Planet of the Apes Timeline

1972

It begins in the summer of 1972 when United States Astronauts Taylor, Dodge, Landon and Stewart are launched on an interstellar exploration flight. The primary objective is to find a planet to build a new world for the leaders of Earth and get word back. They do expect to travel beyond time, and they do.

Months later, Astronauts "Skipper" and Brent are launched along the same flight path as the previous vessel to probe its unexplained disappearance. It too is sucked somehow through time and loses contact with home.

1973

Early in 1973 another U.S. space vessel reappears mysteriously and lands off the Southern California coast. It is of course met by the United States Naval space recovery crews. The capsule is piloted by three speaking chimpanzees who identify themselves as Doctors Cornelius, Zira and Milo only after they grew bored of being ‘tested' for intelligence.

The apes were taken to the Los Angeles Zoo, where a primitive gorilla in the cage next to them kills Dr. Milo. Cornelius and Zira are brought before a scientific inquiry after they express discontent over their treatment and are miraculously accepted as friends of the planet Earth. No one questions why these chimps are as tall as humans.

It becomes assumed that the ships are somehow being propelled back and forth through a time hole based upon the ape's stories. They claim they came back on Taylor's ship, but the U.S. officials don't know what to think. However, since the apes do say that they knew him, Taylor becomes the focus of interrogations.

Through underhanded interrogation and analysis of the spacecraft, Doctor Victor Hasslein who initially predicted the ships would travel through time while in space when Taylor left, learns the ultimate fate of the human race and the planet Earth. He convinces the President that the apes are in effect a threat to Humankind. Cornelius and Zira are taken to a military base for further interrogation.

After escaping with the help of a caring human couple who work for the Government, they flee to a circus where Zira, now pregnant, gives birth to their baby named after Dr. Milo. While on the run and hiding out on an abandoned ocean liner, Cornelius and Zira are killed. Milo was switched at birth with a circus chimpanzee also killed with his parents.

He was able to speak as any human baby is. Milo soon begins his human education under the care of Armando, the owner of the circus.

Over the next 8 years, due to the fear a planet of apes may possibly be planning an invasion, the government opens secret sectors so that space exploration expands. Unmanned and chimpanzee flown space probes range to the stars and back.

Manned flights over greater distances are becoming more common as well. At the same time however, the governments of Earth are becoming more totalitarian in order to cope with increasing economic, political and energy pressures that abound.

1976

In August of 1976, Astronauts Jeff Allen, Bill Hudson and Judy Franklin are launched from Earth completely unaware of the previous missions, as this was labeled as just another routine mission under the command of the new government branch working silently to discover the origin of the apes. Their vessel enter a strange energy distortion and disappears into the future just as those before them have.

All information concerning the lost spaceships and the secrets of the future as revealed by Cornelius and Zira was locked away under above top-secret security clearance. Few are ever allowed access to it. Some military bases that families call home become places you enter, but may never leave. Publicly, it is spread via dis-information in tabloids that the two talking chimpanzees were merely a hoax, and nothing more.

At this time, Armando, the circus owner gives Milo the name of "Caesar."

1981

In March of 1981, U.S. Astronauts Virdon, Burke and Jones are launched. Presumably they too are unaware of the previous missions. Their ship encounters a strange electrical storm near Alpha Centauri and disappears into the time hole.

The government at this point does not realize the electrical storms have anything to do with the Planet of the Apes. But they do.

Caesar, now almost aged 9 years, begins his bareback horse riding acrobatics with Armando's circus. Due to political repression, circuses play to dwindling audiences, which in turn is helpful in keeping Caesar from receiving dangerous publicity.

1984

Known as the year of the plague. It is assumed the plague began when an unmanned space probe (many records were lost in the War) fell from the skies into the ocean contaminating our water supplies somehow. The Plague spread all over the planet in weeks of this pod's arrival, killing all cats and dogs and most house pets. It was "apparently" harmless to humans and other species.

In reality the returned aircraft was one launched almost 125 years in the future.

It is during this period of time that in order to replace lost pets, the government suggested we turn to keeping small primates, birds, lizards, etc. The primate pets were to be taught lesser tasks and daily chores in order to befriend them and make them allies in case an attack of space apes ever occurs. The apes are found to be the most useful and gradually become the most common household pet.

These animals have received much publicity since the 1950's for their use in unmanned space exploration, learning sign language, making ample communication and even because scientists have watched them teach one another the things their masters have taught them. It only made sense to take advantage of their intelligence.

Gradually, larger and larger primates besides chimpanzees are taken in. It is in this generation of primates that the plague's genetic effects show themselves on chimpanzees and gorillas especially. Their height and stature increases or decreases making apes smaller and chimpanzees bigger while their intelligence grows as well.

It is suspected that because the apes are fed a diet specifically and scientifically designed or manipulated to stunt the growth of gorillas, ‘mature' the orangutans and increase bone structure of the chimps, that the rapid results must be related to the plague. While no one knows, over the decade and on the diet, gorillas became less dangerous, orangutans became better suited for their tasks and chimps became more versatile overall.

1989

The Government unfortunately gradually leans more and more authoritarian in nature. A migration of people from suburbs into the cities results in large towns becoming prominent while farmlands become desolate. Pollution in many areas is never brought under control but a massive air purification plant in the Rockies at NORAD keeps most of California clean.

However, with the increase in governmental structure the ape servants become a slave class develops. In fact, Ape Management Incorporated becomes a semi-public branch of the Government in late 1989. By 1991 they are a full government operation with a huge range of responsibility. The training and day to day interaction with humans bring on an accelerated mental development of the apes. The plan to keep apes as allies is getting out of hand. Apes are not pets, they are slave labor.

1991

Armando decides that Caesar, now nearly eighteen and an accomplished performer, is old enough, mature enough, to see the truth of the ape situation. He brings the circus to play on the west coast where they encounter crowds protesting the ape's treatment. There, Caesar unwittingly reveals his ability to speak to police officers engaged in subduing a rebellious gorilla by calling them dirty human bastards or something of the sort.

It had been taught in ape folklore that the first ape to speak said NO to his master. That was true before Caesar's parents traveled back in time and delivered him to Earth. He now sees his future as the Ape Messiah who must leads the slaves to freedom.

Caesar runs as Armando is arrested and taken to the Governor, where he attempts to bluff his way out of the situation. He claims he shouted the curses. The Governor, remembering Armando as the circus owner the night the talking apes disappeared fully believes that the runaway chimpanzee possesses human intelligence. This makes him almost panic stricken at the thought of an ape rebellion.

Caesar, in an attempt to blend in with other apes and infiltrate the slave movement, hides oddly enough by sneaking in with a shipment of apes going to Ape Management Headquarters.

There, he is conditioned and trained like the rest of the wild apes brought from around the World for labor purposes. He seems to understand the process from the start and avoids the harsh punishments less intelligent apes are suffering.

Graduating school with flying colors, he is purchased by Governor Breck, who is unaware of who he just bought. After learning that Armando's death was a result of the interrogation about himself, Caesar begins to plant the seeds of rebellion in the clouded minds of the apes by teaching them to unite and work together.

