APELINE BETA

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

1973 A.D.

April. Cornelius, Zira and Dr. Milo aboard the refurbished ship emerge from the Sinusoid. The Big One capsule splashes down off the coast of California. At their arrive, the Apes are first treated like a sensation. Dr. Milo dies. Cornelius and Zira are introduced to world, and through their intelligence and abilities become celebrities. However, Dr. Hasslein succeeds in extorting precious informations about the future of mankind from the surviving pair. The Apes are soon considered as a menace to eradicate.

Note: the embryo was genetically "altered" by the manipulating energy of the Sinusoid. According to Wikipedia: "Week 5-6 After conception, chemicals produced by the embryo stop the woman's menstrual cycle. The brain begins to develop, showing brain wave activity at about the 6th week. The heart will begin to beat around the same time. Stubs begin to be visible where arms and legs will grow later. All of the main organs begin to grow. The head represents about one half of the embryo's axial length, and more than half of the embryo's mass." So, basically every possible manipulation must have occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, possibly the second month, which seems Zira's case. Since the Humanoid Apes are a mixture between the two species - human and simian - I assume that their embryogenesis is more similar to the latter one.

October. Zira gives birth to her son, 'Milo Jr.', named after her late friend. In the desperate attempt to escape, she and Cornelius are eventually killed by their persecutors. Thanks to the secret "switch" with a female new-born chimp, the daughter of Heloise, 'Salome' (prematurely born sixteen days prior, and already registered as such), the spawn of the two Ape-O-Nauts is providentially believed dead like the parents. In the process, Dr. Otto Hasslein also dies. Undisclosed to anyone, Milo is alive and well, kept safe by Armando, who starts to consider himself as an adoptive father of some sort. The baby is officially renamed as 'Salomon'. Armando's Circus heads towards its winter quarters in Florida. It's the beginning of the end.

Note: in the future to come, Salomon will manifest his Sinusoid-induced mutant powers. Regarding the ESCAPE timeframe, James Aquila says: "We are never told how long it was after Hasslein got Zira drunk he met with the President. It could have been the next day or weeks later. We are also never told how after that Hasslein presents his case to the commission or how long the commission took to approve Hasslein's proposals. There could have been weeks of meetings and debate on the issue. What we do know is that when Hasslein got Zira drunk, she was not yet showing. But when we next see here, being driven to the Army camp by Dr. Dixon, she is showing. So it suggests that some considerable time has past. We also don't know how long Cornelius & Zira were held in the army camp. The interrogation scene could have taken place on their first day there or weeks later. It is really unclear over what period of time ESCAPE takes place".

1974 A.D.

With Hasslein's death, the President also falls from grace, and is soon replaced by a new one. Thanks to the three talking Ape-O-Nauts from the future, the public opinion fastly becomes "accustomed" to considering Apes as an active component of society. Meanwhile, Armando attempts to "fake" the birth certification of Salomon. Now, according to the made-up documents, Salomon is obviously male and born one month before the arrival of the Ape-O-Nauts, in February 1973 A.D.

Note: everything here is quite conjectural, but strongly "suggested" by how the things turned in CONQUEST. The birth certification is mentioned by Armando during the Interrogation Scene: "A month before the Talking Apes arrived on Earth".

1976 A.D.

MacDonald's younger brother is born. When he will turn 16, his older brother - at that point, Governor's number one assistant - will recommend him as "help" for the keepers of the Ape Management archive.

Note: about MacDonald's age in BATTLE, Hotscheetz explains: "Black people don't show their age like most every other race does (look at Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey). If MacDonald II worked part-time in high school, he could have been as young as 16 in CONQUEST... that makes him about 43/44 in BATTLE".

1977 A.D.

New technologies rise all around the world. Private enterprise is strongly encouraged. Now nations seem more concerned by profit rather than safety and assistance to people. Crime rises. In the effort to stop the internal tensions, the American government becomes even more autocratic and centralized; a reformed Police institution is fastly trained, as much ruthless and violent as a fascist organ is supposed to be. There's even a sizable speed-up in the construction of "special" sites like Century City.

