The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is finally here with Rachel Zegler and an ambiguous ending about her character- Lucy Gray.
The character is mentioned in the original trilogy, but more like a myth. Even though Lucy was the winner of the 10th Hunger Games, the records of it were scrubbed off.
And it’s all because Coriolanus Snow, her mentor, helped her cheat. So why did she leave him in the end? And, more importantly- is she still alive?
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes!
Coriolanus Snow revealed to Lucy Gray Baird that he had killed three people. He mentioned Billy Taupe and Mayfair but not the third. Lucy also saw the weapons Snow used to kill in a cabin. She realized she was the only one he had confessed to. So she left him with an excuse. However, she is never seen again.
Why Did Lucy Gray Baird Leave Coriolanus Snow In The End?
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set 64 years before the original Hunger Games trilogy. Lucy Gray Baird was the tribute of the impoverished District 12 before Katniss Everdeen came from there.
She won the 10th Hunger Games because her mentor, Coriolanus Snow, helped her. In The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, we see who Coriolanus Snow was before he became Panem’s tyrannical ruler.
When it’s discovered that Coriolanus helped Lucy cheat in the Hunger Games, all event records are removed from history. Snow is then sent to be a part of the Peacekeepers, but he requests that he get sent to District 12 to be with Lucy.
They soon fall in love and plan to run to the North together.
However, Coriolanus Snow revealed that he murdered three people– Billy Taupe, the Hunger Games tribute; Mayfair, the daughter of the District 12 mayor; and his friend Sejanus Plinth, a rebel sympathizer.
But Coriolanus doesn’t reveal the name of the third person, instead saying that he killed his old self. Lucy is already distant and cautious after hearing this. When they arrive at a cabin near a lake in District 12, Snow finds the weapon he used to kill Mayfair Lipp.
Lucy realizes that Snow can easily destroy the guns he used to commit the crimes, and then there would be no way to tie him to the murders. She is also aware that he has confessed his crime to her, making her a key witness who can bring about his downfall.
Lucy then tells Coriolanus that she is going to get some katniss. However, when she fails to return, Snow looks for her. He also brings his rifle.
Along the way, he finds the orange scarf he gave her. Then, he gets bitten by a snake. In anger and frustration, he shoots into the trees. Lucy screams, and it seems like at least one bullet has hit her.
However, he fails to find her at the spot he thought she was at. But eventually, he hears her sing “The Hanging Tree.” Then, the mockingjays carry on the song. We never see Lucy again.
Even though Snow would remember snippets of sweet moments with her throughout his life, he often hated how weak and vulnerable she made him. After all, he confessed his crimes in that moment of love and trust.
Is Lucy Gray Alive In The End?
Lucy Gray’s fate is left ambiguous intentionally in the end. The ending in the book by Suzanne Collins is the same. However, her song “The Hanging Tree” is the literal ballad of the songbirds and snakes at the film’s end. They rebel with her and protect her.
There are various theories about what happened to her. Many think that she did die and is just a specter or local legend, which people sometimes ‘see.’ However, some believe that she did live and is Katniss Everdeen’s grandmother.
But that hasn’t been conclusively proven. But we might know what happened to Lucy if there’s a sequel to the film.
What do you think happened to Lucy Gray Baird? Did she die? Did she escape? Is she Katniss’ grandma?
Let us know your theories and thoughts in the comments below.
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