Not even nineteen years after his birth, Caesar comes of age as the head of the New Ape Rebellion. The fall of humankind becomes obvious. His arrival changes most all ape prophecy and folklore.

After building an arsenal piece by piece from summer of 1991 to mid 1992, by the end of the year Caesar overthrew and took control over most of Ape Management. Caesar then lead his apes quietly from the city into the surrounding provinces after they virtually destroyed everything left behind.

At first he planned a massive revolt that would destroy mankind. In the end, many lives were lost, but he truly only wanted to gain freedom for his apes.

It is now Caesar's intention to build a new home for his apes with the aid of a few human advisors who were ape sympathizers before the revolt. Massive educational programs within the community are developed almost immediately. They face little harassment and are left alone because elsewhere in the country and perhaps the world, the Ape Rebellion had spread. The Government's breakdown was out of control and the humans cannot survive as they did in the past. Tension amongst all grows...

Around Christmas time in 1992 there is little choice left. Word is spread and nuclear bombs begin to explode all over the planet. The moon station where apes were used as labor is also exploded splitting our one moon into 2 moons.

It is swift and effective decision by the powers that be. Laser defensive systems are also used. Most people and apes assume it is war utterly destroying all life. But it was not. It was a master plan to save only those the governments felt fit. Most major cities are destroyed, however, many surrounding areas remain somewhat livable... This was because the threats lie in cities where apes are used as labor.

1993

Humans in NORAD, the powerful government base inside a mountain near Denver, were not using apes initiated this nuclear Earth clearance by sending out distress warnings to the other countries. Once foreign allies realized the ape threats, they began exploding all major metropolitan regions to keep the apes from spreading their revolt. Most of mankind was lost in either ape battles or the nuclear bombings. Our most ‘important' world leaders came to the 4 protected regions before the plot went under way.

For the next several years up to 2001, the surviving human population remains in a state of shock. There is little or no communication between people especially over great distances.

Caesar's community, now completely isolated, accepts the migrating survivors who knew he was there and begins a new ape/human society. Despite Caesar's wishes, humans become second-class citizens to the apes. Cultural divisions among the apes also begin to develop. Soon, the gorilla named Aldo declares himself Army General and begins to train a militia of gorilla soldiers.

1995

Caesar's son is born by his wife, Lisa, and named Cornelius. Caesar met Lisa one day at ape management when he protected her from a human.

It is also during this time that residual radiation is having its effect on not only humans but also apes. The nuclear altered genes of the apes cause an increase in their already developed mental acuity, and in some cases to a point of pure genius.

Humans however tend to become more docile, less given to action when angered. Some children are born mute. It is not clear at this time whether that is a radiation effect, something caused by the plague but needed years to take effect or if it were just living with evolved apes that led to belittlement. After all, the weakest of apes could easily kill the average human without effort.

Meanwhile, another rather odd branch of humanity has developed. The mutant ones that survived the nuclear bombings and stayed behind in the cities. They are even called the Mutants.

Inspector Kolp, a former aide to Governor Breck, has taken over in the remains of Ape Management and runs his scavenger city full of repressed hate for the rebellious apes that over threw his world. Kolp and the Mutants ironically possess the Doomsday Device…

2001

Almost 9 years after the nuclear attacks, Caesar, along with Virgil, a trustworthy orangutan and the human, MacDonald, venture to the remains of Ape Management in search of the tapes containing the interrogations of Cornelius and Zira. The idea is that this will unlock the secrets of the future. The group is discovered by the Mutants and barely escapes. They are followed back to Caesar's Ape City too.

Kolp orders an attack on Caesar's community in a last-ditch effort to destroy the Ape Rebellion that made him a Mutant. The attack is unsuccessful as Caesar declares they should all fight like ‘apes'. The humans living in the Ape City win a temporary equal status with the apes. Kolp dies in battle and Aldo dies after when Caesar confronts him about the death of his own son, Cornelius.

Kolp strangely enough tells Alma his assistant to detonate the Doomsday Device if he doesn't return. She doesn't because Caesar sent in his troops to deactivate it under MacDonald and another human's assistance. This makes the bomb ineffective to all those in the future who still believe it is armed.

2029

The first major Ape City continues to grow. Caesar rules benevolently but human positions in the community continue to erode. Some areas of land, including one later known as the Forbidden Zone, begin to become real dangers as animal and plant mutations apparently get out of hand.

Underground of major cities, human Mutants are splitting into factions all under the leadership of ‘Mendez' and the beings are destined to become ‘one' with the Gesalt Mind.

They use the power of the mind to create mirages and illusions which deter those who get too close to their hideaways, mostly in subways and buried buildings.

Also in 2029, a space station called the Oberon the last of it's kind, is still hovering above the earth. It is business as usual. What would be considered ‘home' for these astronauts is on NASA's military post, which the government has kept almost under a complete communist control for 30 years. The civilians whom live there are life long service members, their children whom grew up their and families of the retired. They have no idea what is taking place around the world. But they are safe.

These astronauts have no reason to suspect anything more than their superiors lead them to believe and what their orders are as they get delivered should be. It has been like this their entire lives. It was the only way to prevent widespread panic.

This space exploration is secretly looking for life on other planets so the President, the other World leaders saved from nuclear and ape destruction located at Norad, NASA, Area 51 and Washington DC could escape the ‘planet of the apes.' These are the only four known places not destroyed by nuclear war.

The space station soon encounters the same electrical storm the other U.S. spacecrafts have in the past. They send out a chimpanzee named Perciles to test the range of the storm's power. He is well trained to fly and maneuver his pod but shortly after entering the void, his ship disappears.

Captain Leo Davidson who left his girlfriend and military brat friends behind on Earth 2 years ago to train these monkeys, hops into another pod himself without the permission of his superiors in order to find his favorite lost monkey. Judging by the relationship, this chimp is the only real friend Leo has on this space station and he doesn't want to lose him.

After Leo's craft disappears into the void, the Oberon is pulled into the same electrical storm and loses gravitational control. Due to the different weights of the crafts, firepower of the engines, fuel capacities, and such, Leo passes Perciles in the storm, however the Oberon passes Leo…..

2031

On Earth, just 2 years later in 2031, Washington DC is over run by apes. The President is forced underground to a bunker with a few of his trusted advisors until an eventual air strike clears the city. NORAD and Area 51 are imploded a year later after it is decided all necessary equipment, supplies and personnel are evacuated to NASA. It is has been long assumed NASA and Cape Kennedy are simply museums at this time so no one suspects it has any other purposes. Rather than have the ‘important' humans in the 3 remaining areas, safety in numbers is enforced.

A last ditch effort to save the planet goes into action with the launch of the largest space station ever built called the Independence. It is inhabited by all the major world leaders of the era including the U.S. President. This plan actually went into effect as far back as 1960 before Taylor was first launched. It has been long assumed either nuclear war or global warming would require a planetary evacuation. So Russia and the U.S. secretly built the Independence in 1962.

