The “Planet of the Apes” franchise began in 1968 with a groundbreaking film that shocked audiences, not only with its impressive makeup but with its unexpected and thought-provoking ending. The story follows astronaut George Taylor, played by Charlton Heston, who, after escaping from his ape captors, discovers the remnants of the Statue of Liberty on a beach.
This discovery forces him to realize that he is not on a distant planet, as he had originally thought, but has instead journeyed to a post-apocalyptic Earth, decimated by human conflict. His famous line, “You maniacs! You blew it up!” became iconic, underscoring the devastating consequences of human actions.
The New Chapter: “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Fast forward through eight follow-up films, including a rebooted trilogy that concluded in 2017, the franchise has introduced “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” Set several generations after the death of Caesar, the central figure of the rebooted trilogy, the film introduces a new ape character, Noa (played by Owen Teague).
Noa, Freya Allan and Raka (Photo: 20th Century Studios)Noa is a brave but naive ape who befriends Mae (Freya Allan), a human survivor. Together, their intertwined journey sets the stage for a fresh exploration of the apes’ world, raising new questions about the future of Earth and the relationship between humans and apes.
Noa belongs to the Eagle Clan of chimps, living in relative peace in a world that seems untouched by the chaos of the past. Their home is perched in overgrown utility pole towers, a symbol of the world’s environmental collapse. However, this peaceful existence is shattered when aggressive apes from a nearby valley invade their camp.
These apes hunt feral, nonverbal humans as a form of sport, leading to a violent clash that disrupts Noa’s world. The peaceful clan is overrun, and Noa is captured alongside Mae, setting them on a path that will change their lives forever.
Mae’s Secret and Their Journey Together
After their capture, Noa and Mae are taken to a labor camp where the two begin to develop a bond of trust. Mae, surprisingly, has retained the ability to speak, a rare skill in this post-apocalyptic world.
Through their growing friendship, Mae reveals an important secret: a cave that the hostile apes are attempting to break into holds technology that could help her reconnect with other sentient humans. This revelation sets the two on a mission to access the cave and unlock its potential, facing new dangers as they navigate the treacherous world of apes and humans.
Noa and Mae succeed in their mission, with Noa playing a key role in rebuilding his clan. Mae, on the other hand, is able to deliver a crucial computer cartridge to a group of surviving humans who have found shelter in a bunker filled with satellite technology. In the film’s climax, Mae is seen working with a team of scientists, survivors of Earth’s human-dominated past, who use the technology to reboot radio telescopes. They manage to make voice contact with other humans, offering a glimmer of hope for humanity’s future.
Noa the young chimpanzee hunter (Photo: 20th Century Studios)The Final Scene and the Mysterious Telescope
Meanwhile, Noa is shown taking his close friend Anaya to an abandoned telescope. The two peer through its lens, gazing into the depths of space. The film ends with a fading to black, leaving audiences wondering what Anaya sees in the vastness of space. This open-ended moment is central to the film’s conclusion, as it hints at the possibility of a new chapter in the “Planet of the Apes” universe. The telescope’s view raises the question: Is the planet they are observing Earth, or is it something else entirely?
The ending leaves much open to interpretation. One theory is that the twist involves the apes no longer living on Earth, with humans on another planet using a radio telescope to reach out to Earth’s survivors.
However, the film provides several clues that suggest the action still takes place on Earth. Notable visual elements, like the remnants of Los Angeles International Airport, help to reinforce this idea. The characters’ reference to maps of towns further supports the notion that Earth remains their home, adding to the complexity of the ending.
Director Wes Ball offers a cryptic take on the final scene, explaining that he left it intentionally vague to allow the audience’s imagination to take over. He suggests that showing the planet the characters are observing would never be as impactful as what viewers could envision themselves. The ambiguity also opens up possibilities for future stories, including the idea that the characters might be looking toward the future of space exploration. While some might be frustrated by the lack of a clear answer, Ball embraces the mystery, acknowledging that the franchise’s exploration of space is an ongoing theme.
