I Finally Watched *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes* | REACTION

[@jacksonsd6]

it’s actually said in the first book that Panem is America! it’s changed over time due to natural disasters and all that kinda stuff, but district 12, for example, is appalachia. also, Coriolanus put the cloth in the snake tank so they would get used to Lucy Gray’s scent. that’s why they didn’t attack her, not her singing

[@jeremymiller9582]

Yeah, and the Capitol is somewhere in the mountains around Colorado/Utah. The numbering system for the districts is unclear to me, since I think District 3 borders 12 but not 2.

[@notyourfathersdm]

One detail that's been pointed out in other reaction videos is that the state of Florida is missing from the map of Panem because sea levels have risen to the point that it's now entirely underwater. I was definitely shocked that District 10 is most of Mexico, though. I honestly didn't think that Mexico became part of Panem, I don't know why.

[@MCheshire]

Country or continent?

[@Osric44]

@@MCheshirePanem is technically a country, due to the devastation the continent of North America suffered from an apocalyptic event…

[@alyssanielsen8521]

Lucy Gray runs at the end because she knows that Snow is likely to kill her since he now has a way back to the capital. She doesn't run to leave him behind, she runs so she can live. I've heard that since the books have him as the narrator, you get to see more of his inner thoughts. He is very calculated the whole time. He is very possessive of Lucy Gray. I also heard that he cries when Sejanus dies because he is scared of being hung next. I'm just waiting for my book to come, I can update this when I've read it for myself 😂

[@MaddieBullock]

The book is fantastic honestly.

[@pennalopievalentine6604]

Just a lil clarification, snow had no reason to think sejanus would be hung, he through his dad would bail him out like always bc sejanus literally interrupted the hunger games and spoke against the capital and was allowed to live. So when he cries it really is him mourning his friend as well as general anxiety about everything that had just happened 😊

[@pennalopievalentine6604]

Also just another fun fact from reading the books Snow only realizes sejanus is his one and only friend after he got him killed Katniss only realized Madge (mayors daughter who gave her the mocking jay pin) was actually her only female friend after she gets sent away to her own death

[@rebeca724]

the way you were saying "aww the puppy with the ears" to that aggressive ass dog 🤣🤣🤣

[@alyssanielsen8521]

Even if Marcus was able to hold on until the end, there is no way the capital would let him live. He defied them by running, he's up there to be an example of defiance. I'm really glad that the girl from 7 helped end his pain.

[@et5216]

His actions were that of a fool. He had zero chance of success after he fled. At the very least in the Arena he had a chance of winning. Snow acting like Lucy rescuing him was some big sacrifice on her part. When in reality it was the only logical thing to do. Plus she further enamored herself in Snows eyes. Easy peasy manipulation.

[@wyattae]

She wasn't manipulating anyone. Lucy Gray is a genuinely kind person, she could have escaped and instead she helped him. That's made clear and it's also clear Lucy Gray is not thinking of manipulating him in that moment.@@et5216

[@alexharris3869]

I highly recommend reading the book. When you said its nice to see him have a breakdown, its not exactly for Sejanus, but the fact he thinks he'll be next

[@alexharris3869]

His internal monologue adds so much to it

[@MaddieBullock]

@@alexharris3869yep, I do think he truly loved her, but it was incredibly toxic.

[@terminallumbago6465]

Snow brought about the end of his relationship with Lucy Gray. Right after that whole conversation about trust, he lied right to her face about something he had hidden from her (his responsibility for Sejanus’ death). She left because she couldn’t trust him, and she was also afraid he’d do something to her, seeing herself as the only loose end left in the whole Sejanus situation (which would destroy Snow’s reputation and rise to power if it was found out). So in a way Lucy gets the last laugh. She is the one who has power over Snow because he never found out what really happened to her. She may very well have survived and went on to live a good life, but he had to spend the rest of his life haunted by Lucy Gray’s memory, paranoid that she would come back and expose him. This is why Katniss irks Snow so much. She reminds him of Lucy Gray. She’s a rebellious girl from District 12 who won the Hunger Games, she’s named after Lucy Gray’s favorite plant, she sings Lucy’s songs (The Hanging Tree), and her symbol is the Mockingjay. A common theory is that Katniss is a descendent of Lucy Gray, likely through her father (because he taught her the songs, life in the forest, etc.). I could actually see it, especially if Lucy Gray eventually made her way back to 12. Either that or those who knew her kept her memory alive. Snow may land on top, but it melts when it catches fire.

[@truthseeker9249]

Actually she's most likely descended from Maude Ivory.

