North America, 1991; following a pandemic from a space-borne disease that wiped out all dogs and cats in 1983, the government has become a series of police states that took apes as pets before establishing a culture based on ape slave labor. These events were foretold in 1973 as testimony by Cornelius, prior to him and his wife Zira being killed. While it appeared their baby was also killed, he evaded death and was secretly raised by the circus owner Armando as a young horseback rider. Now fully grown and named Caesar, Armando brings him to one of the cities to distribute flyers for the circus's arrival, explaining to the curious ape the events that led to their new reality while advising him not to speak for fear for his life.