Unbeknownst to Katniss and Peeta as they prepare for the Quell at the training center, Haymitch, Plutarch, and half the victors in it form an alliance and a plan to keep them alive. Not to mention, help kick off the rebellion at full speed. Now you have to think whoever thought of reaping surviving victors must’ve not had their head screwed on just right. Having teenagers killing each other is bad enough. But victors being chosen again for the Hunger Games is just incredibly dumb. I mean these are people who’ve had their lives ruined by the Capitol from the moment many of them were reaped to participate in it. Haymitch for instance, would soon lose his entire family, become an alcoholic, and send 46 tributes to their deaths to entertain the masses. And he’s not an unusual case. Some exceptionally good looking victors are forced into prostitution under threat of their loved ones if they refused like Finnick. Not to mention, the victors tend to be friends with each other, having shared the experiences of brutality. And it’s these ties that help half the victors form a conspiracy with Haymitch and Plutarch.

For a song pertaining to such secret conspiracy, I used “The Last Supper” from Jesus Christ Superstar. The original version depicts Jesus sharing one final meal with his disciples and saying that Peter will deny him and someone else will betray him like Judas Iscariot. It’s a rather dramatic rendition. In the Hunger Games version, I have Haymitch and some of the allied victors discuss their plans to break out of the arena the night before the Quell officially kicks off. I know this scene didn’t take place in the books or movies because victors are on 24 hour surveillance in order to deter insurrections. But when it comes to musical numbers, you can’t have Haymitch and the others communicating through bread. Also, the phrase “jaded mandarin” describes Haymitch perfectly.

 

“The Last Meeting”

 

Allied Victors:

Look at all my trials and tribulations

Sinking in a gentle pool of wine

Don’t disturb me now I can see the answers

Till this evening is this morning life is fine

Never thought that I’d be a Games victor

Knew that I had to make it to survive

Thought we were retired before this Quarter Quell

But they’ll still talk about us when we’ve died

 

Haymitch:

The end…

Is just a little harder when brought about by friends

For all you care Peeta could be my son

For all you care Katniss could be my daughter

The end!

At the arena’s edge

There is a large force field wall

Blow it up and help them escape from the Quarter Quell

I must be mad thinking this will work out – yes

I must be out of my head!

We all suffered so badly! I’ve lost my whole family

Had 46 tributes now dead!

They’ve made our lives hell

Now they’ve got this Quell –

 

Allied Victors:

Oh, shit! How could? Impossible!

 

Haymitch:

Plutarch will help us, he is on our side

There weren’t many takers – but that’s not all we need

One of you here dining, one of the 12 allies

Who knows electricity –

 

Beetee:

Cut out the dramatics! You know very well who –

 

Haymitch:

How will you go do it?

 

Beetee:

You want me to do it?

 

Haymitch:

You’re the brains here

 

Beetee:

If you knew why I do it…

 

Haymitch:

I don’t care why you do it!

 

Finnick:

You know how they watch you, what if they just kill you?

 

Plutarch:

They’re fools – I’ve played them

 

Johanna:

You want me to do it!

What if I just stayed here and ruined his ambition?

Snow he deserves it!

 

Haymitch:

Hurry you fool, hurry and go

Save me your speeches, I don’t wanna know – GO!

 

Allied Victors:

Look at all my trials and tribulations

Sinking in a gentle pool of wine

What’s that in the bread it’s gone to my head

Till this morning is this evening life is fine

Never thought that I’d be a Games victor

Knew that I had to make it to survive

Thought we were retired before this Quarter Quell

But they’ll still talk about us when we’ve died

 

Johanna:

You sad pathetic man – see where you’ve brought us to

Our ideals die around us all because of you

And now the saddest cut of all –

Someone has to save your kids

You’re washed up champion, and a sloshed up has been

A jaded mandarin

A jaded mandarin

A jaded jaded faded mandarin

 

Haymitch:

Get out! They’re waiting! Get out!

They’re waiting for you

 

Johanna:

Every time I look at her I don’t understand

Why she let the things she did get so out of hand

She’d have managed better if you’d had it planned –

 

Allied Victors:

Look at all my trials and tribulations

Sinking in a gentle pool of wine

Don’t disturb me now I can see the answers

Till this evening is this morning life is fine

Never thought that I’d be a Games victor

Knew that I had to make it to survive

Thought we were retired before this Quarter Quell

But they’ll still talk about us when we’ve died

 

Haymitch:

Will no one save those kids for me?

Beetee? Jo? Finn?

Can some of you work with me?

