Donkeys were what Alpha-Omega called the apes who sided with them in the war against the San Francisco Ape Colony. Most of these Donkeys defected either out of fear of Caesar or loyalty to Koba.
Under the command of J. Wesley McCullough, the donkeys served as mere slaves, being used to do their bidding like carrying weapons, enforcement, and helping move equipment. They were also forced to have "Donkey" painted on their backs and the Greek letters for Alpha and Omega, branded on either temple.
History[]
Formation[]
Originally followers of Koba, these apes were led by Red, who had sought to overthrow Caesar. When the coup failed, they escaped to evade Caesar's wrath. In their quest for survival and vengeance against Caesar, they allied with Colonel McCullough's forces. To distinguish themselves from the enemy, they formed and branded the Donkeys, with Red chosen as their leader.
War for the Planet of the Apes[]
Under McCullough's leadership, the Donkeys were assigned to perform basic tasks, including transporting weapons and assisting in the movement of equipment. Red, along with a small group of other Donkeys, was utilized to aid Alpha-Omega in scouting Ceasar's base in preparation for an assault. Unfortunately, the attack was unsuccessful, resulting in the survival of only Red and four soldiers.
A gorilla named Winter betrayed the Donkeys by revealing the location of Ape Waterfall to Alpha-Omega, which led to the deaths of Cornelia and Blue Eyes. Subsequently, he faced Caesar, who warned him about the repercussions of his cowardice. In a tragic turn of events, Winter accidentally suffocated when he tried to call for assistance. Later, when Caesar and his ape colony were taken captive to construct a defensive wall, the Donkeys imposed their control over the ape colony.
During the Battle of the Border, the Donkeys were completely annihilated when Caesar detonated the defensive wall where they were positioned. In his final moments, Red redeemed himself by eliminating Preacher and rescuing Caesar, which enabled Caesar to destroy the wall and the base, ultimately saving the remaining apes.
Known Members[]
A total of twelve chimpanzees and two gorillas have acted as Donkeys for Colonel McCullough. Most of these individuals were previously aligned with Koba, with the exception of Winter, the evolved albino gorilla, who joined McCullough primarily out of fear rather than loyalty to Koba.
Known Members[]
| Ape | Species | Status | Position | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Gorilla | Deceased | Leader |  |
| Winter | Gorilla | Deceased | Soldier |  |
| Pongo | Chimpanzee | Deceased | Soldier | |
| Unnamed Donkey | Chimpanzee | Deceased | Soldier |   |
| Unnamed Donkey 2 | Chimpanzee | Deceased | Soldier |   |
Equipment and Training[]
- Guns: The Donkeys, already trained and experienced soldiers of Caesar's Ape Army before their defection, were also given access, to some degree, to human weaponry, such as firearms and explosives by their Human superiors. They were presumably trained in their use by Alpha-Omega.
- Expert Tacticians: The Donkeys were likely given some degree of formal military training in human small unit tactics and maybe even higher level strategy.
Notes[]
- Due to his white fur, the Alpha-Omega soldiers used black ink for the "Donkey" tattoo on Winter's back.
Trivia[]
- According to director Matt Reeves, the name "Donkeys" is both a reference to the video game character Donkey Kong and like donkeys, they are used as pack animals.
Image Gallery[]
