Summary

• The Hunger Games prequel provides new insight into Coriolanus Snow and the origins of the Hunger Games.
• Katniss Everdeen's connection to the Covey and Lucy Gray Baird is implied through their shared musical talent, knowledge of certain songs, and association with mockingjays.
• The film adaptation of the prequel does not confirm or deny Katniss and Lucy Gray's connection, but if it were confirmed, it would drastically change the dynamic of the Hunger Games series.

The following contains spoilers The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, gives readers new insight into Coriolanus Snow, the Dark Days and the beginnings of the Hunger Games. Fans also meet a new cast of characters in both The Capitol and District 12. While there are no mentions of any Everdeens, and Katniss never brings up any family members older than her parents, fans speculate that Katniss is related to Lucy Gray Baird.

The cast of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes includes Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12, and her people, the Covey. They are a musical troupe that used to travel throughout Panem before the Districts were closed off, and they were forced to settle down in District Twelve. Since Katniss is known for her singing voice, which she inherited from her father, it seems plausible that she could be descended from a member of the Covey.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 22, 2024: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is finally available for digital downloads, bringing the intrigue of the prequel film home for audiences to enjoy a second time. Upon a closer rewatch, fans may discover new evidence linking Katniss Everdeen to Lucy Gray Baird, suggesting that the two District 12 Hunger Games Victors may be related after all.

Is Lucy Gray Related to Katniss Everdeen?

The most obvious connection between Katniss and the Covey is their musical talent. In The Hunger Games, readers learn that Katniss's father impressed her mother because, when he sang, the birds stopped to listen. History repeats itself with Katniss and Peeta. Similarly, the Covey members are all musically gifted, even if Lucy and Maude Ivory are the main singers. In addition, Katniss briefly mentions in Mockingjay that she can pick up a song after only one or two listens, a skill that Maude also has in Ballad. Even though musical talent isn't necessarily hereditary, it can be passed down.

Katniss and the Covey also know several of the same songs, most notably "The Hanging Tree." In Ballad, Lucy composes the song and performs it in one of their shows. Afterward, she's asked not to sing the song anymore because it's too rebellious. Later, Katniss learns the song from her father, but she stops singing it because it's forbidden. Since the song is forbidden, readers don't know how many people in 12 knew it before it became the rebellion's theme. Perhaps the Covey passed it down to their children in secret.

Besides music, both Katniss and the Covey are strongly associated with mockingjays. The musical troupe sings with the birds, and according to Coriolanus Snow, some of their pieces sound like the mockingjay's song. When he was alive, Katniss' dad loved mockingjays and would sing back and forth with them, leading Katniss to love the birds as well. Of course, Katniss becomes the face of the rebellion, and she is known as the Mockingjay.

Katniss Everdeen's Family Tree Hints at a Covey Link

Katniss and the Covey even share two key locations, the Seam and the lake. Katniss' house is located at the edge of the Seam in District 12, close to a meadow. The description of the Covey house's location is nearly identical. Katniss' dad also takes her to a lake deep in the woods, where she learns to swim. The Covey consider the lake a second home, and they collect the surrounding plants for food, including Katniss' namesake flower. While Katniss' father says he found the lake when he was hunting, he could've heard about it first from his parents. After all, District 12 isn't completely fenced off yet in Ballad, so the Covey may not have been able to return to the lake once it went up; however, they could've passed down its location to their children.

All of this aside, none of the Covey share Katniss' surname, Everdeen, but that doesn't rule all of them out as a potential family. Of the boys, Billy Taupe and Clerk Carmine are brothers, and according to Maude Ivory, their last name is Clade. Tam Amber was found on the side of the road and taken in by the Covey, so readers don't know what his surname would've been. The three girls are all Baird cousins, but their children could have inherited their fathers' surnames. As of the end of Ballad, Lucy's fate is a mystery, but it is possible that she survives and returns to District 12. She could assume a new identity and settle down with a local, but given her fame, this doesn't seem likely.

The most likely ancestor to Katniss is none other than Maude. Out of all the Covey members, they appear to have the most in common with their talent for singing, their ability to pick up songs quickly, and their love of mockingjays. Since there's no mention of the Covey or Lucy in the original trilogy, it's possible that the troupe was forced to disband and was erased from District 12's memory. Afterward, they might have settled down, becoming regular citizens. Readers never learn Mr. Everdeen's first name, so he could've inherited a Covey name of his own, but he couldn't keep the tradition going for his own children, given the circumstances. If Collins does write another prequel, it wouldn't be surprising to see this theory confirmed.

Does the Prequel Film Confirm Katniss and Lucy Gray's Connection?

The prequel film neither confirms nor denies whether Katniss is a descendant of Lucy Gray. Like in the book, Lucy Gray's fate is unknown after Snow shoots at her in the woods. There's a very real possibility that she could've died, just as much as there's a possibility if she lived. But even if she did live, that doesn't mean she's necessarily Katniss' ancestor.

Jennifer Lawrence doesn't make an appearance on-screen, nor does The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes flash-forward to the future in any way after present-day events. But there is an Easter egg nodding at everyone's favorite District 12 tribute. During the third act of the film, Lucy Gray is presented with a swamp potato as she and Snow hang out at the lake. She nicknames the plant "Katniss," and proclaims that it's not ripe enough to eat. Implicitly, it signifies that Panem isn't prepared for a rebellion just yet, because it doesn't have a worthy leader just yet. That leader will be Katniss Everdeen in the coming decades.

Would a Confirmation Change the Hunger Games Series?

If it was ever confirmed that Lucy Gray was somehow related to Katniss, it would drastically change the dynamic of The Hunger Games series, especially in terms of Katniss and President Snow's relationship. On the surface, Snow despises Katniss because of her rebellious nature that everyone else begins to take on. She's an influential leader that threatens everything he's built to protect his family's reputation. But if there was any way he knew she was a descendant of Lucy Gray, then he would have a personal vendetta against her. There's already a running theory that every reaping is rigged, so that would mean Prim's name could've been pulled because of Snow.

It would also mean that Snow would, in some way, have directly caused his own downfall. By betraying Sejanus Plinth and Lucy Gray, he built a resistance against districts that suffered under his rule. Perhaps if he hadn't betrayed them, then he wouldn't have become the tyrannical leader of Panem. Katniss becoming the Mockingjay would essentially be karma on Lucy Gray's part, reminding Snow that even when she's gone, her mockingjays will always find a way to hurt him. Even so, this theory may never be confirmed, but rather remain a legend about which the Covey can sing for years to come.