When Suzanne Collins began writing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, she was dealing with a unique challenge. Her task was to make readers care about Coriolanus Snow, a character already known as Panem’s feared leader in the Hunger Games trilogy.
She had to build a story where readers might, even briefly, sympathize with someone destined to become a ruthless dictator. The character of Lucy Gray Baird, a girl from District 12’s Covey community, adds a turning point to Coriolanus’s journey.
Love blooms in the unlikeliest of places during the 10th Hunger Games (Photo: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes/Lionsgate Films)She is picked during the 10th Hunger Games Reaping, and Coriolanus, now 18 years old and desperate to reclaim his family’s former status after the war, is assigned to be her mentor. He sees this role as his one chance to secure a scholarship and future, and he intends to make her win, though the odds are firmly against them.
Along the line, their bond grows into something more complicated—love. What plays out between Coriolanus and Lucy Gray is not your usual romance. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—which will be made available on streaming platforms from May 14—takes place long before Coriolanus becomes the Capitol’s ruler.
But signs of who he will later become are already visible. His character shifts gradually into someone who sees betrayal everywhere and clings to dangerous ideals. Although the relationship between Coriolanus and Lucy Gray ends suddenly, plenty of loose threads are left behind.
With Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler stepping into the roles of Coriolanus and Lucy Gray, the film stays true to the book’s unclear final moments. Below are detailed responses to common questions that may arise after seeing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
What Made Coriolanus Turn Against Lucy Gray?
The desire for power slowly pushes Coriolanus to become suspicious of everyone, including Lucy Gray. After he kills Mayfair, the mayor’s daughter, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray realise there’s nothing left for them in District 12. They decide to escape through the woods.
But during their escape, Coriolanus unintentionally confesses that he was behind three killings, even though Lucy Gray had only been aware of two. Their plan goes off track at a secluded hut in the forest where Covey members used to hide. Inside, Coriolanus spots the same gun he used to kill Mayfair.
As soon as the weapon is in his hands, he begins to plot how to get rid of it and wipe his tracks clean. However, one thing stands in his way—Lucy Gray knows what he did. At first, Coriolanus tries to reassure himself that Lucy Gray won’t expose him. “She wouldn’t tell,” he reasons internally.
“She’s not the type to snitch. And doing so would drag her into the crime, too.” His nerves start getting the better of him when Lucy Gray steps outside to collect Katniss near the lake. Suspicious, he grabs the gun and trails her, but he can’t find her. Instead, he sees the orange scarf he once gave her lying on the ground.
When he reaches for it, a snake hidden underneath bites him, making him believe Lucy Gray set him up.
Did Lucy Gray Truly Try to Harm Coriolanus?
Even though Coriolanus is convinced that Lucy Gray betrayed him, his growing distrust makes his version of events hard to trust. Her real motive remains unconfirmed. She might have sensed something off about him, but it’s just as believable that she had no such plan.
Earlier parts of the book mention how snakes are usually found in that part of the forest and that Lucy Gray’s scarf regularly comes loose—details that cast doubt on Coriolanus’s fears. Once bitten, Coriolanus loses control completely.
He storms through the trees, firing his gun wildly at every sound he thinks might be her moving. He soon hears her voice singing “The Hanging Tree,” a powerful tune she wrote after witnessing a public execution in District 12. The mockingjays take up the melody, singing it back to him.
Driven mad by this, Coriolanus shoots frantically in a circle. Afterwards, he tries to justify his actions. He tells himself, “Even if the Covey found her body, they would keep quiet. They wouldn’t want attention. It could link them to rebels or expose their hideout. That is, if there was a body. He wasn’t even sure if he hit her.”
Eventually, he gives up the search. Coriolanus rows to the centre of the lake, dumps the gun and other evidence in the water, and heads back to District 12.
Was Lucy Gray Still Alive?
Neither the novel nor the film provides a definite answer about Lucy Gray’s fate. She might have been shot or hurt during Coriolanus’s outburst. The book mentions that Coriolanus hears a soft cry, and in the film, there’s a short moment showing Lucy Gray running through the woods.
Yet her body is never discovered. Given how familiar she is with the forest, she may have found a way to slip away from him. Regardless of her survival, efforts are made to erase Lucy Gray’s mark from history.
Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the Head Gamemaker, destroys every record of the 10th Hunger Games to keep Lucy Gray’s name from spreading. By the time of the 74th Games, only two victors from District 12 are acknowledged, and the first is never named.
So, although some people know she once existed, very little is publicly said about her.
Lucy Gray’s Influence Continues Through Music
While her story disappears from official records, Lucy Gray’s influence survives through her songs. The prequel reveals that some of the music Katniss Everdeen sings during the Hunger Games originated with Lucy Gray.
Lucy Gray Baird challenges Coriolanus’s beliefs and future (Photo: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes/Lionsgate Films)These include “Deep in the Meadow,” which Katniss sings for Rue, and “The Hanging Tree,” used later in a rebel message. Suzanne Collins explained in a 2020 interview that telling the 10th Hunger Games story allowed her to shed light on Lucy Gray.
She pointed out that Katniss doesn’t seem to know who Lucy Gray was. Though her legacy is mostly forgotten, Lucy Gray played a role in weakening Snow’s grip on power through the songs she left behind.
Collins added that if Snow had realised the song Katniss sang to Rue was written by Lucy Gray, his reaction would have been deeply personal. On top of that, Lucy Gray was the first to turn the Hunger Games into a form of entertainment.
Rachel Zegler, who plays Lucy Gray in the film, spoke with Bazaar about how she thinks about her character’s future. She shared, “I always wonder what happens to the characters after the credits roll. For Lucy Gray, I like to imagine that she got away and is living freely.
I hope Suzanne will one day say if that’s true.”
