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daydreamer-in-reverie · 8 months ago

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The Victor’s purge is absolutely something that just blows my mind.

The Capitol propaganda against Victors were so effective, even the very people fighting for their freedom turned on them.

During the events of TBOSAS, we learn that the first 10 winners of the Hunger Games received no compensation for their participation in the games. Why would they? They’re nobodies. Reminders of a war that had forced the people of the Capitol to turn on each other, forcing them into such desperate lengths that they had to resort to eating other people just to survive. They were not celebrated like the Victors we recognize in the 75th Hunger Games. They were not victors but survivors. In fact, we learn that not many people wanted to watch the Hunger Games in the beginning. It left a bitter taste in a person’s mouth to watch children fight to the death and have the event sensationalized, even if the child is considered the enemy.

And yet, with Victors being placed on a pedestal after the events of TBOSAS, we saw how quickly the Victors were woven into the Capitol’s society.

Upon winning, Victors were alienated in their own Districts. They were given beautiful mansions, fed three square meals a day, and their families wanted for nothing. They became mentors, becoming active participants in the very Games designed to kill members of their own Districts. Their participation may have been forced but when you smile and wave at cameras and show off your new found wealth, it’s hard to believe you didn’t want these things.

Victors are even further alienated outside of their own Districts with the Victor’s parade. A whole week of traveling through the 12 districts to show off your vitality and strength and your life, the very thing you took from the other tributes in order to survive. Victors did not need to drip themselves with jewels to offend the other Districts, their survival was insult enough. Never mind that you didn’t want to kill these kids. Never mind that you are a child yourself.

Every place you turn, you’re met with jealousy, derision and contempt. No longer the perfect quintessential victim but a killer of children who “benefitted” from the very system designed to oppress you. By winning the Hunger Games you are no longer District.

So you turn to the one place that showers you with any hint of adoration.

Ingratiating themselves into the Capitol’s society cemented their identity as Other. They may live in the Distrcts, may be forced to subject themselves in horrors that are far worse than any modicum of starvation they faced in the Districts, but they are no longer one of them.

And so the Rebels forget who exactly they’re fighting for, forgot who actually experienced the horror they could only dread.

Yes, they are fighting against their own oppression. Yes, they fight for their child’s right to live and never play in the Games. But they forget about the 59 other Victors who actually went through the horrors they’re fighting against. They forget about the biggest victims of the system they are fighting against.

Snow alienated Victors from the rest of the Districts so much that of the surviving 59 Victors before the events of Mockingjay, only 7 come out alive.

7 out of 59.

There’s not even enough of them to distribute one to every district.

The biggest victims of the Capitol’s oppression also became the biggest victims of the rebel’s war.

#hunger games #media analysis #catching fire #mocking jay #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #tbosas #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #haymitch abernathy #finnick odair #betee latier #johanna mason #sunrise on the reaping #annie cresta #lucy geay baird

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fireside-fanfics · 30 days ago

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Scars and Sanctuary in the Victors’ Circle

The first meeting of the Victors’ Circle was held in a modest, sunlit room in what was once a Capitol administrative building. The walls had been stripped of their opulence, now bare and clean, an intentional symbol of the new nation they were trying to build. A circular table sat in the center, its surface scratched and imperfect but functional—a fitting metaphor for the people who gathered around it.

Katniss Everdeen arrived first, her fingers fidgeting with the Mockingjay pin that had become a relic of a rebellion she still wasn’t sure she had survived. Peeta Mellark followed close behind, carrying a basket of fresh bread, his steady presence as grounding as ever. They took their seats quietly, exchanging a glance that spoke volumes about shared history and unspoken understanding.

One by one, the others trickled in. Johanna Mason, her sharp eyes scanning the room as though it were an arena and she needed to identify every threat. Beetee Latier, his wheelchair rolling smoothly as he parked beside Katniss, a tangle of wires and gadgets tucked under his arm. Annie Cresta arrived with trembling hands, guided gently by her friend Finnick’s sister, who had volunteered to accompany her.

The silence was heavy until Haymitch Abernathy shuffled in, the smell of alcohol noticeably absent for the first time in years. He grunted a greeting and collapsed into a chair, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“So, this is it, huh?” Johanna said, breaking the silence. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. “The grand reunion of the walking wounded.”

“We’re here to help each other,” Peeta said, his tone calm but firm. “Not tear each other down.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Johanna muttered, but she didn’t make any sort of move to leave.

