoids.
- In Xingo, Upgrade unintentionally brought Xingo to reality.
- In Drive You Crazy, Upgrade raced against LaGrange.
- In Scared Silly, Upgrade defeated Carl.
- In Hole in 10, Upgrade battled the Ground Hawg.
- In The Beast Inside, Upgrade battled a mutated Lester but was defeated.
- In Zombozo-Land, Upgrade shut down the Hypno Tower.
- In Bentuition: Upgrade 01, Upgrade flew around with a skateboard.
- In Bentuition: Upgrade 02, Upgrade upgraded the air conditioner which caused it to fill the Rustbucket with snow.
- In Omni-Tricked: Part 2, Upgrade appeared due to a glitch.
- In Omni-Tricked: Part 3, Upgrade tried to put out a fire twice.
- In Omni-Tricked: Part 4, Upgrade appeared due to a glitch and later caused Vilgax's ship to crash and upgraded the Omnitrix,[note 1] apparently removing himself from the active playlist and getting replaced with Shock Rock.
- In Innervasion Part 4: Mind Over Alien Matter, Upgrade appeared when Glitch recounted the circumstances of his creation.
Appearances[]
Season 1[]
- Freaky Gwen Ben (first appearance; by Gwen in Ben's body)
- Growing Pains (accidental transformation; as toddler and normal)
- Don't Let the Bass Drop
- Cutting Corners
- Steam is the Word
- Xingo
- Drive You Crazy
- Scared Silly (selected alien was Cannonbolt)
- Hole in 10 (intended alien was Wildvine)
- The Beast Inside (accidental transformation)
- Zombozo-Land
- Omni-Tricked: Part 2
- Omni-Tricked: Part 3 (x4)
- Omni-Tricked: Part 4 (x2; removed)
Season 2[]
- Safari Sa'Bad (cameo)
- Innervasion Part 4: Mind Over Alien Matter (flashback)
Shorts[]
Video Games[]
Ben 10[]
Upgrade is a playable alien character in the game.
Upgrade is initially unavailable but is unlocked towards the middle part of The Scrapyard level.
Upgrade is able to stretch his arms to inhuman lengths, turn into a puddle of slime and shoot a purple energy beam from his eye.
Upgrade's Ultimate Ability consists of him unleashing a devastating eye beam at enemies.
Upgrade is not required to be used at all in order to complete the game.
Online Games[]
Super Hero Time[]
Upgrade is playable alien in the game. He is unlocked at level 23, and is the final alien the player unlocks in the game.
Naming and Translations[]
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese (Br) | Ultra T | From ultra, high and from T, abbreviation of technology |
| Russian | Плазма | From плазма (plazma), plasma |
| Spanish (HA) | Ultra T | From ultra, ultra- and T, abbreviation of technology |
| Turkish | Güncelleme | From upgrade |
Trivia[]
- Unlike his Classic Continuity counterpart:
- Upgrade speaks with a voice that is different from Ben's; in Growing Pains, his voice sounds younger. Upgrade's voice in the reboot is meant to be a deep-voiced interpretation of Ben himself as if he was the same person - suddenly in a different body with a deep adult voice - but still a kid.[DS 1]
- Upgrade does not have the ability to shoot a plasma blast from his eye.[DR 2] However, he demonstrated this ability in the first reboot game and Super Hero Time, which is non-canon.
- The crew tried a lot of combos when deciding Upgrade's color scheme, before settling on purple.[DR 3]
- In one of the comics, Upgrade had a color scheme similar to his Original Series counterpart.[comic 1]
- Upgrade’s unlock notice in the first reboot game alludes to the “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s superman!” slogan (asking if he’s an alien, liquid or machine), and also the “yes” meme (the use of the word yes as a filler answer to an open-ended question).
- Upgrade is the first of Ben's regular aliens to be replaced by another in a subsequent season. His voice actor David Sobolov was disappointed that Upgrade was removed from the show and missed being able to continue the role.[DS 1]
- Despite being replaced with Shock Rock starting in Season 2, it is possible for Ben to regain access to Upgrade by scanning the DNA sample of another Galvanic Mechamorph.[DR 4]
- Ironically, the opening intro for season 2 would not be updated to have Shock Rock in place of Upgrade until Half-Sies.
Notes[]
- ↑ When the Omnitrix was upgraded, the Galvanic Mechamorph DNA pod was nearly destroyed in a massive feedback loop. A leftover piece of Upgrade's DNA fused with traces of Ben's Human DNA, becoming a new entity named Glitch.
