Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'

The Big Picture

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sets up a new trilogy, introducing a ruthless new villain and bold directions for the series.
• Noa and Mae work together to prevent Proximus Caesar from obtaining advanced technology to enslave apes and humankind.
• Mae's betrayal leads to a shocking finale, hinting at a future conflict between apes and humans.

The explosive ending of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes continues the legacy left behind by Caesar (Andy Serkis) in a variety of surprising ways. Taking place generations after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, the latest film from director Wes Ball follows a new hero in Noa (Owen Teague) after the young ape's village is attacked by a band of ruthless cultists led by a mad king calling himself Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Noa also meets a surprisingly intelligent human named Mae (Freya Allan), as he goes after Caesar for what he's done.

According to Wes Ball, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is intended to be the first chapter of a new trilogy. That's evident in the major plot developments revealed in the film's ending, which not only introduces some significant aspects to the franchise's universe, but also sets up some bold directions for the series to go from here. The rivalry between Noa and Proximus comes to a head in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' explosive finale, and we mean that both literally and figuratively.

Noa and Mae Unlock Proximus' Vault in 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'

As soon as Noa finally meets Proximus in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, we finally learn of the Caesar usurper's dastardly plan. Proximus Caesar seeks to unlock a massive military vault left behind by humanity's downfall. The contents of the vault contain a massive stockpile of weapons, vehicles, and technology that has gone untouched since the Simian Flu outbreak in the Caesar trilogy. Proximus getting his hands on such advanced technology would give him the tools to enslave apes and humankind alike, and Noa and Mae agree that cannot happen.

With the help of Noa's friends, Noa and Mae rig the dam between Proximus' base and the ocean to blow, with the plan being to flood the vault. Afterward, the group enters the vault through a rear entrance. Mae gets what she needs from inside, a hard drive of paramount importance, while Noa and his friends learn the truth about what apes were like before the world fell into chaos, and they open the vault's front door. Before they can put their plan into action, though, Proximus is there waiting for them.

Mae Betrays Noa by Blowing Up the Dam Early

Proximus Caesar is initially pleased to see his vault is open, but still recognizes that Noa attempted to betray him. Proximus now seems keen on punishing Noa and his friends, which puts Mae at a crossroads. She has formed a close bond with Noa throughout the film's lengthy runtime, but she's still loyal to humans at the end of the day. In a shocking and tragic twist, Mae blows up the dam with Noa, Proximus, and most of the other apes inside the vault, leaving them at real risk of drowning.

Noa is nearly dispatched by Proximus' second in command, but eventually, he and his companions make it out of the vault through the rear entrance. Unfortunately, Proximus also made it out of the vault, and he quickly begins beating Noa within an inch of his life for destroying his grand kingdom. All hope appears to be lost, but Noa finds hope when he sees the eagles of his clan circling above. Finally having the confidence to sing his father's song, Noa summons the eagles to him. When his clan members join him in the chanting, the eagles begin attacking Proximus, eventually sending the tyrant king falling to his death.

Later, when Noa and his clan return home to rebuild, he's surprised to see Mae has come to visit. Noa has some choice words for his former companion, even going as far as to say Proximus was right about humans being untrustworthy. All while holding a gun without Noa seeing, Mae is also defiant, stating that humans deserve to be the superior life-form over apes. It's a conversation that cements Noa and Mae as future enemies, but Noa still appears hopeful of a future where apes and humans can peacefully coexist.

Mae Brings Communication Back to Humanity

While Noa helps to rebuild his community, Mae returns to her base of operations. It's here that we see Mae is far from the only intelligent human left on Earth. There's an entire community of them holed up in a military base, and now that Mae has the hard drive from Proximus' base, they're able to turn on the satellites and see if anyone out there is listening. It works, and humanity is able to communicate with one another via long distances.

This development is a ray of hope for humanity, but what does this mean for the apes? Mae makes it abundantly clear to Noa that humans deserve their planet back, so it doesn't seem like her community is keen on living peacefully. Just like a broadcast signal began a full-blown ape-human war in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the communication breakthrough in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes could be the first sign of an all-new conflict.

The End-Credits of 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Might be Teasing Raka is Still Alive

This last thing might be a bit of a stretch, but there may be one final detail within the end credits of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. One stand-out character in the film is Raka (Peter Macon) - the wise and hysterical orangutan that Noa meets early on in his journey. Raka appears to be killed off when he's swept up in some swelling rapids. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does not have an end-credits scene, but it does feature an audio cue that's a bit intriguing. The noise appears to be the same sound an orangutan makes, and given that Raka is the only orangutan character in the film, this could be a tease that Raka is not as dead as we once thought.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now in theaters. Click below for showtimes near you.

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