The Untold Secrets: Unveiling 7 Astonishing Events Preceding The Hunger Games Trilogy

Highlights

The Hunger Games

The franchise is set in a dystopian world under the dictatorship of the Capitol, which organizes the Hunger Games to suppress rebellions. Following the Dark Days, a time of warfare and uprising against the Capitol, the Hunger Games were established as a method of maintaining control.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

prequel novel/film explores the 10th edition of the Hunger Games and the rise of Coriolanus Snow, who shaped the games and became President of Panem.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the Hunger Games franchise captivates with its depiction of a society governed by a strict and dictatorial Capitol. Each year, the Capitol organizes the Hunger Games as a means to suppress any uprising from the various districts. The extensive world created within the franchise offers potential for countless other stories, including the upcoming prequel film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It comes as no surprise that numerous significant events unfolded in and around the Hunger Games prior to the events portrayed in the books, specifically during the 74th and 75th editions, as the franchise enjoys renewed popularity online.

7 The Dark Days

The Capitol gained control of Panem, the remnants of North America, after a nuclear apocalyptic event. Following this, District 13 led a rebellion called the Dark Days against the Capitol. This period of war lasted around three years, during which the Capitol believed they had completely destroyed District 13. The rebellion eventually ended, and in order to prevent future uprisings, the Capitol established the Hunger Games for the districts.

6 The First Hunger Games

The history of the games holds an important event that lacks proper documentation. Although the Hunger Games gained immense popularity and were extensively documented, the initial edition of the games after the war was far from being a grand spectacle. None of the games truly became noteworthy until the emergence of Coriolanus Snow.

Rather than being a captivating event, the first Hunger Games involved tributes who were starving and on the brink of death by the time the games commenced. The commercial coverage was lacking and failed to humanize the tributes in the eyes of the audience. As a result, the competition turned out to be pathetic and involved the cruel sacrifice of children. This creates the perfect setting for a prequel game within the franchise.

5 The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes

The upcoming film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is based on the prequel novel set around the 10th edition of the Hunger Games. In this pivotal event, the Capitol introduced mentors like Coriolanus Snow and interviews, which allowed citizens to familiarize themselves with the competitors.

Coriolanus seized the opportunity to gain knowledge on attaining power during this time. His influence was evident through his establishment of betting and sponsorship systems in the games, his role as a game maker, and eventually as the President of Panem, shaping the essence of the Hunger Games.

4 Mags Wins

The 11th Hunger Games, which took place right after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, brought about even more changes. Unlike the previous ten games that were held in the Capitol Arena, this one occurred in a different location. Notably, this particular edition was won by Mags, an elderly woman from District 4 who would later participate in the 75th games alongside Katniss and other former winners.

Mags Flanagan was the very first victor to embark on a victory tour of the districts, marking the beginning of the Capitol's efforts to turn the winners into genuine celebrities. This tour aimed to raise awareness and interest in the Hunger Games, not only within the Capitol itself but also among the districts.

3 The First Quarter-Quell

The Capitol took pleasure in designing particularly cruel punishments to constantly remind the districts that their rebellion brought these consequences upon themselves. The most severe of these punishments were the Quarter Quells, held every 25 years to commemorate the first games. For the 25th edition, the Capitol had a truly malevolent plan in mind.

These games were even more heinous as, instead of selecting the tributes at random from the population, the Capitol compelled each district to vote on which children they would send into the games. This method of selection inflicted even greater anguish on each individual within the society. Unsurprisingly, the finest installment of the Hunger Games series is also a Quarter-Quell.

2 Haymitch Wins

Haymitch Abernathy plays a vital role in the Hunger Games books as he takes on the role of mentor to Katniss and Peeta as they navigate through the games. He emerges victorious in the 50th Hunger Games, which was a Quarter Quell that introduced twice the number of tributes into the arena. Consequently, the field was vast, resulting in the immediate deaths of 18 tributes near the Cornucopia. Haymitch joins forces with another tribute from District 12 to fend off the Careers, but eventually, they part ways. Desperate to survive, Haymitch cleverly uses the force field at the arena's edge to defeat his final opponent. However, this daring move leads to the Capitol punishing him by taking the lives of his family.

1 Finnick Odair’s Victory

At the 65th Hunger Games, Finnick Odair became a victorious tribute, earning him the title of the youngest champion at just 14 years old. His attractive appearance and formidable combat skills attracted numerous sponsors, while others struggled to gain any attention.

But his triumph didn't mark the end of his story. In fact, Finnick's victory propelled him into the role of a sex symbol within the Capitol, a status that persisted until he was selected once again for the 75th installment of the Games. Despite his reputation as a playboy, the truth was that Finnick had been coerced into a life of sex trafficking by President Snow, turning his existence into one marked by misery, much like the heartbreaking backstories of many characters in video game franchises.