Summary
- Viola Davis's Dr. Volumnia Gaul asking Coriolanus Snow what the Hunger Games are for mirrors President Snow's question to Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games.
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes scene shows how Snow will go from student to master.
- Evoking The Hunger Games scene shows how impactful it was despite not appearing in the original novel.
As the next installment in The Hunger Games series, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes features many elements that parallel Katniss Everdeen's story. For instance, the prequel's female lead, Lucy Gray Baird, is a tribute from District 12, just like Katniss was during the 74th and 75th Games. The movie's latest trailer includes a few more references, such as a new rendition of "The Hanging Tree" by Rachel Zegler, but there's also a more subtle callback involving the main protagonist, future president Coriolanus Snow.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes trailer opens with Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) asking young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) what he thinks the Hunger Games are for. He says they're meant to punish the districts, an adequate answer, and the trailer moves on. But Dr. Gaul comes back near the end of the trailer to ask the question again, even more insistently. Although not a direct recreation, this query brings to mind a memorable scene with President Snow, which also contains one of The Hunger Games' most popular quotes.
How Dr. Gaul's Question Calls Back to an Iconic President Snow Scene
The scene in question is a conversation between President Snow and Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane in the first Hunger Games movie. In it, Snow asks Crane why the Games have a winner as opposed to just killing all the tributes, which would be more efficient and still intimidate the districts. He then explains that hope "is the only thing stronger than fear." In other words, Snow believes that controlling the districts' hope is a more effective way to manipulate them into compliance than just fear and intimidation. This scene establishes a lot about Snow's character and how he operates throughout the series.
While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes trailer doesn't appear to give Dr. Gaul's full response, her dialogue in other scenes suggests that she agrees with the future President Snow. Speaking privately with Coriolanus, Dr. Gaul tells him, "If you want to protect people, then it's essential to accept what human beings are and what it takes to control them." It's difficult to decipher without context, but Dr. Gaul's belief that protection and control go hand in hand certainly feels reminiscent of Snow's speech about controlling the districts through hope. Snow more than likely developed his philosophy based on what he learned from Dr. Gaul.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Sets Up Snow's Villainous Descent
Fans already know that Snow will turn into an evil dictator by the time Katniss volunteers as tribute, but in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, he's just an impressionable teenager. The trailer lays the foundation for Snow's descent into villainy with these parallel interactions, perfectly setting up his journey. In the prequel, Snow is still a student who, based on his first answer, hasn't yet learned the deeper purpose of the Games. By the time of The Hunger Games, however, the roles have reversed. Snow has become the teacher, imparting his wisdom onto a young Gamemaker so they can keep the horrendous tradition going. Considering Dr. Gaul asks him the same question at the end of the trailer, it seems safe to say Snow will have a new answer by the time the movie ends.
Even the differences between the phrasing of each question indicate how Snow will change throughout The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. While both Dr. Gaul and President Snow are essentially asking what purpose the Hunger Games serve, detached from the moral dilemmas it poses, Dr. Gaul's version is more to the point. It has an almost academic feel, especially when taken with Coriolanus's textbook explanation. In contrast, Snow's version is more brutal, presenting another grim alternative to the Games, where 24 tributes are still taken, but no one lives. Not only has Snow become more aware of the reality of the Games, but he's also considered other options and found this to be the most effective way to keep the districts subjugated. By The Hunger Games, Snow has fully internalized Dr. Gaul's lessons and even added his own twist to them. The new movie will answer the questions of how and when this happens.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Shows the Impact of Snow's Movie Adaptation
President Snow's line about hope is one of the most well-known Hunger Games quotes, yet this scene is unique to the movie adaptation. Because the books are told exclusively from Katniss's point of view, Snow doesn't actually appear much in the first installment when Katniss is participating in the Games. He gets his time to shine in the sequels instead. When it came time to adapt the books, scenes outside of Katniss's perspective were added that gave Snow more of a presence. The fact that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is drawing parallels to these moments is a testament to their importance in fleshing out Snow's character.
As shown in his Hunger Games scenes, Coriolanus Snow is a great villain in part because of how aware he is of the world around him. He understands the structure of the society he lives in and knows exactly how to bend it to his will, which proves to be a deadly skill set. It also allows Snow to stay several steps ahead of his enemies. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will expand on this, showing how Snow became such an evil mastermind who's prepared to do whatever it takes to keep himself in power.
To see Snow's humble beginnings, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes arrives in theaters on Nov. 17, 2023.