Verdona is a supporting character of the Ben 10 franchise.
She is the ex-partner of Max Tennyson who was revealed to be the one responsible for their granddaughter Gwen's late-blooming Anodite heritage. While she initially wanted Gwen to become a free-spirited Anodite like herself, she decided to abandon that out of respect for her granddaughter's personal decisions.
She is also the mother of Carl and Frank Tennyson, and the paternal grandmother of Ben, Gwen, Kenneth, and Sunny.
In her human elderly form, she was voiced by Barbara Bain, who also played Cinnamon Carter in the Mission Impossible franchise and Dr. Helena Russell in Space: 1999. In both her Anodite form and as younger self, she was instead voiced by Bain's daughter Juliet Landau, who has famously played Drusilla in both the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
History[]
Verdona left her homeworld, Anodyne, in an unspecified time long before the original series and was brought to Earth by a robot alien who had captured her, and wanted to use her to power his planet. They crash-landed in St. Louis where she met and fell deeply in love with Max Tennyson, and the two romantically courted each other. During this time she hid her Anodite heritage and blended in with human society. During their time together, Verdona always had to deal with Max's occupation as a Plumber, and eventually after a long, happy, and yet somewhat distant relationship, they parted.
They had two known children Carl and Frank. However, neither Carl or Frank inherited her magical and Anodite powers. When they were grown up and out of the house, she returned to Anodyne; after so many years on Earth, Verdona wanted to get back in touch with her background. She once came back to Earth to see if any of her grandchildren had inherited her Anodite abilities and powers but saw that none did. Only several years later did she find out that Gwen, her granddaughter, had.
Ben 10: Alien Force[]
When the news went out about Max's disappearance, Verdona came to his favorite lake on Earth to remember the good times they had had together. However, she met with her grandchildren and their friend Kevin, who assumed she was a trespasser. She then magically disappears, leaving behind a flower at the base of a tree that had engraved a heart with a "Max + Verdona" writing on it. She then returned later in the night, deciding to have a "little fun" with Ben and Kevin. When Gwen intervened, she revealed herself as their paternal grandmother.
She then later came to Gwen's house, explaining her history with Max and then offered Gwen to come back with her to Anodyne to reach the full potential of her powers and abilities (which would require 75 years). After thinking on the roof, Gwen refused. Verdona then shed her human body, revealing her Anodite form, and thought that Gwen was too young to make her own decisions and decided to destroy her human body to free the dormant Anodite inside, but the two boys' stepped to defend Gwen.
After a brief battle that tore up the front lawn (and part of the house), Gwen explained to her that she would rather stay on Earth with her friends and family, Verdona then tells Gwen that Max should have been energy being like them, expressing her deep longing for him and that her desire to take Gwen with her could be just a front to fill the void in her heart. Verdona then magically patches up the damage and flies into space, claiming to return every so often to see how Gwen is doing.
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien[]
Verdona made a reappearance in Girl Trouble, where she was able to overpower Sunny, who was attacking Gwen, and she took Sunny and her boyfriend Antonio back to their home planets and allow their parents to decide on their punishment. Verdona talks with Gwen for a while, being clever enough to call her through her mana field. Also stating that her powers are improving/developing nicely even Gwen's lack of training. She then asks Gwen to accompany her to Anodyne but Gwen still refuses and Verdona flies again along with Sunny and Antonio.
Powers and Abilities[]
Verdona has much more experience with her powers and can do far more than Gwen and Sunny can. Verdona was shown to be powerful enough to defeat Gwen, Spidermonkey, Kevin, and even Sunny at once. Unlike Sunny, though, Verdona herself is at least more controlled on her powers.
Trivia[]
- Her negative relationship with Gwen's mother is a homage to Endora from Bewitched.
- While Frank never developed Anodite powers, he was always aware of when Verdona was spying on him. This could possibly a sign of the Anodite spark being genetically recessive.
- She briefly appears in Omniverse, with a new look that combined her old woman cloak with a hint of design from the Phantasm's costume.
External links[]
- Verdona on the Ben 10 Wiki
