02x07 - Grounded

[bunniefuu]

He's such a good boy.

Ben Tennyson
is not a good boy.

He's a great boy!

I don't know if it's bad karma
to pat ourselves on the back,

Sandra, but we've done a pretty
good job as parents.

Well, we haven't stifled him.

Allowing a child to explore the
wholeness of his entire being --

[expl*si*n ]

[tires screech ]

[ footsteps thudding ]

Hey, kid!

You're going the wrong...

Ben?

Ben!

Stop!

Wait!

[ beep]

Swampfire!

Ben?

I grow weary of your
pathetic human interference.

[ pole sizzles ]

[grunts ]

You guys okay?

That's...

Ben?

Nice to see you.

You working flex hours now?

[ footsteps thudding ]

Ben, look out!

[grunts ]

Ben!

[groans ]

No final words, Tennyson?

Still reeling from the augmented
power of my new form, no doubt.

If you're saying
you're uglier,

you get no
argument here.

I defeated Tennyson.

What chance has
the likes of you?

Me?

Not much.

But her...

[ rumbles ]

You've already wasted far
too much of my valuable time.

I'll do with you at my leisure.

Kevin!

Ben's still down!

[ beep]

[laughs ]

Oh, man!

What?

[laughs ]

That Highbreed gave
you a black eye.

I like him better already.

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

I just want to know where the
Highbreed went

and what he's up to.

That way.

The waterfront.

And he looked like a
man on a mission.

We'll meet at the wharf
after dinner and homework.

Should I floss, too?

Your parents are gonna freak out
when they see that eye.

How are you gonna explain it?

Not to worry.

My folks believe
anything I tell them.

I got this covered.

I'm home!

What's for dinner?

Sup?

Where have you been,
young man?

I was at the movies with Julie.

I know I should have told you.

Sorry, I --

[gasps ]

Carl, look at his eye!

That's quite a shiner.

If that was another three inches

higher, you could have
put your eye out!

Fine!

I admit it.

I got in a I-little fight.

It's no big deal.

There was this jerk at school,
and...

Ben, are you sure it was a kid
at school

and not a giant
alien creature?

I can't believe it.

You look us straight in the eye

and lie to us over and over
again.

We saw you, Ben!

We saw you turn into that thing!

No.

You just think you saw.

I can explain.

Really?

N-not so much, no.

...Which allows me to access the
genetic code

of various extraterrestrial
forms in order

to battle the DNAliens,

who will stop at nothing

in their quest to take over
the Earth!

And this became your job
when, exactly?

Five years ago.

Grandpa Max said we each have a
responsibility to --

Oh, of course!

Dad. I should have known.

That's so typical!

He was more than just a
Plumber.

He --

...lied to us!

Your uncle Frank and I knew he
had some other life --

we knew -- and that he lied to
us about it all the time!

I won't have you lying, too!

It's our own fault.

We were too permissive.

And what did we get?

A -year-old son needlessly
risking his life!

Not needlessly, mom.

It has to be me.

The Omnitrix is attached to me.

It doesn't come off.

Oh, it's coming off,
all right.

[sawing ]

[scrape]

[whoosh ]

[ click ]

[ creaking ]

[ clang ]

Okay, it's not coming off.

I tried to tell you.

Not a scratch!

Sorry about your saw
blades.

In any case, you're forbidden
from using the Omnitrix.

Understand?

But, dad, all humanity
is counting --

Understand?

[ cellphone vibrating ]

[door slams ]

[ cellphone beeps ]

This is not a good time,
okay?

[ computer beeping ]

Uh, he said he'd call back.

Look at this.

The logbooks show all these
freighters as frequent visitors

bringing in goods and shipping
out local products.

So?

So, this ship, the
Eustacia Vye,

is an unregistered tanker from
the tiny island of Castoon.

Where they used to DO
nuclear testing.

It was on the historical
channel.

What would Bellwood be
importing from Castoon?

And if it is connected
to the Highbreed,

what would the aliens
want with it?

Ask them.

[ DNAliens snarling ]

[grunts ]

[ cellphone ringing ]

[ cellphone beeps ]

Yeah?

Uh, hate to bother you,
but we got a problem!

You've got problems?

My parents found out about
the Omnitrix.

I'm not allowed to use it.

Folks mad at you, huh?

Sounds rough.

By the way, we're getting it
handed to us by the DNAliens!

Okay. I'm coming.

I've got to go help Gwen with an
after-school project.