Dr. Aurelius, a Capitol psychologist who had worked with many of them after the war, stood at the edge of the room with a clipboard in hand. She waited for the Victors to settle in, giving them a chance to chat. It was clear this group wasn’t one who was big on talking.

Dr. Aurelius coughed to get their attention. They all looked up at her as she said, “This group is about sharing. You’ve all survived something unimaginable. But survival isn’t the end of your story. Healing is. Let’s start by introducing ourselves and saying why we’re here.”

The group shifted uncomfortably. Finally, Katniss spoke, her voice low and hesitant. “I’m Katniss. I … I’m here because I don’t know how to live without a fight. And I want to learn how.”

Peeta followed. “I’m Peeta. I’m here because I want to be able to separate what’s real from what’s not. And because I want to help others do the same.”

Johanna rolled her eyes but spoke anyway. “Johanna. I’m here because they wouldn’t leave me alone about it. And … maybe because I’m tired of feeling like I’m drowning all the time.”

Annie’s voice was barely a whisper. “I’m Annie. I’m here because I don’t want to forget him. And I—I want to believe there’s still something left of me.”

Johanna met Annie's gaze and gave her a half sort of smile to let her know she was listening.

Beetee adjusted his glasses. “Beetee. I’m here because I’ve spent my whole life solving problems. But this—this one I can’t solve.”

Haymitch let out a heavy sigh. “Haymitch. I’m here because these kids deserve better than what I had. And maybe ... maybe I do, too.”

The room fell silent again, but this time it felt less oppressive. The beginnings of understanding rippled through the circle, tentative and fragile but present.

“Thank you,” Dr. Aurelius said. “This is a start. Healing takes time, and it takes effort. But you’ve already done the hardest part by showing up.”

As the session continued, they shared fragments of their stories. Katniss spoke about nightmares of the arena, Prim, and the countless lives lost. Peeta described the anguish of not trusting his own mind. Johanna’s voice wavered as she recounted the electric shocks that still haunted her. Annie cried as she talked about Finnick and the ache of his absence a constant shadow.

They didn’t leave the room healed, but they left lighter. For the first time, they weren’t alone with their pain. The Victors’ Circle became a sanctuary, a place where they could unravel the threads of their trauma and begin to weave something new.

In the weeks that followed, the meetings grew more comfortable. Laughter began to punctuate the sorrow, shared jokes about Capitol absurdities and the ridiculousness of their situations. They discovered strength in each other’s company, and slowly, they began to heal—not by forgetting, but by remembering together.

The Victors’ Circle wasn’t a cure, but it was a beginning. And for survivors like them, a beginning was everything.

Over time, the group began to expand their sessions beyond the circle. They visited the districts together, speaking to survivors of the war, sharing their stories, and listening to others’ pain. In District 11, they stood before a crowd and spoke about Rue and Thresh, about the sacrifices that haunted them but also inspired them to fight for a better future. In District 4, Annie found solace in the ocean, and for the first time since Finnick’s death, she smiled at the sound of waves. Johanna reluctantly accompanied Katniss to District 7, where the scent of freshly cut pine reminded her of home and brought tears to her eyes.

These trips were difficult, but they gave the Victors a sense of purpose. They weren’t just healing themselves; they were helping to heal a nation. Slowly, they started community projects—building homes, planting gardens, and organizing memorials for those lost to the war and the Games. Each action, no matter how small, felt like reclaiming a piece of their humanity.

Katniss and Peeta began to write down their stories, a joint effort to preserve the truth of what had happened. It was painful work, but it became a way for them to confront their memories. “If we don’t tell our stories,” Peeta said one night, “who will?”

Haymitch, though reluctant at first, found himself mentoring young leaders in the districts. His gruff demeanor softened as he watched these new voices rise, determined to never let the mistakes of the past repeat themselves.

The Victors’ Circle evolved into something greater than they had imagined. It was no longer just a place to share pain; it became a movement for hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. And as the scars of the past began to fade, they discovered that healing didn’t mean erasing the pain—it meant learning to live with it and finding joy despite it.

#the hunger games #the hunger games imagine #the hunger games fanfic #the hunger games one shot #hunger games fanfic #hunger games fanfiction #hunger games one shot #hunger games imagine #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #haymitch abernathy #johanna mason #betee latier #annie cresta #catching fire #mockingjay

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