The Makings of a Tyrant in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

“There’s a natural goodness built into us all. We can step across that line into evil, or not.” – Lucy Gray Baird (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (film))

For fans of the behemoth film and book series “The Hunger Games,” its prequel couldn’t come soon enough.

For non-fans or those who have never heard of the franchise, it’s a dystopian book series wherein a country, Panem, is rebuilding after their totalitarian government’s military quashes a rebellion from the heavily-oppressed, poverty-stricken districts.

Set 64 years before the events of the first book of “The Hunger Games” series, its highly anticipated prequel “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” chronicles the origin story of President Coriolanus Snow, the series’ main villain. 

It’s the 10th annual Hunger Games in postwar Panem. Coriolanus Snow is a teenager from the Capitol, thrown into the virtual arena by being assigned as reluctant mentor to District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird.

A proud citizen of the Capitol and the son of a prominent military man, Coriolanus strives to keep up appearances as his only family left, his grandmother and cousin, struggle in the background with barely enough money for food and rent.

While the districts live in abject poverty as they operate all of Panem’s industries, the Capitol benefits economically. Needless to say, the children of the Capitol are born into more privilege: watching their teenaged counterparts from the districts fight to the death from the safety of the Capitol; and taught from a young age the “importance” of the Games. Most of them go with the flow, but some of them, such as Sejanus Plinth, son of a wealthy munitions dealer, and friend to Coriolanus, question the Capitol’s harsh, inhumane policies towards the districts.

“If the cause wasn’t honorable, how could it be an honor to participate in it?” – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (novel)

On the other hand, Coriolanus does everything he can to let his mentee win the Hunger Games, knowing the prizes in store for him and his family.

Both friends break the rules and face consequences, albeit for different motives: Sejanus for his principles, Coriolanus for the prize.

Assigned as mentor and mentee and sharing the struggle of the Games albeit in the actual and virtual arenas, Lucy and Coriolanus develop a bond between two people who couldn’t be more different: a traveling performerfrom the Covey and a soldier’s son from the Capitol.

“That’s her when she’s happy. Beautiful.” – Coriolanus Snow (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (novel))

So when exactly does Coriolanus Snow turn in his journey to become the hated tyrant of Panem? When does he cross the line, as Lucy said, into evil?

In the book, it was a journey of multiple lines crossed progressively, but with a final tipping point. From the way his beliefs were presented throughout the book, it wasn’t surprising, and gives us a logical explanation as to why he became a hated tyrant.

Based on glowing reviews by author Suzanne Collins herself, the film adaptation (the film clocks in at 2 hours 38 minutes, while its audiobook is more than 16 hours long) is well worth a watch. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” will screen in theaters on November 17.