The newest installment in The Hunger Games franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, has a protagonist that many are bound to compare to the iconic Katniss Everdeen, however, Lucy Gray Baird is much more similar to The Hunger Games’ Peeta than to the series’ main heroine. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to The Hunger Games novels, written by Suzanne Collins. The book, which follows President Snow as an adolescent, is receiving a movie adaptation starring Rachel Zegler that is set to release in November 2023.
The Hungers Games was an immediate hit both in its book form and as a movie franchise in the early 2010s, and even now, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and its cast are receiving the same buzz. Unfortunately, because of these films shared source material, it will be impossible to not compare the two in countless different ways. One of the easiest comparisons to make will be between Katniss and Lucy. Though they are separated by decades, Katniss and Lucy are both protagonists in Suzanne Collins’ dystopian world, and notably, both are tributes from District 12. However, this is where their similarities end.
The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes’ Lead Is The Opposite Of Katniss
In reality, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Lucy Gray is nothing like Katniss Everdeen. In fact, this point was emphasized by the film’s director, Francis Lawrence, who said that Lucy is actually the “anti-Katniss.” Lawrence told Empire that “Katniss was an introvert and a survivor. She was quite quiet and stoic, you could almost say [she was] asexual. Lucy Gray is the opposite. She wears her sexuality on her sleeve, [and] she really is a performer.” So, although Katniss and Lucy come from the same place and are entering the same trial, their personalities could not be more different.
Exploring the source material further, Lawrence’s comments make sense. As a character, Katniss is somewhat withdrawn and relies solely on herself, not interested in forming relationships, though they find her anyway. Furthermore, Katniss isn’t suited to the glamour of the Capitol, and in fact, is a beacon against their riches and fashions. On the other hand, Lucy seems much more fiery. At the start of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lucy catches the Snow family’s eye because of her singing during the reaping and an incident where she snuck a snake into the dress of a girl she disliked. From this alone, she seems much more colorful and emotional.
Lucy Gray Is More Like Peeta From The Hunger Games
In reality, if audiences are going to compare The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes‘ Lucy Gray to any The Hunger Games character, it should be Peeta. Although the baker’s son seems shy at first, he grows over the course of the series into a charming and intelligent character. While he isn’t an actual performer like Lucy, he does know how to manipulate others, especially the Games’ spectators, and uses his reputation to his advantage. Plus, both characters use romances to survive. All in all, Lucy and Katniss may be the main heroines of their series, but Lucy and Peeta are more alike in their methods of survival and character traits.
