Line #34 Main/EruditeOrangutan


1	[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orangutan1.JPG]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:He's smarter than your average simian!]]
3
4	-> ''"I'm an ape. One of Chester V's most brilliant innovations: an orangutan with a human brain within my ape brain. Like a turducken!"''
5	-->-- '''[[IntelligentPrimate Barb]]''', ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs2''
6
7	The non-human great apes have various species-wide stereotypes associated with them. Gorillas are either [[GentleGorilla gentle and harmless]] or [[KillerGorilla brutish thugs]], chimpanzees are often treated interchangeably with monkeys, and so are either [[IntelligentPrimate smart]], [[ManiacMonkeys scary]], [[MischiefMakingMonkey or]] [[SillySimian silly]]. Bonobos are usually lumped in with chimps in pop culture, but when they do appear as distinct species, they're noted mainly for their [[ReallyGetsAround loose sexual behavior]] ([[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer No, seriously]], this is [[https://psmag.com/environment/bonobos-have-sex-with-everyone-are-awesome-may-hold-key-to-our-past-59956 well-observed]]).
8
9	And then there is the orangutan of western Indonesia [[note]]There are three: the Bornean from...Borneo, and the Sumatran and Tapanuli from Sumatra[[/note]]. Generally lacking the imposing stature of gorillas or the comedic aspects of chimps, most fictional portrayals of orangutans instead focus on their intelligence. In many modern depictions, orangutans are shown as being highly intelligent and wise, having much knowledge of the world around them, both material and mystical. This was born and still exists in the mythology of their native Sumatra and Borneo, which does revere orangutans as being such, to the point in some myths they're human ancestors. For those reasons, orangutans will also often be shown as intelligent by ''human'' standards. When they were first discovered by the Dutch, they wrote that they highly persumed that orangutans actually knew human language, but were also smart enough to pretend that they didn't to prevent being forced into labor.
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11	If a story features multiple species of apes or primates and humans don't count as one of them, orangutans will probably land the role of TheSmartGuy. However, unlike chimpanzees, which are also often portrayed as intelligent in fiction, they'll often be shown as calm and level-headed, rarely being a MadScientist or EvilGenius.
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13	This is TruthInTelevision, as orangutans have demonstrated considerable hallmarks of what we'd consider intelligence, from crafting and using tools, [[https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ape-treating-his-wound-using-medicinal-plant-is-a-world-first-for-a-wild-animal/ using plants as medicine]], self-recognition in mirrors, and advanced problem-solving. In fact, they are believed to rival chimpanzees as the smartest non-human primates. A specific real life orangutan that was known for being intelligent was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Allen Ken Allen]], who was famous for figuring out how to escape from his zoo enclosures so that he could walk around and look at the other animals.
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15	A SisterTrope to GentleGorilla. Opposite of ManiacMonkeys and KillerGorilla. Subtrope of IntelligentPrimate.
16
17	----
18
19	!!Examples:
20
21	[[foldercontrol]]
22
23	[[folder:Advertising]]
24	* An ad by Rainforest Protection Network shows a deaf girl conversing with an orangutan named Strawberry on Zoom in sign language. When she tells him that peanut butter is made from "peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt", he gets a solemn look, then signs "Your food is destroying my home".
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28	* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheAnimalPlanet'' has Doraemon and friends visiting a distant planet populated by sapient animals, their leader being Mayor Utan, a wise orangutan who cares dearly for his citizens. In the climatic battle when the heroes help the animals stave off an AlienInvasion, Utan spends the whole night praying for his people, and comes up with strategies on defeating the invaders.
29	* Forever from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' is an orangutan who gained human-level intelligence along with a Stand in the form of an entire ship that he controls with his mind. He solves a Rubik's Cube in two minutes and successfully pretends to be a normal animal to go beneath Team Joestar's notice. Forever is quite proud of his intelligence, and insulting it qualifies as his BerserkButton, so Jotaro exploits this to defeat the primate.
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Comic Books]]
33	''ComicBook/MarvelApes: Speedball Special'' implies an offscreen version of this when the Monkeyverse's Speedball remarks that in his world, the Red Ghost, an EvilGenius and ComicBook/FantasticFour villain, is an orangutan. His human version isn't that far off from looking like one already (which may be deliberate, since his gimmick is using 'super-apes' to help him commit crimes).
