Katniss got your tongue?
MANILA, Philippines - There’s a new teen-oriented series dominating watercooler talk nowadays. And with sharp acting and a killer concept, it looks like they’ve just begun.
The Hunger Games is a bestselling young adult dystopian series, written by Suzanne Collins. The first installment, recently adapted to film, has been breaking records, earning $19.7 million, just on its opening weekend. Haven’t read the books yet? We’ll help you catch up to speed with the rest of the world.
Panem’s Penance
As a result of an uprising that ravaged Panem — that’s post-apocalyptic America to you — a treaty was made. It was decreed to the 12 remaining Districts of Panem to offer up two Tributes, male and female, aged between 12 to 18 years old, to fight to the death in an arena created for an annual televised spectacle called The Hunger Games.
The Capitol, the nation’s central hub and home to its most important citizens, views this as a display of honor, courage and sacrifice. The rest of Panem just hope that these Tributes aren’t them.
The Reaping
Katniss Everdeen is the sole provider for her widowed mother and 12-year-old sister, Primrose. When Prim’s name gets selected from a bowl at The Reaping, she volunteers to go in her stead. Joining her to represent District 12 is the baker’s son, Peeta Mellark, a quiet boy of whom she has vague memories. Katniss also leaves behind Gale Hawthorne, her best friend and hunting partner. An excellent archer, Katniss promises her sister a victory.
They meet Haymitch Abernathy, the Victor of the 50th Hunger Games and their mentor, as he also came from District 12. He is supposed to train them to win the games, but he is a surly drunkard which frustrates both Peeta and Katniss.
The Pre-Game At The Capitol
During the pre-game Tributes’ parade, Cinna, Katniss’ stylist, rigs her flame-retardant dress to catch on fire, earning her the nickname “The Girl on Fire” and the awe of the crowd. In an interview with Caesar Flickerman, Peeta charms the nation, revealing his long-standing crush on Katniss and the hopeless predicament he is currently in. Katniss is enraged at Peeta, thinking it is a tactic to make her look weak.
After their skills assessment, Peeta earns a score of eight out of 10 for his brute strength. Katniss is given a score of 11, making her a good bet for the viewers, but a big target for the other Tributes to get rid of first.
The 74th Hunger Games
The Games begins with a bloodbath that Katniss escapes, avoiding the throng of Tributes around the supplies and the possibility of an early death. She needs to stay alive for Prim. The Careers, Tributes bred to excel and win at the Games, dominate, forming a temporary alliance with each other. Gale watches from the sidelines as Katniss and Peeta’s relationship unfolds, guessing along with the rest of Panem at whether or not there is truth behind it.
Katniss and the Tributes dodge a slew of arrows, natural disasters and Tribute-inflicted injuries, often running only on the will to survive. As their numbers dwindle down to the last handful, Katniss has to decide if she can live with killing everyone else just to get back home.
