The Gorilla Guard, also known as the Gorilla Guardians, is a group comprised of extremely powerful gorillas who were entrusted to guard the Ape Gate, the entrance to the Ape Village. They were led by Luca; until his death in the final Human-Ape War.
History
Formation
Luca initially proposed the formation of the Gorilla Guard to Maurice for the purpose of building a wall with the gorillas protecting the entrance of their temporary home while Caesar searches for a place for them to live. Their king Caesar decided to expand Luca's idea and formed the Ape Village with the guard protecting it from any dangerous intruder or predator that dared stray into their territory. Luca was then made a council member by Caesar not long after.[1]
The gorillas lived within huts near the Ape Gate and for ten years, they had been successful in fending off invasion being seen as the village protectors by the other apes. At some point, the Gorilla Guard were placed under the leadership of the Ape Army's new fourth-in-command and Caesar's close friend Luca.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Finding Malcolm
The Gorilla Guard leader Luca encountered Malcolm from the back at the village gates and quickly called for the other gorillas to join him. Seeing their numbers Malcolm quickly surrendered and allows himself to be captured and be carried through the village by the gorilla's to the ape king Caesar. They awaited their king's judgement on their human intruder and bear witness to Caesar allowing Malcolm to show them the San Francisco Dam.
Koba's command
When Koba usurped Caesar, the gorilla guard followed his command and march into the city taking part in the attack of the city. Later on, some of the guard tried to use a ram to bring the human gate down before Koba hijacked a tank using it to destroy the gate allowing the rest of the army to enter the city.
Imprisonment
After the fierce battle, the ape army with Koba as their new leader took control of the city killing, imprisoning any remaining humans. The new leader had any ape who refused to obey him and remain loyal to their fallen leader Caesar chained on a bus adjacent to the human cages. The apes imprisoned included Maurice, Rocket, Luca and several members of the Gorilla Guard.
Liberation
The prisoners would later be freed by Blue Eyes who (upon learning of his father's survival at being shot by Koba not humans) took the now freed apes back to the Rodman House where they met up with Caesar. Caesar, greeting his remaining followers led them into the city to overthrow Koba and free the other apes of his terrible influence before it led to an all-out war.
After aiding Caesar in defeating Koba, the guardians were reunited with the rest of the colony and were seen bowing down to their leader as he prepared the other apes for the war with humanity.
War for the Planet of the Apes
At one point, one of their members Red, a staunch follower to Koba and possessing a dislike for Caesar's reign decided to defect to the human soldiers serving Colonel McCullough. An albino gorilla Winter, whose father was once a member soon joined their ranks but struggled to fit in amongst them but was assured by Luca.
During an interrogation, Red overpowered Winter and the latter offered to join him by giving up the colony's location in exchange for his life.
When Colonel McCullough and his soldiers invaded Caesar Colony, Colonel shot Cornelia and Blue Eyes, Caesar notice that Cornelius was gone. Then Maurice, Rocket and Luca came in to talk to Caesar but in the movie a few of the Gorilla Guard came in to help find Cornelius back to Caesar.
Known Members
- Luca (founder and leader) †
- Ajax (second-in-command) †
- Winter's Father †
- Oak (formerly; defected to Koba's Loyalists but returned)
- Olo (formerly; defected to Koba's Loyalists)
- Korso
- Ursus †
- Red (formerly; defected to Colonel McCullough's forces) †
- Winter (formerly; defected to Colonel McCullough's forces) †