Return to the Planet of the Apes

Astronaut Bill Hudson transmits to Earth from the NASA spacecraft Venturer. On board are crew members Jeff Allen and Judy Franklin. The ship's date is August 6, 1976. Bill explains that they are living proof of Dr. Stanton's "time thrust" theory. Due to the advanced speed of the Venturer, their Earth clock indicates that they have traveled over a century into the future. The craft begins to reel wildly as the Earth clock starts clicking up. The crew blacks out while the ship enters a planet's atmosphere and crashes into a desolate desert region. Meanwhile, General Urko, leader of the gorilla army, is debating before the Supreme Council of Ape City. He demands permission to begin an all-out assault on the humanoids. Cornelius, an animal psychologist, pleads for the council to allow the humanoids to live as subjects of scientific research. The Council decrees that the humans should not be exterminated since they have no language, but they will continue to be hunted, enslaved, domesticated and studied. According to the Book of Simian Prophecy, however, the humanoids must be destroyed if it is ever discovered that they can speak.

After nearly dying in an attack on the humanoids' caves by General Urko's gorilla army, Jeff is able to hide with Nova and escape capture. Bill is caught and herded into cages with the other captured humans for transport to Ape City. Realizing that Bill can speak, one of the humans motions for him to keep silent as Urko's Jeep comes to a halt near the cages. Bill's shock gives way to terror as he hears Urko comment to his aides that the group of humans will be used for the army's war games. Back in the city, Dr. Zaius promises Cornelius and Zira that they will be allowed to select six specimens for their study from the group of humans Urko is bringing back from the hunt, despite the general's protesting. Outside, the army returns to the cheers of all of Ape City. Meanwhile, Jeff persuades Nova to show him where Bill was taken. After seeing the catch of humans, Zira and Cornelius make their choice of specimens for laboratory study. Bill, whom Zira dubs "Blue Eyes", is among the humans selected. He overhears Zaius tell Urko that if ever humans obtain the power of speech, they must die as a race, so he remains silent for the time being. Zaius plans to send some of the humans to pet stores, some will become laborers, others will go to zoos. Urko, feeling that all humans are worthless, protests and reminds Zaius that someday, when the gorillas are in charge, things will be very different.

At the lab, Bill scores highly on all tests, much to Zira's delight. Zaius is skeptical, so Zira gives Bill a simple puzzle to assemble. Disturbed, Zaius leaves for a meeting with the Council. Knowing the secret of the planet's evolution, he fears the intelligence Blue Eyes is showing. Bill, growing impatient with keeping silent, verbally explodes in protest after Cornelius suggests doing a probe of Bill's brain to learn more about him. Zira and Cornelius are shocked. While Bill tries to explain who he is and where he came from, one of Urko's gorilla soldiers listens at the door. He quickly reports what he has heard to the Supreme Council, the only apes who know that at one time man ruled the planet, but destroyed his civilization with war. It is written in ape law that if man ever regains intelligence he could regain power and eventually destroy the world again.

Urko and his army are searching the desert for the entrance to the Underdwellers' caverns. Suddenly, Urko spots Bill. He radios Dr. Zaius with the news. Bill plans to decoy the army so that Jeff can slip away. Huge rock pinnacles abruptly jut up from the ground, a hole opens up and a flash of energy shoots out. As the doorway closes, the two men crawl in and ride a conveyor down a dark shaft. Urko feels that the Underdwellers are responsible and proceeds to find their caverns. Inside, Bill and Jeff find a giant dish serving as part of an elaborate power system. They know the apes would not have had the technology to build it. They are shocked to find what remains of the New York Public Library among the rubble; this upside-down world is Earth. They pass by Wall Street and Times Square. Zaius tells Zira and Cornelius that Urko has located Blue Eyes. A soldier enters with the news that Blue Eyes has escaped and is suspected to be with the Underdwellers. Zira and Cornelius secretly wonder if they were right in helping Bill escape.

Elsewhere, Bill and Jeff enter a huge cavern above a giant power complex operated by hooded and cloaked figures. An alarm rings and the figures begin chanting "Oosa" (USA) over and over. Bill and Jeff discover that the whole complex seems to be wired to a central, throne-like chair. They follow the crowd into another room and spot Judy, also in a hooded robe, standing at the front of the room. Next to her is a tree, a symbol of life on the surface. They call to her, but she only stares into space. Suddenly, a hooded figure shoots a ray out of his eyes and stuns Bill and Jeff. They are awakened in a cell by Krador, who introduces himself as the leader of the Underdwellers, descendants of the humans who sought safely underground during the holocaust long ago. Krador believes that prophecy has foretold of Judy, or Oosa, helping the Underdwellers return to the surface. Later, Jeff gives Judy a ring which revives her memory. She kills the power on the force field holding the men in their cell and meets them in the corridor. They start traveling on a hand rail car, barely escaping the beams of several Underdwellers. They encounter many illusions sent to stop them, but manage to reach the surface opening. Judy can still feel Krador's control over her mind and just before they emerge onto the surface, Judy disappears and returns to Krador. Bill and Jeff crawl up to the surface and vow to return someday for Judy. Meanwhile, Urko and his soldiers continue to comb the area for Bill and the Underdwellers' caverns.

