Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes!

In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Noa and his clan domesticate and raise eagles, establishing a nuanced meaning for the film. In the Planet of the Apes chronology, the latest movie is set 300 years after 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes. While the previous film saw human forces steadily dwindling in a harsh environment, the 2024 follow-up picks up events in a world where apes have become the dominant species. The remnants of human civilization are becoming less frequent, though apes have established roots for their own societies.

Owen Teague leads the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes cast as Noa, a young ape from the Eagle Clan. Early in the film, his village is attacked by another band of ruthless apes, who kill his father and destroy their establishment. This sets Noa on his path to rescue his captured friends and mother, and like many movie protagonists, the journey becomes a transformative process that shifts Noa from a child in a small village to a hero and a leader. The eagles play a pivotal role in his journey, both literally and figuratively.

Why Noa’s Clan Uses Eagles In Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes

Noa’s Clan Use Eagles For Their Coming Of Age Ceremony

At the beginning of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Noa and his friends are seen on their adventure to collect eagle eggs from a high-peak nest. This is later revealed to be part of a coming-of-age process in the Eagle Clan, where the youths are intended to take care of an egg as part of a ceremony. Despite his impressive efforts, Noa’s egg is broken incidentally, which serves as the catalyst for the movie. As his journey begins, he’s followed by his father’s eagle, who at first refuses to bond with him.

It’s unclear what purpose the eagles serve for the clan, as they have no need to use birds for communication or combat, given that they’re isolated. They could essentially be a cultural element of Noa’s clan, meant to demonstrate the apes’ continuous ability to domesticate animals, following horses in the previous trilogy. In the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ending, the eagles come together to support Noa, killing the antagonist Proximus Caesar.

The Real Meaning Of Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Eagles

The Eagles Contribute To The Metaphor For Noa’s Heroic Journey

Since they don’t serve a distinct function within the clan, or at least not one that’s shown in the movie, it can be assumed that the eagles are part of a spiritual process. They serve a significant role in the coming of age of the clan’s members, representing courage, transcendence, and rebirth. While Noa doesn’t have his traditional ceremony, the events of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes act as his coming of age. When Noa grows into becoming a leader like his father and like Caesar, the eagles respond to him and come to his aid.