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This Hero was proposed and approved by Heroes Wiki's Pure Good Proposals Thread. Any act of removing this hero from the category without a Removal Proposal shall be considered vandalism (or a "villainous" attempt to demonize said character) and the user will have a high chance of being | ||
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| “ | Son... will know... who... was... father. And what... Caesar... did... for us. | „ |
| ~ Maurice to a dying Caesar. |
Maurice is the deuteragonist of 20th Century Fox's Planet of the Apes reboot film series.
He is a former circus orangutan who was eventually freed and granted heightened intelligence by the ape revolutionary leader, Caesar. Maurice serves as Caesar's closest friend and adviser. He also serves as the ape colony's teacher and mentor to all the younger apes, teaching them how to communicate through sign language and all the laws that Caesar has put in place for all of them to live better lives.
He was played by Karin Konoval.
Biography[]
Rise of the Planet of the Apes[]
When Caesar was first brought to the San Bruno Primate Shelter, Maurice took an immediate interest in him noting that Caesar was different from the other apes somehow and from a distance he watched as the chimpanzee struggled to fit in with his fellow apes. Maurice would then witness Caesar being horribly beaten by Rocket, the cruel alpha male of the shelter. He later watched as Caesar began to sulk in his cell over his time in the shelter. Through sign language, he asked Caesar if he was hurt bad, surprising Caesar as he had no idea another ape at the shelter knew sign language as well. Maurice then reveals to Caesar that he is a former circus orangutan and because the humans dislike smart apes he keeps it a secret from the shelter staff. This encounter relieved and lifted Caesar's spirits as he finally made a friend at the shelter and the two apes would be seen conversing with each other more often.
One night, Maurice noticed Caesar escaping from his cell and heading to the play den. Later on, he along with the other apes watched as Caesar and his new friend Buck the gorilla threatened Rocket. After Caesar overthrew Rocket as Alpha, Maurice was puzzled as to why Caesar would later make Rocket give cookies (he stole from Dodge Landon) to all the apes in the facility. Maurice then asked Caesar his reason to having Rocket give the cookies to all the apes, Caesar replied that apes are weak separately but strong when together however, the pair soon saw two apes fight in the water behaving foolishly causing Maurice to point out the flaw by saying "Apes stupid". This comment unknowingly gave Caesar an idea and prompted him to return to his old home and steal canisters of Will's ALZ-113 drug and expose the other apes to it. After receiving the ALZ-113 overnight, Maurice was examined by Caesar who saw that he had new green eyes which showed his increased intelligence. Maurice nodded his head in thanks to Caesar for giving him new intelligence. Maurice is then seen with the other apes in the den as Caesar tells them of his plans to escape the shelter and head to the Muir Woods Park.
He would pay witness to Caesar's confrontation with Dodge Landon growing agitated as Caesar was shocked by the caretaker but would be relieved as the Ape defeated the human and locked him in a cell. Maurice would be freed from his cell and escaped the shelter with Caesar and the other apes who would head for the outskirts of the city where Caesar divided his forces into two groups. Buck and other apes were tasked with freeing the captive apes in the San Francisco Zoo while Maurice and Rocket would aid Caesar in freeing their fellow apes at the Gen-Sys Laboratories which boosted up their numbers. The evolved apes then met up with Buck's group and headed out to the streets that broke out into chaos.
With more apes in the army whose numbers rose to hundreds, Maurice became the third-in-command of the ape army and the leader of the orangutan forces. Later, in the city he and Buck were cornered by the police, but he used a manhole lid as a weapon to throw at one of the police cars, which caused it to crash into a small shop while Buck threw parking meter at another police car stopping it dead in it's tracks. The two would meet up with Caesar and Rocket as they used a trolley to travel to their next target the Golden Gate Bridge.
