Ben Mason
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Rebecca Mason (mother, deceased)
Hal Mason (older brother)
Matt Mason (younger brother)
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Ben Mason is the middle child of the Mason family. Prior to the first season, he was captured by the invaders and harnessed. He is recaptured by the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment at the beginning of the series and reassumes a prominant role in the resistance. Despite having the Harness removed, Ben continues to feel its residual effects.
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Story
Edit
Sometime after the initial invasion while Tom and his family were getting ready to leave their house, Ben was over at his friend Nick's house, it is believed he was captured by the Skitters there and later harnessed. Months later while Hal is scouting a road, he notices Ben among a group of harnessed children, later reporting this to his father.(Live and Learn)
PersonalityEdit
Prior to the alien invasion, it is revealed that Ben Mason was a good student; he is refered to on several occasions as having been a "math geek." At the onset of the series, the effects of the harness have turned him into a semi-mindless drone working for the skitters.
The removal of the harness generally sees his return to a former self, albiet wearied from the effects of war and the death of his mother. Throughout the first season he maintains a lighter personality despite the darkness of the situation consuming the 2nd Mass. One of the major themes of the second season is Ben's personal transition into a darker and more serious character as a result of his growing anger and confusion.
Ben's personality changes drastically following the disappearence of his father at the end of season 1. The lack of a father figure allows Ben to step forward and take on the role of a fighter in the resistance. By the time that Tom Mason returns to the 2nd Mass, it is clear that Ben has lost the naivety that had been afforded by his fathers previous attempts to shelter him.
Additionally the mistrust and alienation that many among the 2nd Mass place in deharnessed children weighs heavily on Ben's character. This, and perhaps the growing psychological effects caused by the maturing harness, have caused him to seek solace in his own anger. This anger serves as his sole motivation for killing the enemy, and at times he has put himself and others at risk in order to satiate his desire to kill.
That said, Ben cares deeply about his family and friends. A prominant theme with his character is the struggle to understand the balance in his life between anger and love. While his anger drives him to kill, he is deeply upset for instance after the death of his friend Jimmy .
QuotesEdit
Killing
Weaver: What in hell were you two doing out there, Ben?
Ben: Hunting skitters.
Tom: What were you and Jimmy doing hunting skitters, Ben?
Ben: They put spikes on my back, they killed mom, they killed everyone...I
need a reason?
Weaver: Like we don't see enough combat, you have to go looking for it?
Ben: Till every last one of those things is dead...yes.
(From: Season 2, Episode 3: Compass)
.
Anger
Ben: Wanna know my secret... to make sure they can't control me? Hate.
I hate what they did to me with all my heart and soul. I hate that
they turned me into a freak.
Tom: You're not a freak.
Ben: Better hold on to your hate dad. If you can do that, it doesn't matter
what they've done to you. They won't be able to change you inside.
Tom: You're right. Hate is a very powerful emotion. And I hate them too.
But if all you've got left is hate, then they've already changed
you. It wasn't my hate that kept me going the last couple months.
It was my love. For you, and for Hal, and for Matt.
Ben: Got to go...
(From: Season 2, Episode 2: Shall We Gather at the River).
Physical ProwessEdit
Prior to the harness, Ben Mason never exercised and was noted to be physically underwhelming. The harness stimulates rapid growth in his body and following its removal, Ben has extraordinary strength and endurance. He is shown doing hundreds of pushups and jumping rope for several hours.
Hal notes that "Swimming across a river is nothing for Ben. Since those spikes, he can run for miles without breaking a sweat. He has ears like a jackrabbit and can see like a hawk."(Shall We Gather at the River, 10:56) He uses these abilities to become an accomplished figher for the 2nd Mass.
Ben can also pick up the radio waves that are used by Skitters to communicate. He uses this ability in season 1 to help the resistance jam skitter communication and fend off an oncoming attack.
RelationshipsEdit
During Season 1, the relationship between Ben Mason and his father is relatively good. Tom actively tries to shelter his son and keep him away from the fighting. During the 3 month absence of his father at the beginning of the second season, however, Ben takes on a greater role in the resistance and in general becomes more independant. Upon the return of his father, Ben has lost the innocence afforded by his father's earlier protection.
Ben: I've seen the way everyone looks at me... Hal, Matt, even you. Tom: No. Ben: Yes. Tom: No. Ben: Fine, whatever. (From: Season 2, Episode 4 - Young Bloods)
Tom: There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish and prey that your mother
was still alive. And it, um, sucks. It really sucks. Sometimes you think
that you can't even go on. Except you don't have a choice but to go on.
And the good news is that we have each other to get through a lousy
situation. The bad news is that it's...
Ben: It's a lousy situation.
(From: Season 2, Episode 3 - Compass)
Ben's relationship with his brother is rather complicated and while close, the two fail to find common ground throughout much of the series. Despite the apparent tension between the two, Hal displays great care for his younger brother, although his reaching out is generally met with much dismay due to Ben's troubled self-image.
Not much is known about Matt Mason and Ben Mason's relationship with each other, as Matt is not yet a central story character. However, in the brief interaction presented thus far, Ben clearly cares for Matt and is very protective of him. At times Ben confides in Matt over complicated personal issues before telling his father Tom Mason or his older brother Hal Mason. This occurs, for instance, in episode 15 when Ben shares with Matt his tentative plans to leave the 2nd Mass without confiding in anyone else.
In general, Ben Mason interacts with Captain Weaver as a soldier might interact with his commander. On several occasions during the second season, he opens up to the Captain to a greater extent. After the death of his friend Jimmy, he symbolically returns Jimmy's compass to Weaver and breaks down, crying on the captain's shoulder.
Captain Weaver initially is more ready than Tom to acknowledge Ben's abilities and utilize him in combat. When Tom returns from captivity, Weaver explains to him that Ben is often "the right...man...for the job."
WeaponsEdit
Ben Mason's weapon of choice in season 2 is a Heckler & Koch G36K
Put picture from here: [1]
Note: For detailed information on guns used in Falling Skies, go to IMFDB.
Role In Skitter UprisingEdit
Bens' role in the rebel skitter uprising is still relativly unknown however during the season Finale of Season 2 its revealed that Ben is Red Eye's goto guy not only for talking through him but having Ben make other humans understand the rebel skitters intents and purposes.
Its also shown breifly that Red Eye cares for Ben much like Tom cares for Ben. This is illustrated when Hal locates where the rebel skitters are holding out near the charelston compound and Red Eye confronts Hal by blocking the way to Ben. And also during Red Eye's death where he puts his arm around Ben as he dies and communicates to Tom to keep fighting.
ImagesEdit
TriviaEdit
- The first scripts gave Ben Mason a much smaller role in the series.
- Ben Mason was noted to be a fan of the Harry Potter books pre-invasion.
- Inteview with Ben Mason actor Connor Jessup about casting/filming here: http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/scifiandtvtalk/2012/06/growing-pains-interview-with-falling-skies-connor-jessup.html
- He is one of the many de-harnessed kids in the tv series
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![[1]](http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/File:FallingSkS2E04_23.jpg){kind=link}