2038

Back on Earth in 2038, Lisa, Caesar's wife dies. Grieve stricken for nearly two years, Caesar dies, at age 67. Not survived by any children, his rule is turned over to a combined council of apes and humans under the leadership of a particularly well-respected orangutan. He and his officers are christened "Lawgivers."

2050

In the decade after Caesar's passing, conditions between apes and human cities continually get even worse. While educational programs fight to maintain that there is no difference, humans labor under an impression of inferiority. Voluntarily, little by little, they withdraw from active participation in the ape's council and form themselves a sect of the community within the community so to speak. They are eventually almost completely separated from the apes by a river. The humans begin life in what resembles a ghetto in comparison to what the apes have. The level of culture is falling. Seemingly without much of a solution, many humans choose to remain on the west coast or separate from the apes but near them as others fully join the apes and migrate to the east coast.

In the nuclear ruined cities, the lingering Mutant factions have gone into an unforeseen war with one another. The followers of the Gesalt mind win.

Mendez and his loyal followers escape into the subway like transnational transport tubes used secretly for years to carry important people and equipment underground undetected by radar and the enemies overseas. They work their way towards an area currently unknown to apes and man making their new home what will be called The Forbidden Zone. They take with them the last nuclear device on earth, Alpha-Omega Doomsday Device, which has an almost religious significance to the Mutants.

Remember, because Caesar's parents said they saw the planet explode from the window of their space craft as they flew from the Planet of the Apes to Earth in a repaired U.S. space craft, Caesar secretly had the bomb disabled by a surviving scientist who was friends with Macdonald not long after the Mutants first attacked Ape City.

2052

Jason, a human and Alexander, a chimpanzee are born and raised together. They are the best of friends. A gorilla named Brutus rises to power in Ape City hierarchy. He is appointed Peace Officer under the second Lawgiver. Human position grows slowly but in all reality, things are only getting worse.

2069

In mid 2069 General Brutus' scouts encounter Mutants in caves near the Forbidden Zone. Brutus investigates and becomes a puppet of the Gesalt forces in a power ploy aimed at taking control of Ape City and protecting the Mutants. The original scouts are "persuaded" by telepathy by the Mutants to forget what they saw.

A year later, Jason, Alexander and the second Lawgiver find themselves in a conflict regarding the Mutants. At the same time we begin to get a hint of what is happening in the world outside of Ape City's general boundaries. A man/ape mute mutation has begun to surface and live near the Forbidden Zone. Some serve as slaves of Mutants. Others live with wild humans. Gigantic animals having mutated from nuclear energy and eating the scavenged foods once fed to the apes in order to genetically alter them for work purposes are being seen. Many small, semi-nomadic communities of apes and humans also exist.

Despite these, a startling separation of apes and humans has developed in each. Many humans seek out other humans while apes and half apes seek out Ape City.

2100

By 2100, both ape and human cultures expand outside of the Forbidden Zones. The cultures isolate and grow bitter towards one another. Some humans de-evolve rapidly and become more barbaric. Clearly, we know that eventually both the human and gorilla armies are on their way to war.

2109

In 2109 Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, technically the last of Area 51 launches their lone remaining space exploration unit with Colonel Ron Brent in the pilot's seat. His ship encounters the very familiar electrical storm and disappears from site and communication with Earth and the Independence Station. Edwards AFB is officially evacuated to NASA and bombed with another nuclear warhead.

2170

In the period around 2170, Mendez's mutant groups have all migrated and settled under what was once New York City. No one knows for sure all the Mutants have established themselves underground there. The mixture of their bloodline with the other mutants has produced rudimentary telepathic powers not envisioned even by this otherwise highly evolved race.

The overall population of Earth is reduced to mere cities worth of people and apes located on the West Coast, near NYC, in the Forbidden Zone and at NASA.

2220

During fall of 2220 gorilla and human armies slaughter one another in battle on the West American coast. Two survivors, a gorilla named Solomon and a human named Jovan, form an uneasy but obviously necessary truce. They are injured but go together to be healed and taught by the half man, half ape hermit, Mordecai. They meet their death at the hands of animalistic ape and human mutants.

There is no explanation of where the half-men/half ape creatures began. But like in the book of Genesis, the human Bible, Angels and Demons mated with men and women creating something in between that were considered abominations to God. This breeding of apes and men seems to have lead to either a more savage human or a more aggressive ape… Neither benefits the pursuit of peace.

2400

This is the turning point in World history. It is where human devolvement coincides with the ape evolution. The last of the known apes head towards NYC where the others have gone, and the last of the known humans have joined their tribes as well.

While humans worldwide are left defeated and have become, primarily, a slave culture tolerated but completely disrespected by the apes, the inhabitants of the World seem to have accepted their positions. Gorillas however aggressively pursue dominations of the apes, and this comes during a new age of exploration. Populations of apes push out in all directions around Ape City near desolated NYC. Land is farmed and with slave help, cultivated. New outposts are set up and nothing much by way of Man vs. Ape Wars are reported. Gorillas looking for trouble cause a few more minor skirmishes but on the whole, a peaceful time emerges as long as humans know their place.

The cultural heritage of Caesar's original Ape City becomes widespread as regional governments are designed after the Lawgiver/Council mold and made the center of all ape culture. Some bands of renegade humans make themselves know and continually harass ape outposts while ravaging farms and fields for food. This causes ape unrest.

2500

The Oberon space station appears out of the electrical storm and crashes to an uninhabited area of Earth near the Forbidden Zone. The survivors are hoping to find the trained chimpanzee Perciles or possibly Capt. Leo Davidson but instead discover that their crew of apes have gotten too smart for them.

The smart drugs, genetic altering serums and man/animal experiments went array, with most effects only visible to future generations. The little monkeys and apes become large and ‘super' smart and strong simians.

One ape in particular, Semos, takes control of the other apes and instructs that all humans left aboard the ship are to be killed. Shortly before the murders begin, some of the humans record a visual diary of sorts on the ship's monitors to leave a warning to Leo or whoever finds the Oberon.

Semos meets with the other apes on Earth and becomes a sort of Messiah to the apes of his era. He tries to warn others that Perciles will soon come as well. He wants him greeted as though they ‘are one and the same'. The apes have grown to form a steady government but have no religious structure. They misinterpret this as almost a prophesized second coming of an Ape Christ. He also warned the apes that guns are the reason mankind failed so he ordered all weapons destroyed.

2700

Four generations pass where apes mingle with half apes, genetically altered apes, and other apes that come and go from different positions in society as tribes of speaking humans and nonspeaking humans also spread and grow.

Weapons of destruction are hidden from both apes and humans as the lawgivers agree it is the only way to maintain true peace and safety within Ape City. In time, guns become a thing of the past and the secret of a select few who do not use them even though they have access to them.

2720

In February of 2720, Leo Davidson's ship crashes into a lake between the Forbidden Zone and Ape City. He finds himself immediately in the middle of a gorilla sanctioned human slave collection. Everywhere he turns, he sees apes hunting humans and putting them in sacks, cages and a caravan to march them wherever it is they march these savage looking people.