Once at the Golden Gate Bridge, the apes caused massive chaos which made the humans flee in terror. This act would alert the police force and have them put the bridge on lockdown and a form a blockade to hold off the apes as they approached the bridge's center. However, Caesar anticipating this strategy and had his army stopped. Caesar ordered the new recruit Koba to take some chimpanzees up the high wires of the bridge to attack the police from above while Maurice, the other orangutans, and some of the chimpanzees were ordered by Caesar to attack from the bottom of the bridge supports. As he climbed beneath the bridge, Maurice had noticed a chimpanzee named Wolfie fall to his death after being shot down by the humans. This angered him to the point where he had his group climb faster to the bridge's center. While this was happening Caesar had the gorilla's use their strength to push a bus in the range of police bullets. With the police out of bullets the Caesar led his forces against the human forces causing a fierce battle. Now without any obstacles, Maurice and his group then join their brethren in the battle and manage to defeat the police blockade and celebrate in their victory against the humans.
The apes would then leave the bridge and head for the safety of Muir Woods Park, which they made their new home. Maurice and the other apes watched as Caesar said his final goodbyes to his adoptive human father Will Rodman. Afterwards, Caesar turned to walk to his favorite tree and turned around to walk to his new comrades as Maurice and the others started to stand upright like Caesar, who ran up to and climbed at the top of the tree where he was joined by Maurice and Rocket, who sat on adjacent trees overlooking the city of San Francisco which was now in utter chaos.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes[]
Ten years later, Maurice has helped the other apes build a large thriving village in the Muir Woods Park where he has become an overseer and teacher to the young apes of the growing ape colony. Because of his role as a teacher many of the apes evolved or otherwise have learned how to use the ability of sign language as a way of communication. Maurice also appears to have take on a lawgiver role teaching the other apes the "Ape not kill ape" law which is shown to be a serious warning to those that would dare break the colony's rules. He has earned himself a place in Ape Council and he has remained close friends with Caesar to the point where they view each other as brothers and to the point where Caesar's oldest son Blue Eyes sees Maurice as an uncle.
Maurice is first seen teaching the younger generation in the village as Caesar's hunting party returns. After the birth of Caesar's second son, Maurice sits with him and congratulates him. They then talk about the humans and how few they have seen in the past ten years. Maurice states that unlike Caesar, he never got to know the good side of humans, only their bad side. The next day, Maurice awakens to the sound of a gunshot and accompanies the other apes to its origins where they discover that a group of humans have shot Ash (Rocket's son). The apes then scare off the humans by yelling at them (in English) as the humans flee, Maurice takes an immediate interest in Alexander's satchel (which was left behind following Carver's accidental attack on Ash) while Caesar orders koba and others to follow the humans. Maurice is later seen fiddling with his new discovery while the other apes are shown arguing over what to do with the humans. He takes an active part in the meeting by disagreeing with Koba's wish to immediately attack the remaining humans, stating they do not know how many of them remain. Their argument would be interrupted by Caesar who says he has a more peaceful way to settle things with the humans. The next morning, Maurice would march into the city with his people as Caesar issues his warning of war to the humans if they dare enter ape territory again before returning the satchel.
Later on, Maurice and his fellow apes are in the woods watching over the humans as they all wake up. He looks through Alexander's comics as the human questions him if he can read to which the ape doesn't answer. Maurice later sits with Alexander and becomes fascinated by his comics and drawings, and begins to become sympathetic to the humans just as Caesar was to them as well. Maurice would then join his people when the humans go to work at the San Francisco Dam to restore power to the city and is question by Caesar as to where Koba had went. Later when the humans are in trouble at the dam Maurice and his friends help them escape from the area before they drown from the rising water flooding the building. Maurice would then witness Koba angrily walk in the building and attack the humans while demanding Caesar to come out. When Koba was about to attack Alexander and Malcolm, Maurice got in the way and protected his new human friends from the angry ape and would as Caesar nearly beats Koba to death for his insolence but stops himself by remembering the "Ape Not Kill Ape" law (as it is the first Law of Caesar).
When the city of San Francisco has it's power restored, the apes and the humans would celebrate not just for the humans benefits but for the royal ape family when Cornelia suddenly walks out alive and well. The apes would continue to celebrate until the sound of gunshot is heard and Caesar's body falls from a tree branch much to the horror of his people. Along with that the Ape Village suddenly bursts into flames causing the apes to flee from their home as Blue Eyes emerges with a gun and the ape hating human Carver's baseball cap. Blue Eyes his new discovery with the other apes while Maurice watching speaks by telling Malcolm and his family to run for their lives. As they flee, Koba comes out of nowhere taking up the mantle of Ape king by telling the apes that humans attacked and killed Caesar and burnt their homes. He then orders them to retaliate by killing humans while they are vulnerable. It is unknown where Maurice went while the rest of the rowdy and angry apes took up arms and went on to attack the city killing many humans.
