9 Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Lines That Cleverly Reference The Hunger Games

Like many movie prequels, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes cleverly alludes to the previous movies in its franchise. Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes place 64 years before Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) wins the Hunger Games and any connections between the movies might seem far-fetched. The premise of the prequel nods to Katniss’ story, wherein a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) mentors Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) another 16-year-old girl from District 12 who is selected for the 10th Hunger Games. However, Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes cleverly references the other movies in subtle ways.

Certain pieces of dialogue in Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes are thought-provoking because they highlight how certain elements of the Games got their start. The ways Katniss and Lucy Gray’s Hunger Games are different showcase how the Capitol developed the Games to become the ultimate bloody spectacle that would keep the districts in line and the Capitol’s citizens entertained. On the other hand, some sly yet organic comments emphasize what kind of impact Katniss likely had on a seasoned President Snow (Donald Sutherland) decades later, as he would have associated Katniss with another girl from District 12 he knew long ago.

9
“Your Father Is Dead Coriolanus. It Was A Rebel, They Say. A Trap Out In The Forest In 12.”

Said By Grandma’am Snow

Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opens with what might seem like a contrived reason for Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow to detest those from the districts. During the war that caused the Capitol to create the Games, Coryo’s father was killed by a rebel in District 12. This event likely does play some part in how Coryo views the districts. However, the epilogue scene where Coryo’s grandmother “Grandma’am” (Fionnula Flanagan) informs him of his father’s death alludes to Katniss and the future rebellion in more ways than one.

First, merely the word “rebel” connotes what it will mean in the future of this world. Audiences immediately associate the term with Katniss and her allies. Additionally, Grandma’am says that Coryo’s father was caught in “a trap out in the forest in 12.” The forest outside District 12 would become Katniss’ sanctuary, while Coryo will always view it as a place of danger. Additionally, Katniss and Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) set traps to catch game, although Coryo’s father was likely caught in a different kind of trap.

8
“What Is That Dress? Is She Some Sort Of Clown?”

Said By Arachne Crane

One of the major theories surrounding Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is that Coryo’s cousin Tigris (Hunter Schafer) was inspired to create Capitol fashion by Lucy Gray. In the Hunger Games movies, the Capitol is known for its outlandish and colorful fashion sense. Coryo’s classmate Arachne Crane’s (Lilli Cooper) comment about Lucy Gray’s dress is incongruent with this. Notably, most of the people in this scene are wearing sleek attire in neutral colors. Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) is the only Capitol character who wears anything like what audiences recognize as Capitol fashion.

Arachne’s line supports the theory that there was a major upheaval in the Capitol’s tastes in the time between the 10th and 74th Hunger Games. At the time of her Games, Lucy Gray is a popular celebrity in the Capitol and people would have wanted to mimic her style. Meanwhile, Tigris goes on to become a stylist for the Games and possibly plays a role in popularizing the bright colors worn by Lucy Gray. Tigris herself makes an appearance in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2, played by Eugenie Bondurant.

7
“Your Role Is To Turn These Children Into Spectacles, Miss Crane. Not Survivors.”

Said By Casca Highbottom

When Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) announces that Capitol students will be mentoring the tributes in the Games, he clarifies to Arachne that they are supposed to entertain the Capitol, not save the tributes by making them “survivors.” This alludes to a conversation that Katniss and Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) have in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire where he tells her that no one wins the Games, they only survive it. This is because it is an event designed to serve the Capitol’s interests and not the districts.

Highbottom is the remorseful creator of the Hunger Games who perceives more about their structure and purpose than most. He tries to distance himself from the tributes he inadvertently condemned, and parrots this philosophy as though he is trying to force the Capitol students to recognize the truths about the Games. In addition to referencing Haymitch’s words, this quote demonstrates what makes Highbottom an interesting character.

6
“We Have A Reservation Tonight, Flickerman. Party Of Two And A High Chair.”

Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes introduces the bizarre character of Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman), the first commentator to host the Games. His surname makes a connection to an original Hunger Games character apparent. Additionally, a throwaway line from Lucky in Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes seemingly confirms that Caesar Filckerman (Stanley Tucci) is his son.

Caesar is the vibrant television personality who interviews the tributes in the Hunger Games movies. Given the time gap between the two movies, it might seem more likely that he is Lucky’s grandson. However, Katniss mentions at one point in the books that Caesar has been hosting the games for more than 40 years and is probably much older than he looks. Caesar also comments on the Games with Claudius Templesmith (Toby Jones); Claudius is the announcer of the Games, a role which does not exist yet in Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

5
“That Little One. She’s So Sweet, So Young. Something About Her Reminds Me Of My Cousin Maude Ivory.”