And it's homework?

Yeah. I promised.

Okay. Since you promised.

But back by : .

[ beep]

Echo Echo!

[switch clicks ]

Oh, man!

Do you really think we're
that gullible?

We were teenagers once,
too, you know.

I really don't know what to
say.

Well, I do.

Benjamin Tennyson,
you are grounded!

What?

You can't ground me!

I'm a superpowered alien!

You're a superpowered alien
who's about five minutes from

forcing me to reconsider

a lifelong disbelief in corporal
punishment.

Up the stairs, young man!

[ mumbling ]

Do we even have a paddle of
some sort?

I have my hemp belt.

[switch clicks ]

[ cellphone rings ]

[ cellphone beeps ]

Hello?

Where are you?!

We have a little situation here!

And a lot of DNAliens.

Okay.

Aim the phone at them.

[shrieks ]

Who is this?

[ cellphone beeps ]

Lately, it seems like
Ben's just phoning it in.

That's my phone!

A cellphone is a privilege,
not a right.

You'll get it back when you've
proven we can trust you.

Ben, are you hanging out with
a bad crowd?

What?! No!

Are they telling you it's
"cool" to sneak out,

turn into aliens,
lie to your parents?

I want to know who this bad
influence is.

Their parents need to know
what's going on.

Who?

It's a sacred trust.

I cannot divulge that
information.

Never, never, never!

[telephone rings ]

[telephone beeps ]

Hello?

You ratted me out?!

I can explain!

What's to explain?

My parents read me the riot act
when I got home last night.

"How dare you help Ben deceive
your aunt and uncle, young lady?"

Why did you tell them?

You've gone nose to nose with
Vilgax without blinking!

Vilgax never gave me
the mom look.

Sorry.

You're sorry,
and I'm grounded --

stuck here in the house

instead of finding out
what the Highbreed wants

with that freighter.

Don't worry.

Kevin's on it.

He's going to check it out
tonight.

Wha--
you sent Kevin?

Okay. I've got to go.

[telephone beeps ]

[ clang ]

[sniffs ]

Ugh, what stinks in here?

I guess that's
for Gwen to find out.

[grunts ]

[gasps ]

[groans ]

It smells even worse up close.

[grunts ]

[telephone ringing ]

Hello? Tennyson residence.

This isn't a good time, Kevin.

You're telling me.

I'm up to my nose in smelly goo,
trapped in a vat,

and DNAliens are coming!

I'm conferencing Gwen in.

[telephone beeps ]

[telephone rings ]

Hello?

I can't get a grip on
the wall.

Uh-oh. Company.

Kevin? Is that you?

[grunts ]

Absorb something and
bust out of the t*nk.

Absorb what?

Stink?

What's your phone made of?

Titanium. Why?

Oh.

Ben, you're on punishment!

Get off the phone!

One minute, dad.

Guys, I think I know
what Kevin's swimming in.

According to wifipedia, Castoon
has only one export --

bat guano.

[ boom! ]

What is guano?

Evidently, the berries
on the island are radioactive

from the nuke testing years ago.

When they're eaten by the bats,

the resulting waste is the
rarest isotope in the world.

Ugh!

Ben?

One minute.

The radiation is so mild,
however,

it would take a lot of it to
constitute a thr*at.

Gwen, how much can that
freighter carry?

, tons.

Guys, I could use a
little help.

[dial tone]

"No phone" means "no phone"!

Go to your room!

I can't believe this is
happening!

[ computer beeping ]

Oh, hey.

You found a wireless network.

Yeah.

That is the good news.

The bad news...

[ DNAliens snarling ]

...They're not happy about it.

Ladder ahead on your right.

Climb it.

Okay, the hatch on your left --
go through it and hug the wall.

Now just hang there for a second
till they pass.

[ DNAliens snarling ]

Back through and shut the hatch.

[ clang ]

I get it. I get it.

You got a real future as a
personal-navigation device,
Tennyson.

Why don't --

Whoops. Here come some more.

[ DNAliens snarling ]

There's a crane hook
right there.

What about it?

Grab it, then kick
the green button!

[ chain jingles, whirring ]

Whoa!

[ chain jingles ]

Okay. That was pretty cool.

I should roll solo more often.

Whatever.

Just get out of there, and
we'll --

What's wrong?

Kevin, don't panic.

Everything will be okay.

Just --

[grunts ]

Nice to see you again,
Vermin.

