"This is the revolution. And you are the Mockingjay."
"There's a way we can still win. It's what we Gamemakers like to call a 'wrinkle'."
— Plutarch Heavensbee
Catching Fire (advertised as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) is the second film in the Hunger Games series, directed by Francis Lawrence once again and based on Catching Fire. It was released in 2013.
Months after the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) struggles to cope with the trauma of the arena. Shortly before the Victory Tour, where the victor tours the twelve districts of Panem, she is brought before President Snow (Donald Sutherland), who informs her that her act of defiance in the games has inspired the districts to rebel.
She is then ordered to help pacify the districts by convincing them that her love for fellow victor Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) is genuine, but she fails and is cemented as a symbol of defiance. Snow and the new Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) make preparations for the Third Quarter Quell, which is a special edition of the Hunger Games held every 25 years with a twist in the rules. This year, the Tributes can only be reaped from the existing pool of victors.
Katniss is being forced back into the arena.
Joining the cast are Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Wright, and Jena Malone as past Tributes Finnick Odair, Beetee Latier, and Johanna Mason.
All character tropes must be moved to the proper character page.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire contains examples of:
- Adaptational Badass:
- More of a scene than a particular person, but Katniss's marksmen session during training is described as her just hitting a bunch of clay pigeons in quick succession. In the movie she faces holograms who try to attack her. She dodges each one's attack while hitting each one at the same time.
- Peeta. In the book, the only time we hear of him physically exerting himself is when he fights off the monkey mutts with Katniss and Finnick, and he still is saved by the morphling. He says he killed Brutus in the third book, but in this one, he can't even get off his platform until Finnick goes off and gets him, and spends most of the Games recovering from hitting the force field, or too clunky to help because of his artificial leg. The movie drops his artificial leg and instead of Finnick finding him on his platform, he's in the water, fighting with another tribute, overpowering him and drowning him. He gets the second on-screen kill in the Games.
- Adaptation Distillation: As with the first film, numerous elements are cut to streamline the film, including:
- Haymitch's experiences during the Second Quarter Quell.
- Bonnie and Twill, the refugees from District 8 that Katniss meets, from whom she learns of the theory that District 13 still exists.
- The subplot of theorizing that District 13 exists is also dropped, with 13 having only one mention early in the film, and then being given as their destination after Katniss is rescued from the arena.
- Katniss getting trapped behind the now-electrified perimeter fence was dropped.
- Katniss seeing the news about District 8 has been moved from the Mayor's house to a communications station on the train. Like in the previous film, Madge Undersee and her father have been completely removed from the film.
- Plutarch showing Katniss his mockingjay clock to hint that he's part of the rebellion is completely dropped. Thus his Clock King motif is also dropped.
- The Peacekeeper Darius trying to stop Thread from flogging Gale is dropped.
- Peeta's lie about Katniss being pregnant in order to gain sympathy is kept in, but is just played as a last-ditch attempt to cancel the Games and is never brought up again after the interview. In the book, Finnick mentions it multiple times in the arena, and Katniss herself tries to use it encourage sponsors.
- Katniss's score of 12 is dropped, probably to avoid too many repeats of scenes from the first film.
- Cecelia getting reaped and saying goodbye to her children was dropped.
- Katniss and Peeta do not begin researching the past victors after the Quarter Quell is announced. To make up for this, there is a scene of Haymitch briefly telling them about some of the victors while watching video of the reapings.
- Haymitch's message to the tributes about the escape plan through bread rolls is omitted. Instead, we have a scene of the conspirators inside the arena discreetly signaling Plutarch.
- Adaptation Dye-Job: Annie, who is described as having brown hair, has red in the film. Presumably to distinguish her from other prominent brunettes Katniss and Johanna.
- Adaptation Expansion: As with the first film, the transition to film allows a lot more to be shown, as Katniss is no longer the narrator and sole viewpoint.
- We get a lot more of President Snow, including his plots with Plutarch and having breakfast with his granddaughter.
- Snow's granddaughter herself. Similar to Seneca Crane in the first film, Snow's granddaughter never appeared in the books and was only mentioned once in Mockingjay, whereas she's featured in a few scenes in the film versions of Catching Fire and Mockingjay.