Beetee? Jo? Finn?

In District 12, there’s a place called the Hob which is an old warehouse that serves as a black market. Since hunting is illegal in Panem with stiff penalties, Katniss often sells her game there. Yet, since District 12 is the poorest in Panem with most people struggling to get by or desperately starving, the Peacekeepers are relatively lenient than elsewhere as well as turn a blind eye on poaching and black market trading. Possibly because practically everyone in town does some sort of business at the Hob, including the Peacekeepers. Such arrangement helps Katniss tremendously, since the Peacekeepers are mostly corrupt with their head Cray usually requesting certain favors of a sexual nature. Let’s just say if Katniss didn’t learn to hunt, she would’ve lost her virginity much sooner. Items sold there are poached game, alcohol, and other banned items. Plus, it’s open at times other places won’t be like on Reaping Day or late ate night. Of course, the Capitol can always get new Peacekeepers to torch the place.

For a good song on the Hob, I went with “The Temple” from Jesus Christ Superstar. The original version of this song depicts Jesus chasing out the money lenders and vendors as well as overturning tables in the Temple of Jerusalem. Because you know, these guys turned a house of prayer into a den of thieves which makes Jesus super pissed. In the Hunger Games version, I have it set in Catching Fire in which Gale Hawthorne goes to the Head Peacekeeper’s cabin with a turkey. Unfortunately for him, he finds out the corrupt lecher Cray has been replaced by the hardliner Thread who soon has the Hob torched as well as Gale tied mercilessly whipped on a post that he has to be rescued and treated. I also have the people of District 12 turn to Katniss for help, in which she wants none of that.

 

“The Hob”

 

Merchants:

Roll on up District 12

Come on in District 12

Sunday hang out at the Hob

Live in me District 12

Here you live District 12

Here you breathe District 12

While our dear Hob still survives

You at least are still alive

I got things you won’t believe

Name your pleasure I will sell

I can fix your wildest needs

I got heaven and I got hell

Roll on up, for my price is down

Come on in for the best in town

Take your pick of the finest wine

Lay your bets on this bird of mine

What you see is what you get

No one’s been disappointed yet

Don’t be scared give me a try

There is nothing you can’t buy

Name your price, I got everything

Hurry it’s going fast

Borrow cash on the finest terms

Hurry now while stocks still last

 

Romulus Thread:

Hello, I’m your new chief Romulus Thread

And you’ve made this place a den of thieves

Get out! Get out!

These crooks are almost through

Little left to do

Now let’s go and burn this shithole

Whip the guy trying to sell turkey

 

Crowd:

What the fuck have they done to Cray?

How the hell could the torch the Hob?

There’s not much dough in mining coal

Now I think I might have to rob

Can’t they leave us in District 12

Why the hell is the Hob aflame?

Now everything has gone to hell

See my purse I’m a poor poor man

Can you help us and save us Kat

Can’t you tell them where it’s at

Please help us and clear us Kat

Won’t you kiss won’t you pay me Kat

 

Katniss:

There’s too many of you – don’t push me

There’s too little of me – don’t crowd me

Help yourselves!

Note: This post contains major spoilers. So if you haven’t read the books or saw the movies up to Mockingjay Part 2, best not see this. It might ruin it for you.

As president of District 13, Alma Coin was the defacto leader of the rebellion who set herself to unite the other districts against a common enemy. Then again, she was probably the one who assumed leadership of the rebellion once Katniss accidentally sparked one. And it had more to do with the fact she was the leader of a district that the Capitol pretty much left alone due to a mutually assured destruction pact. Nevertheless, throughout the years, Coin has been there for District 13 thick and thin. Yet, as Alma means soul and a coin has two sides, she’s always had a rather two sided nature. At first she might be the kind of strong competent leader who’d bring Panem to an era of peace and prosperity. But as you get to know her, she’s a power hungry woman who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants like bombing children and framing it on Snow. Since Prim was killed in the bombings, Katniss is utterly devastated and heartbroken.

As for a song on Coin relishing in her moment of triumph, I decided to go with “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” from Evita. It’s the part in the musical when Eva Peron is bearing farewell to the people of Argentina as the country’s first lady. Nevertheless, the musical portrays her in a very negative light akin to one would be if a musical on Barack Obama was based on his Conservapedia page. For the Hunger Games version, I have Coin give her speech on the balcony saying farewell to the people of District 13 as she assumes the interim presidency of Panem. But little does she know….