1978 A.D.

The American program of simian research uncovers new frontiers. Some of the Orangutangs learn to speak. Mandemus is the most receptive primate so far. The small group of prodigious Apes are renamed 'Alpha Orangs', and segregated in a off-limits area near the New York State, where experiments take place. Since Hasslein is not around to preach his fears about a terrible future, the 'Alpha Orangs' are regarded like a wonderful secret.

Note: from BATTLE it appears that Orangs like Mandemus and Virgil are much older than Caesar, and they are "aknowledged" about many scientific and cultural issues.

1983 A.D.

The 1970's ANSA capsule miracolously emerges from the "spot" of the Hasslein Curve. The astronaut is alive and well, but somehow he's become the carrier of a mysterious virus: the Plague. Either dogs and cats are soon infected by this lethal and unknown bacillum from space "imported" by the astronaut himself. Most of the animals are deliberately slaughtered to prevent the spread. Within months, the Plague is contained, but man is left without pets.

1984 A.D.

In order to prevent "backlash" episodes like the Plague or the arrival of Cornelius and Zira, government cuts most of the ANSA projects. It is during this time that the social repercussions of the Plague begin to be felt. Humans, wanting replace their lost pets, begin to keep birds and small primates (marmosets and tarsier monkeys). The primates are found to be very intelligent and become the most common household animal to date. Gradually, larger and larger ones are taken in. Despite Humanoid Apes are not easy to afford, rich people can still purchase them.

1985 A.D.

Government plans to integrate experimental 'Ape Management Centers' to few, selected American "special sites" of the civilized world, in the effort to make efficient "agents" out of the Apes. Works begin.

In few years the process of "Ape training" would reveal successful, but the constant lack of funds will always compromise its rendition on a larger, nationwide scale.

Eventually, dozens of Ape Managements become fully operative in less than 3 years.

Note: Cornelius and Zira showed what the Humanoid Apes were capable of. Century City's Ape Management Center is just one of the breed, maybe the greatest. As suggested by Caesar in the final speech of CONQUEST ("Apes in the five continents"), there must be other Ape Management Centers out there, scattered across the globe.

1986 A.D.

Governor Breck gains unlimited power in the New York State. He accomodates himself in the popular, advanced suburb known as 'Century City'.

1988 A.D.

Nationwide, 'Ape Hiring Agencies' are also instituted.

1990 A.D.

The Alpha-Omega Bomb Project has been successfully completed under the guidance of gifted General Mendez. His son is now "leader" of the project. He also wrote some musical compositions for churches, being himself a great christian.

Note: supposedly, the "Mendez" seen in BATTLE is deeply connected to the bomb (he provided Kolp with it). From the Mutants in BENEATH we know that a "Mendez" must have been a key-element in the history of the weapon. This theory explains the simultanous presence of a "Mendez" in both the Apelines. The once-deleted scenes in BATTLE (now restored on the extended cut) show that, at this point of the timeline, the bomb already exists.

1991 A.D.

December. After a trip through the Provinces, Armando takes Salomon, now 18, to Century City. Salomon realizes the terrible conditions in which the "Simian Race" has been raised – the Humanoid Apes are strapped from their natural habitats and turned into efficient slaves by the Humans. A dramatic chain of events leads to Armando's death, and Salomon's infiltration into the local Ape Management Center under the "righteous" name that Armando used to refer to him when nobody was listening: 'CAESAR'.

Note: on many occasions, Armando and Breck suggest that (almost) "20 years" have passed since 1973 A.D. Thus, the CONQUEST timeframe must begin in the very end of 1991 A.D. 
Finally, it is understood that the action of CONQUEST takes place in an eastern city; since Kolp lives in the city where Caesar was taken prisoner, I theorized that it could be an "experimental" suburban complex near New York.

1992 A.D.

By effect of his morphic powers, Caesar stimulates the captivated Apes and push them to revolt against their persecutors. The revolution in December proves to be successful, and the Apes take over Century City's social structures.

The Planet of the Apes II is thus born.

Note: on the Fox 'Preliminary Production Notes' dated 1/17/73, Caesar is described as a "chimpanzee with supernatural powers". Caesar himself hints at his powers in the following dialogue with MacDonald (CONQUEST): "Why, if a tiny mindless insect like the emperor moth can communicate with another over a distance of eighty miles... !" MacDonald: "An 'Emperor Ape' might do slightly better?" Caesar: "Slightly? What you have seen here today, Apes on the five continents will be imitating tomorrow".