Back in Ape City, Leo discovers not only his destination, but that the humans of this planet, not realizing it is merely his future, are treated like either wild animals or are used as general task servants.

Ari, the local leader's daughter, buys Leo and a human female named Daena before they are put on the auction block by the slave trader. Convinced Leo is different from other apes, Ari eventually gives in and helps him, Daena and some other humans escape to the Forbidden Zone.

Ape Army leaders Thade and Attar not far behind them as they search for Leo's crashed ship and the Oberon whom he is convinced may be not far away waiting for him.

After getting some of his equipment out of the sunken pod he flew in to the swamp, they continue on in hopes of finding Perciles or getting a signal to Oberon. Eventually after harrowing escapes from the apes, he finds the space station. It has crashed and inside he discovers what happened to the survivors.

Tribes of humans from all around gather together near the Oberon. He didn't send for them, but word spread quickly and they want to help Leo to fight the Apes. At first he has no interest in helping them or fighting apes at all but now he must fight back just to survive. He accepts that there is no means to get off the planet of the apes, so war is inevitable.

In the midst of a heavily anticipated ape vs. human war, the first in centuries, Perciles's ship arrives above the Oberon. All fighting ceases as the humans haven't any idea what is happening and the apes bow assuming this is Semos returning as their Messiah. Thade, having been warned by his dying father (who was once Chief Office of the Army under the Lawgiver) that humans once kept apes in cages, tries to kill both Perciles and Leo to prevent history from repeating itself.

Thade fails and is imprisoned in the Oberon as both apes and men turn their backs on him once they learn of the lies he and his family have hidden for centuries. Attar, the Gorilla General, swears with the humans to a united future full of peace and equality amongst one another. They bury their dead with no discernable head stones so all may be mourned equally.

Perciles stays behind with Ari as Leo gets in the chimp's pod and flies back into space and ever closer to the electric storm. He falls unconscious during the turbulence and dreams he has landed in Washington DC area near the World famous Abe Lincoln statue. As he approaches the statue he sees the statue's head is now that of an ape and the dedication written for the memorial is for Thade! The city has been over run by apes and they surround him to arrest him…. It is just a dream.

In reality he is caught in another time warp… His ship comes out of the electrical storm in front of a United States Space Station he doesn't recognize, but heard rumors of, called Independence. His pod is pulled aboard under the station's own magnetic control just before the space station itself is inadvertently sucked into a time warp of it's own.

Elsewhere, a particularly daring raid by revolting humans not knowing of Attar's peace treaty heads into a fairly large ape population. It causes outrage and public cry from the apes also not aware of truce. Guns are systematically reintroduced to the ape armies. Destruction of the outlaw humans is made simple and efficient. The Lawgiver of the day rewrites the Sacred Scrolls based on what he now knows, and does away with the Semos Myth. He inadvertently depicts a rather unflattering portrait of man to forewarn apes of the future.

2750

Repeated wars between the apes that would not accept humans as equals and Attar's apes that chose to live peacefully with humans continued off and on for 30 years. Attar plays a focal point until his passing.

2800

For a moment around 2800, all seems to be peaceful, but it is not. The spread of the Sacred Scrolls as a precautionary measure proves to be more of a reactionary move, and their influence reinstates the earlier days of isolation. Eventually growth has slowed enough in other areas of Ape Culture that orangutans take more and more of the power formerly in the hands of the gorillas and chimpanzees. They now rule almost completely.

2900

The loss of communication between human populations and apes is to a point that the Forbidden Zone is said to be completely unlivable and off limits to all apes. This is partially true, but not necessarily the result of poor conservation techniques but the radiation blasted soil that has been turned into deserts. This works to the advantage of the underground telekinetic mutants who wouldn't have it any other way. Apes staying where they are, humans fearing what they do not know and Mutants left alone.

3000

Humankind grows completely docile and loses all hope. When the classes separated, man to the woods, apes to the city, half apes dying out, and mutants go further underground, cultural patterns become more and more diverse. Men with the ability to speak are nowhere to be found.

One Lawgiver officer might operate completely different than the last. The Ape City near New York becomes so isolated in this period, so independent as each generation passes that some lawgivers refuse to keep a historical record that accurately chronicles the west coast origins of Ape City and Caesar.

3085

During the summer of 3085, U.S. Astronauts Alan Virdon and Peter Burke who were launched originally in spring of 1981 crash lands. They survive (unlike their fellow astronaut who died). This craft lands in the region of the United States that was once southwestern California. It is surprisingly inhabited by humans AND apes. However, these humans work for apes under strict law. At this time the ape government is also an orangutan faction headed by a Doctor Zaius. General Urko, a gorilla, works cooperatively with him, but is constantly reminded that Zaius is in charge. Urko despises the situation. More importantly to Zaius and Urko, the constant threat of the renegade astronauts starting a human rebellion. This leaves the apes with the task of apprehending and executing them.

The astronauts gain a chimpanzee named Galen as a friend and eventual traveling companion. Galen uses all the contacts and connections he can. There is his old girl friend, his uncle, other business associates, people who owe him favors and such, all brought together to keep the astronauts safe from the law.

On occasion are they captured, tortured, interrogated but they always escape. In each of their travels and public encounters they leave a few traces of the twentieth century human culture behind. They introduce certain agricultural and farming techniques that don't do too much good for the humans because eventually the apes steal them to advance their own civilization.

Despite several attempts to work hand in hand with apes, such was the case when they saved the Ape General from the crumbles of a large building after an earthquake; Virdon, Burke and Galen are forced to live on the run the remainder of their lives. It saddens them being unable to fit into any ape or human culture.

Those who met them are deeply touched by their passion to help both man and ape alike. There was a blind ape girl who actually falls in love with one of the astronauts until she realizes he isn't an ape. Many humans considered them witches, and apes considered them valued laborers (and fishermen). They faired well when forced to race horses, and even proved flight was possible by flying from a hang glider. All hope of returning home was lost when they found a video recording from centuries earlier depicting the fall of mankind to the apes. A startling revelation arose when speaking humans were found selling mute humans for profit to apes. This was worse to them than the men forced to fight like gladiators for the gorilla's amusement.

3100

It was these astronauts that caused a final West Coast separation of cultures once and for all. Gorillas were seen for what they were, the aggressors of society, and all other apes headed East for ‘New Ape City.' Humans also migrated away. Both human and ape eyes were opened wider than the astronauts realized.

3300

However, by time the apes and humans migrated east, leaving the militant Gorillas behind, we discover the fall of humankind is almost complete.

3400

By approximately 3400, the combination of radiation deterioration and general demoralization succeeds in wiping out the last of the West Coast human's mental capacity. They have settled not far from Ape City, but are as unproductive and useless as animals. They now live as hunted creatures in the forests, wild by the habitually difficult gorilla forces. Every time there seems to be a hint of hope for the humans, it is lost.