Bill and Jeff know that the humanoids must be moved to a safer place for protection from Urko and his army. Their one hope is to ask Zira and Cornelius for help in finding a more secure location for themselves and the humans. They secretly hitch a ride into the city on an ape farmer's truck. Meanwhile, Urko reviews his plans for a blistering attack on the humans and orders his aides to search for Blue Eyes. In six days, they will strike. The general hopes to calm Zaius' anger over losing Blue Eyes by capturing all the humans. As night falls, the two men sneak into the city and cross the river in an abandoned boat. A gorilla patrol boat almost spots them, but they are able to reach the shore unseen. While soldiers sweep the area in search of them, the men proceed down a drain pipe into the heart of the city. Barely escaping a large spider, they emerge from the pipe close to the lab. Inside, Zira is worried that Zaius suspects them of aiding Bill and the humans, but Cornelius argues that Zaius has no proof of their actions. Suddenly, Bill and Jeff come through the window. Bill thanks them for helping him escape earlier and asks Cornelius to help them find a safer place for the humans. Cornelius feels it is disloyal to his country to help, but after Bill points out that humans are no different than any other endangered species, Cornelius suggests a valley which lies to the south of his latest digging site. He has never seen it, but knows of its existence from an old map in the Simian National Library. He promises to make a copy of the map and take them to the general area. Suddenly, a knock is heard on the door. As the men hide, Dr. Zaius comes into the room. He asks Cornelius for a detailed report on Blue Eyes' behavior which may help in locating him and the humans. When Zaius leaves, Cornelius reluctantly agrees to proceed with their plans. The men spend the night in the lab.

The Simian Senate is holding a top secret session to debate the rumors of intelligent humans begun after one of Urko's soldiers returns delirious from the Forbidden Zone. He claims to have seen a flying craft fall out of the sky, crash in the dead lagoon and three humans (Bill, Jeff and Judy) emerge and raft to the shores. Gen. Urko demands that all the humans be destroyed, but after hearing all sides, the Lawgiver (Zaius) closes the debate by announcing that the Supreme Council will decide the fate of the humanoids. Later, at a press conference, Zaius and Urko announce their plans to lead an expedition into the Forbidden Zone to verify the soldier's story of a spaceship in the lagoon. Zira and Cornelius decide to warn Bill and Jeff of the expedition. Using a mirror, Cornelius signals the men for a meeting. He explains that if the ship is found, Urko will have all the evidence he needs to begin his annihilation of the humans. The apes believe that Bill and Jeff have infected the humanoids with the ability to think and, as ape law states, they cannot be allowed to gain intelligence. Bill and Jeff decide to beat Urko to the ship, salvage the laser and blow up the spaceship. Bill asks Nova to lead them to the lagoon. At first frightened, she finally agrees. The next day, Zira and Cornelius watch as the expedition leaves town, worrying for Bill, Jeff and Nova's safety.

During an archaeological dig, Cornelius uncovers an ancient human book called A Day at the Zoo. He explains to Zira that this book would be deadly to the humans if it ever fell into Urko's hands. It might also finally prove their theory that man preceded the ape. Zira places it in the equipment locker just as Urko barges in. Knowing that Cornelius is digging, Urko wants the lab searched for anything that might prove humans are dangerous. But Cornelius refuses to allow a search unless Urko is granted permission from the Supreme Council. Worried, Cornelius considers putting the book back into the ground, but Urko might just dig it up again and it is too valuable to destroy. Suddenly, he notices that the paper he used to wrap up the book at the digging site is actually an old blueprint for a hot-air balloon. Ape-built balloons have always crashed, but Cornelius feels that this design is different and may work. After beginning work on the construction, he is distressed to find that the part of the plan detailing the steering mechanism is missing, probably destroyed by time. They agree that Bill and Jeff may be able to help. When Bill sees the book, he wants to release it to the public so that the truth of the planet will be known, but Cornelius, fearing the public outcry, wants to hide it on the mountain of Ghar.

