8 Sequels That Killed Off Heroes In Minutes

When Matt Reeves came on board the Planet of the Apes prequel series, he crafted a Shakespearian sequel with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, that stressed the themes of family, trust, and tragedy among the ape family.

One of the key story threads that ran throughout that film was the turning of Koba against Andy Serkis' protagonist, Caesar (fittingly). Koba was a dangerous ape who thought the only way to deal with humans was to kill them, while Caesar continued to try and find a peaceful compromise.

Caesar's son, Blue Eyes, is torn between the two routes and becomes one of the central focuses of emphasis for the film. By the time the credits roll, Caesar looks to be charting a new path into the future with Blue Eyes and the rest of his family by his side.

That is, until War for the Planet of the Apes came out, in which Woody Harrelson's Colonel infiltrates the apes' home and kills Caesar's entire family, Blue Eyes included, mere minutes after they are re-introduced to us. This builds up some serious menace and villainy for The Colonel and also leads to Caesar embarking on his mission for vengeance that sets the entire plot in motion.