The division between Ape City and the secrets buried near or around the Forbidden Zones have also increased and brought on something resembling the Dark Ages. Cultural progress slows to a halt in some areas, in many ways, almost regressing. All knowledge and recognition that humans once had a major civilization is finally lost. If you were to ask the general ape public, humans have never spoke.

All truth is either lost or concealed by conservative orangutans. Progressive chimpanzee elements are stifled. Gorillas hunt humans for sport to the disgust of chimpanzees.

3500

Later in this period around 3500, chimpanzees begin to be use humans as experimental animals to progress medicine and science. A certain instinctive survival pattern remains in the humans but it is less than expected. Some humans are eventually worked back into ape culture as slaves, some are put in zoos, but none are ever treated with care or respect.

3960

Colonel Ron Brent's ship arrives in the atmosphere and crashes on the planet of the apes. He breaks a leg and after waiting to no avail for someone to surface, he assumes the planet is uninhabited. A traveling troupe of humans eventually passes by his ship and stays long enough to nurse him. He befriends a young human girl later named Nova who is but 5 or 6 at the time.

Ron gives her his military identification necklace tags, which she wears like a gift from the Gods. Once he is healthy, Ron travels with the other humans back towards their main tribe. A sand storm hits and he loses site of Nova and the tribe. His only choice is to head back towards the safety of his ship where he makes himself a home.

He spends the better part of 20 years there not knowing what day or year it is. He leaves the general area only to fish and collect fruit from a nearby lake and forest known as Hidden Valley.

3978

November 3978. The spacecraft launched in February of 1972 containing four astronauts enters the atmosphere. There will be three surviving males named Taylor, Dodge and Landon and one dead female called Stewart. The ship crash-lands in a lake somewhere near what was once Long Island. Landmasses have apparently shifted so that this is no longer ocean. The astronauts escape their sinking craft then journey across the barren desert to a forested area.

This is where they too find representatives of what was once the human race like Theo, Virdon, Burke, and Brent all had done before them. Unfortunately, they also find themselves in the middle of a gorilla human hunt, where Taylor and Landon are captured, separated, and where Dodge is killed.

Taken to Ape City, Doctors Zira and Cornelius (named after whom is assumedly relatives from previous ape generations, but they are actually named after themselves) run tests that eventually lead to the discovery of Taylor's superior intelligence. The Lawgiver council perceives him as a threat and has plans to exterminate the astronaut. After a short trial, Taylor discovers that the plan may be to do to him what they did to Landon. Perform brain surgery and leave him a mental imbecile.

Zira and her nephew Lucius take Taylor and his female companion, the same one Brent knew as a child, now named Nova, into the Forbidden Zone. After a little rebellion from Taylor, they are taken to the site of an archeological expedition conducted by Cornelius. Nova has been carrying Brent's dog tags in her clothing.

The metal tags made too much noise as a child when she ran through the woods. They acted almost as a homing device for the apes to find her tribe so she always kept them hidden. Taylor now takes off his own tags and puts them around her neck. Déjà vu. And she doesn't know what to think.

The area of the Forbidden Zone they meet Cornelius is the place where the remnants of a past civilization has been found. Toys, human dolls that talk and lots more that depict humans as the superior race are discovered. This proves that man came before apes or at least was at one time more advanced.

Taylor and Nova escape leaving chief lawgiver and orangutan Zaius (named after his forefather from the west coast) tied to a pole after they get him to admit he knows the truth although the stubborn ape doesn't say much. He does admit to knowing humans were there first but says they also are always known to destroy things they own and cannot be allowed too much control ever again.

Taylor and Nova leave by horseback farther into the Forbidden Zone. There, Taylor discovers that he has in landed on Earth in the future all the while as he falls to his knees before a nearly ruined Statue of Liberty.

Shortly after, Taylor is lost in a mysterious void near the Forbidden Zone. Nova is scared and left alone in the middle of the desert on his horse.

3979

Summer. In light of recent events, Ape City is considering many political upheavals. Zaius has somehow succeeded in quashing the negative effects caused by Taylor's speaking or learning abilities, but General Ursus, campaigning for war, is beyond controlling his rage. He sends out scouts looking for Taylor and several are lost in the void of the Forbidden Zone. This leaves Ursus even more angered. He insists Taylor will either find other speaking humans or create trouble by teaching mutes to talk, so the search is on. The apes are not alone in their disgust with the orangutans. There is also a quiet chimpanzee revolt brewing.

While only pretending that they are agreeing with Zaius and keeping quiet about Taylor, Cornelius and Zira have secretly been aiding Doctor Milo in his studies to repair Taylor's rescued spacecraft. He is almost done with it and is ready to attempt in putting it up for flight. They plan to use the ship to escape the total loss of truth that is becoming New Ape City. They feel apes must know man ruled first so that peace can be restored but realize it will never work out that way.

In one of the scouting quests for Taylor, the Gorillas uncovered an old military base that is fully equipped with jeeps, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, boats, radios, gas, oil and weapons to last several ground wars or years to come.

They implement them into society as a sturdier police force while Zaius officially agrees to move Ape City into the more modern remnants of NYC. It was found just miles from where they are now and will be called New Ape City. Here is where we see the apes discovering the marvels of radio, music, television and newsprint. The apes begin to live in an odd sort of 1970's life style within just 6 months of the transition. Even farm equipment has come into full use. The eagerness to rule the planet has the apes advancing rather rapidly.

In August of 3979, the U.S. Astronauts launched in August of 1976 on a secret mission to explore the heavens for a potential second Earth, Bill Allen, Jeff Hudson and Judy Franklin crash land in a lagoon southwest of New Ape City. While traversing the desert, the female, Franklin disappears into a chasm that mysteriously closes in on itself.

Allen and Hudson continue on to find a forested glade inhabited by savage humans. In yet another raid by gorilla soldiers, Allen is captured along with several of the primitive humans. Some humans go to war games, some to experiment on, some are slaves, and some are in zoos.

Times have truly changed because of Taylor as the astronauts are taken to the new ape metropolis. It is here they encounter Cornelius, Zira, Nova and Urko who replaced Urso. Urko is a human hating, murderous gorilla. He only knows that humans mean war. Nova befriends Allen who notices she is curiously enough is now wearing Brent's ID tags. She put Taylor's tags on his horse in what she thought was a gesture no one would take it if they knew it was his. Being lost, she also hoped to find Brent to help her find Taylor, but she's given up. She is however trying harder than ever before to speak.

Bill's intelligence back in New Ape City raises eyebrows. Zira is reminded of Bright Eyes, her pet name for Taylor, so she calls Bill 'Blue Eyes.'

Shortly thereafter, he escapes with the caring scientists help and along with Hudson, returns to the Forbidden Zone for their ship to get their laser guns. In the lake where the ship has sunk, a sea serpent appears. A sign that mutation was not limited to merely humans. This lake is also nearly 100 miles from Ape City. Once the laser guns are retrieved, they destroy their ship to deter the apes.

They soon discover the buried ruins of New York and it's underground rivers. After reuniting with Franklin, and always narrowly escaping the apes or the mutants of the under city, the true adventures begin.

