Seven characters who deserve a Hunger Games prequel more than President Snow

Donald Sutherland (“President Snow”) stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate

When Scholastic announced that author Suzanne Collins would be penning a Hunger Games prequel novel set 64 years prior to the events of the original trilogy, most fans assumed we’d be returning to the deadly arena through the eyes of another tribute. After all, there aren’t many characters from the trilogy who aren’t victims of the Capitol’s annual Hunger Games — and the past setting means this story will take place long before Katniss and her companions ever start a rebellion and reclaim Panem for its people.

This is why so many were shocked by the revelation that the prequel novel, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will actually tell the backstory of Corolianus Snow — yes, the same President Snow who torments Katniss for three books before finally meeting his demise in Mockingjay. Entertainment Weekly released an excerpt of the book’s first chapter, along with a description that describes Snow as a “teenager born to privilege but searching for something more” and “for now anyway, a hero.” Yikes.

While villain origin stories are no doubt interesting — and the news that we’ll be following Snow wins points for how unexpected it is — many have begun to point out how problematic painting a murderous tyrant as an unsung hero might be, particularly knowing how his story ends. There are questions regarding just how much fans want to humanize or relate to a character like Snow, and they’re fair points to make. Knowing what he becomes will also make it difficult to truly engage with the character, as most fans already don’t care much for him.

The backlash to Snow being the book’s protagonist has also brought up other conversations about the series, including which other characters we’d like to see take the lead in a prequel. Because, let’s be honest, there are way better options than Snow.

In fact, here are seven characters we’d rather follow in a Hunger Games prequel.

Cinna

If Collins really wanted to look at Panem from the perspective of a resident of the Capitol instead of from the eyes of a tribute, Cinna seems like the obvious choice for a prequel story. Katniss’ stylist is one of the many people involved in turning her into a symbol for the rebellion, and he’s even murdered during Catching Fire for his complicity in causing unrest in the Capitol and the Districts.

What’s interesting, though, is that Cinna is a member of the Capitol and seems to have grown up there. Readers are never given any insight into why he would choose to support Katniss or the rebellion, so a backstory diving into his point of view would shed light on the original books while still telling a new story.

Effie Trinket

Likewise, if Collins was hellbent on delving into the psyche of someone from the Capitol, Effie’s story is one she could have told. Of course, Effie seems to have lived a pretty comfortable existence unaffected by the Hunger Games prior to meeting Katniss and Peeta, so it’s unlikely there’d be much of a story there.

Still, Effie is so extra even her everyday life would likely be more compelling than a tragic backstory for someone as despicable as President Snow.

Haymitch Abernathy

The Hunger Games trilogy briefly tackles Haymitch’s backstory, telling readers how he outsmarted the only remaining tribute during his own Hunger Games by using the force field around the arena. Still, there’s more to the Quarter Quell that Haymitch participated in than just that final moment, and it’d be fascinating to see exactly how the only living District 12 tribute (apart from Katniss and Peeta) survived and won.

Haymitch also has years of mentoring tributes — along with a long history of alcoholism — to explore. His character is a fan favorite with many layers, and most readers would jump at the chance to put themselves in his shoes for the prequel.

Mags

When news of A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes first arrived, most fans did the math and assumed we’d be following Mags, the elderly woman Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick team up with during Catching Fire. Not only did the timeline fit, but Mags is similar to Katniss in many ways — most notably that she survived her own Hunger Games through the natural survival skills she’d acquired in her normal life.

Given that the timing works, we might get an appearance from Mags during the prequel. (But since we’ll be in Snow’s shoes, we kind of hope not…)

Finnick Odair

Who doesn’t adore Finnick Odair? Find me one reader who didn’t immediately fall in love with the District 4 winner over both Gale and Peeta upon meeting him in Catching Fire, and I’ll try my luck in the arena myself. (Kidding. Kidding.)

In all seriousness, though, Finnick has all the makings of a good protagonist: He’s charming, he’s clever, and he’s flawed enough that he’s relatable. Most fans would gladly follow him into the arena, and they’d get another love story out of it as well.

And speaking of…

Annie Cresta

If Collins felt that Finnick was fleshed out enough, she could also have chosen his lover and now-widow, Annie, as the protagonist for A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. All we really know about Annie is that she suffered significantly from PTSD after winning the Hunger Games, and that she eventually wound up with Finnick.

Annie’s struggle with mental illness would make her story an interesting one to read, and it would draw attention to the very real aftermath of trauma. Such elements would be far more compelling than looking at how privilege creates a tyrant.

Johanna Mason

Johanna Mason, spitfire and District 7 winner of the 71st Hunger Games, made quite an impression during the second and third books of the original trilogy. Angry and feeling that she has nothing else to lose, Johanna makes her feelings toward the Capitol known from the get go.

But while Johanna says she’s got no one left that she loves during Catching Fire, it’s unclear what happened to the people she cared about — and if or how the Capitol was involved. A prequel about Johanna would enlighten fans about why she’s so much angrier than the other tributes, and it would give the spotlight to another beloved character.

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