- President Snow's reaction to Katniss destroying the Arena is also shown.
- As in the first movie, we get to see the gamemakers working during the games, and Plutarch advising Snow. Given how he's a mole, that may explain a few of his bad ideas.
- Beetee also gets a surname: Latier. As does Mags, sharing her portrayer's last name of Cohen.
- A quick shot of the geography of Panem
◊ can be seen in the train at the beginning of the movie. - To show her PTSD without showing nightmares, in the opening scene Katniss has a flashback of shooting Marvel while shooting a turkey.
- Unlike the first film, this time we see a hovercraft collecting the bodies of fallen tributes.
- Johanna has several more lines in this movie, and her hostile relationship with Katniss in the book cools over the course of the movie (foreshadowing their eventual friendship in Mockingjay).
- One deleted scene confirms a fan theory regarding the Quarter Quell, which the final cut of the film only hints at with Plutarch's mentioning his "wrinkle" idea: He is shown entering a vault containing hundreds of safes marked with Quarter Quell numbers, removes the card with the original rule change for the third Quell, burns it, and replaces it with the "existing pool of victors" rule change.
- Arc Number: 12. The arena is divided into twelve sectors enclosed in force fields, each with their own deadly gimmick that happens when its designated hour arrives. One fills wih poison gas; one has genetically engineered killer baboons; one has raining blood; one merely tortures the tributes who get stuck in it with the screams of their loved ones.
- Arc Symbol: The Mockingjay, in this installment, as it went from flying upward to stretching its wings to either side in the logo, stands for the uprisings and Katniss's unwitting role in them.
- Arc Words: "Remember who the real enemy is." Haymitch tells Katniss this before she goes into the arena, and Finnick repeats it when she is about to kill him late in the game, staying her hand. Because the real enemy is Snow.
- Ascended Extra:
- Katniss' prep team have more screen time in this film than the last, though still less than the book. There are also only two present, rather than the usual trio.
- Snow's granddaughter appears, even though she was only briefly mentioned in Mockingjay.
- Ascended Meme:
- Effie's love for mahogany gets a brief moment.
- When Katniss paints former Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane's name on a dummy and hangs it in effigy, she also paints his memetic Weird Beard.
- When President Snow notices his granddaughter's braid:Snow's granddaughter: Everyone at school wears it like this now, Grandpa.
- Aspect Ratio Switch: The screen goes from a tradition cinematic aspect ratio to 16:9 when Katniss gets transported to the arena.
- Award-Bait Song: "Atlas" by Coldplay.
- Balcony Speech: Snow gives one at the Victory Ball.
- Bathos: For the reaping, Effie still goes through the process of picking Katniss's name out when she's the only possible tribute. It's played both for comedy and drama.
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished: That pool of blister-removing water certainly was convenient for the make-up department.
- Beehive Barrier: The force field enclosing the arena.
- Big Bad: President Snow, who has a more hands-on role this time around.
- Big Brother Is Watching: This Police State aspect of Panem is expanded on. Snow shows Katniss that cameras caught her kiss with Gale outside the fence, as a reminder he can see everything she does and if she doesn't play along her loved ones will be killed.
- Big Eater: Every Capitol citizen is this at parties, which feature far more food than anyone could hope to eat, or even sample. When they get full, they drink emetic fluids to induce vomiting, so they can continue eating. Peeta is disgusted by this.Peeta: People are starving in 12. Here they're just... throwing it up so they can stuff more in.
- Black and Nerdy: Beetee, a Gadgeteer Genius complete with Nerd Glasses.
- Bloodless Carnage:
- Replaces the Jitter Cam of the first film as a way to keep the PG-13 rating. This becomes almost jarring when the District 11 man is executed offscreen but his body is shown being carried away, with no visible exit wound or blood on the ground from having just been shot point blank in the skull.
- Averted in a few scenes, such as Gale's flogging and Cinna's beating.
- Blood from the Mouth: During the Victory Ball, President Snow drinks some wine, and afterwards his glass is full of blood.
