I deleted the page because it gave this wiki a bad reputation (fan content). I copied it on this post to make sure it won't be lost, however.
The Great Ape War (sometimes called Kong Wars, Banana Wars or Kremean War) was a war between the Kongs (aka the Primate Alliance) and the Kremlings (aka the Kroc-Army) alluded to in various Donkey Kong games. Its events are thought to have taken place sometime between the classic arcade game Donkey Kong 3 and Super Nintendo title Donkey Kong Country in the timeline's lore, however it's never often directly spoken of.
Kongs
Funky pictured in his Donkey Kong 64 army attire.
Funky Kong was known as the "Brown Baron" for being the greatest pilot in the war, though he lost his tail after General Klump shot him down during a dog fight. This is why many people believe Funky Kong is an ape, but he is actually half monkey, half ape due to dominate genes from Donkey Kong Jr., his father, and recessive genes from an unknown female monkey for a mother.
After the war, he tried to live a more peaceful life, possibly turning to Buddhism, though he repaired his Biplane Barrel to help his friends with transportation and owns a Rental Shop. In Donkey Kong 64, Funky began selling weapons to the rest of the Kong Family as the Kremling menace became a greater threat.
Before the war, Cranky was Donkey Kong Senior when he was younger, he's the original DK in New Donk City who was fighting against his owner/arch-nemesis Mario, Pauline, and Stanley. Giving up villainy after his two losses against Stanley the Bugman shattered his hopes and dreams, Cranky, still looking for adventures and another rise to stardom explored an entire mainland for 5 hours and 15 minutes.[1] The war started when Cranky explored Crocodile Isle and learned all of its secrets,[2] on the day that K. Rool inaugurated his reign on Crocodile Isle.
During the war, he was the Main Commander and Lead Organizer of the Ape Alliance. The Great Ape War (and later his old age) is likely what took the biggest toll on his health, giving him a hunchback and requiring a cane to walk, specifically Cranky fought General Krusha in a long drawn out fight. It is assumed that Cranky was still in top shape during the war, as he brought it to an end for some time after defeating General Krusha in a final battle. When Klump and Krusha invaded Donkey Kong Island establishing a factory, Cranky trusted his grandson; current DK to protect their treasured and magical bananas at the treehouse because of his elderly state.
A dropped unnamed Kong character from Donkey Kong Land, who appeared in volume #69 of Nintendo Power.
Donkey Kong Jr. likely fought in the war against Mr. X in order to keep his son (the new/modern Donkey Kong) and family safe. His wife decided to assist and was either killed or went missing. It is thought that his disappearance in the games prior to Donkey Kong Country is linked to the war. It's unknown if DK Jr. survived the war or simply disappeared.
Fans speculate that the fedora wearing Kong is a disguised DK Jr. due to the fedora symbolizing fatherhood. He has a similar appearance to Donkey Kong. His pose is similar to Donkey Kong Jr.'s default/forward facing sprite's pose from Donkey Kong Jr..
Before the war, Junior would routinely collect bananas from all over the island, this tradition/legacy of his would later be honored by his son Donkey Kong III in the Country games as a tribute to him.
Kremlings
A Klump from the DKCTV Series (wears military equipment that was likely left behind by humans).
General Klump is K. Rool's loyal right-hand, second-in command general/lieutenant of the Kroc-Army,[3] and lead pilot during the war, when the Kremling Krew (while still a pirate crew) became the paramilitary force. He's responsible for shooting Funky down during a dog fight and the for the loss of Funky's tail. Klump was chief of Kremkroc Industries, Inc. leading an amount of Kritters, resulting in de-foresting a part from Donkey Kong Island.
Krusha artwork from Donkey Kong Country (GBA) (wears military equipment that was likely left behind by humans).
Krusha is K. Rool's personal bodyguard and Klump's recruit in the Kroc-Army, which contrasted greatly with his low intelligence. He would often be sent on reconnaissance mission to retrieve the Banana Hoard from the Primate Alliance along with his colleagues. He had a long drawn out fight with Cranky Kong (when he was still in top shape), but was eventually defeated.