Ben, a little help here.

[ computer beeps ]

Dad, no!

Oh, don't you "no" me,

Ben Tennyson!

You have defied us for the last
time.

You've got to listen!

My friend is in trouble!

I've got to go help him!

I don't want to hear another
word.

You are not leaving this room.

You are not calling anyone, you
are not I.M.'ing anyone,

you are not texting anyone, you
are not myfacing anyone.

Myfacing?

You will sit here alone until
we tell you otherwise!

Understood?

You don't understand.

This is a matter of life and
death!

They only life we're
concerned about is yours.

You're staying right here.

Don't look out there.

Look at us.

I'm sorry.

I love you guys.

You're awesome parents.

You raised me by example.

And time after time,

I've seen you put other people's
needs first.

I can't obey you now without
disobeying

everything you've
ever taught me about life,

the world, and responsibility.

Ben, we forbid you to --

So, when I get back,
punish me however you want.

But right now, I have a friend
who's in trouble.

[ beep]

Humongousaur!

[grunts ]

Sorry!

I'll fix that later!

He just walked out on us.

What are we gonna do?

We're going to listen to our
son.

You guys picked the wrong
Humongousaur to g*ng up on.

I'm having a bad night.

This stinks.

You are not the first to
taste defeat at our hands,

nor will you be the last.

No.

I mean the bat poop.

I can't believe you eat that
stuff.

We do not eat it, human.

Sure you do.

What else would you do with it?

Tennyson has trained you well,

but your pathetic attempt
to learn our plans succeeded

only in reminding me of the need
to dispose of you.

[grunts ]

HUMONGOUSAUR:
Oh, that one
was a little high and inside.

I thought you got sent
to your room without supper.

Enjoy me while
you can.

I'm gonna be grounded for
the rest of high school.

[grunts ]

I was just getting him
to spill his guts

about his plans for the bat
poop.

HUMONGOUSAUR:
The DNAliens
down there are rendering it,

removing the impurities until
they're left

with a highly
volatile isotope,

suitable for use as a power
source.

You figured all that
out by yourself?

Gwen.

Question is --
power source for what?

It's a surprise.

The final surprise for the human
race!

Destroy them!

Hold on.

Try the cable.

Cool.

[grunting ]

[grunting ]

Handle the rest.

Do your thing.

Might want to put
a little size on.

No...room...

in here.

You look fatigued, vermin.

Let me help put you to rest,
permanently.

[grunts ]

Ben!

Congratulations.

That was almost exercise.

Goodbye, Ben Tennyson.

[alarm beeping ]

Good sh*t, honey.

Like my dad always said --

the right tool for the right
job.

Ben, are you okay?

Mom, dad -- am
I glad to see you.

I mean, I'm always glad to see
you, but...

Uh, excuse me.

You're his ruffian friend,
right?

I've got it covered, dear.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa!

[ DNAliens snarling ]

Thanks.

Uh, nice piece, by the way.

Yeah, dad.

Where did you get that?

What?
This old thing?

It's been sitting in the attic
ever since Frank and I were kids.

Always hated it.

Are you okay, Ben?

Fine, mom.

I'm sorry I just blew you off
like that.

I'm not.

I mean, it's actually kind of
cool

that you showed up when you
did.

It was very cool.

We're proud of you.

Your friend was in danger.

You had to help him.

His friend?

You heard that monster, honey.

The whole world was in danger!

Ben saved it.

I helped.

The point is, son, we've seen
you in action.

We know what you're capable of.

Clearly, you know what you're
doing.

You would have found a way to
win even if your father hadn't

sh*t the giant alien with the
space bazooka.

[ click ]

[laughs evilly]

[grunts ]

One sec.

Nice.

Okay. I sunk it.

Hey, what about
the Highbreed?

You were supposed to drag him
off the ship

before you scuttled it.

Was I?

Must have slipped my mind.

Kidding!

He was gone before I got back.

You're right, mom --

he's a ruffian.

I thought you hated that thing.

Yeah.

I used to hate all of that
Plumber stuff.

It reminded me of the secret
life

your grandpa Max hid from us.

But now I understand, he was
only protecting us.

[ cellphone ringing ]

It's your cousin.

[ cellphone beeps ]

What's up?

Okay.

Have to call you back.

[ cellphone beeps ]

So, there's been an alien
sighting in the desert that --

Then what are you waiting
for?

[door opens ]

It's cold in the desert at
night!

Bring a jacket!