‘Sunrise on the Reaping’: Details You Missed in the ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

Followers of Suzanne Collins’ “Starvation Video games” collection bought to revisit the world of Panem, because the creator launched the prequel “Dawn on the Reaping” on March 18.

The novel tells the story of Haymitch Abernathy’s expertise within the Starvation Video games, giving readers new perception into Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s mentor.

Though it focuses on Haymitch, “Dawn on the Reaping” is stuffed with details about your complete “Starvation Video games” collection, from lore about Katniss’ household to backstory on how the revolution got here to be.

Listed here are among the particulars from the novel you might need missed.

Warning: There are heavy spoilers for your complete “Starvation Video games” collection forward.

The e-book is stuffed with details about Katniss Everdeen’s household

Though Katniss is the protagonist of the unique “Starvation Video games” trilogy, the books include restricted details about her prolonged household. Her mother and father’ names should not even talked about within the books.

Collins expands on the Everdeen household’s historical past in “Dawn on the Reaping,” revealing that Katniss’ father, Burdock, was one in every of Haymitch’s finest pals and that he was already courting Asterid, Katniss’ mom, on the time.

Haymitch’s interactions with Burdock are peppered with nods to Katniss, displaying the reader how related Katniss was to her father. As an illustration, Burdock takes Haymitch into the woods, the place he sings and reveals Haymitch get apples and set looking snares. Katniss shares her father’s looking expertise, singing abilities, and comfortability within the woods, which finally helped her survive her first Starvation Video games.

Katniss’ mother and father’ long-awaited names additionally mirror those they gave their kids; each Asterid and Burdock are crops, simply as Primrose and Katniss are.

As well as, Haymitch mentions within the textual content that Burdock is distant cousins along with his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird, a member of the Covey household.

The Covey seems in Collins’ “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” as they’re the musically-inclined household of Lucy Grey Baird, who wins the Starvation Video games and has an finally doomed relationship with Coriolanus Snow. Readers suspected Katniss is likely to be associated to Lucy Grey — the opposite feminine victor from District 12 — however “Dawn on the Reaping” confirms it.

Katniss’ paternal grandmother is probably going Lucy Grey’s cousin, Barb Azure Baird, as Haymitch sees graves for Lucy Grey and her different cousin, Maude Ivory Baird, when visiting Lenore Dove’s resting place.

Katniss and Peeta’s fathers share an vital interplay

Through the reaping for the Starvation Video games, one of many boys reaped from District 12, Woodbine Likelihood, flees, and the Peacekeepers shoot him in response. They order everybody to the bottom, and most of the people within the space obey, although Otho Mellark, Peeta’s father, freezes.

Burdock will get Otho to lie down on the bottom by punching him within the knee, saving him from being harmed by a Peacekeeper.

If Otho had died within the capturing, Peeta would by no means have been born, so he would not have been there to combat alongside Katniss within the video games and the revolution. The truth is, Katniss seemingly would not have made it to the Starvation Video games with out Peeta, as he saved her from hunger by giving her bread after her father died.

The small interplay between their fathers — at a pivotal second in Haymitch’s life — finally results in Peeta, Katniss, and Haymitch uniting many years later.

Haymitch’s nickname for Katniss holds particular that means

Within the unique “Starvation Video games” trilogy, Haymitch typically refers to Katniss as “sweetheart,” which she takes as a condescending nickname that later turns into a time period of endearment. Nevertheless, “Dawn on the Reaping” reveals the pet identify was all the time a type of affection for Haymitch.

Haymitch competes within the Starvation Video games with three different contestants from District 12: Wyatt Callow, Maysilee Donner, and Louella McCoy.

Louella is three years youthful than Haymitch, and he shares in “Dawn on the Reaping” that he has lengthy referred to as her “sweetheart” as an inside joke, referencing a crush she had on him when she was simply 5.

The pair have been shut and deliberate to be allies within the Starvation Video games, however Louella died in a chariot collision earlier than even reaching the world. As Haymitch mourns her, he refers to her as “my one and solely sweetheart.”

Within the e-book’s epilogue, Haymitch says that Katniss reminded him of Louella within the years after her father died, as she wore her hair in braids like his outdated buddy. He mentioned the resemblance was so sturdy in his thoughts that “the nickname could not assist however slip out” when he grew to become Katniss’ mentor for the Starvation Video games, explaining why he referred to as her sweetheart all through the trilogy.

Haymitch additionally sits in some katniss throughout his video games, foreshadowing her presence in an area.

Haymitch’s video games supply extra perception into the plot of ‘Catching Hearth’

“Dawn on the Reaping” reveals Haymitch’s lengthy historical past with characters like Plutarch Heavensbee, Beetee Latier, Mags Flanagan, and Wiress and his efforts to interrupt the world in his personal video games. These experiences make clear how lengthy Haymitch and different victors had been ready for somebody like Katniss to assist them carry down the Starvation Video games area, as they do in “Catching Hearth.” Nevertheless, small moments within the textual content additionally maintain significance for “Catching Hearth.”

