Buck was an extremely powerful gorilla housed in a specially-built cage at the San Bruno Primate Shelter. He was the only ape never harassed by Dodge Landon. He was bad tempered, strong and brave, and was seen trying to get out and banging his cage. He was freed by Caesar and at first refused to go out, but after a few seconds Buck quickly dashed through the play area and begin playing with the toys the other apes played with. He respected Caesar and became his friend and his "muscle", even helping Caesar to make Rocket respect him.
After the ape uprising at the facility, Buck was ordered by Caesar, with a group of chimps, to free the apes held at the San Francisco Zoo. In the climactic battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Buck set his target on a nearby policeman on horseback. He ran up under the horse, lifting it up. This caused the officer to fall off. Buck approached the policeman and prepared to kill him, but Caeser stopped him. He later led some other gorillas in a charge to push an overturned bus along the bridge, to shield them against police bullets. He also helped throw off a policeman who drove his car in reverse to the sideline of the bridge into the ocean from shooting off the apes with his pistol. As Caesar was about to get shot down by Steven Jacobs and a sharpshooter in a helicopter, Buck sacrificed his life to take down the helicopter, which crashed onto the bridge, killing the occupants, but got repeatedly shot in the process. Caesar was saddened to lose his friend and his death was avenged by letting Koba finish off Jacobs.
History
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Personality
Buck, at first, appeared reclusive, Machiavellian and depressed by his terms of incarceration. He constantly ignored the attempts by the other Apes and even Dodge Landon to socialise with him. He also shows reluctance to break free when Caesar confronts him, but then bursts into the enclosure.
He is then shown to have a terrifying bad temper, and appears to have a limit of self-control. He was the only known ape in Caesar's colony that risked everything for his Alpha.
He was terrifyingly brave and incredibly selfless. This was shown when, at the climax of the Battle of the Golden Gate Bridge when Caesar was attacked by a helicopter, commandeered by Steven Jacobs, and Buck broke through the firing line, smashing through the helicopter, killing all but one of the passengers and, in the process, killing himself.
His death was the primary subject of Caesar's vengeance.
Abilities
- Animal Strength: Like all gorillas Buck was extremely powerful and strong, he was amongst the advanced guard that Maurice set up around Caesar and displayed frightening strength during the Ape Rebellion, and at the climax the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; he smashing through the helicopter, killing all but one of the passengers.
- Animal Speed: Despite his size Buck was much faster than he appeared to be, after Caesar unlock his cage, Buck bursts into the enclosure with formidable speed, at the climax the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; when Caesar was attacked by a helicopter, commandeered by Steven Jacobs, and Buck broke through the firing line, moving with unbelievable speed.
- Skilled Combatant: Buck was a skilled combatant, during the Battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Buck was able to go head-on with a police officer, who was riding a horse Despite the fact that the police officer repeatedly hit him in the face with a baton, he most definitely would have killed the police officer, if Caesar had not told Buck to let him live.
Notes
- Buck was named in tribute to Buck Kartalian, who played gorilla characters in both Planet of the Apes and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and who remains very active at Apes fan conventions to this day.
- An earlier version of the script has Buck survive the battle at Golden Gate Bridge, throwing Dodge off the bridge to his death after Dodge has killed Rocket.
- He is based on King Kong, especially being portrayed a strong and noble gorilla with a powerful advantage over human enemies. The climax where he fights the helicopter and dies from his injuries is also similar to King Kong's death. Ironically, Andy Serkis performed the 2005 incarnation of King Kong, which was also developed with the cooperation of Weta, which won an Academy Award.
- In his final moments he appears to say something along the lines of "Thank you" to Caeser
Image Gallery