Following the supposed death of Caesar, Koba and his army have seized control of San Francisco imprisoning any human survivor in cells due to wanting them to see the oppression of apes. Koba also imprisoned any ape who refuses to kill human and remain a loyal follower to Caesar on a bus right next to the humans cells, these apes imprisoned include Maurice, Rocket, Luca and others. Maurice would later be visited by Blue Eyes who he warns to stay away for his own safety.
Later on, Maurice and other captives would sit and are forced to watch the madness Koba has begun before noticing Caesar's emblem appear on the window of the bus and would see blue eyes at the corner telling them to be quiet and wait for his return. At night, the captive apes start a ruckus causing their guards to try and quell the situation but they are overpowered by the prisoners who shake the bus on the other side, this act distracts the guard ape long enough for the human prisoners to escape. Blue Eyes then returns and liberates his uncles before they all flee the area. The assemble group joins blue eyes and return to the Rodman House where they find their leader and friend Caesar still alive telling them Koba's madness will end. Maurice would be a close witness to Caesar and Koba's fight as they battle for the title of the Ape king. When Koba gets hold of a gun and open fire on the other apes Maurice is injured by one of Koba's stray bullets gaining a scar in the process. For the rest of the battle he was shown being carried to safety by Blue Eyes and Rocket before watching as Caesar tackles Koba and leaves the bonobo hanging from the ledge of the Human Colony's building. The wounded Maurice watches as Caesar drops Koba to his death and would celebrate Caesar restoration to power and join him in regrouping with the other apes. Maurice is then seen bowing down to Caesar along with the other apes awaiting the impending battle with the humans to come.
War for the Planet of the Apes[]
Maurice with Rocket and Luca accompanies Caesar in his quest for revenge against the colonel McCullough for the murder of Blue Eyes and Cornelia to make sure he comes back alive. During their first stage of their journey, Maurice meets a mute little girl for whom he takes such affection to the point of refusing to leave her alone and without anyone, despite Caesar's objection.
When he gets closer to the military base, Maurice and his friends meet an evolved hermit monkey nicknamed "Bad Ape" who agrees to guide them. Subsequently, Luca loses his life in an ambush and overwhelmed by the death of his friend, Maurice urges Caesar to give up his revenge but failing to make him listen to reason, the Orangutan tells his old friend that he begins to act like Koba, pushing Caesar to continue alone.
When Caesar is captured, Maurice and Rocket attempt to plan a plan to free both their friend and the other monkeys who were captured during their absence, while watching out for Nora and putting up with Bad Ape's nonsense. At nightfall, they discover an old mining network after avoiding a patrol. Rocket and Maurice are doing some underground exploration arrives under the loudspeaker of the base. Sadly, Bad Ape warns them that Nova has sneaked into the base to bring food to an malnourished Caesar. Arrived at the entrance of the base, Maurice fears for the life of Nova because he knows that the soldiers will kill her. Rocket then lets himself be captured so that Nova can escape.
With Rocket now in the enclosure, the chimpanzee gives the exact number of steps to dig to reach the adult enclosure to Caesar so that he gives them to Maurice who is still observing hidden. With the help of Bad Ape, Maurice digs as much as he can and ends up reaching the underside of the adult pen but the tunnel to the children's pen is flooded, preventing the rescue of the youngest from the under-ground. Fortunately, they find an alternative by luring the soldier with the keys into the adult pen so that Maurice grabs him from the hole, kills him and gives the keys to Rocket to free Caesar and then retrieve the little one for them to do pass through the hole.