- Book Ends: The Quarter Quell begins and ends with Katniss emotionally distraught, but quickly steeling herself for the fight ahead.
- Call-Back: Two at the reaping:
- When Effie calls Haymitch's name, Peeta repeats Katniss's line from the first movie.Peeta: I volunteer as tribute!
- When Katniss gets hauled off by Peacekeepers, Prim screams her name and tries to get to her, but is blocked by Peacekeepers, same as Katniss's reaction to Prim getting picked in the first movie.
- When Effie calls Haymitch's name, Peeta repeats Katniss's line from the first movie.
- Cain and Abel: If Gloss and Cashmere had survived to the end of the Quarter Quell, this would have
been their fate. Of course, it's also stated that the siblings share a close and loving relationship, so it's very possible that they would've refused and preferred to die together instead of committing fratricide for a society that's already betrayed them.Caesar: You became everyone's brother and sister. I don't know how we're going to let you go.Gloss: We aren't going by choice. - Chekhov's Gift:
- Effie's gold bracelet for Haymitch. When Katniss meets Finnick at the Cornucopia, he's wearing it, making her realize that he's an ally.
- Effie's other gift is also intended to be this by Peeta. He requests a locket with Katniss's family (and Gale) so that he can use it to remind her that she's got people to live for where he doesn't.
- The Chessmaster: Plutarch, something Snow comments on. Though even he underestimates him in the end.
- Chewing the Scenery: Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Romulus Thread.Thread: CLEEEEAR THE SQUAAAARE! YOU ARE ALL UNDER CURFEW! ANYONE ON THE STREET AFTER DARK WILL BE SHOT! ON! SIGHT!
- Close on Title: There are no opening titles, the title is shown at the end after Mockingjay Part 1's logo is revealed.
- The Cloudcuckoolander Was Right: "Tick Tock." Katniss quickly realizes that's not just Wiress being strange - it's because she figured out the arena's gimmick.
- Cluster Bleep-Bomb: Johanna delivers one on live-television.Johanna: The deal was that if I win the Hunger Games, I get to live the rest of my life in peace, but now you want to kill me again. Well, you know what? [beep] THAT! AND [beep] ANYONE THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!
- Colonel Kilgore: Commander Romulus Thread.
- Color Motif: Gold for the District 12 team, symbolizing their heroism.
- Continuity Nod:
- Effie points out mahogany furniture, again.
- After learning the judges are behind a force field during training, Katniss says it's probably because she shot at them last year.
- Katniss also does a curtsey once again, after displaying her "special talent."
- Speaking of "special talents," apparently Peeta demonstrated his painting skills for them by painting a beautiful portrait of Rue.
- One of Snow's discussions with Plutarch includes what he told Seneca Crane: fear is not an effective means of control.
- CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: It certainly is for Peeta.
- Create Your Own Hero: The Panem government created a generation of hardened killers and generations of millions of angry rebels. All of them hate the Capitol and President Snow.
- Creator Cameo: Sort of. Director Francis Lawrence's voice can be heard before the Tribute Parade, requesting the tributes to mount their chariots.
- Crucified Hero Shot: As Katniss is hoisted from the burning wreckage of the Arena by a resistance hovercraft.
- Determined Expression: Katniss does one while facing the viewer at the end, showing how pissed she is with Snow for destroying District 12.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Peeta cradles the District 6 morphling as she dies from the monkey-mutt bite.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The scene where Katniss and Peeta enter the pond after being attacked by the poison gas. The water gets rid of their blisters, but removing them is still very painful. The scene that results is something that could easily be mistaken for two people having an Immodest Orgasm if one just listened to the audio.
- Due to the Dead: Peeta takes the ten minutes to "present his skill" to paint a tribute to Rue on the floor.
- Dull Surprise: Peeta and Katniss get more vacant as they give their speeches, especially when they are in District 3.Katniss: Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever.
- Enemy Mine: Every single tribute, even the volunteers, tries to subtly turn the Capitol's citizenry against the Games, and all hold hands in a show of defiance.
