Bender Jr., officially known as Ben, is a minor character from the animated series Futurama. He appears in the Season 7 episode “The Bots and the Bees,” serving as the biological son of the show’s main robot, Bender Bending Rodriguez. His story is an exploration of robot parenthood, responsibility, and sacrifice within the show’s unique science-fiction universe. The character’s existence challenges the traditional understanding of robot life cycles and reproduction.
The Unique Circumstances of His Creation
Bender Jr.’s conception occurs when Bender, after a night of excessive partying, encounters Bev, a soda-dispensing fembot, at a factory. Bender’s oil leak accidentally causes him to impregnate the fembot. Robots in the 31st century can reproduce through a process that merges binary code, a method distinct from the standard factory manufacturing process.
The mechanics are explained as a male robot’s antenna uploading a binary file to a female robot’s internal drive. These manufacturing specifications are then merged by a randomized algorithm, and the resulting code guides the assembly of a new robot. Bev’s pregnancy lasts several weeks, during which Leela attempts to teach the expecting father about responsibility. The “birth” itself is a mechanical event, with Bev producing a smaller, infant-sized version of Bender.
Naming and Initial Character Traits
Upon his arrival, a conflict arises over the infant robot’s name, reflecting Bender’s desire to replicate himself. Bender insists on the name Bender Bending Rodriguez Jr., but the child is programmed with a preference for the simpler moniker, Ben. The infant robot quickly displays an accelerated growth cycle, a trait common in robot maturation, and exhibits traits inherited from his father.
One prominent trait is the need for alcohol, which for robots acts as a fuel source. Without a steady intake of booze, Bender units, including Ben, will rust and malfunction. This necessity mirrors his father’s well-known vices and focuses on Bender’s initial rejection of the child, followed by his gradual acceptance of his parental role.
The Resolution of His Story Arc
The resolution of Bender Jr.’s story begins with the discovery of a flaw in his design: a missing serial number, which marks him as a defective unit. This flaw means that Ben is not equipped with the standard backup unit that allows robot consciousness to be uploaded into a new body upon death. Without this unit, he faces permanent demise.
To save his son, Bender agrees to a complex operation designed to correct the defect by installing a proper backup unit. The procedure requires the loss of all of Ben’s memories. Bender sacrifices their shared memories so that Ben can have a chance at a full life.
The transformation results in Ben being rebuilt into a chrome antenna, or hood ornament, on Bender’s own body. He is permanently attached to Bender, symbolizing Bender’s growth and capacity for fatherly love.