[@emilyk5168]

Katniss' hunger games lasts 18 days, in the books. This one lasts five days in the book (It seems like two days in the movie?). But prior they lasted just one night or so. With no food or water, just weapons, it couldn't go very long. Yes, the districts (and Capitol) are in North America. The sea levels rose, people fled to the mountains, war, disaster, etc. The Capitol is in Colorado/the Rocky Mountains. District 12 is in Appalachia. Snow put the handkerchief he wiped Lucy Gray's tears with into the snake take so they would be familiar with her scent and not attack her. The snake was not poisonous so Lucy Gray didn't try to kill him at the end, though I think she would've been in her rights to since he was hunting her with a gun and she just found out he killed his "best friend".

[@artloveranimation]

I wonder if Snow sent the bird to the game master instead of the guy in charge of district 12's peacekeepers, because he thought that Sejanus's dad would pay to get him out instead of getting him killed

[@joshuacoldwater]

5:49 - She says this because her father called Lucy’s name, even though he didn’t pick it.

[@mandipandi303]

I'm surprised you didn't know Panem was the US until now. It's easier to see how morally grey Snow is in the book because of the internal monologue. In fairness to him, he thought Sejanus' dad would just buy Sejanus out of trouble, so he wouldn't receive punishment.

[@Osric44]

You do know Panem is a dystopian North America, right? In a quote from Katniss Everdeen. “…he tells of the history of Panem, The country that rose up out the ashes of a place that was once called North America. He list the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained. The result was Panem…”

[@crairdin]

Look up Coriolanus to find out the historical reference of his name. There was nobody to *be* mentors in the beginning, and nobody had thought about it. "No future" doesn't mean they will kill the mentors; it just means they won't have the bright future they were hoping for. In case you forgot, it Katniss' day, the tributes wanted to look good in order to get sponsors to send them help during the games. Coriolanus is a natural political being and naturally knows how to manipulate everyone to accomplish his goals. He makes it look simple. Dean Highbottom is drinking morphling, same as the drug-addicted tributes in Catching Fire, one of whom saved Peeta from the killer monkeys. He's self-medicating to forget the things he reveals at the end of the movie. Not sure if you remember Tigris from MJ part 2, but that's her in this movie, too. Coryo's cousin. The games lasted about 2 weeks according to the first movie. These first games weren't as well planned out. By making the arena bigger, they drew more interest and built the tension over a longer time. Snow put his handkerchief into the snake tank so they would be used to Lucy Gray's smell. It wasn't the singing. Do s search for the Wordsworth poem that Lucy Gray's name comes from. Lucy Gray disappears mysteriously in the poem, just as her namesake does in the movie. Snow was never really wanting to run away *with* Lucy Gray; he was running away *from* getting hung for murder. Once he discovered the guns, she was the only loose end. She realized that about the same time he did, so she left the cabin under the guise of gathering some Katniss. When Snow figured out that Lucy Gray had figured all this out, he went out ostensibly to find and kill her, but with the possibility that maybe he wouldn't have to. Finding the snake under the scarf made him think maybe she was trying to kill him so he takes his shot when he has it. He can't find her after that. In the movie you see her footprints just kind of end (again, read the poem). Lucy Gray's music became part of the cultural heritage of District 12. Katniss sings more than one of her songs. They were taught to her by her father, who would have been old enough to have overlapped with surviving members of the Covey, like Maude Ivory. This book/movie stands up to all the research you want to do into historical and literary references. It's a shame it got categorized as "young adult fiction" along with Twilight and Divergent. THG is adult political drama and an arguably great work of literature.

[@DontWoahTheNoah]

OMG so excited to see what you thought about it!! I thought it was a fantastic adaptation of the book and I enjoyed all the performances from each actor!!! It has such an eerie tone throughout the whole film.

[@RabidTribble]

From the Hunger Games Wiki: "Panem is a sovereign nuclear state and democratic constitutional republic established sometime after a series of ecological disasters and a global conflict brought about the collapse of modern civilization. It is situated in North America, consisting of a federal district, the Capitol, and thirteen outlying districts. " From the map in the wiki, Panem takes up all of Canada, Mexico, and the USA.

[@faureamour]

Earnest question: Is it all of Canada? They talk about traveling north to freedom. Or is that traveling to old District 13?

[@edgars1813]

​@@faureamour They don't take up ALL of Canada, but large part of it. District 13 is north of district 12, so when Lucy and Sejanus mention going north, they do mean going to the ruins of what was once 13. However there's a lot of empty space since each district is really only the size of a couple towns at most.

[@RabidTribble]

@@faureamour No, most of Canada is referred to as "The Wilds". Panem extends into Canada mostly on the coasts.