- Establishing Character Moment: Between Katniss and Johanna during the TV broadcast. Johanna mocks the wedding dress she's wearing. Katniss responds that it was Snow's idea. Johanna then cracks a grin and says "make him pay for it". The fact that Johanna is the one lead the other tributes in holding hands shows that she is Good Is Not Nice.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Snow is a brutal dictator, but he seems to genuinely love his granddaughter.
- Everybody's Dead, Dave: In the final scene, Gale tells Katniss that the Capitol has destroyed District 12.
- Everyone Has Standards: The Capitol citizens draw the line at the thought of a pregnant Katniss being sent into the Games, and start demanding that the Games be stopped.
- Everything Trying to Kill You: It is a Hunger Game, after all, but the Third Quarter Quell really amps it up.
- Fan Disservice: Gale shirtless? How about shirtless from being brutally whipped until he's bleeding?
- Fan Nickname: In-universe, Caesar likes to refer to Katniss and Peeta as the "Lethal Lovers".
- Fascists Bedtime: Romulus Thread institutes a curfew in District 12, threatening to shoot on sight any citizen who is found out of home after dark.
- Fog of Doom: Touch it and your skin will rapidly burn and blister, but it washes right off if you can get out of it, which is characteristic of a contact toxin.
- Foreshadowing:
- Early in the film, President Snow goes to Katniss to threaten her District if she can't calm the riots in the other Districts. He asks her to imagine her hometown demolished, buried under the ground like it never existed, liske District 13... Guess where we end up finding District 13.
- Katniss attempts to shoot the forcefield early in the games. Come the climax...
- There's also several very important pieces of foreshadowing for Mockingjay, including President Snow's granddaughter and his bloody mouth ulcers.
- Forced to Watch: After the (glass) doors to Katniss' launch tubes close, the tube remains in place long enough for her to watch Cinna being beaten down and dragged away by Peacekeepers, all while trying to claw her way out of the launch tube.
- Gadgeteer Genius: Beetee. He is responsible for many of the technological advances in Panem, and invented the wire used in the arena.
- Gory Discretion Shot: Interestingly played with — during the Games, violence is shown pretty explicitly, but when the Peacekeepers publicly execute the man who saluted Katniss in District 11, all we see is the flash of the gunshot as the doors to the building quickly close.
- Handicapped Badass:
- Implied with one of the victors who is missing one hand.
- Averted with Peeta, who in the book has an artificial leg but in the films got to keep his real one.
- Heal It with Water: Justified. The protagonists are given boils by a poison fog which washes away when they step into a pond. In this case, the injuries from the fog were designed to wash away upon contact with saltwater.
- Held Gaze: Katniss and Peeta, before she leaves with Johanna.
- Heroic Sacrifice:
- Pulled off twice by Mags. She volunteers for the Quarter Quell in place of Annie, despite knowing that she herself has no chance of getting out of the games alive. During the actual game, she stays behind in the poison fog so that the rest of the group can escape, since Finnick can't carry both her and the injured Peeta, and Katniss can't carry either of them.
- In a much more subtle way, Cinna. True, he doesn't exactly go down in a blaze of glory, but making the wedding dress Snow specifically ordered, only to have it burn away and reveal the Mockingjay dress, a human-sized symbol of the rebellion, on live national broadcast? He couldn't possibly have thought he was going to avoid a backlash, almost definitely lethal, but he did it anyway as his part of sowing the seeds against the Capitol.
- The female Morphling for Peeta. He even muses that it seemed like a sacrifice, which is the first clue to him and Katniss that something weird is going on.
- Hidden Depths: Effie starts to genuinely care about Katniss and Peeta and grows upset by the prospect of their deaths.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: President Snow is so focused on keeping Katniss under his thumb (and ultimately discrediting her) that he cannot see the huge conspiracy going on right under his nose until it's already outwitted him.
- Hope Spot: Katniss' budding romance with Peeta was the one thing in the movie keeping her from going over the edge. It's one long extended Hope Spot showing, that in all of this despair, she has one person capable of keeping her grounded. All this naturally builds up so that it makes the blow that Peeta didn't get rescued with Katniss even harder.
