Summary

• The funeral scene in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes pays homage to Caesar and his impact on the franchise history.
• Nova's influence is seen through the flower tradition at ape funerals, connecting past and present characters in a powerful way.
• The new trilogy, starting with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, honors the legacy of Caesar and maintains genuine ties to the beloved Caesar trilogy of the 2010s.

One of the most emotionally powerful scenes from the reboot trilogy was referenced in Wes Ball didn't reveal its specific place on the timeline. The first chapter of a new trilogy, Kingdom focused on Noa, a young ape who acts as the spiritual successor to Caesar. That made Caesar's cameo at the beginning of the movie a surprise to most.

Before the primary action of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes begins, the movie opens with a flashback to Caesar's funeral, which would have happened shortly after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes. In the scene, all the surviving apes from Caesar's newly freed clan pay respects to their fallen leader, led by Maurice the orangutan, Caesar's closest friend. The manner in which they show their love refers back to one of the franchise's saddest scenes, and proves just how much the new trilogy will honor the history of Caesar.

The Apes Put Flowers In Caesar’s Body (Like Nova Did To Luca In War For The Planet Of The Apes)

The flashback to his funeral revealed the custom

In the flashback to Caesar's funeral, the apes closest to him all place flowers on his body before lighting his funeral pyre. It's a direct callback to how Nova, the human girl who was adopted by Caesar's clan in War, placed a blossom over the ear of Luca upon his death. Luca had fallen protecting Caesar from the villainous Colonel McCullogh's soldiers, not unlike how Caesar died freeing his apes from enslavement and certain death.

Nova's influence is felt in other ways, as Raka (and likely the apes he spent his life with) refers to Mae as "Nova", which has evolved into a general name for humans.

It's clear that Maurice and Rocket, the only two surviving apes who would have seen Nova place the flower on Luca, adopted the beautiful sentiment for their fallen leader. The flowers carry symbolic meaning, as their beauty and vibrancy serve to show how the fallen ape will continue to live on and be ed fondly by those whose lives they impacted. It's unclear if this custom has been adopted for all ape funerals from that point forward, but the powerful image of Caesar's body covered with flowers makes Nova's simple act more meaningful.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Opening Sequence Confirmed It Was Honoring The Previous Movies

There were several connections to the first reboot trilogy

A significant element of Kingdom, and presumably the movies that will follow it, is how Caesar's legacy endures. There was some concern that the significant time jump and new cast of characters in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes would lead to a marked separation from the beloved Caesar trilogy of the 2010s. The opening sequence, including the direct callback to Nova's actions in War for the Planet of the Apes, proves that the new trilogy will not only honor the previous trilogy, but will be actively influenced by it.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is loaded with Easter eggs referencing not only the Caesar trilogy, but the five original movies of the franchise. However, the inclusion of scenes like Caesar's funeral proves that the new Apes movies will not stop at fun yet insignificant references; it will maintain genuine threads between the movies. Caesar's cameo in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the best indication yet that the future of the franchise can continue the quality and success established by the Caesar trilogy.