War for the Planet of the Apes is a story of humanity and apes at a crossroads. Neither faction really want war, but some feel they need to engage in it to prove a point to the other. It is the essence of basic and real warfare that occurs in the real world even today. The problem lies in their organization. Neither the humans nor the apes seem to have a good deal of it. There seem to be factions that wish to go against the main goals of both.
Unfortunately, such a case makes itself prevalent in the opening salvo of this issue with the Zookeeper causing issues for the humans in Reno, Nevada. They are simply seeking to trade, but things quickly escalate to violence. It shows that humans all have differing viewpoints on what should be done about the apes. There’s the group that has a clear consensus but others in Reno such as the Zookeeper take other opinions on just what should happen. It’s reflective of how societies have always operated with the lack of cohesion over what exactly should occur.
The issue moves into Caesar talking to his son, Blue Eyes, about the potential future he will have as a leader. He tells his son just what apes need— someone who will protect them but not make war. It’s particularly important his son knows this, because Caesar came from a society where humans were dominant. Caesar does not harbor complete resentment toward humans and only has ever wanted to live where he could be free with his kind; however, not all of the apes have the gray area that Caesar has.
Caesar is seeking to impart wisdom to his son that war is not the answer. He is concerned about the continuity of leadership with regard to his son and the need for someone that will actually lead and not take their kind backward. This could come to be a majorly important point of advancement should the story of the apes ever go beyond Caesar. Back in Portland, Oregon, however, there’s a great deal of research being done to understand the AL2-113 virus but also how it has mutated. This could be one of the biggest challenges for the humans.
If they are weakened by it, what exact hope do they have for the future? Even in Georgia, there are a lot of these apes who are going into action to destroy a man’s farm. While the trouble with the coordination among the humans may appear more direct, writer David Walker shows this more among the different factions out there. It’s interesting to see the differences between the humans and the apes in this issue.
While the humans choose to stay close to one another, Caesar sent away his son, Blue Eyes, for preparation work to become the new leader. It’s a contrast that illustrates the differences between the humans and the apes. Caesar becomes aware of the threat the apes who don’t follow him pose. One of his allies alerts him to them, and they talk about how these apes could be a larger threat than the humans. Could such a thing eventually lead to apes working with the humans? Maybe the humans and the apes, who mutually want peace, will work to take down the humans and apes that wish for war.
The issue raises many questions about the direction of the society both the humans and apes are living in. If one faction of humans and another faction of apes end up working together, it could change the entire dynamic of the Apes franchise as a whole. As the Reno faction works to get through their difficulties unscathed, some of the scientists in Portland are killed by military men because they failed in the military leader’s belief.
While more violence continues and both humans and apes face infighting within their respective camps, it becomes difficult to guess just what might happen going forward. Such will be for Walker and his amazing artist, Jonas Scharf, to explain to us in future issues.
Tommy Zimmer is a writer whose work has appeared online and in print. His work covers a variety of topics, including politics, economics, health and wellness, addiction and recovery, and the entertainment industry.