- Hotter and Sexier: in comparison with the previous film. Tributes wear light, form-fitting clothing instead of trekking gear, Joanna strips and flirts with the District 12 team, Brutus and Mr. Fanservice Finnick appear shirtless...
- I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Katniss, about Rue: "And I couldn't save her. I'm sorry."
- I Need a Freaking Drink:
- Katniss goes to Haymitch for one after the special rule for the Quarter Quell is announced.
- Haymitch, when Gale is being treated by Katniss' mother. He even pours himself some of the alcohol used to clean his wounds.
- Instant Sedation: Katniss gets a nice dose of an off-button syringe at the end. For once, somewhat realistically portrayed, in that it takes 3-4 seconds for her to pass out, which is about on par with hospital-administered general anaesthetics.
- It's All About Me: Effie. As she's escorting Katniss and Peeta to the Presidential Palace, she's obviously seeing this as her moment. She does get better by the Quarter Quell, though.
- Jitter Cam: Used in a few scenes, but toned down significantly compared to the first movie.
- Kick the Dog: After being chosen for the Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta are dragged off immediately with no chance for goodbyes. There's also the Forced to Watch bit for Katniss.
- Kubrick Stare: Katniss gets one during the countdown to the start of the Quarter Quell.
- Large Ham: Even though he's got less screentime, Caesar Flickerman's reaction to Peeta's proposal to Katniss (while standing beside Katniss) is priceless.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Everyone in the Rebellion leaves Katniss in the dark because she's got her heart on her sleeve big time.
- Love Triangle: This movie ups the drama between Katniss, Peeta and Gale, much more than the book counterpart. In the book Katniss is falling for Peeta but confused about how to feel about Gale after he professes his love for her. In the movie scenes were added that imply that Katniss and Gale are in a relationship, while the majority of the scenes that show her budding love for Peeta were removed.
- Machete Mayhem: Peeta picks up a machete in the arena, which comes in handy both for clearing a path through the jungle and cutting down attacking monkey mutts and enemy tributes.
- Madness Mantra: "Tick tock, tick tock..." In this case, it's brought on by dehydration and provides a vital clue about the arena trap system. When Wiress's throat is cut, her silence immediately warns the other tributes the Careers are attacking.
- Maniac Monkeys: Baboon mutts, to be precise.
- Meaningful Echo: Peeta says his favorite color is orange, "like a sunset". When one of the Morphlings is dying, he tells her to look at how orange the sunset is.
- Messianic Archetype: Katniss. During her removal from the Arena, the light from the collapsing ceiling initially centers on her, and her arms are stretched out as she is lifted into the sky. Plenty of symbolism there.
- Misplaced Wildlife: Visible in the heavily forested Arena is a collared lizard. Which lives in the desert. Justified, as the Arenas are artificially created environments.
- Mr. Fanservice: Finnick, good God, both in-universe and out-of-universe. Tellingly, his first on-camera appearance has him shirtless.
- The Mole: Plutarch, Haymitch, Finnick, Johanna, and several of the other tributes are all operatives of District 13.
- Naked People Are Funny: Johanna casually strips down while in an elevator with Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch. Katniss finds it incredibly awkward, Peeta and Haymitch don't seem to mind. Haymitch even says thank you!note
- Nerd Glasses: Beetee wears glasses, mostly to remind the viewers he's The Smart Guy of the team.
- Never Trust a Trailer:
- According to one of the trailers, Katniss says "Go ahead" to the new Head Peacekeeper Thread when he points a gun at her for stepping in during Gale's whipping. In the film, Katniss says this when he threatens to use the whip on her again, to which the gun is the response.
- Also, Snow's reaction to seeing the Mockingjay dress in the trailer is actually used when Katniss is about to shoot Finnick.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome:
- In the opening moments of the Quarter Quell, another tribute pulls Peeta underwater. Peeta manages to kill him with his bare hands. Particularly impressive given that the tribute would have been an "experienced killer."
- The cannon shot at the end means that someone was just killed offscreen. If we go by book canon, it would have been Peeta killing Brutus.
