After the incident with Vilgax, Grandpa Max tells Ben and Gwen about his secret past. He really was a plumber, but not the garden variety version. He was part of a secret government organization known as “The Plumbers,” that dealt with extra-terrestrial and paranormal phenomenon that others couldn’t. The organization was disbanded after he defeated Vilgax for the first time. During one of Ben’s regular acts of heroism, they run into Max’s old partner, Phil. Phil is still in the business of hunting aliens, though he is now a freelance agent. He suggests that they remake The Plumbers, but Max is against the idea. Ben, however, is much more enthusiastic about the idea.