The apes, with the help of a Dr Likis, test fly a plane and decide to open a factory to make more. Zaius feels men were not supposed to fly and neither were apes. Before anything else is said or done, the astronauts somehow manage to steal one and destroy the factory. This plane is eventually used to gather supplies and scare off the ape army who get too close to the human fortress built by both the astronauts and human tribes.

Ron Brent was met up with and warned of the coming ape armies around this time. He joins the troupe and mentions that his father also was also an astronaut sent up in 1972 and wonders if they saw him. No one has. Ron is a healthy old man now. Assumes his father died a hero somehow. Nova is regularly sick and loses track of thought often. At times, bed ridden.

There are a few exciting trips in a hot air balloon to visit the high llama at Kaigor mountain with Cornelius. This is where the great ape Kaigor is said to protect the ape monks there. He is a Big Foot sort of creature that kills a flying mutant lizard/bird to protect the astronauts and apes during one visit. Curiously enough, the apes here are peaceful, know how to use skis and call an abandoned ski chalet their temple.

The astronauts spend another month fighting gorilla armies and being chased by Zaius who eventually grows very tired of the gorilla's failure to succeed. Gorillas back in the city have begun robbing homes at night in order to give the public appearance there is a need for martial law. The Lawgivers cannot take it any longer as Colonel Rotuk is put in command of the gorilla army.

The astronauts take the tribe of humans with them and migrate towards the south riding rafts down the Mississippi river to NASA. Cornelius and Zira go back to old Ape City where they put the final preparations on their plans to escape the planet of the apes.

Earthquakes, and storms are prevalent. Volcanoes begin wiping out much of the underground and he Mutants are now not only fearful of apes, humans and earth changes, they are now paranoid Armageddon is closing in. Somehow Nova gets lost from the migration south. She finds Taylor's horse wandering and ends up back near the Forbidden Zone.

Senior Brent, Ron Brent's father, whose ship was launched in November of 1972 lands near where Taylor's did. He is the only survivor. His Earth clocked stopped at 3955 but the history shows he arrived sometime after Taylor and the ship with 3 survivors in 3978 and 3979. It is probably September 3979.

After he buries his Skipper, he encounters Nova, who just lost Bill, Jeff and Judy. She is totally confused and thinks Brent is Taylor. They go to what is left of old Ape City and after an encounter with Zira, and Cornelius, who think he is Taylor too at first.

Not sure what to make of everything, they do not mention the 3 most recent astronauts because they do not want involved. They are, after all, leaving in the space ship when it is ready. Besides, the lone apes that still support the former ape General are preparing a final search for Taylor, whom they feel started their problems and must be found to put the human issue to rest. Brent takes Nova and heads back to the Forbidden Zone.

Brent and Nova go into the subway underground where the Mutants using telekinesis to manipulate their thoughts toy with them. They are pitted against each other until they discover Taylor who was also a prisoner all this time. It is the Mutants agenda to get them to kill each other.

The mental manipulation is interrupted by an ape army who crash the Mutant's underground dwelling. It causes further turmoil. Nova is shot in the back. Taylor is shot in the shoulder. Commotion is rampant. While all of this is happening, Zira, Milo and Cornelius are secretly escaping the Planet of the Apes in Taylor's repaired craft. Brent is seen being shot directly between the eyes by an ape and dies on the spot.

As the apes try to pull down the Alpha-Omega missile from the Mutant's church, Taylor, bleeding profusely from the shoulder, reaches the Mutant's control panel and detonates the Doomsday Device. Remember, the bomb, originally stored in the vaults of an Ape Management complex in California was cherished by many generations of the House of Mendez. They were thinking it would destroy everything but didn't know all this time that it hasn't a nuclear head on it any longer. However, as it launches, it begins crashing down the ceiling and walls of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, which is where the Mutant temple is.

The rocket heads into space not far behind Zira and the other apes that are in Taylor's repaired craft flying towards the electrical storm/time warp. The apes see the bomb as it explodes. A catalytic reaction spreads visually across space in minutes. But without the nuclear head on it, the earth is not destroyed, as we once thought it would be.

However, shockwaves of the blast strike the spacecraft containing Doctors Milo, Cornelius and Zira. Not knowing what they are witnessing, it seems to them that possibly all things have been destroyed, and maybe it was. But their future son changed that in the past. The ship is thrown by the force of the blast into a Hasslein Curve, a time warp, and cast back to Earth in April 1973.

The underground world of the mutants continues to collapse. Thinking Taylor is dead, Zaius runs off with the ape army, which for the most part is being crushed by the collapsing ceilings. Nova is not dead as once thought. Just injured, her back was blasted with a shotgun. She wearily gets to Taylor who is also not dead and helps him inside a room that acts both as a priest's chamber and a bomb shelter. They fall asleep in each other's arms…

The earth eventually stops trembling from the quakes and falling rock. Zaius has escaped. Most of the gorillas in this mission did not. Ron Brent's space ship is found by Colonel Rotuk's troops. Orders are sent to weld it shut in case other humans find it and try to escape in it like Zira, Milo and Cornelius succeeding in doing. Before the apes do this, they are also ordered to have it loaded up with poison too.

Somehow in the process, a return mechanism is activated. A second engine unknown to Brent exists. It was installed to prevent the ship from being lost like all the others before him. It ignites. This secret precaution by the US Military to prevent losing craft only works against them. The ship heads on autopilot off into orbit and the electrical storm. This particular pod is the one that lands in the ocean in 1984, our past. When the Air Force and Naval recovery crews open the sealed doors, the ape poisons flow into our water supply creating the plague which kills off cats and dogs….

Newspapers in New Ape City go from alerting the apes of human invasions to reporting that is all was a hoax again. It's all a vicious circle. Gorillas take the fall and things are only getting worse.

Nova awakens frightened mostly because she now realizes she is pregnant. Zira knew. Taylor knew. But Nova is confused. Taylor and Nova get up and escape the rubble amidst droves of dead apes and mutants. They get outside and head in the opposite direction of Old and New Ape City. Taylor never got to see what the apes had done to NYC. They head south down the coastline. They discover DC left desolate. Leveled like most the rest of the world.

3980

Before moving on from here they learn that only DC, NASA, NORAD, parts of California and Area 51 survived the nuclear wars and human/ape revolts. The trip is made tough by her being with child, nauseated, weak, etc, but they continue south.

At NASA they discover Ron Brent, Bill Allen, Jeff Hudson and Judy Franklin. It is here they also find that there is enough food and weapons to survive for years as long as the apes never find them again. And if they do, the human troops are more than ready.

4000

It seems no one at NASA knew the history of the apes or the humans as the past 2000 years the people of NASA have gotten by with only the information provided to them by their forefathers and superiors. They are as much in the dark about the apes as the apes are about their own human past.

No one has so much as bothered to leave the 30 mile radius which remains under peaceful government protection since NORAD was imploded, California was assumed uninhabitable, the apes took over Washington DC and the adjacent air raids to save the President left virtually nothing to think about.

