The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes movie has caused a lot of stir among the fans of the Hunger Games novels written by the brilliant Suzanne Collins.
This movie is a prequel to the canon trilogy and tells the story of the infamous Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and how he becomes the ruthless dictator of Panem and the mastermind behind the Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games has never been a franchise that shies away from brutally killing off fan-favorite characters to extract that grasp of shock. Rue, Finnick Odair, Primrose Everdeen; the list is virtually endless.
However, while those deaths have an air of surety to them, this prequel’s ending leaves us in a state of ambiguity and has more room for interpretation than any character death so far.
The final scene between Snow and Lucy is filled with nerve-chilling tension as Snow loses the two things he loves most: Lucy Gray and control.
This loss completes the transformation of the character into the vicious, power-hungry dictator that we see in the original trilogy.
The Hunger Games end with Lucy Gray winning it using the snake Coriolanus had given her, and they plan to run away from the brutal Capitol.
However, the situation is jarred with several complications. Firstly, Coriolanus’ best friend, Sejanus, gets executed by the Peacekeepers, leaving Snow in great distress. Moreover, he also discovers that Lucy Gray is involved in the murder of the District 12 mayor’s daughter, Mayfair.
The film ends in a climactic showdown between Coriolanus and Lucy Gray in the woods outside District 12.
Drunk with power, Coriolanus accuses Lucy of betraying him and tries to kill her once and for all. However, Lucy Gray escapes into the forest, leaving behind her snake and scarf.
Coriolanus follows her but is suddenly attacked by a flock of mockingjays who mimic Lucy Gray’s voice, leaving him confused.
The protagonist loses track of his way and is picked up by Dr. Gaul. Thus, Lucy Gray’s fate is left hanging in the air.
The ending leaves Lucy Gray’s fate in a state of ambiguity, and we aren’t sure if she survives the ordeal. However, the franchise reveals that her sacrifice eventually becomes a torchbearer for the rebellion when the people overthrow the Capitol.
The ending also foreshadows the events of the original trilogy, as Coriolanus becomes the architect of the Hunger Games and an eternal enemy of Katniss Everdeen, the descendant of Lucy Gray and the embodiment of the mockingjay.
In the end, a white rose catches Coriolanus’ eye. It stirs up his memory of Lucy Gray, the girl he loved and lost. The eventual dictator decides to keep the rose as a tribute to his lost love.
About The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an upcoming film based on the book of the same name by American author Suzanne Collins. It is a spin-off and a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy.
The film adaptation from Lionsgate is expected to release in late 2023 or early 2024. Director Francis Lawrence will return to direct. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are returning as producers. Collins and Michael Arndt will adapt the screenplay.
The dystopian action-adventure novel follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who is chosen to mentor a tribute in the upcoming 10th Hunger Games.
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