Does Lucy Gray die in The Hunger Games? Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ending explained

19 November 2023, 21:57

Watch the trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

By Sam Prance

Here's what happens to Lucy Gray in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes book.

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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes introduces fans to singer/tribute Lucy Gray but what happens to her?

Just like the book, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes movie tells the origin story of Coriolanus Snow. It reveals how Coriolanus became the villain we know him as today after working as a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games. He acts as a mentor to District 12's Lucy Gray and it isn't long before sparks fly between them and a romance develops.

Does Lucy Gray win the games though? Does she die? Do Lucy Gray and Coriolanus date each other? We won't find out how the movie ends until it comes out next week (Nov 17) but here's how The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes book ends.

Where does Lucy Gray go at the end of the Hunger Games?

Does Lucy Gray die in The Hunger Games? Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ending explained. Picture: Lionsgate via Alamy Stock Photo

If you want to watch The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, without seeing any spoilers, this is your warning to stop reading this article now. While the film may differ from the books, it's likely that the main plot points will be the same and we don't want to ruin the movie for you if you care about spoilers.

Bookmark this page and you can return when the film is out to find out how the film ending compares to the book.

WARNING: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbird & Snakes book spoilers below

Does Lucy Gray win The Hunger Games? Picture: Alamy

In The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes book, Lucy Gray wins over the Capitol with her singing talents before the games begin. However, she is not a fighter and people, including Snow, initially doubt her chances in the games. Lucy Gray's strategy at first is to lay low and she successfully manages to avoid dying at the start of the competition.

Nevertheless, Coriolanus intervenes to ensure that she survives. In a meeting with the head gamemaker, Dr. Volumnia Gaul, Corionalus learns that she has genetically modified a breed of snakes who attack people when they don't recognise their scent and later finds out that they are going to be used in the games.

Before the snakes are unleashed in the arena, Coriolanus secretly puts Lucy Gray's handkerchief in their tank. The snakes then bite and kill the remaining tributes but they do not bite Lucy Gray. They simply surround her and she wins.

How does The Ballad of Songbird & Snakes end?

Dean Highbottom, who runs the Academy where Coriolanus studies, discovers that Coriolanus cheated. Coriolanus is then banished to be a peacekeeper in District 12 with his friend Sejanus. Here, Lucy Gray and Coriolanus reunite and their love continues to blossom.

In District 12, Sejanus tries to help some rebels escape north of District 12 but Snow secretly feeds this information to the Capitol. Sejanus is then hanged for treason and Lucy and Coriolanus decide to run away together.

However, Coriolanus becomes worried that Lucy will find out he is responsible for Sejanus' death. He ultimately tries to shoot her and it's never clear if he kills her or if she escapes.

At the end of the book, Snow returns to the Capitol and is eventually made a Games Maker. Lucy is never seen again.