Bill, Jeff and Judy are heading for the humanoid settlement across the plain between the mountain ranges when they spot what look like humans far below. Bill calls to them, but Jeff quickly stops him – the figures are dummy targets. Suddenly, to their amazement, a World War II-era Curtiss P-40 fighter plane appears in the sky. Piloted by a gorilla, the aircraft flies toward the dummies and drops a net on them. Apparently, the ape army is testing the plane in preparation for war games. Bill concludes that with the plane, there will be no stopping Urko from capturing every human and that they must try to steal it. Later at the ape plane hangar, Urko congratulates Dr. Likis, the ape scientist who restored the flying machine, and wants the aircraft ready for an air demonstration for Dr. Zaius the following day. He then visits Zaius and demands that Zaius give him complete authority. He backs up his demands with threats of using the plane to secure his power. Zaius, fearing human technology from the past, wants Urko to destroy the plane.

Zira and Cornelius receive an invitation at their lab for a demonstration of a new "secret weapon." They see three flashes (their prearranged emergency signal) and realize it is Bill signaling them. They all meet in the clearing where Bill tells the apes of Urko's aircraft and their plans to steal it. Cornelius gives them directions to Urko's fortress. Reaching it, the three cause a diversion with some barrels that lets them slip past the guards and find the plane's hangar. They discover that, using the old P-40 fighter as a guide, the apes are building an entire fleet. To make matters worse, humanoids are being herded as target practice in the next day's demonstration. Back at the lab, Cornelius is concerned that Urko, with his hunger for power, might resort to using his air force against apes to gain control of the government. Inside the hangar, Judy thinks that she could fly the P-40 away during the airshow as the plane might be very useful to the humans. The next day, all of Ape City has turned out to see the demonstration. Jeff and Bill secretly pose as messengers bringing a good luck gift to Largo, the ape who is to fly in the airshow, and tie him up. As wagons of humans are trucked onto the field, Judy disguises herself in Largo's flight suit and is escorted there as well. Largo, who has managed to free himself, tries to warn Urko by radio, but Jeff and Bill have cut his radio wires. When Largo enters the field, Urko realizes that someone else is flying. At that moment, Jeff and Bill send a locomotive crashing into the aircraft factory, destroying it. Dr. Likis tells Urko that without the original plane, no further aerial research can be done.

Bill, Jeff and Judy begin building rafts to help the human tribe reach New Valley on the river and escape Urko's patrols. In Ape City, Dr. Zaius visits Cornelius and Zira in their lab to thank them for stealing Urko's plane. By doing so, he feels that they have saved simian society from Urko's dictatorship. They again assure him that they had nothing to do with the stolen plane, but Zaius insists that their secret is safe with him. He leaves them with the news that Urko has been given permission to attack the human caves to find Blue Eyes.

Finally, the rafts are finished and Bill and the others begin the long journey towards New Valley, following the map given to them by Cornelius. The trip takes them through thick jungle growth and swarms of bats. Some of the humans get sick and want to turn back, but Bill decides that they have no choice but to press on. By nightfall, the jungle has given way to a desolate, desert area. Meanwhile, Urko is still enraged over the theft of his plane and orders it found. Since the plane was a military secret, he suspects someone on the inside to be responsible. Urko offers a reward for the thieves' capture and orders the attack on the humans to begin at dawn. Following their map, Bill, Jeff and Judy lead the humans from the rafts across the desert. Despite the terrible heat and wind, they press on. When the army arrives at the river, Urko realizes that the chopped trees mean the humans escaped by raft. Furious that his men are not prepared for water travel, Urko returns to the city for the Council's approval for a water maneuver.

The next day, Bill and the others come upon an incredible sight: the wreck of a futuristic United States spaceship. A stranger appears and introduces himself as Ron Brent. He tells them that he has been marooned here since Nova was a little girl. He left Earth on August 6, 2109 from a launch pad in the Mojave Desert. Cape Kennedy had been turned into a museum sixty years before he was born. After crashing, Nova's tribe helped nurse his broken leg. He decided to join in the tribe's travels, but was separated from them. He returned and made his crashed ship his headquarters for the past twenty years. Brent tells Bill that he knows the way to New Valley and will guide them there. Before leaving, he brings his ship's self-destruct mechanism.

Reports begin coming in to the police that burglars are striking all over Ape City. Valuable items are being stolen from the Museum, the Ape Archives, the Library and from ape homes. A first edition William Apespeare book was taken from Zira and Cornelius' home. Into the night, hooded figures sneak to the cemetery to the Tomb of the Unknown Ape where all the stolen items are hidden. In reality, Urko and his gorillas are disguised as Underdwellers in hopes of framing them and convincing Dr. Zaius to declare war on the below world. Zira and Cornelius travel to New Valley to meet with Jeff, Bill, and Judy. Suddenly, Krador appears and tells them the Underdwellers are innocent of the thefts. He asks them to come to their underground city and bring the laser.