As an illustration, Mags and Wiress seem in “Catching Hearth,” competing with Katniss. Within the textual content, Mags is alleged to be weakened from a stroke, whereas Wiress’ thoughts appears broken. Katniss assumes they’re each sick as a result of they fought within the Starvation Video games.

Mags and Wiress are Haymitch and the opposite District 12 tributes’ mentors in “Dawn on the Reaping,” and each are bodily and mentally sound when he meets them. After he wins his video games, Haymitch discovers that they have been each tortured as a result of they tried to assist him break the world, recognizing Mags in a wheelchair and Wiress mumbling to herself. Their rebellious actions brought on them lasting injury, not the video games themselves.

A second between Plutarch and Haymitch additionally permits him to guard Katniss later. When Haymitch is on his Victory Tour, Plutarch pulls him into an attic in District 11 for a non-public dialog, telling him, “The attic is the one spot in your complete Justice Constructing that is not bugged.”

Of their dialog, Plutarch tells Haymitch he’ll hold combating for a revolution and intends to search out somebody similar to Haymitch to make it occur finally, including that it would not damage to “discover” a military to combat the Capitol.

In “Catching Hearth,” Haymitch takes Katniss and Peeta to the identical attic when visiting District 11 throughout their Victory Tour, permitting Katniss to speak in confidence to them about threats President Snow made towards her household. Katniss additionally turns into the revolutionary Plutarch imagined, and the residents of the long-forgotten District 13 are the military he finds, reflecting the dialog he and Haymitch had 25 years earlier.

Collins nods to the numbers of the Quarter Quell with the video games

Haymitch is a tribute within the fiftieth Starvation Video games, which is a Quarter Quell.

Quarter Quells have added stakes in comparison with a typical Starvation Video games competitors, although these new guidelines range each 25 years. For the fiftieth Video games, the variety of kids compelled to compete was doubled, so 4 children have been reaped from every district.

The video games have been designed to have 48 rivals, however 50 tributes are literally rivals for them as two tributes from District 12 get changed. Haymitch is compelled into the video games after Peacekeppers murdered Woodbine, and after Louella dies, she is changed with a physique double.

Haymitch’s recreation token is a metaphor

Each baby who competes within the Starvation Video games can carry a token from dwelling into the world, although it can’t be used as a weapon.

Haymitch brings a necklace Lenore Dove made him that doubles as a flint striker, permitting him to make hearth — and subtly defy the Capitol by having a weapon available. He makes use of the striker to set off a bomb through the video games, although his try at breaking the world would not work.

Collins typically refers to Katniss because the “spark” that enables the hearth of revolution to take maintain in Panem, nodding to the theme with the title of “Catching Hearth.”

Haymitch walked an identical path to Katniss, and if a number of issues had gone in a different way, he might have began the hearth. As an alternative, like his flint striker, Haymitch helped create the sparks of revolution {that a} era after him changed into flame.

The mockingjay pin’s origin story

Any “Starvation Video games” fan is aware of the mockingjay pin was Katniss’ token in her first video games, later serving as an emblem of the revolution with which Katniss is synonymous. Mockingjays have been an unintentional creation in Panem, as jabberjays, which the Capitol used to spy on rebels within the first conflict, mated with mockingbirds to create them.

In “The Starvation Video games,” Madge Undersee, the mayor’s daughter, provides Katniss the pin and tells her in “Catching Hearth” that it initially belonged to her aunt, Maysilee Donner, who died within the fiftieth Starvation Video games.

Haymitch reveals in “Dawn on the Reaping” that the pin belonged to Maysilee’s grandmother. Tam Amber, a member of the Covey who first seems in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” turned Maysilee’s pin right into a mockingjay as a present for her from her father.

Nevertheless, to Lenore Dove’s fury, Maysilee by no means wore the pin and even requested Tam Amber to vary its design. Earlier than the video games, she confessed to Haymitch that she thought the birds have been “unnatural” as a result of they have been part-mutt.

“Some folks suppose that is a victory in itself. Approach they escaped the Capitol and survived,” Haymitch informed her. Maysilee informed him she would rethink sporting it if she survived the video games, given the message.

Maysilee by no means will get to put on the pin, however Katniss does, bringing the second full circle.

‘Dawn on the Reaping’ foreshadows Katniss’ nightlock stunt

Within the climax of “The Starvation Video games,” Katniss and Peeta combat to turn into the ultimate two tributes throughout their video games, because the gamemakers promised two tributes from the identical district might be co-victors. They announce the principles modified once more, attempting to drive Katniss and Peeta to combat to the loss of life. As an alternative, Katniss and Peeta conform to kill themselves with nightlock berries.

The gamemakers finally cease them, crowning each Katniss and Peeta victors to Snow’s displeasure.

