What made Kerchak's death so devastating was that his relationship with Tarzan had grown over time and blossomed into a one of mutual love and respect. At the beginning, Kerchak was wary of anyone who wasn't a gorilla and believed that they would be a threat to him and his family, and if it wasn't for Clayton, he would have been wrong. After being fatally wounded by Clayton, Kerchak died trying to defend Tarzan and before his demise, he passes on his leadership position to Tarzan. This signifies the love and trust that they share with on another and how Kerchak finally accepted Tarzan as a leader and as a son. It's just a shame that Tarzan only received this knowledge on his death bed.