Said By Lucy Gray Baird

Lucy Gray has some heartbreaking moments with Wovey (Sofia Sanchez), the young girl from District 8. Lucy Gray remarks to Snow how young and sweet Wovey is, and how she reminds her of her cousin Maude Ivory (Vaughan Reilly). This creates a parallel with Katniss and Rue’s (Amandla Stenberg) relationship when they are allies during their Games. Like how Lucy Gray is drawn to Wovey because of Maude Ivory, Katniss bonds with Rue because she reminds her of her younger sister Prim (Willow Shields).

It also draws more parallels between Katniss and Lucy Gray, who do their best to protect the younger girls. The deaths of Wovey and Rue particularly highlight the brutality of the Games because anyone as young as 12 can be chosen as tributes. Theirs are among the most tragic deaths in the Hunger Games movies.

4
“Quite The Rebel.” “Oh Yeah, I’m Bad News.”

Said By Sejanus Plinth & Coriolanus Snow

When Coryo hides away some food from the dining hall to bring to Lucy Gray, his classmate Sejanus (Josh Andrés Rivera) remarks that he’s “Quite the rebel.” Similarly, when Coryo goes to meet Lucy Gray when she arrives in the Capitol, she ascertains that he is at least bending the rules by being there and also calls him a rebel. Once again, Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes creates interesting contrasts simply by using the word “rebel.”

While the prequel movie gives him some sympathetic moments, it is clear that Coriolanus Snow was destined to become the Hunger Games villain. Other characters applying the term “rebel” to Coryo further develops the tensions between him and Lucy Gray and all that she represents. By extension, it affects how the audience perceives his interactions with Katniss in the original movies. While Coryo believes in order and control, both Lucy Gray and Katniss are associated with rebellion and freedom, embodied through symbols like music, songbirds, and the forest.

3
“Now I Don’t Love Your Odds, But May They Be In Your Favor.”

Said By Lucky Flickerman

Notably, the characters in Ballad of Songbirds & Snake are not going around repeating the infamous line “May the odds be ever in your favor” associated with the Games. Lucky may be the originator of the “may the odds” line, based on a brief interaction with Lucy Gray. The 10th Hunger Games is the first year that the tributes give interviews ahead of the games. After she plays a song for the audience, Lucky wishes Lucy Gray luck with a version of this quote.

By the time of the 74th Hunger Games, this quote is synonymous with the event. Characters like Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and Caesar say it all the time as part of their intros to different events that are part of the lead-up to the Games. Katniss and Gale mockingly quote them while they are in the woods. In the real world, it has a morbid effect when most of the tributes will be killed in the arena.

2
“Who Will Watch The Games If There’s No Victor?”

Said By Coriolanus Snow

Following the death of Felix Ravinstill (Aamer Husain), Gaul announces that she is prepared to kill all the tributes in vengeance and to prevent any rebellion, even if it means there will be no victor. When she unleashes her snake tank on the remaining tributes, all are killed except for Lucy Gray. Gaul wants to let her perish as well, but Coryo rallies the spectators in support and convinces Gaul that no one will watch the Games if there is no victor.

Ironically, this same dilemma is what allows Katniss and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) to both survive their Games. Katniss and Peeta plan to take their own lives, gambling that the Gamemakers would rather have two victors than none. Snow makes it clear later that he believes it would have been smarter to kill them both, and Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) is executed for his oversight.

1
“Some People Call It ‘Swamp Potato,’ But I Think ‘Katniss’ Has A Much Nicer Ring, Don’t You?”

Said By Lucy Gray Baird

The most curious reference in the movie is when Lucy Gray mentions Katniss’ namesake. While they are out by the lake with the rest of the Covey, Lucy Gray comments on a plant that is called a “swamp potato” or “katniss.” The movie treats the moment with perhaps more significance than it should: This term has no meaning to Coryo yet, so he doesn’t need to look somewhat puzzled, and mysterious music doesn’t need to come in. However, given the audience’s knowledge, the moment works.

Plants play an important role in the franchise. Roses are beloved by members of the Snow family, flowers which are associated with decadence and careful breeding. On the other hand, Katniss, Prim, and Rue are all named after wildflowers or plants of practical utility. It is an understated yet powerful comparison, which is why the nod to the source of the name Katniss is a fitting reference for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to include.