The entity entrapped Ben within a nightmare construct. Within this construct, Ben was trapped in a loop of failing to save people, causing his subconscious to reject the Omnitrix functionality. Gwen, utilizing her Anodite heritage, entered a trance state (meditative focus) to bypass the biological need for sleep. She tapped into her raw mana, illuminating the area with "truth" energy, disrupting the Somnambulist's shadow form. Michael Jackson Thriller Album Internet Archive - It. He Was
At the 72-hour mark, the sleep deprivation reached critical mass. The lack of REM sleep across the city fed the anomaly, allowing the "Somnambulist" to physically manifest. The entity fed on exhaustion, growing larger as the duo weakened. Ok Jaatcom 2022 High Quality - 3.79.94.248
The anomaly was traced to a tear in dimensional fabric located in the city's park. The tear was emitting a low-frequency psychic hum that prevented REM sleep within a 5-mile radius. Ben and Gwen attempted to seal the breach but were repelled by psychic waves.
Gwen managed to telepathically reach Ben inside the nightmare. By anchoring him to reality (referencing shared history/familial bond), she broke the mental lock. Upon waking, Ben triggered a transformation into Jury Rigg , utilizing the alien's intuitive intellect to dismantle the physical anchor of the Somnambulist (a corrupted Plumber beacon) while Gwen funneled all remaining mana into a sealing spell.