The differences between the Hunger Games in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the one in the first Hunger Games movie are stark, given that they are 64 years apart. However, Coriolanus Snow was responsible for many of the changes that took place in the years between the two stories, and one of his most horrific developments for the Games is an indication that his other plans were failures. Unfortunately, the solution in question seemingly worked, leading to 65 more years of children slaughtering one another for the entertainment of others following the failure of the 10th Hunger Games.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes depicted President Snow’s villain origin story and took fans back to when the future ruler was 18 years old and willing to do anything to gain power and prove himself in the Capitol. Snow’s time as a mentor to Lucy Gray Baird and his experience as a Peacekeeper in District 12 crafted him into the antagonist he is in the original trilogy. By the prequel’s end, Snow achieved the status he always wanted (and thought he deserved) and became an apprentice to the Gamemakers, where Snow enacted some of his ideas for the Games.
President Snow’s Most Disturbing Hunger Games Change Was Forcing Everyone To Watch
Among Snow’s many changes to the Hunger Games following Lucy Gray’s win in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was the requirement of everyone in the districts to watch the competition. It’s unclear when the mandatory viewing rule was established. But by the time of the 64th Hunger Games, the obligation to observe was seemingly the norm, indicating that the rule had been around for many years. Everyone’s television sets were instructed to remain on the Games, meaning that the worries about a lack of viewership expressed in the prequel were no longer a concern when Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark competed.
Forcing the citizens of Panem to watch children from the ages of 12 to 18 murder one another is arguably one of Snow’s most disturbing ideas. Of course, the act of coercing children to slaughter one another is horrific in and of itself, but Snow took it to another level when he established the mandatory viewing rule. Families had to watch their young loved ones die or kill other children, knowing that there was nothing they could do about it. So, not only did the change mean that ratings went up, but it also instilled a feeling of helplessness in the districts.
10 Key Things That Happen Between The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes & The Hunger Games
Sixty-four years separate The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and The Hunger Games – read on for every significant event that happened in those years.
This Hunger Games Update Proves His Other Changes Weren’t That Effective
A handful of Snow’s early ideas were enacted during Mags Flanagan’s win in the 11th Hunger Games. Mags was the first victor to move into the Victor’s Village, receive a monetary prize for her win, and embark on a Victory Tour throughout the districts. All of these were changes that Snow introduced to increase the popularity of the Games and give the districts more of an incentive to want their best and brightest to compete. However, the mandatory viewing rule proves that these changes were ultimately ineffective in accomplishing Snow’s goal.
Snow’s attempts to make people watch the Games seemingly failed if he eventually had to force people to tune in. The money incentive, Victor’s Village, and more were not enough to convince people outside the Capitol (and some inside the Capitol) to view the competition. As a result, Snow resorted to coercion to ensure that the Hunger Games stayed relevant, which worked until District 13 and the group of rebels broke into the arena in Catching Fire, rescuing Katniss and starting the Second Rebellion.
President Snow’s Actions Prove A Rebellion In Panem Was Inevitable
Most people do not enjoy being coerced into doing things, especially if that thing is watching children murder other children so that those in power can prove a point (and remind citizens of humanity’s volatile and chaotic nature). So, while President Snow eventually accomplished his goal of getting everyone to watch the annual competition, he also set forth the foundations of the Second Rebellion following the 75th Hunger Games. A rebellion was inevitable due to the nature of a totalitarian government and Snow’s determination to continue the Games.
Although the war was already brewing in District 13, Snow’s mandatory viewing rule undoubtedly added to the other districts’ hatred towards the Capitol. The requirement to send their children to be slaughtered in an arena is awful enough, but the added trauma of being forced to watch the killings made them bitter. Consequentially, many citizens were willing to join the fight to overthrow the government before the Second Quarter Quell in the Hunger Games series.