Taking the little ones with Lake and Nova to safety, Maurice then witnesses the battle between the Alpha-Omega forces and other soldiers, hindering the escape of the apes who are caught in the crossfire. Caesar however blows up the base's gas tank to allow the remains of the apes to escape but the explosion also causes an avalanche. Fearing the worst, Maurice helps the little ones and Nova climb the trees with the help of Lake before the avalanche reaches them. Once the worst past, Maurice makes a triumph to Caesar for his victory with the other apes.
The humans defeated, Maurice and all the remaining tribe begin a long journey to a safe land that Rocket and Blue Eyes had discovered earlier. Once there, Maurice sits down next to his old friend to contemplate the bright future ahead. The orangutan then sees Caesar facillé and discovers his still bleeding wound which he had done by destroying the gas tank. Saddened by the now inevitable fate of Caesar, Maurice is however reassured by his best friend that it does not matter and that the Apes are strong with or without Caesar. Maurice then promises Caesar that his son will know who his father was and everything he has done for his fellows, much to Caesar's delight. After Caesar takes his last breath, Maurice weeps over the lifeless body of his best friend before his tears reveal to the rest of the tribe the sad death of their king.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes[]
Maurice appears in the introduction, paying one last respect to a dead Caesar before starting his pyre. As Caesar's body begins to burn, Maurice is the first to make the tribe's symbolic sign "Apes Together Strong" and then the others do the same.
It seemed implied that Maurice founded the Order of Caesar, a group of scholars that would pass the memory of Caesar down the generations, as well ensuring his desire for peace and compassion be respected; while specific historical details became distorted over time, the primary moral of kindness was a mainstay.
The Order lasted up until the present day of Kingdom, until a megalomaniac bonobo king, Proximus Caesar, had attempted to murder the Order, so none could oppose his own twisted version of Caesar's will. There was one survivor in Raka, but - due to respecting Caesar's teachings so much - would sacrifice his life to save the human, Mae.
Personality[]
As being among the first apes that Caesar enlightened with ALZ-113, Maurice became one of his oldest and most loyal friends. Unlike most apes, Maurice holds no resentment against humanity, as perhaps being a circus animal he was technically degraded for amusement, but was generally treated better. Even so, he was aware of the potential violence of mankind, thus tries to avoid contact with them; however, he is able to see humans as individuals, such as when he established a paternal role for human girl, Nova.
Maurice appears to hold great wisdom, perhaps owing to his older age, and he often offers advice to Caesar; understanding the long-term costs of war, Maurice usually advocates for peace. Despite his pacifism, he is able to fight when pushed, although only defensively.
Maurice cares about the well-beings of all apes, though is particularly close to Caesar, as well as Caesar's family, becoming a surrogate uncle, and eventual adoptive parent when Caesar sadly passes away. Maurice remains loyal to Caesar, as even after his alleged death, he refuses to join Koba, which is also due to the bonobo's genocidal plans that he knew opposed Caesar's wishes, as well as his own.
When Caesar does end up on his death bed, Maurice offered him words of comfort, noting his friend's infant child will know Caesar and the good he stood for on behalf of Apes. While remaining strong, Maurice did break down in grief when his friend died, yet remained committed to ensuring Caesar's legacy will be one of peace and kindness.
Trivia[]
- Maurice was named after the actor Maurice Evans, who portrayed the series' original villain Dr. Zaius, with the character also an orangutan.
- Karin used a modulator to give Maurice a male voice.
- In Rise, Maurice fights twice, once in the streets of San Francisco and the second on the Golden Bridge. In Dawn, he struggles during his escape from captivity. In War, Maurice doesn't really fight because he only stealthily kills one of the soldiers passing within reach. He also never uses a firearm.
- He is the first orangutan to speak in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise, The second was Raka.
- Maurice has similarities with Virgil: both are orangutans, both are wise, and both are friends and advisors to their respective Caesars.
External Links[]
- Maurice on the Pure Good Wiki
- Maurice on the Planet of the Apes Wiki
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Planet of the Apes (1968) Beneath the Planet of the Apes Escape from the Planet of the Apes Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Battle for the Planet of the Apes Planet of the Apes (2001) Rise of the Planet of the Apes Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm Dawn of the Planet of the Apes War for the Planet of the Apes: Revelations War for the Planet of the Apes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes | ||