You’ve seen the fan art. Ben Tennyson standing next to Optimus Prime, looking like the ultimate galactic tag team. It feels like it should have happened by now, right? Both franchises dominated Cartoon Network for years. Both involve shifting shapes and saving the universe from genocidal warlords. Yet, if you go looking for an official, hour-long crossover special where Ben scans a Cybertronian, you're going to come up empty-handed.
But here is the thing. They have crossed over. Just not in the way most people think.
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The connection between Ben 10 and Transformers isn't just some pipe dream cooked up on DeviantArt. It’s a web of "blink-and-you’ll-miss-it" cameos, shared production staff, and official statements from lore-keepers that basically confirm they exist in the same massive multiverse.
The Derrick J. Wyatt Connection
To understand why these two worlds feel so similar, you have to look at the man behind the curtain: Derrick J. Wyatt.
Derrick was the art director for Transformers Animated (TFA). He’s the reason that show had such a distinct, stylized look. Later, he moved over to lead the art direction for Ben 10: Omniverse. If you ever felt like the character designs in Omniverse looked suspiciously like they belonged in Detroit with Bumblebee and Bulkhead, that’s why.
Wyatt loved to play with his food. He didn’t just bring his style; he brought literal pieces of the Transformers universe with him. In the Omniverse episode "The More Things Change: Part 2," look closely at Khyber the Huntsman’s trophy room. Hanging on the wall are two very specific items:
- Grimlock's flaming sword.
- Lockdown's hook.
These aren't "legally distinct" knockoffs. They are the exact designs from Transformers Animated. This isn't just a fun Easter egg for the nerds. It implies that Khyber, the greatest hunter in the Ben 10 galaxy, actually traveled to the Transformers dimension (or they to his) and took down two of the most dangerous bots in history. Honestly, thinking about Khyber managed to out-hunt Lockdown is kind of terrifying.
Is Ben 10 and Transformers Canon?
The short answer is: Sort of. The long answer is: It depends on which "god" of the franchise you ask.
For the Transformers side, there’s a character named Vector Prime. He’s basically the Multiversal Guardian of Time. Back in the day, Hasbro used a Facebook page for Vector Prime to answer fan questions and flesh out the lore. Someone asked about those trophies in Khyber’s ship.
Vector Prime’s official response? He confirmed that a "sizeable rift" had opened between the worlds, allowing items (and characters) to pass through. So, in the official Transformers "Shattered Glass" or "Malgus Cluster" timelines, the Ben 10 crossover is 100% canon.
However, Man of Action (the creators of Ben 10) haven't been as loud about it. In the Ben 10 universe, it’s usually treated as a series of cheeky nods rather than a hard plot point. But since Crossover Nexus proved that every Cartoon Network show exists in a shared "Omniverse," the door is wide open.
The Decimus Prime Mystery
Every fan wants to know: Can Ben turn into a Transformer?
Yes. Well, theoretically.
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Derrick J. Wyatt actually designed a Cybertronian form for Ben during a livestream. He called it Decimus Prime. It wasn't just a sketch; it had a name, a design, and a logic. In this form, Ben becomes a sleek, green-and-black robot that transforms into a high-speed sports car (specifically, a version of Kevin’s car or Ben's DX Mark 10).
A lot of people argue that the Omnitrix can’t scan Transformers because they are "machines." That’s a total misconception. The Omnitrix has scanned mechanical and silicon-based life before. Look at Upgrade (a Galvanic Mechamorph) or Clockwork (a Chronosapien). These are living, sentient beings made of metal and circuits. Transformers have "CNA" (Cyber-Nucleic Acid). If the Omnitrix can handle a literal living clock, it can definitely handle a Cybertronian.
Why the Crossover Never Fully Happened
If the creators were so into it, why didn't we get a Heroes United style special like we did with Generator Rex?
Money. Or more specifically, licensing.
- Ben 10 is owned by Warner Bros. (Discovery).
- Transformers is owned by Hasbro.
Even though they shared a TV channel, they are owned by massive, competing corporations. It’s the same reason we don’t see Spider-Man in a Batman movie. Getting two legal teams to agree on who wins a fight between Humungousaur and Megatron is a nightmare.
Interestingly, we did see a shift in 2025. Hasbro and Mattel (the owners of Barbie and Hot Wheels) started collaborating on crossover toys, like a Transformers/Masters of the Universe line. This proves that the walls are coming down. If Hasbro can work with Mattel, working with Warner Bros. isn't impossible.
What Most People Get Wrong
There is a persistent myth that Ben would automatically become a "Prime" if he scanned a Transformer.
The Omnitrix turns the user into the "peak" version of a species. But in Transformers lore, being a "Prime" is often a title or a religious status granted by the Matrix of Leadership, not just a biological peak. Ben would likely be a "Point One Percenter"—a Transformer born with immense power and a rare spark—but he wouldn't just "become" Optimus Prime. He would be his own bot.
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Another weird misconception is that Ben could scan any car and turn into it. That’s not how it works. Ben scans the species, then the species chooses an alt-mode. He wouldn't need to scan a new car every time he changed; the Omnitrix would likely store his favorite vehicle mode as a default.
What Happens Next?
If you're a fan of both, you don't have to wait for a TV show to see this play out. The community has basically taken over where the studios left off.
- Check out the "Ink Tank" and "Kuro the Artist": They’ve done massive deep dives into the science of how a Cybertronian transformation would work within the Omnitrix's logic.
- Look for the Decimus Prime artwork: It’s the closest thing to "official" we have, and it’s a masterpiece of design.
- Read the Vector Prime archives: If you can find the old Facebook lore posts, they explain the "Rift" that connects the two shows.
Basically, the crossover exists in the margins. It exists in the trophies on the wall and the shared DNA of the artists who built both worlds. While we might not get a movie tomorrow, the groundwork is already laid. Ben Tennyson and the Autobots are closer than the lawyers want you to think.
To really dive into this, you should look up the specific episode of Omniverse titled "Store 23." It features a multi-dimensional mall where you can see even more cross-franchise references that hint at just how big the Cartoon Network multiverse really is. If you want to see the "Decimus Prime" design, a quick search for Derrick J. Wyatt's livestream archives will show you the exact sketch that sent the fandom into a frenzy.