In many ways, 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes marked a new era in the Planet of the Apes franchise, and one of the most unexpected changes the film made was its new protagonist, Noa. Since 1968, the Planet of the Apes movies have explored the concept of a world run by intelligent apes. The five original movies followed astronaut George Taylor as he comes upon the apes, Cornelius, and Zira. Starting in 2011, three reboot films centered on Caesar, who leads the ape revolution. Now, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has introduced a new hero.

Considering that Caesar dies at the end of War for the Planet of the Apes, it was pretty clear that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes would have to center on a new ape. However, Noa is quite different from what audiences may have expected. Living 300 years after Caesar, Noa is a young ape living in a village where apes inhabit incredible towers and tame falcons as their pets. Noa’s story begins when his village is raided by enemy apes, resulting in deaths and kidnappings. Seeking revenge, Noa sets out on a new Planet of the Apes quest.

Noa Is A Very Different Protagonist From Caesar In Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes

Planet Of The Apes Works Hard To Differentiate Between Noa & Caesar

After following Caesar’s epic story for three movies, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ switch to Noa may have felt abrupt to some viewers. This is only compounded by the fact that Noa is completely different from Caesar. Unlike Caesar, Noa grows up in a world where humans have only ever been inferior. His life, and those of his family, have rarely been on the line, and for the most part, he is happy. Arguably, this makes Noa much softer than Caesar ever was, and thus, less equipped to lead his fellow apes.

Where the first three Planet of the Apes reboot movies told Caesar’s rags-to-riches story of war and peace, Noa’s tale is a total switch-up. Noa’s safe and loving world is turned upside down, and although he fights for the safety of his loved ones, his biggest quest is for answers and information. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes works hard to show audiences that Noa and Caesar are incredibly far from each other, not just in terms of their goals, but also in their circumstances. In Noa’s world, Caesar’s beliefs have been lost to time, creating an insurmountable chasm between the two protagonists.

Noa Being Just Another Caesar Would’ve Been A Mᴀssive Mistake After The Previous Trilogy

Kingdom’s Use Of Caesar In Noa’s Story Is Genius

It is only natural for audiences to miss Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, but Noa being a distinctly different character is ultimately a good thing. Noa’s introduction would have been far more distracting if the franchise had attempted to make him just like Caesar. This would have prevented Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes from feeling fresh, and worse, would have made Noa feel like a pointless replacement. In this way, Noa’s differences are what make him interesting, and also help to keep the story moving forward rather than focusing on the past.

More than that, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ use of Caesar within Noa’s story makes their differences even better. In the fourth installment, audiences no longer get to see Caesar on-screen, but they do learn about his legacy through Raka’s teachings. These moments are not only satisfying for viewers who are curious about Caesar’s future, but they also connect Noa and Caesar in a very literal way. They may be different characters from different times, but they are tied together by their shared history and their ability to lead.

Noa’s Character Arc Is The Most Exciting Thing About The New Planet Of The Apes Saga

How Noa’s Future Can Look Different From Caesar’s

Regardless of how you feel about Noa’s relation to Caesar, his character arc is one of the most exciting elements of Planet of the Apes’ future. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes showed Noa learning more about his history and inspiring his people to fight back against Proximus. Presumably, this is just the first spark in what will later become a bonfire, as Noa continues leading the apes in whatever cause comes next. Noa’s potential is made even better by his connection to Mae, who teaches him that humans may not be as weak as he once perceived.

Noa’s future will be the true test of how different or similar he is to Caesar. Noa may not have the dark roots that Caesar had, but he could easily find himself in a similar position, where peace is his goal, but war becomes inevitable. On the other hand, perhaps Noa will not be so generous to the humans. Either way, Planet of the Apes has planted the seeds for a really compelling character in Noa, and hopefully, he will reach the same heights that Caesar once did.

Planet of the Apes

Created by

Pierre Boulle

First Film

Planet of the Apes

First TV Show

Planet of the Apes

Cast

Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, Linda Harrison, Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Roth, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, James Franco, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jason Clarke, Toby Kebbell, Judy Greer, Woody Harrelson, Amiah Miller, Kevin Durand, Dichen Lachman, William H. Macy, Owen Teague, Freya Allan

TV Show(s)

Planet of the Apes, Return to the Planet of the Apes

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