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
37	* ''Film/TheCannonballRun II'': A feisty orangutan that is capable of driving appears as a limo driver for one team.
38	* ''Film/TheJungleBook2016'': King Louie's[[note]]While here a ''Gigantopithecus'', is still modelled after an orangutan due to both being close related[[/note]] much more of a schemer here, trying to manipulate Mowgli into giving him fire.
39	* ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes''
40	** Orangutans are depicted as the leaders of the society in the original series of films, like Dr. Zaius (Creator/MauriceEvans), an intelligent and wise ape who mistrusts the human protagonist (named Ulysse in the book, Taylor in the films) and is among the few apes that knows about the planet's biggest secret that it was once inhabited by intelligent humans before they regressed into their current, animalistic state.
41	** The fifth film in the original series, ''Film/BattleForThePlanetOfTheApes'', Caesar's post-apocalyptic settlement includes a young orangutan named Dr. Virgil (portrayed by Music/PaulWilliams), who is good-hearted but a bit of an InsufferableGenius, and serves as Caesar's [[TheSmartGuy primary science advisor]]. There's also Mandemus, a philosophically-minded old orangutan who has been put in charge of the settlement's horde of guns and of "Caesar's conscience", since no guns can be taken from the armory -- not even by Caesar -- without Mandemus' permission. He is portrayed as probably the most patient and level-headed character in the film.
42	** [[Film/PlanetOfTheApesCherninSeries Chernin Series]]:
43	*** [[Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes The]] [[Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes Caesar]] [[Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes trilogy]] features Maurice (Creator/KarinKonoval), who's indeed quite intelligent even before being altered and is TheSmartGuy of the tribe, acting as Caesar's advisor. He is a pretty overt expy of Virgil, especially in ''Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'', which is itself essentially a remake of ''Battle'', though his name is an homage to actor Creator/MauriceEvans, who played Dr. Zaius.
44	*** Three centuries years later in ''Film/KingdomOfThePlanetOfTheApes'' we have Raka (Peter Macon), a sort of scholar/preacher of the {{Order}} worshipping the long dead Caesar and spreading his true teachings (though he's seemingly the last living member of that order). He's the wisest of the apes seen in that film and the one who knows the most about Caesar's life and principles, notably about interacting with humans, which he passes onto chimpanzee protagonist Noa.
45	* The Skar King from ''Film/GodzillaXKongTheNewEmpire'' is an orangutan-like titan that rules the Hollow Earth with an iron fist, wields a whip made out of an unknown titan's sharpened spinal cord, and has a gigantic ice reptile as an attack dog.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Literature]]
49	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': The Librarian of the Unseen University Library was turned into an orangutan in a mishap with a magical book. He actually prefers this to his human form, since long arms and prehensile feet are very useful for shelving books, and being an ape allows him to read texts that [[NoManOfWomanBorn drive men mad]], and resists any attempt to turn him back. He's very intelligent to the point he can communicate just by looks, or by the single word "Ook" and occasionally "Eek". But '''do not''' call him a [[IAmNotWeasel monkey]]; he will be [[BerserkButton extremely offended]], since he is erudite enough to know that [[InsistentTerminology orangutans are apes]], and he will [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown make it painfully clear]].
50	* ''Genesis'' by Bernard Beckett tells the story of a rebellious man, Adam, who has been captured by a dystopic regime and is forced to interact with an intelligent robot, Art, who is made to look like an orangutan. While he only sees it as a machine, Art proves to be much smarter than it looks. [[spoiler:Through elaborate planning, he manages to have humanity later obliterated and replaced by sentient robot orangutans.]]