In the days before the war, K. Rool was a pirate mate of a galleon wrecked in Krem Quay[4] of the inaugurate Kremling Krew (and during the war was a high-ranking General/Commander). K. Rool is responsible for ordering both Generals Klump and Krusha on various missions which almost always failed. K. Rool owns many pieces of technology such as The Flying Krock, KAOS, and the Blast-O-Matic.
K. Rool isn't actually a King, it's simply a role he likes to role-play as because it makes him feel powerful. It's possible that his gold crown & double gold bracelets are part of stolen valuables in chests. Fans have speculated that K. Rool may have multiple personality disorder, evident with his many disguises, personality changes, and blood shot eyes as well as hatred towards the Kongs and constantly attempting to steal their magical Banana Hoard to starve them to death despite K. Rool himself hating Bananas as revealed in DK: Jungle Climber. In Donkey Kong Country during the "Fake Credits" part of the King K. Rool fight, he is referred to as "Kommander K. Rool".
It's possible Mr. X (a beta character that appears to be the Military Leader/Top Commander) may have been one of the Kremling Kuthroats and appears in Haunted Hall in Gloomy Gulch. During the war he had a confrontation with Donkey Kong Junior and Junior's wife and was eventually assassinated, becoming an undead ghost skeleton known as Kackle.
Internal-Army conflicts
Manky Kong artwork from Donkey Kong Country (SNES).
Manky Kong Betrayal
When the future was looking bleak for the Primate Alliance, certain groups and races started questioning whether the war could truly be won. One specific group, the Manky Kongs, began to prioritize the survival of their kind alone, resulting in a rebellion against the Primate Alliance and joining the Unknown Enemy/Kremlings, the Manky Kongs may have assisted the Kremlings in attempting to steal the Banana Hoard. The Alliance did not forgive them for this and the Manky clan remained Kong Family Rejects throughout history. While uncertain, it is speculated something similar may have happened with the Minkeys and Ba-Booms.
It is unknown how Lanky Kong, being a reject orangutan, was accepted into the Kong Family later on. It's possible that he was far too young to understand or be involved in the betrayal, or he was more close with the Kong Family.
They own an endless supply of barrels in DKC. It's speculated that they joined the Kremlings during the Kremean War and got their supplies from the industrial factories and mills.
Chained Kong and the Smithy Gang
Chained Kong, a prisoner of war.
Chained Kongs (also known as Guerillas) are thought to be prisoners of war after it ended for some time, they were captured and taken to the Mushroom Kingdom for safe keeping, they appear serving the Smithy Gang against their will in Super Mario RPG as slaves. The Smithy Gang's primary goal is world domination.
It's speculated that the Smithy Gang helped the Mysterious/Unknown Enemies/Kremlings during the war.
Some theorized that DK Jr. was a Chained Kong: a prisoner of war, who either died from malnourishment and unsanitary conditions, or survived but was tortured.
Human Involvement and Technology/Alchemy
Donkey and Diddy near the crashed WWII propeller plane in Mangrove Cove (by by matiz1994)
As the Kremlings are too stupid and primitive to build technology on their own and still stuck in the Pirate Age as everything they make is still made of wood, same with the Viking Snowmads who are also primitive (despite their relatively higher intelligence compared to the Kremlings). Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze showcase levels having fresh modern age ruins featuring bricks and mortar, clear glass windows, conveyor belts, airplane parts, and they're still getting a limited source of power (including the freshly/recently crashed World War II-era cargo propeller plane having enough power to keep multiple television screens on and running in Mangrove Cove), suggesting that in some form, the war is still continuing without the Kongs being directly involved as well as being recent events during the stories across all the games.
Humans likely had involvement on Donkey Kong Island leaving leftover supplies, advanced tech, giant metal oil factories, and a soul attached Oil Drum behind for the Kremlings to find and use (since the Kremlings themselves are not alchemists), including military equipment (such as in Krematoa), weaponry (such as KAOS), army helmets, ammo belts, and military uniforms. In Trunk Twister there are plenty of crashed propeller planes even some that are either still on fire or partially running suggesting that these are very recent events.
