Mockingjay – Part 2 is the culmination of districts living through decades of tyranny and fighting back against horrific rules of law that kept them divided. Under a unified front, the people of Panem push towards a new tomorrow where they are free from an oppressed leader and his sycophants, but soon realize that those who seek power will do anything to grasp it for as long as possible.
Although Mockingjay is the third and final novel in The Hunger Games trilogy, it takes shape as two films, and Part 2 is the riveting end that delivers a dastardly look at what it means for those who seek power at all costs, while emphasizing what it means to “survive” atrocities such as the Hunger Games and war. For years, Panem has been witness to citizens being abducted, public executions, and physical and psychological torture only one can imagine. Now, those same people will watch those rulers explore even more depraved opportunities to maintain control when it all seems lost.
SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read The Hunger Games’ series, or haven’t watched the films, I highly recommend you stop here and come back after you’ve done so.
Historical Ramifications of Corruption from a Parent’s View
President Snow has led with an “iron fist,” so to speak, and has dominated his rivals by calculated moves and poison. The pathway to maintaining order, along with his power over the country, is always about bending the will of the people without entirely breaking it. For without any hope, an uprising would be imminent – and that’s where the stage becomes set for Mockingjay – Part 2.
Katniss Everdeen provided a spark of hope that was too great to be contained. Rather than the simple hope of parents watching their kids survive the Hunger Games, Katniss proved that there was something common amongst the entire populus: respect and love for one another. The epitome of this idea comes when she gives a three-fingered salute to the cameras in The Hunger Games towards the people watching in District 11. It was a symbol of love, honor, and tribute to Rue; someone who deserved better – and someone she couldn’t save.
The corruption in this series, an awful political game where serving up a pair from each district, those ages 12 to 18, serves as a reminder of how much worse it could be should they ever try to fight back. This tactic, along with a variety of other horrible deeds accomplished by Snow, showcased a blueprint of “acceptable” penalties and chaos to rule over Panem. So much so, that when Snow was ultimately defeated, the leader of District 13, Alma Coin, takes over as “interim leader,” intending to use Snow’s own Hunger Games as a measure to maintain control indefinitely.
As a parent, it’s important for adults and children to recognize when people make decisions that have widespread ramifications. Coin’s choice to even call for a vote to maintain deadly Hunger Games speaks to her ability to use horrifyingly immoral tactics to serve her own benefit. Plus, even greater, it’s significant for viewers to recognize she’s not learning from previous mistakes and making things better. She’s only utilizing the landscape as it is in a twisted way to keep the status quo. Understanding this highlights what true leadership looks like and how awful it can be when people are completely self-interested regardless of the cost to everyday citizens.
Younger Audiences Witness the Meaning of Sacrifice in Mockingjay – Part 2
Katniss is the star of the show. Some also lean on Peeta Mellark as an equal part in this story, as well, but they equally need one another. They understand each other’s role, what they mean to each other, but more importantly, they understand Katniss’ role in saving Panem. Not that she ever asked to be the lightning rod to spark a revolution, but her understanding that she’s willing to do whatever it takes to uproot Snow and those who follow him – even if that means she dies in the process.
It’s also important to showcase that people from various districts have seen her as a beacon of hope since The Hunger Games when she saluted to the cameras in honor of Rue. They recognized the horrors in their lives, influenced by the Snow in the Capitol, and realized life did not have to be that way. So, when it comes to Mockingjay – Part 2, we watch as all of the districts finally unite against the Capitol and make a slow charge into the city to relieve the President from his power.
This means that those who follow this path to freedom know that there’s a chance of failure, whether it be short-term failure in losing ground or enduring injuries, to losing the war and death. More specifically, following Katniss means believing in her as a symbol for a new way forward. A new way to live. Where kids aren’t sent each year to fight to the death. Black markets aren’t required to get food and supplies to survive. Districts don’t have to be isolated boundaries to keep hope from spreading too far.
No, those who follow Katniss understand she’s worth the risk, their very lives, to upend the system that has tortured them for so very long. Younger viewers should have a better understanding after watching the second Mockingjay film that some sacrifices cannot be undone. Death cannot be undone. As with many dystopian tales, beloved characters can find themselves on the wrong end of the scales: Prim being targeted by a second-tiered explosion. Boggs being hit by a “pod” orchestrated by the Capitol. It’s gut-wrenching, serving as a reminder of what can be lost even when trying to do good.
Finnick Odair’s Honorable Exit in Mockingjay – Part 2
Here’s the deal: After reading Mockingjay multiple times, I’ve always felt a bit, “Wait, is that it?” It’s always at the same point, with the same character. Finnick Odair. Did I want him to die? Absolutely not. But, even more so, it always felt like his death happens in the blink of an eye and there’s no time to process any of it. I believe Mockingjay – Part 2 gives Finnick a stage that resembles the heroic ideals of doing good, and above all else, protecting Katniss since she is the face of the rebellion as “the Mockingjay.”
As the group travels underground in the sewers, making its way to the Snow’s mansion, mutts are released to target and kill all of them. Two members are killed fairly quickly, but the group splits off into two after the attack. When Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and Pollux make there way to a junction with a way out through a ladder, they become swarmed by these pale, lanky creatures with no eyes and large mouths. Peeta saves Katniss. Katniss saves Peeta. But when the odds become overwhelming, Finnick’s trident pierces a mutt, rescuing her from an imminent death.
With support of the other group’s arrival, Finnick’s fighting skills are on full display. He’s more concerned with clearing a path for Katniss rather than reaching the ladder first. He’s even willing to throw his trident at a mutt reaching for Katniss as she climbs, ensuring she reaches the top. As more and more mutts surround Finnick, he holds them off and is able to reach the ladder, but not before being grabbed and pulled down, attacking him mercilessly; it’s a tragic scene to watch.
Despite the sadness associated with Finnick’s death, his sacrifice is a clear example of what it means to fight for a better day. To help someone who has truly ignited a rebellion to free the districts from an authoritarian reign. He did all of that regardless of the cost to himself. Even though he had a wife and expecting child (oh, goodness, the sadness), he chose to be by Katniss’ side. He wanted a better tomorrow for everyone. That lesson is beyond measure. It’s palpable in today’s world. It’s the courage I hope for.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Release: 2015
Rated: PG-13
Length: 2 hours, 17 minutes
Do you love The Hunger Games movies (like me)? Is The Hunger Games trilogy your favorite book series (like me)? Would you like me to cover Sunrise on the Reaping on the Geeky Parent Guide? Share your thoughts in the comments or let me know over on social media.
Until next time, thanks for reading and being a part of the GPG. Happy parenting and/or happy geeking, folks.