51	* ''Literature/TheMysteriousIsland'' has Jup (short for Jupiter), an orangutan whom the heroes capture and train as a butler.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
55	* The Creator/{{CBBC}} 2000 {{Edutainment}} show ''Clever Creatures'' took the format of a wildlife quiz with puppet animals as contestants. While most of the animals were reasonably clever and knowledgable, since the format required it, Adrian the Orangutan of the Rainforest Rovers had a scholarly personality.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
59	* The roleplaying game ''[[https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/196062/Apes-Victorious Apes Victorious]]'' by Goblinoid Games, which is greatly inspired by the older parts of the ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'' franchise, has the Orangutan as a class. In a variation, they are not the "scientist" class (which in this game is actually the Chimpanzee, obviously homaging Cornelius and Zira), but instead they are the politicians and clerics of Ape society (read: proficient at being ManipulativeBastard-types).
60	* The Jokaero from ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' look, sound and act almost exactly like orangutans, yet they are ridiculously intelligent technophiles that can upgrade or invent just about ''anything'' if they are provided the proper resources. However, because they operate almost entirely on instinct, whatever they create is meant to benefit themselves; either to ensure their survival or because it just "feels right."
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Video Games]]
64	* ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'':
65	** Inverted in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry''. Manky Kongs are a race of evil, barrel-throwing orangutan enemies. They are described as "Kong reject orangutans," implying that they're cast out from the friendly Kongs, which are other types of primates, because of their feral behavior.
66	** Inverted in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64''. Lanky Kong is the only Kong to resemble an orangutan, and while he is friendly, he is the most wacky and clownish of the Kongs. With how comical the Kongs are in general, it's saying a lot.
67	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has Oranguru, a Psychic-type (a type already known for its intelligence) that is noted by the Pokédex to only respect experienced trainers and is known to play the role of a trainer itself at times, giving commands to its fellow Pokémon in battle via its signature move Instruct.
68	* In the ''Franchise/StarFox'' games, the villainous [[TheEmperor Emperor]] Andross seems to be an orangutan (bearing a striking resemblance to [[Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968 Dr. Zaius]]), making him a rare evil version of this trope. He is, however, portrayed as a brilliant MadScientist who has somehow transformed himself into a giant disembodied head and hands.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Web Animation]]
72	* ''WesternAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': Buddhist Monkey has [[https://happytreefriends.fandom.com/wiki/Sensei_Orangutan Sensei Orangutan]], a flashback-only orangutan who was Buddhist Monkey's master in martial arts and capable of lighting a fire just by rubbing his fingers together, a skill Buddhist Monkey masters just in time to save his life against an assassin.
73	* PlayedForLaughs in Creator/JoelHaver's video "[[https://youtu.be/PugcxQYJGjs Lanky Kong listens to DK Rap for the first time]]." [[Franchise/DonkeyKong Lanky Kong]], an orangutan who is an inverted example in his home series, gets AdaptationalIntelligence here, acting more like a normal, reasonable person. He is deeply insulted that his section in "[[VideoGame/DonkeyKong64 The DK Rap]]" makes him look like an idiot while praising the other Kongs. Notably, he speaks perfect English, while Donkey Kong, a gorilla, speaks in ape sounds like all the Kongs do in the games. Lanky also mentions that he works in IT.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Western Animation]]
77	* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "[[Recap/FuturamaS6E9AClockworkOrigin A Clockwork Origin]]" introduces Dr. Banjo, a hyper-intelligent orangutan who ironically believes in "Creaturism", a form of creationism, who debates with Professor Farnsworth about the origins of life and whether or not it came from evolution or creation by some higher power.
78	* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainSimianAndTheSpaceMonkeys'': Dr. Splitz/Splitzy is the Space Monkey's resident mechanic and [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]]. Due to having a SplitPersonality he switches from being a stoic scientific genius to a [[SouthernFriedGenius mechanic with a Southern drawl]]. They need each other to function, as seen in one episode when they get split apart into separate bodies.
79	* ''WesternAnimation/WildKratts'': Orangutans are the subject of one episode where the intelligence of them is on full display, such as a mother using plants to heal her baby and teach him what to and what not to eat. Another, a large male Martin nicknamed Huge-O, borders on NearlyNormalAnimal, where after seeing the crew get sore and can't move (ItMakesSenseInContext), he tries to get the Kratts to get the plants and take them back to the crew, though his methods boil down to refusing to let them pass until they get a clue since he can't talk in any way. He later helps the brothers in stopping the bad guys from cutting down trees.
80	[[/folder]]

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