Mario's Bombs Away
Mario's Bombs Away released for the Game & Watch
Mario's Bombs Away Official Description
Mario appears as an army soldier fighting in a war, his military mission involves delivering explosives to his troops so they will use them to defeat their enemies.
Since Veteran Mario and his comrades wear a certain style of soldier uniform (camouflage clothing), and their battle takes place in the jungle, it is thought that the war the game takes place in is The Vietnam War.
Bazooka Bear and the Kremean War
Bazooka mentioning that he fought in the Kremean War
Bazooka Bear is a veteran of the Kremean War, and now still lives in a barracks stationed in Mekanos.
It is unknown exactly how Bazooka's army was connected to the Great Ape War and what happened to the rest of his squad. In Donkey Kong Country 3, Bazooka tells the Kongs "We were trapped on a clifftop surrounded by... Oh, sorry."
The name Kremean War is a pun on the real-life Crimean War that Russia was a part of and Bears (like the Brothers Bear) are the national animal of Russia. It's speculated that the Kremlings (who supposedly parallel Russia) were involved in the Kremean War against Bazooka's army. The Crimean War is cited as being the first "modern war", which in terms of the Kremean War adds to its significance in DK's world, suggesting that the Kremlings, Kongs, and Bears, have collided before.
Like "Kremean", the names Northern Kremisphere, Kremwood Forest, K3, and Krematoa all allude to the Kremlings, these locations were possibly named by them during its colonization. "Krematoa" was possibly the Kremling military's primary military base in the region, as well as their base of operations, which, either they sunk following the Kremean War to destroy evidence, or, a natural event caused its sinking (which possibly hurt their war effort).
Although "Kremisphere" is a pun on hemisphere, it might not have anything to do with a physical sphere, but rather the Kremling's sphere of influence. It's possible the "Kremisphere" was initially a political term coined by the Kremlings to describe their own territory, and over the course of time has been used to describe "the territory they think they rightfully own even though they don't anymore".
K3 name is a pun on K2, which in real-life is the world's second tallest peak (after Mt. Everest). However K3 (in-universe) isn't the third highest peak in the world, unless it's meant to be the third highest peak in the Kremisphere.
Additional Info
Donkey Kong Jr.'s cameo in the Wii U Gamepad in the background at the end of Aqueduct Assault, held high by the statue of the classic DK as a memorial to Junior
Most of the known/playable Kongs are children or at least young: present day Donkey Kong, Diddy, Dixie, Kiddy, Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky. Kongs that are relatively young adults include: Funky, Swanky, and Candy, while other Kongs are middle aged adult parents like DK Junior and his wife, or are elderly Kongs like Cranky and Wrinkly. It could be that many of the adult/parental Kongs went to fight in the war.
Funky's Biplane Barrel has a reference to the Royal Air Force via the symbol and circular paint job, implying that Funky represents and was part of the Royal Air Force.
In Donkey Kong Country 2, K. Rool refers to DK as "the big monkey" and DK's younger self from Yoshi's Island DS does indeed have a tail despite being a gorilla. Funky has called himself a monkey at least twice such as in Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong 64.
It's very possible Donkey Kong Jr. (Fedora Kong) could have survived, and his statue appeared as a cameo at the end of the Aqueduct Assault level in the background in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze inside a Wii U GamePad held high by the original Donkey Kong as a way of remembering him. His fedora symbolizes fatherhood and serves as part of his disguise.
It is unknown what happened to Donkey Kong Jr.'s wife. It is speculated that she participated and contributed in the fight against Mr. X and she was either killed or she went missing during the war.
The Kremean War within the context of DK's world could be parallel to the real life historical Crimean War in terms of its events and structure, and akin to World War 1 in terms of after effects. The Kremlings' occupation of the Brothers Bear's (now current) territory had to have happened at some point in the past, but not as far back in history as the occupation of DK Island (as there are no Kremling ruins). However, the occupation ended at some point (presumably to Bear independence), and the Kremlings left but bitterly consider it rightfully theirs. Fast forward to slightly before the Kremean War, and at this point, private Kremling companies start building mills and factories in the Bear's land, much to the chagrin of the Bears (and the Kongs, who were anti-Kremling). Tensions rose, and the Kremlings began installing troops "for security of their economic interests", and eventually in a massive territory grab took over most of the place, starting the Kremean War. The Bears (in alliance with the Kongs, which aided in troops, defenses, and resources) ran a guerrilla warfare campaign, even taking to using the Kremlings pipelines to sneak troops around. Following the war, the allied forces (Kongs, Bears, and possibly others) put severe restrictions on the Kremlings economically and militarily, causing a decline in the empire and their overall quality of living. These conditions eventually lead to the rise of K. Rool's regime, and the invasion of DK Island in DKC (see: Aftermath of World War I; Causes of World War II).
