Spoilers for Planet of the Apes (2023) #1The rebooted Planet of the Apes film series shows how humanity was responsible for the fall of civilization, but a new comic from Marvel suggests that the apes may be as, if not more, responsible than the humans for the societal collapse. The latest film trilogy, helmed by directors Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves, begins with the origin and spread of the viral Simian Flu that eventually wipes out most of humanity. Many of the surviving humans believe that the apes are to blame for the man-made virus, leading to many trying to eradicate their species. But a new prequel story proves that many apes were against humans from the beginning, even before war erupted between the two species.
In Planet of the Apes (2023) #1 by David Walker and Dave Wachter, scientists and militaries from nations around the world in the year 2015 (four years after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes) are scrambling to acquire ape specimens hoping to create a vaccine to the fatal Simian Flu. A group of terrorists called the Exercitus Viri, however, have been killing countless apes believing that they are the cause of the outbreak. The U.N. peacekeeper Juliana Tobon takes on a mission to escort a small group of ape specimens to a research lab, and personally promises the apes that she’ll protect them from any dangerous humans. Although she genuinely cares for the caged animals under her protection, the captive apes instead turn to each other and sign, “Apes protect apes.” This statement suggests that the apes will choose to only look out for each other rather than humans. So because neither species is ever fully willing to cooperate, both sides share the blame for the world’s end.
Humans And Apes Can't Trust Each Other
Juliana is shown to be truly empathetic and caring for the apes but with their kind being hunted down by terrorists and experimented on by scientists hoping to create a cure, it’s likely that they can't ever see any human as a true ally. Koba is the most prominent ape in the films who is against any form of cooperation with humans. Koba's unique hatred for humanity would be shared only by a handful of those in Caesar’s vast colony, implying that most apes desire peace as opposed to the many humans who want to wipe them out.
The theme of apes being the more redeemable species is explored most clearly in the ending of War for the Planet of the Apes, in which the human soldier Preacher and the traitorous gorilla Red are each given the opportunity to determine Caesar’s fate. In the end Preacher chooses to kill Caesar while Red chooses to sacrifice himself to save him. Walker and Wachter’s comic may be adding its own twist to the theme of humans being the worst of the two species by having its ape characters be more cynical than their human protectors.
Apes Will Protect Apes
The moment where the apes admit that they’ll only trust each other may indicate an imminent war between humans and apes that occurs before the events of Dawn and War of the Planet of the Apes. Whatever that conflict may look like, however, it likely can’t be on the same scale as the battles seen in the films as the surviving human population remains unaware of any conflict with sentient apes up until that point in time. Perhaps if humans and apes both saw each other as equals in their war with the Exercitus Viri, society wouldn’t break down by the end of the reboot trilogy. Time will tell if the apes truly are as much to blame as humanity for the state of the world when Marvel’s Planet of the Apes continues to unfold in the coming months.
Planet of the Apes #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.