 

“Don’t Cry For Me, District 13”

Sung by President Alma Coin

 

It won’t be easy

You’ll think it strange

When I try to explain how I feel

That I still need your love

After all that I’ve done

You won’t believe me

All you will see

Is a girl you once knew

Although she’s at the luxurious Capitol

Instead in the old bunker with you

 

I’ve taken the burden

And honor

Of declaring myself as Panem’s president

As we’ve won a great victory

But at a great cost of our lives

It won’t be easy

Creating a future that’s right at our door

Rebuilding all we have lost

So we can live life anew

 

Don’t cry for me District 13

The truth is I never left you

All through my wild days

My mad existence

I kept my promise

Don’t keep your distance

 

I bid you welcome to a new Panem

On the Avenue of Tributes

We’re all gathered to witness

A great moment of justice

Today, our Katniss

Our friend of the revolution

Will fire the shot

To end all wars and tyranny

And usher a new era in bloom

 

Don’t cry for me District 13

 

Don’t cry for me District 13

The truth is I never left you

All through my wild days

My mad existence

I kept my promise

Don’t keep your distance

 

Mockingjay

There’s nothing more I can think of to say to you

But all you have to do

As your heart is so pure

So shall your aim be true

For a long time in Panem, it was supposed that victors of the Hunger Games would never have to go back into the arena again. Katniss thought the same even though the idea of mentoring tributes for the rest of your life isn’t great either. And then there’s the Quarter Quell which takes place every 25 years which is a special  Hunger Games featuring a unique twist to the rules. These were said to be supposedly prescribed at the end of the Dark Days to serve as a reminder of some aspect of the first rebellion. One Quell could have tributes chosen by popular vote from the districts. Another could have twice as many tributes reaped from each district as usual (which was the year Haymitch won his Games, by the way). But who the hell knows what inspires the rule changes anyway? The Capitol could’ve just made such stuff up. Nevertheless, unfortunately for Katniss, the third Quarter Quell rule just happened to state that the tributes of each district that year would be selected among the 59 surviving victors. And Katniss just happened to be the only female victor from District 12, which means she’ll have to go back automatically. You know what that means.

For the song expressing Katniss’s reaction to the news, I decided to go with “Damned for All Time/Blood Money” from Jesus Christ Superstar. The original version depicts Judas Iscariot going to the chief priests and making a deal that he’d rat Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. For the Hunger Games version, I decided to go with Katniss running to Haymitch’s place after hearing the news of the Quarter Quell rule change as well as the two along with Peeta trying to decide what to do about it. Now I know a scene like this isn’t 100% to the books or the movies, but I hope it just captures the idea.

 
“Damned for All Time” (Hunger Games Edition)

 

Katniss: Now they just announced the Quarter Quell

They’re reaping victors and now I don’t feel so well

I’m 12’s only girl victor, I don’t know what to do

I weighed the whole thing up before I came to you

I really think that Snow really wants me dead

I really thought that I wouldn’t be in arena again

 

Just don’t say I’m

Damned for all time

 

I came because I need to get a freaking drink

Another Hunger Games I’m just dreading to think

And what about Peeta will he go there, too?

I thought my biggest worry was just saying “I do”

Right now our wedding doesn’t seem so bad

Despite the Capitol is making all the plans

 

Just don’t say I’m

Damned for all time

 

{Instrumental Break}

 

Haymitch, you’re a friend a worldly man and wise

Peeta, my friend I know you sympathize

Why is this year victors? Why are we the ones?

Who have to kill those who’ve previously won

I think I might just have to write my will

Cause I think my survival odds are down the till

Just don’t say I’m damned

For all time

 

Peeta: Cut the protesting forget the excuses

Let’s see some victors we’re up against

 

Haymitch: You’re a hunter but your people skills are appalling

We know public relations – you know the bow

 

Peeta: I’ll volunteer as a tribute if you are selected

 

Haymitch: Let me handle the victors-I know them well

Not sure if I can kill my friends in the arena

 

Peeta: But with our charm and connections

 

Haymitch: Then we can’t fail

 

Katniss: What the hell are you saying?

 

Haymitch: Oh, pardon me sweetheart, it’s just talk man-to-man.

 

Katniss: Please don’t let Peeta in there!

 

Peeta: But it’s just too late now that you’re going back

 

Haymitch: Now we need to think about our strategy

I think Peeta has a very good point

We need to do training and we should get started

Don’t worry dear sweetheart, let’s say nothing,

Say nothing, say nothing more

 

Katniss: I don’t know if I can’t sleep soundly on this night

I just wonder if it’s the only way for Snow to have me dead

 

Choir: Poor young Katniss

Why screw Katniss