With all the questionable things JK Rowling has done to Harry Potter following the end of the main series, there were worries that the same fate could befall The Hunger Games when it was announced that Suzanne Collins was writing a prequel to her trilogy.
And it seems like everyone’s Hunger Games worries were justified because the protagonist for the prequel is the worst possible choice.
The first excerpt of the Hunger Games prequel, titled The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, has been unveiled (via EW) and the protagonist is revealed to be none other than a young President Snow.
You know, the tyrannical leader of the totalitarian regime that created the titular Hunger Games which was responsible for the deaths of countless children for several decades, and was also involved in several shady things like a pedo ring among the wealthy elite.
Oh Suzanne Collins. You built up a rich universe filled with a diverse cast of interesting characters (like Haymitch, Cinna, Mags and many more) and yet you decided to choose a privileged white dude who breaks bad to be your protagonist. Okay then.
It’s far from a new idea to have a prequel explore the origins of an already established character who is a villain (Star Wars anyone?), but there was just so much story potential for The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes that didn’t involve exploring the backstory of an actual dictator, whom I might add was given a pretty interesting story in the Hunger Games as is.
While an origin story into a villain can provide extra context into their motivations, there is simply nothing redeemable about President Snow. If history has shown us anything, it’s that delving into the backstory of a man who ends up becoming a literal evil tyrant isn’t a way to make him sympathetic.
Just when you think the whole retconning of a beloved series couldn’t get any more ridiculous with JK Rowling’s shenanigans, Suzanne Collins decides to chime in with a “hold my beer” move that’ll disappoint an entire generation of Hunger Games fans. Maybe she’ll surprise us but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
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