The DKC trilogy could have referenced the Banana Wars (in which the militarized occupying force of the United States sought to subject tropical countries and exploit them for its own enrichment. Sounds a little like the Kremlings, an industrialized belligerent group of conquerors who invade Donkey Kong Island to steal the Kongs’ prized and magical bananas, leaving them starved to death). It's speculated by fans that K. Rool either represents North America or works for them, aside from similarities to common real-world grievances, it also has small references to World War II, Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the Dominican Civil War such as the crashed World War II-era Cargo Propeller Plane (as Jets were not used yet, and all of those are wars in which America involved themselves in) found at the start of Mangrove Cove that Donkey Kong and his pals destroy upon arriving (it still has enough energy to keep multiple TV screens on). In Donkey Kong Country during the "Fake Credits" part of the King K. Rool fight, he is referred to as "Kommander K. Rool". K. Rool was once a student of Wrinkly Kong and has overdue/late homework.[5] Wrinkly Kong confirmed that at Kong Kollege the only thing the Kremlings enthusiastically wanted to learn was how to defeat the Kongs.[6][7]
Wrinkly's ghost wears a night gown implying that she died peacefully in her sleep.
The long-running military enemies and re-occurring army troops called the Kremling Krew already have a backstory of meeting the Kongs, being well aware of each other and had continuous conflicts with them prior to Donkey Kong Country since Donkey Kong is constantly guarding his bananas every night, their acts of thievery were shown as the Kremlings have always tried robbing Donkey's Kong's magical Banana Hoard to starve the Kongs to death and kidnap Kong Family members.
In DKC, Donkey prepares his nephew apprentice Diddy with his "video game hero training", which could be similar to military training. Donkey Kong in DKC2 and Donkey and Diddy Kong in DKC3 are kidnapped, captured, and imprisoned while also being forced into torture and slavery (i.e. used as energy sources for KAOS), similar to real prisoners of war.
Cranky and K. Rool used to be friends (in Donkey Kong Land, after Cranky and DK made their bet, Cranky calls K. Rool to steal Donkey Kong's bananas again).
In Donkey Kong Country 2 Wrinkly reveals that Cranky explored Crocodile Isle and learned all of its secrets.
As the Kremlings such as Kritter, Klump, and Krusha are only partially equipped for the military, and K. Rool owning great Technology like the Flying Krock, it's likely that the humans left Donkey Kong Island leaving the Kremlings only with their scraps/leftovers, fully militarily clothed Kremlings are more spread out, and most Kremlings have a body type very different from human men and women.
Kremling head statues are found in the Monkey Mines levels of Donkey Kong Island.
The Key Stages/K Stages/Key Temples/K Temples depict illustrations of ancient Kongs from long ago, who are shown to worship bananas; and have a civilization that lived contemporary with the Tiki Tak Tribe.
The undead are one of the few mystical elements in the series. They are all linked by a strong will to accomplish what they could not in life, binding them to the mortal plane. In the case of Wrinkly Kong, her will to help her grandson and her student K. Rool having overdue/late homework. Kremling Kutthroats such as Kloak, Kackle, and Mr. X, by their strong desire to steal bananas. They are independent and do not appear to be enslaved by any necromantic magics. Some ghosts can only manifest as ropes, barrels, and books. This could indicate different levels of spiritual ability, explaining why they haven't been weaponized on a mass scale. Spiritual power may be linked to the ingestion or possession of bananas. The Tiki Tak Tribe was animated entirely by mushed up bananas. Most mystical creatures are deeply tied to bananas in some way such as the Banana Fairy Queen and the divine Banana Bird Queen.