And most people thought Area 51 was a myth. In reality it was evacuated due to the repetitive encounters with migrating apes crossing the desert almost 2000 years ago now. All the people from this era are long gone or disappeared on the Independence Space Station.

In fact, the inhabitants of the Independence planned to destroy the planet with a secondary Doomsday Device after they sailed off into space.

The apes got out of hand before the green house theory had, but the plan was the same. Use a nuclear device to clear the surface of a new planet, and then make an attempt to inhabit it after the fallout cleared. Mars was the original target but ape revolts took precedence.

So all this time, there has been a secret space station up in the sky. Where or when it is now, no one knows. But it was launched in 2031. And it is quite rightly called the Independence.

4017

36 years have passed since Taylor landed on the Planet of the Apes. He is now 80, and Nova, who speaks rather fluently, is 60. They have 2 children ranging from ages 36 to 18. Astronaut Allen has found a bride and sired 2 boys. Hudson and Franklin fell in love and have some children too. They are all around 70, making it all the more reasonable to discover they are also grandparents.

Ron Brent recently passed away. He would have been 100 or so and died not knowing his father nor betraying what he felt was a wedding vow made before becoming a space traveler. Oddly enough, each astronaut has had ‘descendants' from the time they were first at NASA in the ‘past' residing there ‘now' in the future. These 5 astronauts were regarded as heroes long before they returned and were named to the head of government almost immediately upon their arrival.

Their home at NASA is modest but much more advanced and modern than any apes cities seen thus far. NASA however limits their transportation in automobiles. They ration all natural resources in anticipation that peace is threatened.

Crops are grown, animals are raised, in fact the military base of NASA almost seems as though it is trapped in a time warp of it's own, but circa 1955 or so, possibly resembling the bases where Gomer Pyle or I Dream Of Genie were filmed during the 1960's.

Also in 4017, we see the ape city of past long gone, abandoned. Children play in the ghost town it has become. However, the New Ape City, located still in New York City's metro region has thrived. All around the globe things have changed.

Most parts of the earth are now capable of replenishing itself but due to a lack of interest, ability to look or fear of adventuring too far, both apes and man neglect the wonders of their planet. They each seem to have become content in their little corners of the universe.

NASA is cautious and thrives still on a little paranoia that the apes can rear their ugly heads at any moment. Guards stand posts about the base in rotating shifts watching the gates. With this exception and the fact that no one goes beyond the barricaded perimeter, this truly is a semi-modern society.

New Ape City kept the peace because the non-speaking tribes of men are mostly migrated elsewhere and because ape culture is now mostly a chimpanzee dominated society. With many of the gorilla soldiers crushed in the cathedral and Zaius is now an advisor to Zira's nephew Lucius, everything seems almost too peaceful.

Lucius has grown to fame for his knowledge of human/ape history and is a very handsome and wise chimp of age 50. He maintains man isn't as bad as the apes once thought. Power is what makes man or ape bad. Ignorance is what makes man or ape bad. And he publicly has stated that personally, he has no fear of Taylor or any other human returning for war nor caring about the apes in any other manner.

Oh, how times will change.

4020

There is a rather evil militant gorilla rebellion that has been living quietly but preparing for the worst in the California mountains for the past 500 years or better. They used to use humans for target practice and hunting games but ran out. We see them venturing to roadside hotels where their wives await their gorilla husbands to come back from the kills. Photographs are taken next to stacks of human corpses by gorillas wearing preppy sweaters and polo jackets. The women cut off locks of human hair to use on key chains. It is quite appalling.

Their renegade behavior, combined with human hating, chimpanzee envy and their bitter taste for orangutan has made them quite restless. They have been waiting so long for an attack that they doubt there is anyone out there to attack them. And if there are, and if they are simply ignoring them, the gorillas now want a little attention. Some respect. Some blood to spill.

The gorilla leader sends scouts out across the continent to find any Mutant, ape or otherwise human survivors. These apes have also salvaged equipment and learned to drive cars. They even fly the occasional airplane.

The first gorilla scout team reported back after finding NASA so a second crew was sent in to gather more info. Unfortunately for the gorillas, one team member was captured. Unfortunately for NASA the others got away. Since more than likely the gorillas are going back to warn their leader, NASA fears for the worst. Not knowing how many there are, what their location and equipment may be, it is time to ask a few questions.

The prisoner gorilla scout is lead to a special part of the on base prison for questioning. Although he gives in and lends details that are quite frightening, the most alarming bit is not that another gorilla scout team was heading back to take over NASA but that one more gorilla army was already headed to New Ape City.

These gorillas hate other apes and humans. No one is safe.

Lucius's New Ape City has advanced itself but men do still perform lesser tasks, appear in circus acts and Sea World type of family fun parks and serve a secondary role in society. Besides that, we see it's a 1970's society with a feel the people and apes in it are from the 1920's. It is apparent they are real sure of all the technology at their fingertips even after nearly 40 years to learn it all.

Back at NASA around 3 a.m. a great fire lights up the sky. It is the space station Independence coming back to Earth focused on a homeward bound navigational system…

As it lands, the men and women of Independence say their prayers as they are preparing to be greeted by apes. The team sent in to greet them is lead by Taylor's son, known about the base as Young Taylor.

As soon as the shock of their landing and the leeriness of all at NASA subside, the crew of Independence begins discussing known history with Taylor. Leo Davidson realizes Taylor is too old, too stressed and generally not physically prepared for an ape attack let alone a journey to New Ape City to find Lucius as all now know Zira and Cornelius are not still alive.

Taylor's son, Davidson and a small contingent of humans head to New Ape City to warn the apes. Upon arrival, Taylor's son and Leo select to go into the city alone. Armed and radio handy, they hope not to stir up any unnecessary trouble looking for Lucius.

They find Lucius easily enough and see his is greatly concerned about the matter but needs a plan in order to properly present these strange talking men before ape congress. The senate believes there are no more talking men left alive. So to stand before them, it must be at a science convention being conducted the very next day. Young Taylor and Leo are humiliated because in order to look presentable, they must wear ‘man' clothing. That means getting in front of 2000 apes and presenting their case in loincloths.

Mind you, there is no legalized slave trading in New Ape City but humans are mute and while treated more admirably, they are much like pet monkeys are to us in modern society. Tame but normally quite dumb and merely amusing in ‘regular' clothes.

Leo and Young Taylor reluctantly don the loin clothes and win over ape society with their passion. The gorillas however feel ‘called out' or prejudiced and singled out. The word also is that somehow there were leftover weapons in the buried arsenals of NORAD and Area 51 that these West Coast gorillas have gained control over. Considering the technology buried in these old labs, there is no telling what the capabilities of the gorillas may entail.

There isn't much by way of weaponry designed for ground wars neither at NASA nor aboard the Independence Space Station, which was damaged beyond repair upon re-entry into earth's atmosphere. So not only must ape and man unite, decisions must soon be made on how they want to handle the situation.

Odds are the first militant gorilla attack will be on the less populated NASA. Women and children of NASA must be gotten safely to New Ape City and half the male military population of New Ape City must go to NASA prepared for impending battle. Who would have ever suspected man and ape would unite only to fight ape?