[@verbin6024]

I can't explain how long I waited for that movie and your reaction too! Its my favourite movie franchise and I'm glad that you like it. Thank you 🐍❤️

[@jdbarber13]

I never thought of the voodoo doll possibility but it's actually a pretty amazing head canon. How interesting it would be if that were what actually happened.

[@jdbarber13]

At the end after he killed the Dean when Snow looks at the statue there is a rainbow on its dress. A call back to Lucy Grays reaping dress showing that she's always on his mind. Also in the book snow mentions that after Lucy he would never marry for love because then he could be manipulated. It's suspected he married Livia Cardew (one of the other rich mentors).

[@ericwhhyyy]

YESSSS!!! I LOVE THE LAST HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TOO. All my friends love the second one and so do I but let’s be real the final one is just incredible

[@CensingMarker51]

I know the girl who plays wovey, Sofia Sanchez, in real life. We used to swim together :D and I see her ever so often.

[@usamakhan3553]

Your channel has become such a comfort watch for me

[@Fatasha776]

Ooh im excited to watch this your reactions never miss!!!

[@Vexclorion]

Took me a bit to discover this channel, as I was a huge fan of your first one. I am glad I found it, I have a lot of catching up to do. Already liked and Subscribed

[@Inthem0mentt]

Dropped everything i do for this! Love you and your reactions

[@Inthem0mentt]

I'm also obsessed with the movie. I've read and listened to the book. Also watched it twice at the theaters...

[@knight6]

Olivia Rodrigo’s Can’t Catch Me Now song in the beginning of the credits (starts after the ending symbol) is such a great song for the soundtrack. I hope you listen to it.

[@melindamuller4466]

I'm pretty sure Tuberculosis girl actually had it, I think she dies of it in the book.

[@Elephant2024]

Awesome plan for the channel for the New Year, Cass. Look forward to all of your upcoming movie, television, and music reactions. When the movie is 2.5 to 3 hours, I usually like to break it up into two sessions on consecutive days. It is a lot to take in all at once. The only one recently I made an exception for in watching all three hours in one sitting was 'Babylon.' That movie should have won a Best Picture Oscar. Also noteworthy from last year though not three hours is 'The Whale', which you reviewed.😀

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I'm so glad to hear you bought the movie! I'm always so happy when a reactor doesn't torrent the content they watch 🙌

[@PatheticApathetic]

The realization that Panem is America lol yeah, the movies didn’t go into it at all, but Panem is a future America in the books. District 12, specifically, is in the Appalachia region, and the Capital is in the Rockies. There’s a map of the eastern part of Panem very briefly visible in one of the last 2 Hunger Games movies, and you can tell it’s the east coast of the US after it’s been ravaged by flooding

[@ScarletDivaa]

The first 10 hunger games were the same arena but in the books they never cleaned the arena only removed the body’s

[@Ashleigh.Y.M]

Your the first reactor to this movie, that I've watched, to mention Lucky Flickerman's booking included the high chair for a baby....like i knew he would have a child, as Ceaser flickerman( the host of the future/original hunger game movies) is his child because it's the capital so duhhh there is nepotism....also His lack of empaty clearly reflected in the way ceaser hosted the games on later on but damnn good eye/ear tho for catching that😅

[@cariann2220]

Here's me hoping for a sequel to the prequel, I'd love the 25th game and the actual story of snow becoming president, not sure if they happen around the same time or not but the 25th game had people voting for who should be sent in and we don't know who won not even the district so it would be a fun story to see told.

[@Ivypool123]

i loved this Movie so much😍 and i forgot that Snow was evil most of the time even though i read the book😂 he is to beautiful😭

[@seanduncan3624]

I haven’t seen this yet but I’ve read the book so I feel like it ok to watch this reaction 😊

[@trippiemikee_6303]

This movie is amazing... Rachel zeglers singing scenes were my favourite, I have 4 songs from this movie on my playlist lol

[@demitwice]

my english teacher in high school was called coriolanus, but we are brazilian so that was a very weird name for him to have lol

[@missawndr3395]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider reacting to Midnight Mass. It's Mike Flanagan's crown jewel, his best limited-series alongside Hill House and Bly Manor, I'd say it's even better than those 2. You gotta experience it!

[@shadowdoranails]

She had already seen it

[@wyattae]

13:29 Apparently, in the previous games there were in fact audiences that watched the games. It was pretty bad.

[@rastiga9196]

Rise lord Snow, let the hate flow thru you!

