Sejanus’ Fate In Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes References A Dark Catching Fire Arena Detail

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

One of the most fascinating parts of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is how it manages to weave in meaningful nods to The Hunger Games, and Sejanus’ fate is one of the darkest ones present in the film. Depicting the complex life of Coriolanus Snow, a man who becomes known for his manipulative tendencies and ability to disregard human life on an incomprehensible level, the film has a number of tragic scenes that highlight how flawed he and the surrounding society truly are. His backstory and this prequel manage to connect to the original The Hunger Games franchise in a way that feels natural but also provides a fresh and unique expansion to the cinematic universe.

One of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire film is when well-meaning Sejanus finds himself at the receiving end of society’s cruelty. His death is horrific and unfair and is made even worse by the fact that it came as a result of a serious betrayal by Snow. And, instead of Snow utilizing the moment to recognize the error of his ways, it became the turning point for him to fully lean into his cunning ways and use them to the absolute detriment of the people around him.

Sejanus’ Death Is A Callback To The Jabberjays Used In Catching Fire

The jabberjays in The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes mimic sounds that they hear, and this skill is utilized to have them serve as spies within the districts. They ended up being utilized in the third person whose blood was on Snow’s hands death, as he took advantage of their abilities and recorded Sejanus’ plan to escape out of Panem. This led to his being executed by hanging at the hanging tree, and, in a cruelly ironic twist of fate, the jabberjays mimicked his gut-wrenching screams for help after his death.

In addition to adding to the tragic scene, the jabberjays serve as a callback to an earlier The Hunger Games film, where they played a role in the games. During Catching Fire, the jabberjays were used to torture tributes with their family members’ screams during the 75th Hunger Games. From their first release in the districts after the tenth Hunger Games all the way to the 75th, the jabberjays were exploited to generate misery among the citizens.

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What The Jabberjays Use During The 75th Hunger Games Says About Snow

It is no secret that Coriolanus Snow is a deeply troubled character who eventually becomes a tyrannical and ruthless dictator with no regard for human life. His ability to allow Sejanus to be killed and his lack of remorse are a clear indication of his psychological troubles. This is evidenced further by the events of the second The Hunger Games film, Catching Fire, where Snow allows the jabberjays to continue to be used for evil. Although he was not the gamemaker, he was the president and had the ability to stop them from being put to use for such terrible purposes.

However, he is clearly not wracked with guilt over what happened to Sejanus in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and, therefore, sees no need. If this were something that deeply impacted him, he would not be able to stand being around jabberjays, as they would remind him of his despicable actions against someone who trusted him deeply. Moreover, there is no way he would be able to allow them to continue to be exploited to harm others, as he would recognize the horror they can cause.