Mandemus was an evolved orangutan character in Battle for the Planet of the Apes, the final original Apes movie, from 1973. He was portrayed by actor Lew Ayres.
Biography[]
Elderly and an avowed pacifist fond of rambling philosophical discussions of the afterlife, Mandemus appeared to bear no grudges toward his former human captors and wanted everyone to simply live in peace. The nuclear war that destroyed much of the planet (including the city which the apes narrowly escaped) proved the futility of weapons and fighting to Mandemus. With such an attitude, the ape leader Caesar appointed him keeper of Ape City's small armory, "and of Caesar's conscience", reasoning that Mandemus would talk him out of anything impulsive or unwise because of his wisdom and restraint. When Caesar and MacDonald requested weapons when they claimed they would be using them for self-defense in their journey into Forbidden City, as well as hunting rabbits in the event they could not find food, Mandemus allowed them rifles as he felt it a legitimate use and for sober purposes. Besides his other duties, Mandemus also became a teacher in Ape City's first school.
One of his students was the genius orangutan Virgil, who also became a teacher, and an advisor of Caesar. When Aldo decided to take over the Ape settlement in Caesar's absence, his first move was to demand the weapons from Mandemus, who asked the reason. Aldo snarled they they will do as they want, to which Mandemus retorted "Do what you will" is the Devil's philosophy. Aldo and the other gorillas had enough of talking to Mademus and bashed the door down to simply steal the weapons as his pleas fall on deaf ears. The gorillas then drag him out of the armory.
After Caesar had defeated his enemies, Mandemus asked him to destroy the weapons so they could not be used again in such a way, a request refused by Caesar, due to the guns' necessity for protection.
Notes[]
- While Mandemus's appearance in Battle was brief, the Marvel Comics original Apes story Quest for the Planet of the Apes provided a longer backstory to the relationship between Mandemus and Caesar, wherein the already aged Mandemus saved Caesar's life during an earlier confrontation by jumping in front of a bullet.
- According to Ty Templeton, author of Revolution on the Planet of the Apes, Mandemus was the first ape to acquire the power of speech, due to being in Caesar's presence in Armando's circus.
Appearances[]
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (novel)
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (Power Records)
- Planet of the Apes Magazine: Quest for the Planet of the Apes
- Planet of the Apes Magazine: Battle for the Planet of the Apes
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References[]