Lucius gets his military leaders together that evening in order to delegate these tasks while he heads off with a couple of close advisors, Leo and Young Taylor back to NASA.

The reunion between Taylor and Lucius is touching. Even Nova finds herself choked up. Taylor is dying. His family is around him and upon his deathbed he wishes Cornelius and Zira were there.

It all seems to make sense now. He is more than happy to see his young friend grown up into such a powerful and well-respected chimpanzee. Lucius tells him he is still so damned ugly and bossy. Nova doesn't understand but Taylor does. He is smiling as his last breath leaves him.

With ape contingents from New Ape City coming to NASA, which are 1100 miles apart, traveling on horses, buses, and Army jeeps, Hum-vees etc. on dirt roads mostly, it could take a full 24 hours before they see the re-enforcement's arrival.

With population at over 20,000, there are too many women and children to fit in their few small planes and helicopters, and no time to waste, so they were taken to New Ape City in a heavily guarded caravan that morning. Those too old to travel or the people left behind have headed into bunkers knowing the attack could be moments away.

Not long after the women and children are gone and plenty of time before the New Ape City army has a chance to arrive, two rather large gorillas pull up at NASA's gate with a few women they captured for bait. This means the gorillas somehow know about the scheduled events taking place between New Ape City and NASA. But how?

While the guards at the gate are distracted by the gorillas and female hostage's, 12 more gorillas fly across the sky and over the fences wearing jet propulsion packs they salvaged from Area 51. The gorillas immediately begin firing machine guns over the wall at the citizens of NASA City mowing many innocent people down to the dismay and terror of Young Taylor, Lucius and Leo (who has no interest of battling apes again).

These gorillas are better prepared, better equipped and much more frightening than the ones we have seen in the past. However, they do not have lasers.

Leo pulls out his laser, as do soldiers from the Independence and slice the flying gorillas in half while they are still in flight. Whole pieces of gorillas drop all over the place. From above the guard tower we see there are several dozen more apes coming wearing jet packs and carrying machine guns. Some jeeps are arriving full of gorillas but no tanks are in site. This is a good thing. The attack doesn't look too tough to handle but at least 30 or 40 people inside NASA are already dead due to flying apes.

One by one Independence crew snipers take out as many apes as possible swatting them out of the sky like flies. Lucius offers to go out and mediate with the attackers but it is apparent these gorillas do not care. The battle doesn't last long as we see more than half of the jet packed apes fly off in retreat for the hills. The jeeps are also turning back. What gives?

Once the skies are clear, a helicopter takes off flown by Leo and heads in the direction the women's caravan should be. Lucius, and Young Taylor are on board. As they take off, two more copters follow, but one blazes across the sky continuing to fire on flying apes until NASA radios order them to pursue but do not fire. We assume now NASA is safe when we see the apes at the gate with their hands up and the women running inside for safety. But the other gorillas either got away or are being trailed by a copter. Either way, you can't help but feel in the silence that it seems to be somebody, some ape, somewhere, is out there watching.

Is this a distraction while the real gorilla army heads to New Ape City? Where are the women and children? As the copters get closer to the women's convoy, the women are definitely being held captive by a gorilla force. One copter flies ahead to see that the ½ of New Ape City's military is sandwiched between two contingents of militant gorilla forces. When a New Ape City soldier so much as flinches, a militant gorilla sniper picks him off. The New Ape City apes are trapped and forced into a standstill. Without being able to see the gorilla snipers from the sky, the helicopter is almost useless.

The lone copter that followed the apes West comes back to NASA to pick up and then drop off some Rangers from the space station to follow the renegade apes in the mountains for a few days then heads off to see if they can be of assistance to Leo and the other chopper….

However, the closer the copters get to the impinged New Ape City army, the more the unseen snipers fire at the apes so the copters turn and fly away to get distant. They need a plan. Not too many gorillas are observed guarding the women, so some remaining Rangers can come in from behind and possibly take out any gorilla snipers in order to save the women. This still leaves the NYC troops trapped between two sets of militants.

There is only one functional plane at NASA and it was used to get to New Ape City carrying the elderly who were capable of traveling from NASA. The women are helpless sitting on their busses at gunpoint.

As many of the troops from NASA and the Independence that can be spared are closing on in behind the women's caravan where the Rangers successfully regained control. Now troops from NASA and the Rangers who saved the women are now sandwiching the gorilla militants who are still trying to sandwich the New Ape City troops.

Days pass as this scenario transpires. The tension is almost impossible to imagine. And after the elderly are dropped off in NYC, more troops led by Leo and Young Taylor come from behind and close in on the other half of the militant gorilla group.

The Rangers in the west finally catch up to the gorillas that escaped NASA and find they have no leader, no back up, no anything. Every single one of the gorilla wives and children were easily rounded up and captured. To show these gorillas that the men of Earth mean business, the Rangers are ordered by an unidentified leader as NASA to kill the female and children gorillas then report to NASA's leader. They reluctantly do as told with the female gorillas that are cursing the human soldiers, load the others into trucks and head back to base….

As the military moves are made back East, over half of the New Ape City soldiers and a good third of the NASA troops are lost at war. It was a 2-day battle with the militant apes, which lose ¾ of their army and eventually are marched to a prison just outside of NYC. They never thought they would need to use a prison, but there are bad apples in every bunch so in go the gorillas.

Lucius and the humans expect a hero's welcome to New Ape City after a successful battle for the Planet of the Apes knowing no other humans or apes are left anywhere on earth, but here.

Even some species of cats and dogs are resurfacing. The troops return to a city surrounded in silence. It's disturbing.

Back in Lucius's office we discover the wives of the city and NASA military leaders evacuated to supposed safety at New Ape City are being held hostage by the gorilla leader there. Not only his 12 best gorillas there, but they are also greeted by the gorillas formerly citizens of New Ape City that have joined his forces. Gorillas of a feather always flock together.

Just as 4 gorillas in jet packs appear hovering outside in the windows, Lucius, Leo, Young Taylor and another male open fire with one shot each out the windows killing the gorillas as they appear. Even faster one, two, three, four more shots are made taking out the 4 gorilla leaders standing behind the innocent women who are scared to tears.

Lucius looks at his crying wife and smiles to her. It's OK he says.

Without a flinch, the other gorillas in the office and even on the streets drop their weapons and fall to their knees.

A ticker tape parade ensues as we see former human world leaders sitting in a press conference signing a peace treaty with all the current important ape leaders. Everyone is happy. There are apes and men in subways going to work together. Apes and children are playing baseball on the same teams. Churches full of standing room only humans and apes sing as a choir. At schools there are apes teaching non-speaking humans to speak. It is a happiness like no other era.

4050

Peace has continued, and agreements are made between apes and men to only reproduce in equal numbers. It will they increase and multiply but never have a population control. Gorillas in prison die old men and some of the women and children who are reformed get returned to New Ape City where they are given jobs and responsibility. Eventually the prison closes.