Summary
- The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes expands the Hunger Games universe by providing valuable context on how the series’ antagonist, Coriolanus Snow, came to power and became the president of Panem.
- Details of some main characters’ lives are revealed in the prequel novel and The Hunger Games Films, allowing audiences to piece together their futures.
- The Hunger Games showcases Snow’s manipulative nature and his deep-seated hatred for Katniss, stemming from his unresolved feelings for Lucy Gray, which ultimately leads to his downfall and death during the rebellion.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes provides many details about the lives of its characters, and this is what happens to each surviving one after the end credits roll. The movie is based on a book of the same name by Suzanne Collins and tells the origin story of Coriolanus Snow and his hunger for both power and prestige. His relationship with Lucy Gray Baird is a key focus of the film and serves to highlight Snow’s morality and his ability to devalue human life. Through Snow’s actions, the prequel film serves to expand The Hunger Games universe in meaningful ways and provides valuable context as to how the films’ antagonist came to be.
Viewers got the opportunity to see how the Hunger Games once functioned, and how Coriolanus Snow made them into the even greater spectacle seen in The Hunger Games movies. They did not, however, get the chance to see what happened to the main characters and what their lives looked like after the 10th Hunger Games. Given The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ ambiguous ending, audiences are left with a curiosity as to what becomes of the surviving main characters. Luckily, the prequel novel, as well as the others and the corresponding films, all provide further information about the fate of each character. By utilizing these other sources, audiences are able to piece together what the future has looked like for these key characters.
6 Coriolanus Snow Becomes The President Of Panem
Coriolanus Snow is one of the main characters of The Hunger Games, so viewers get the chance to learn a lot about his fate after The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The franchise shows that Snow becomes the tyrannical president of Panem and oversees the Hunger Games. He still proves to be a master manipulator, as he plays the role of a cunning politician and pitts people against each other. He consistently utilizes his charisma and carefully crafted narratives to try to maintain his image as a benevolent leader and mask his true, cruel nature.
Viewers also see in The Hunger Games that Snow has a vendetta against Katniss. This is because Katniss reminds Snow of his long-lost love, Lucy Gray. Watching Katniss not have the same level of feelings for Peeta as he has for her reminds him of how he felt Lucy Gray betrayed him. This hatred for Katniss is an indicator of Snow’s continued resentment of Lucy Gray, even in his old age, and his inability to move on from the situation. When the Capitol is ultimately overthrown, Snow is tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Katniss decides not to kill him, choosing to use her arrow on President Coin instead, but the civilians of Panem rush him and he ultimately dies.
5 Tigris Becomes A Fashion Designer & Joins The Rebellion
Tigris is a main character in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, but is not seen much in The Hunger Games movies. Viewers get the chance to briefly learn about her in Mockingjay Part 2, where it is learned that she is a fashion designer and longtime stylist for the Games. It is evident that she and Snow have fallen out and that she is disappointed in his ruthless actions. Tigris lends herself to the rebellion cause by offering Katniss shelter in her clothing shop and disguising Katniss and Gale to infiltrate the Capitol.
4 Lucy Gray Baird’s Life Is A Mystery (If She Is Alive)
Given her skill at the Hunger Games, it is very probable that Lucy Gray was able to survive in the forest for a time or even for the rest of her life.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes does not provide an answer as to Lucy Gray’s fate, and neither does The Hunger Games. It is unclear whether she survives trying to escape from Snow, leaving her life a complete mystery. This ambiguous ending is purposeful, as it gives audiences the opportunity to form their own conclusion. Given her skill at the Hunger Games, it is very probable that Lucy Gray was able to survive in the forest for a time or even for the rest of her life. If she managed to escape from the forest, she most likely would continue to perform for audiences, as that is in her blood.
The book does confirm that Lucy Gray is not talked about and her win in the Hunger Games is not acknowledged. This is because Dr. Gaul erased all of the evidence of Lucy Gray and the 10th Hunger Games. Gaul only kept one copy of the games for herself, as she felt this set of games made the Capitol look weak. The book also inferred that the Mayor of District 12 ended up killing Lucy Gray, but there is no concrete answer as to whether it actually happened.
3 Dr. Gaul Mentors Coriolanus Snow
Snow is uncomfortable with people who could potentially be more powerful than him, which could have lead to him seeing Dr. Gaul as a threat and ultimately eliminating her.
The ending of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes confirms that Dr. Gaul and Snow begin working together. She serves as his mentor and teaches him how to construct the Games. She is not seen in The Hunger Games, but a popular theory is that Snow ended up killing her. Snow is the type of person who is uncomfortable with people who could potentially be more powerful than him, which could have lead to him seeing Dr. Gaul as a threat and ultimately eliminating her.
2 Strabo Plinth Names Snow His Heir
One of the key differences between The Ballad of Snakes & Songbirds book and the film adaptation is that the latter does not include the details about Snow’s infiltration of the Plinth family. In the book, Snow returns to the Capitol and becomes almost like Sejanus’ parents’ adoptive son. They are unaware of the fact that Snow is responsible for their son’s death, and so they treat him incredibly well. Strabo Plinth, Sejanus’ father, even names Snow the heir to his fortune. This financial assistance helps Snow in his ascent to the utmost power in Panem.
1 Lucky Flickerman Passes Hosting Duties To His Son
Lucky Flickerman is the host of the Hunger Games in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and he ends up keeping the responsibility in the family. Caesar Flickerman is a prominent character in The Hunger Games, and, although his and Lucky’s exact relationship is not confirmed, the timing suggests that they are father and son. Caesar is revealed in The Hunger Games to have been the host for 40 years and is highly skilled at presenting the District tributes in a positive light. He eventually turns on Katniss, though, and calls her a traitor and criminal publicly once the rebellion really takes off. Upon Snow’s downfall, Caesar’s fate was not revealed, but it can be assumed that he was assassinated.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel movie set 64 years before the events of the original movie with Katniss Everdeen. The film centers on a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and shows his rise to power as the leader of Panem. Taking place during the 10th Hunger Games, Snow is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the tribute from District 12.
Release Date November 17, 2023 Director Francis Lawrence Cast Tom Blyth , Rachel Zegler , Hunter Schafer , Jason Schwartzman , Peter Dinklage , Josh Andrés , Josh Andrés Rivera , Viola Davis Rating PG-13 Runtime 157 Minutes