Summary

• Nova and Bad Ape are noticeably absent from Caesar's funeral in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, leaving their stories unresolved.
• Their exclusion is disappointing as both characters played key roles in Caesar's development and survival in the previous films.
• Without Nova and Bad Ape present, it is implied that their stories ended with War for the Planet of the Apes, closing the door on their potential return.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Easter eggs from holding many connections to previous films, including how it heavily connects to the main ape from the previous trilogy. Caesar's influence over the movie is made clear with the opening scene showcasing his funeral.

Starting Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes with Caesar's funeral proved to be a smart way of bridging the last trilogy and what could be the start of a new one. This allowed the franchise to give further closure following Caesar's death in War for the Planet of the Apes. This included Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes having some additional characters from the previous trilogy appear as part of the ape ceremony. Oddly, that made the absences of a few other key characters all the more noticeable.

Nova & Bad Ape Are Missing From Caesar's Funeral In Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes

Other Characters Are Featured

Throughout Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' opening scene, audiences see a handful of characters from the last trilogy in attendance at Caesar's funeral. His trusted orangutan friend Maurice, close ally Rocket, and youngest son Cornelius are all shown clearly during the sequence. There are even apes who appear to resemble Stone, another major Caesar er, and Lake, the wife of Blue Eyes. All their appearances make sense given they were with Caesar's colony during War for the Planet of the Apes' ending. Anyone looking for Nova or Bad Ape will not find them, as they are missing.

Nova was played by Amiah Miller, and Bad Ape was played by Steve Zahn

Nova and Bad Ape were new characters introduced for War for the Planet of the Apes. Both became key characters in the storyline and were with Caesar and the rest of the apes as they migrated to a new home. It does not make sense for Nova and Bad Ape to be missing from this Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes scene then. They were shown on-screen nearby at the moment that Caesar died. While it could be argued that either is present but off-screen, there is currently no confirmation that Nova or Bad Ape were there.

Nova & Bad Ape Should've Been At Caesar's Funeral In Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes

They Were Connected To Caesar's Finale

Not having Nova and Bad Ape in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is strange beyond the fact that they were close in proximity to Caesar when he died. War for the Planet of the Apes made both characters crucial to Caesar's development in the trilogy capper. Nova helped Caesar regain some faith and trust in humanity. Meanwhile, Bad Ape was a critical reason why Caesar was rescued from the human prison, and he was ecstatic to think that Caesar survived the final escape. As a result, both characters became critical to how the franchise ended Caesar's story.

There is no good reason why Nova and Bad Ape would not be at Caesar's funeral in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes either. The ceremony even has a connection to Nova as the apes copy her by putting flowers on Caesar's body. Seeing Nova be among those to put a flower on his body would be emotionally impactful. While Nova actress Amiah Miller aged out of the part by the time Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes happened, the sequel could have recast the character. Bad Ape could have easily been brought back with CGI too.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Leaving Nova & Bad Ape Out Means Their Stories Ended With War

Kingdom Advances The Franchise Beyond Them

Nova and Bad Ape missing from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is especially disheartening as it means their stories are already over. Since the movie jumps generations into the future, Nova and Bad Ape died long ago. War for the Planet of the Apes now becomes the last time audiences will ever see these characters again. Considering the potential that both held for future installments, the fact that we'll never see them again is disappointing.

The only chance that Nova and Bad Ape will return is if the Planet of the Apes franchise plan changes. The series is focused on the story involving Noa and Mae, which meant skipping past the rest of Nova and Bad Ape's lives. Unless future installments reverse course and go back in the Planet of the Apes timeline to tell stories between War and Kingdom, they are not available to return. If only Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes just included Nova and Bad Ape as part of Caesar's funeral scene.