- Offstage Villainy: The destruction of District 12 is only described by Gale but not explicitly shown.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Haymitch does this after Peeta donates a portion of his and Katniss's winnings to the families of fallen tributes in District 11.
- Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch have this reaction when the special rule for the Third Quarter Quell is announced. Katniss runs into the woods and Haymitch throws a bottle at the hologram.
- He tries to hide it, but it's pretty obvious this is Caesar Flickerman's reaction as he gradually loses control of the pre-Games interview, culminating with all twenty-four tributes holding hands in solidarity. Upon seeing this he gestures urgently to cut the broadcast.
- President Snow when Katniss destroys the arena, obviously, but a couple of much subtler ones when he sees that his own granddaughter is becoming more and more enamored with Katniss.
- Katniss also gets one at the beginning of the film. After returning from hunting, her mother and Prim "cheerfully" ask how her walk was. Just before she corrects them, a pair of black-suited men show up, letting Katniss know that she's in trouble.
- Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Sam Claflin has a few, especially when raising his voice.
- Orange/Blue Contrast: Almost every color is some shade of orange or blue, except in the scenes taking place in the Capitol, where purple is added to the mix.
- Papa Wolf: During the whipping scene, Haymitch places himself in front of both Katniss and Peeta, ensuring that if Thread shoots, he'll get killed first.
- Pet the Dog: While President Snow is still an evil bastard like he is in the books, this movie adds a moment with his granddaughter.
- Please Wake Up: Said multiple times by Katniss while Finnick is trying to resuscitate Peeta after he runs into the forcefield.
- President Evil: Snow, of course.
- Pull the I.V.: Katniss takes off her oxygen mask and does this after waking up in the hovercraft.
- Punch-Clock Villain: The Gamemaker technicians. As Plutarch enters the control room, they all stand at attention until he gives them instructions.Plutarch: Let's start.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: "Let it fly, Miss Everdeen. Let. It. Fly!"
- Putting on the Reich: The ominous vertical red banners hung all around the Capitol. Also, Panem's coat-of-arms, which is a conflation of Francoist arrows and Naziesque eagle.
- Recognizable by Sound: In both the book and film versions, both Katniss and Finnick hear the sounds of their loved ones and run toward them. It turned out to be jabberjays, not their actual loved ones, leading to their being trapped.
- La Résistance: This movie shows an organized rebel movement for the first time. It's based in District 13. Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee are its point men, and several of the victors/tributes in the Quarter Quell have joined them with one goal: to jailbreak Katniss and get her to 13.
- Rewatch Bonus: All of Snow's scenes with Plutarch (the deleted ones included) after the reveal of the new Head Gamemaker's true allegiances. You can now see how Plutarch's playing Snow throughout the entire film and subtly, carefully manipulating him into giving the Second Rebellion what they need: Katniss freed from the Capitol's grip.
- Similarly, the interactions of Finnick and other Tributes with Katniss during the Quarter Quell (knowing now that half the Tributes were in on Plutarch's plan and willingly sacrificed themselves to ensure the Second Rebellion could get Katniss out).
- Say My Name: Finnick says the name of Mags multiple times in increasing intensity as she willingly walks into the poison fog, ending in a scream.
- Sean Connery Is About to Shoot You: The poster above.
- Secret Test of Character: This is the idea for putting Katniss back in the games. By forcing her into a situation where she has to ally with others to survive, then ultimately betray them when it comes down to it, her status as a symbol of hope will be trampled. What Snow doesn't realize is that the opposite is true: when it comes down to it, Katniss gives up an opportunity to kill one of her allies after he uses a phrase Haymitch used, thus further cementing her position.
- Sequel Escalation: The film sequel has grander sets, better CGI, and, most importantly, more tension and grittier drama.
- Sequel Hook: Like the books, ends on a cliffhanger.
- Shameless Fanservice Girl: Johanna Mason strips off her skin-tight ensemble until she's naked to the toes, right in front of Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss inside of a moving elevator without so much as a fumble. She then proceeds to stand there with a smug look, facing the trio as the elevator makes its way to her floor.