1993 A.D.

"The" World War breaks out. In the early stage of the conflict, nuclear weapons are not yet disposed. Only strategical targets are hit by conventional, preventive attacks. Century City, now "cut apart" from the rest of the American territory, is among them.

Note: I assume that the nuclear exchange happens much later, after Caesar led "his" people in search of greener and safer pastures (being the city already destroyed by conventional bombings).

1995 A.D.

Breck - reduced to a comatose vegetal after being stricken by the gorillas's terrific fury - dies during an attack to his hospital. State Security Chief Inspector Kolp becomes the new Governor of the New York State.

1997 A.D.

Escape from the rubble. Caesar leads his people from the city into the Provinces; in this case, upper New York State. Hundred of Apes and Humans establish themselves in an uncontaminated valley, where building of the one and only 'Ape City' takes place. Here, the Emperor Ape attempts to restore safety for his people with the aid of a few human advisors. Massive educational programs within the community are also developed. A society is set up where Humans are enslaved by Apes, but somehow respected and enjoying some of the comforts Ape City can provide with. It is the first social model of an interaction of some sort, which will lately acquire even more absolute connotations.

Note: from the words of the Lawgiver, it is implied that Caesar spent some time in Century City, and eventually helped the survivors to hold on. Basically, there are four phases: a) Revolution and Estabilishment of the Apes; b) War; c) Escape with the survivors and Settlement; d) Nuclear Exchange. I prefer to assume that the whole chain of events took about 6 years since Caesar's arrival in Century City. The building of Ape City started that same year, in 1997 A.D.

2010 A.D.

The World War III "officially" ends, leaving in North America ravaged soils and few thousand of survivors behind (Apes and Humans).

Note: according to Governor Kolp, at the time BATTLE is set, 12 years have passed by since the end of the conflict.

2014 A.D.

Cornelius II, son of Caesar and Lisa, is born. Anyway, he's not the only spawn of the Emperor Ape.

Note: it seems that in CONQUEST, Caesar mated with an unspecified female chimp.

2022 A.D.

Caesar, along with Virgil and MacDonald's younger brother, venture to the remains of New York in search of archival films made on Cornelius and Zira, thereby unlocking the secrets of the Apeline Alpha future. They are discovered by the Blackmen and barely escape. Cornelius II misteriously dies. Governor Kolp, leader of the Blackmen, launches an attack on Caesar's community in a last-ditch effort to destroy the Ape Supremacy. Before leaving New York City, Kolp tells Alma to fire the Alpha-Omega Bomb if they lose. The Apes repel the attack. After the resolution, Caesar gets rid of General Aldo whom is taken charge of Ape assassination (he indeed murdered Cornelius II). With the Gorilla's death, each hostile behaviour towards Humans also expires. It's the end of the beginning.

2024 A.D.

In the aftermath of the simian victory, Mendez II and Alma – had become depositors of the Alpha-Omega Bomb – move themselves in even further hidden places. If this will lead to an equivalent counterpart of the Apeverse Alpha advanced Mutants is highly uncertain. Anyway, there's no proper technology to manipulate mutant D.N.A. anywhere available.

Note: see the once-deleted scenes, now properly restored in the new, definitive extended edition of BATTLE, which I truly consider as being the *canon* version of the movie.

2040s

Caesar reduces the social impact and the presence of the Gorillas to the point they become just "workers" inside the community. He also edits them out from the Council.

2068 A.D.

Caesar dies at 96. The interracial society he created will preserve his legacy in the many millennia to come.

Note: the Lawgiver in 2670 A.D. claims that "now, some six hundred years after Caesar's death". Scaling down to just 2 years is enough "some" in my book.

2670 A.D.

The reading of the Sacred Scrolls, written after Caesar's death. Apes and Humans now co-exist as brothers in the same civilization, perpetrating the legacy and the legend of Caesar. Maybe the disastrous fate of the Apeverse Alpha has been definitely prevented, and this will led to the birth of a renowned civilization on the Planet of the Apes II.

Note: indeed, the very beginning of the fifth movie is a prologue set in 2670 A.D.

WRITTEN BY TIZIANO CALIENDO