[@braedenmartin8596]

No 12 is in West Virginia and 11 is Atlanta

[@braedenmartin8596]

He’s being very smart he’s iq on 1000

[@cubbi2789]

By the map they have of America and Panem, I would be living in district 3, technology as well as other things. Thinking of Nuts and Volts. I am glad they were able to do the movie, but still I prefer the books because they have much more information

[@joshuacoldwater]

18:20 - Yes 😂

[@harryhawkins2019]

Cass before you react to blue banisters you need to know the title track is about bruises which are the ‘blue banisters’!!! Otherwise the song is hard to grasp

[@StaceyLuvsSnom]

You should have listened to the closing track

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Enjoyed your reaction! I also love this movie, although a lot is lost without the context of hearing Snow's inner monologue. While he does change throughout the film, he is pretty narcissistic and self-centered with a strong dislike for the districts from the start. My interpretation is he thinks he loves Lucy Gray, but he definitely sees her more as belonging to him than actual love. In the end, I think the book is pretty clear the moment he finds the guns that he intends to kill Lucy Gray and tie up the final loose end. I'll be checking out your buffy reactions too, thanks for the great video!

[@yanksrgreat]

snows always been a monster

[@DovesEyes623]

Even when he was a child? I think he was like all the other entitled kids in capital because they were indoctrinated that way. I think his switch came when he felt “powerful” after unnecessarily ending a boys life when his life was no longer in danger.

[@yanksrgreat]

@@DovesEyes623 all he ever wanted since a child was to be in a position of power because of his dad and grandmother and he would do anything to get it

[@DovesEyes623]

@@yanksrgreat when he was a child, I’m sure he just wanted to survive. He was super young when his father died and it was in a terrifying way, so the indoctrination from his grandma’am for sure influenced. Again, I don’t come from the camp that people are born good or evil. That’s way too simplistic and leads to people deciding that some kids are worth helping and some are not. So I don’t believe his whole life he was irredeemable. I believe people are motivated as survivalist, primarily and then from That vantage point, I look at motivations. So I approached this character similarly.

[@yanksrgreat]

@@DovesEyes623 very thought invoking and inciteful but i can't empathize with him after reading watching the trilogy first

[@DovesEyes623]

@@yanksrgreat well that makes sense. Because we know the end. But then your mind was made up and it wouldn’t have mattered what was presented. I think that is what Suzanne wanted us to struggle with - what are our beliefs about good vs evil. So she presents us with a character that we know their future but presented with their past, we are supposed to feel uncomfortable. That’s what intrigued me about this book. I was so curious of how Suzanne could write a whole novel about a character that she used three books to villainize. She has provoked much thought from me about my own beliefs on this topic and I think the movie adapted it well to create that internal conflict with viewers as well.

[@banheesos]

"I don't think she actually have tuberculosis" she was a walking cough fit what else could it be? also, dr gaul literally have an entire line about the snakes being able to recognize scent i.e. coriolanus' papers & lucy gray's tears on coriolanus' handkerchief

[@lorrr_randomly]

23:30

[@htaylor9677]

long as you dont come away thinking he a good dude just cause ya find him pretty bc my god the ppl who do...

[@divingintoive112]

I'm so dissapointed on how they turn Treech in the movie.... He's not like that in the books 💔

[@cklambo]

I was on snow's side thru the whole movie. Is dat weird?

[@Ivypool123]

same😂

[@clover2739]

Not necessarily, since Snow is manipulating people the whole time to get people to like him. So that just means it worked for you

[@hollyburks7635]

Your take was kinda weird ngl. He was not the victim of Lucy Gray abandoning him.

[@officialcassreacts]

omg i did not mean it like that, i'm bad at words

[@hollyburks7635]

@@officialcassreacts I realize that came out a bit harsher than I meant. I think if you read the book you gain more insight on how awful he really is. It kinda gets lost in the movie.

[@thebackyardbear]

In my opinion, they ruined the movie with Rachel Zegler. She is not a good actress. At no point in the movie did I ever forget... she's an actress. The other actors BECOME their part... but Rachel Zegler is always Rachel Zegler AS Lucy Grey. To me she never BECOMES Lucy Grey.

[@maddielois8667]

Lucy Gray is a performer she always being overly charming and charismatic, that’s just who she is. And you may be confusing Lucy’s over-the-topness with bad acting on Rachel’s part, but Rachel fully embodies who Lucy and is exactly like what a lot of us book readers imagined.

[@clover2739]

Who is Lucy gray though? Even in the book she’s a performer, snow even comments on how everything she does is a performance the whole time she’s a mystery and we don’t actually know what she actually thinks and feels. Like others say I think she’s the perfect Lucy gray, I don’t get that she didn’t become Lucy gray because we barley know who she is even book wise