- Shirtless Scene: Sam Claflin as Finnick at the Tribute Parade.
- Shout-Out:
- According to Caesar, President Snow is always right. The leader always being right was the mantra of Boxer in Animal Farm.
- One of the speeches that Katniss and Peeta are compelled to give in support of the government includes the line "Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever" echoing Alabama Governor George Wallace's famous pro-segregation speech.
- Something Only They Would Say: "Remember who the real enemy is." Haymitch first says this to Katniss alone. In the arena, Finnick repeats it, hinting to her that he is truly on her side.
- Standard Female Grab Area: The peacekeeping commander uses this on Katniss after her speech to District 11.
- Stepford Smiler: Katniss when parading her "wedding" dress. Also, Katniss and Peeta during the Victory Tour, to show that they're happy and in love victors who are not trying to provoke rebellion.
- Take That, Audience!: Katniss is horrified when she meets a little girl who admires her so much that she also wants to volunteer for the Hunger Games. It is likely directed to fans who glorify the games and want to be a tribute.
- This Cannot Be!: President Snow's reaction when Katniss manages to shut down the whole Arena.Snow: That's not possible.
- Throwing Out the Script: During their tour stop at District 11, Peeta ditches his prepared speech to praise the dead tributes, with Katniss joining in after. When the Peacekeepers execute an old man for showing his support, they stick to the cards for the rest of the stops.
- Toplessness from the Back: After stripping in an elevator, Johanna is mostly framed from the shoulders up, but as she exits we get a shot of most of her back, with a razor-thin sliver of sideboob as she turns.
- Took a Level in Badass: Peeta is much less of a constantly Distressed Dude than during his first Hunger Games.
- Traitor Shot: A heroic example. When Beetee seemingly tells his allies "Keep me alive for the next six hours, that would be very helpful." the camera instead focuses on Plutarch - the person who's been working against Snow the whole time and whom Beetee is also addressing with the remark.
- Uncomfortable Elevator Moment: Johanna casually strips down while in an elevator with Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch, though Katniss is the only one who really minds.
- Villain Song: The Panem anthem.
- Villainous Breakdown: Very, very subtle. But from the moment Katniss refuses to shoot Finnick, to realizing that he's been betrayed by Plutarch, President Snow spends the climax in a near-constant state of Oh, Crap!.
- Villains Out Shopping: Even presidents need to eat, as Snow enjoys a cup of tea and having breakfast with his granddaughter.
- Wham Line: "There is no district 12."
- What the Hell, Hero?: Haymitch gives one to Katniss after the rules for the Third Quarter Quell are announced, on how Peeta came to him right away begging for a way to save her; but she only showed up forty-five minutes later.Haymitch: You could live a hundred lifetimes and never deserve that boy.
- WTH, Costuming Department?: In-universe. Johanna finds the forest-themed dress and hairstyle her stylist gave her to be ridiculous. And strips out of it as soon as she gets into the elevator.
- Xanatos Gambit: Snow and Plutarch rig the Quarter Quell to be one. They can't have Katniss die in a tragic "accident", because it'll only kill her; it won't kill her symbol and the flames of dissent and rebellion the Mockingjay's ignited. Thus, the Quarter Quell forces Katniss back into the arena where she'll likely be killed by one of the Tributes. Whether she dies or survives (though Snow's obviously hoping for the former), Katniss will be forced to ally with Tributes and then ultimately kill him — thus discrediting the Mockingjay's symbol of hope and turning the Districts against her. Under normal circumstances, the Gambit would have worked...except Snow didn't know Plutarch was a traitor and had rigged the Quell so that half the Tributes were working for him to get Katniss out of there alive.
- You Are the New Trend:
- Snow's granddaughter wears her hair like Katniss, as all the kids in school are doing it.
- A chilling example, while on the Victory Tour, one girl tells Katniss "I want to volunteer as a tribute just like you!"
- You Can't Go Home Again: Symbolically, Haymitch explains that Victors never truly get to be free, being walking propaganda for Panem. Then literally when District 12 is firebombed into oblivion.