“Dawn on the Reaping” reveals that the seconds during which it appeared like Katniss and Peeta would poison themselves have been seemingly agonizing for Haymitch, as his girlfriend Lenore Dove died by consuming poisoned gumdrops left for her by brokers of the Capitol. Her loss of life was designed to punish Haymitch for his makes an attempt at breaking the world.

Although he tried to make her spit them out, it was too late, and Lenore Dove died in entrance of him. Katniss and Peeta lived, however the incident should have given Haymitch a horrifying sense of deja vu.

As well as, Haymitch mentions throughout his time within the area that he noticed “purple” berries with “little black dots on their skins” which might be toxic. They have been seemingly nightlock, providing one other parallel between Haymitch and Katniss’ expertise within the Starvation Video games.

The prequel brings new that means to a track from ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’

After Haymitch’s mom and brother die, members of their neighborhood collect for a funeral. Through the ceremony, Burdock sings “The Outdated Therebefore.” The track’s lyrics reference loss of life, and Haymitch makes use of the phrase “the outdated therebefore” when discussing his life ending quickly within the novel’s epilogue.

The track presents a poignant second for Haymitch, nevertheless it must also be acquainted to followers of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”

Within the first prequel to the collection, Lucy Grey Baird sings the identical track when mutant snakes swarm her. Though Lucy Grey had an affinity for snakes, she knew these have been harmful as a result of the Capitol made them they usually had killed different tributes. She seemingly thought she would die when she began singing the track, although she finally survives the encounter.

It is potential “The Outdated Therebefore” is a long-standing funeral dirge in District 12 or for the Covey household, which is why Burdock and Lucy Grey sing it when confronted with loss of life. It is also potential it grew to become a funeral track after Lucy Grey sang it through the Starvation Video games, main Burdock to sing it years later.

As well as, in the identical funeral scene, the attendees increase three fingers to their lips earlier than elevating them to the sky, as Katniss does many occasions all through “The Starvation Video games” trilogy to honor the useless.

‘Dawn on the Reaping’ clears up a component of the ‘Mockingjay’ epilogue

Collins wrote an epilogue to “Mockingjay,” providing readers a glimpse of the life Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch rebuild in District 12 after the conflict. The epilogue largely focuses on Katniss and Peeta discovering their means again to one another, nevertheless it additionally mentions that Haymitch raises geese, which appears considerably random.

“Haymitch drinks till the liquor runs out, after which raises geese till the subsequent prepare arrives,” Katniss says in “Mockingjay.” “Happily, the geese can take fairly excellent care of themselves.”

Nevertheless, “Dawn on the Reaping” reveals that the geese are a method to honor Lenore Dove, who raised the birds in District 12. She additionally makes use of them as a metaphor for her love with Haymitch, telling him earlier than he leaves for the Starvation Video games, “Identical to my geese, I mate for all times. After which some. Ceaselessly.”

Within the epilogue of “Dawn on the Reaping,” Haymitch says that Katniss introduced him geese eggs after he shared together with her and Peeta about his long-gone love. He raises them to really feel linked to her, letting them spend time in Lenore Dove’s meadow.

“Lenore Dove likes it finest there, and I am content material the place she’s content material,” Haymitch mentioned of the meadow. “Just like the geese, we actually did mate for all times.”

The novel confirms a long-held fan idea concerning the video games

“Starvation Video games” followers have been suspicious for years that the Starvation Video games are generally rigged, notably due to the plot of “Catching Hearth.”

It appeared all too handy that Katniss needed to return to the world only a yr after she brazenly defied the Capitol, giving Snow the chance to eradicate her.

“Dawn on the Reaping” provides much more credence to the idea {that a} rigged reaping is feasible, as Haymitch’s identify is not initially referred to as. After the Peacekeepers shoot Woodbine, Haymitch is compelled to be a tribute for District 12.

Nothing concerning the Starvation Video games is honest, however Haymitch’s expertise makes clear that the random choice aspect of the competitors is not all the time actual, as does the truth that Snow replaces Louella with a physique double as an alternative of saying her loss of life forward of the video games. Likewise, Snow organized for Beetee’s son, Ampert, to be reaped as punishment for Beetee’s seditious acts.

After Haymitch sees that Mags and Wiress have been tortured for aiding him in his makes an attempt to interrupt the world, he worries for his household, pondering, “Are they already useless? Or will Snow prepare, as he did with Beetee, for a time after I can personally witness their struggling?”

When Katniss returns to the world in “Catching Hearth,” she does so together with Beetee, Wiress, and Mags, bringing Haymitch’s fears to fruition.

“Dawn on the Reaping” sends the message that rigging or unlawful reaping is widespread follow for Snow when focusing on his enemies, so it is extra seemingly than not he orchestrated the seventy fifth Quarter Quell particularly to kill Katniss and different tributes he noticed as harmful.