This week, I have found myself deep diving back into the rabbit hole that is The Hunger Games after watching The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. After all, it’s hard not to get invested in the theories when my TikTok For You Page has become filled with fellow enthusiasts, each dissecting characters from the franchise, and needless to say … I am completely consumed by it.
The latest addition to The Hunger Games saga serves as a prequel and tell Snow’s backstory as he falls for Lucy Gray, the victor of the tenth annual Hunger Game. The movie not only captivates with its storyline but also introduces many different songs throughout the film.
After watching the film, re-reading the series is definitely next on my list, as it authentically captures the essence of The Hunger Games books. The inner struggles of the characters, particularly Coryo’s inner tension between his mind and his heart, and his battle between his loyalty to the capital versus his love for Lucy Gray. With standout performances from the entire cast, Tom Blythe is perfect as a young Snow and Rachel Zegler’s charismatic and powerful performance is the best in the film.
The prequel makes so many references to the OG Hunger Games trilogy, but the most important one is the tie-in to Katniss Everdeen, which gives us a glimpse into President Snow’s eventual hatred for her and the districts in general. Almost all of them center around Snow’s relationship with Lucy Gray Baird. The most obvious similarity is of course that Lucy Gray is from District 12, where Katniss is also from. But in the movie, Lucy Gray loves digging up swamp potato plants by the lake, which she prefers to call Katniss. “Katniss” is also one of Lucy’s last words to Snow before she disappears.
White roses are another connection to Katniss seen in the movie. In the prequel, Snow gives a white rose to Lucy Grey to charm her and put her at ease when she meets him and in the trilogy, Snow uses them for the complete opposite reason, leaving them for Katniss to strike fear into her as a reminder of his presence and that he is always watching her. Another comparison is the bow Lucy gives after singing at the reaping which is almost identical to the one Katniss takes in front of the game makers in the first Hunger Games film.
Both Lucy and Katniss also take control of their reapings: Katniss by volunteering and Lucy by singing her song and sticking the snake down the mayor’s daughter’s dress. At the same time, the residents of District 12 have an unorthodox response to both their reapings. They cheer for Lucy’s songs and they silently witness Katniss volunteer as tribute. Katniss and Lucy are also both fan favorites before anything really gets going. They’re popular, not necessarily because they’re going to be the most talented or deadly, but because they are charismatic. Katniss sings “Deep in the Meadow” to Rue before she dies, just like how Lucy sings that song to Mon Ivory when she is sick and when they are at the lake. This is also the same lake we see in Mockingjay that Katniss often visits it as a child, led there by her father. The lake is the first time Snow hears of a Katniss plant from the Covey children.
The lake is also where we hear “The Hanging Tree” for the first time in the movies and where it is recorded and put on a loop for the revolution’s support. “The Hanging Tree” was written by Lucy Baird and was sung by the Mockingjays to Snow while he was trying to kill her. The Mockingjays are significant to Snow because he hates them when he works in District 12 as a peacekeeper, and finds it really upsetting that Katniss is called the Mockingjay.
The movie also provides a fascinating glimpse into Tigris’s backstory, adding layers to her character. Her close relationship with Snow and eventual transformation into a Hunger Games stylist, marked by plastic surgery, adds a nuanced dimension to the narrative.
In conclusion, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes proves to be a worthy addition to The Hunger Games universe. If you get the chance, I highly recommend seeing it. But be prepared for the soundtrack to be stuck in your head for weeks.
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