I have a theory that somewhere, you can find a reference to the past of the Trinket family in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but I haven't been able to find exact proof yet. These are the only similarities that I have found so far.
Gaius Silius
Valeria Messalina
The Etymology section of The Hunger Games Wiki suggests that "Silius [is] most likely named after the Roman Senator Gaius Silius [who was] the lover of Valeria Messalina, third wife of the emperor Claudius. She had him divorce his wife and the two married while the emperor was away. They were both executed, and the Roman Senate ordered that Messalina be erased from memory" (The Hunger Games Wiki).
The proximity of Silius and Messalina makes the inspiration for the names a safe assumption. However, a deep dive of the names' previous uses add more depth and contradictions.
Gaius Breen
"Gaius was considered a 'Citadel brat' and was known for having an endless supply of jokes, having once told Coriolanus Snow a joke about how many rebels it took to tie a shoe. According to Coriolanus, Gaius hadn't had an enemy in the world, and because of this, he was easy to eulogize" (The Hunger Games Wiki).
Based off his personality, Gaius a regular Capitol citizen, one who can easily look past some of the problematic elements of the Capitol's plans. He was a mentor to the Diatrict 9 tribute, Panlo, during his senior year at the Academy, which reflects Proserpina's role as part of the Prep Team when she was in school. His attitude also reflects Proserpina's disregard for the tributes and lack of respect for others. He also upholds the idea that the Trinket family would not be rebels but instead have another form of shame.
Contradiction: He dies during a rebel bombing at the end of the 10th Games due to leg injuries that resulted in a double amputation yet were too severe. In the movie, his character lives. He would be the same age as Snow had he lived, which would make him middle aged during the 50th Hunger Games. Snow is 58 in Sunrise on the Reaping. Since Gaius was in the same grade, it is safe to assume that he was 18 upon passing but would have been 58 had he lived. This age means that he would had been of legal age to marry, suggesting that he could have been Great Uncle Silius and been called by his middle name to differentiate between another family member, as some people do for long family lines. His miltary brat description could align with the war clothes. perhaps passed down from his father who may have fought in the war and gotten blood stains on his clothing. His death would also account for that, as well as his "Citadel Brat" attitude, which suggests that he got into fights when he was younger, a perfect alignment with Haymitch's propaganda personality. Effie's grandparents could be around his age, say ~58 if becoming a father at age 21. While Gaius would be dead three years prior, Effie's grandparents could outlive him.
Effie's grandparent could be 58 during Sunrise on the Reaping, making her parents around 37, which would allow for her to be 16 if her parents had her at age 21. Effie would be older than that, likely 22 or 23. That can be accounted for by her grandparent being the older sibling of Gaius, adding a few years age difference to account for her age. Her parents also could have had her between ages 18-21, making Effie the appropriate age in Sunrise on the Reaping. This would justify Gaius Silius as Gaius Breen. As for the last name change, such a death could be considered an embarrassment, not the significant one, but enough that the other family name, Trinket, continued instead of Breen. Trinket could be Great Aunt Messalina's name, not Gaius Silius's last name. After Gaius "Silius" Breen died, the family name would have gone, too, so calling them the Trinkets would be much simplier and memorable. Messalina could have latched onto the name that had the potential for growth instead of regret. Also, she would have been really young when her husband died, so she could have not felt a tie to the last name and returned to her maiden name, although it is implied that she never remarried after Silius's implied death.
Valeria Heavensbee
"Valeria Heavensbee (née Snow) was the daughter of President of Panem Coriolanus Snow. She was married to Lepidus Heavensbee, head of the Science Division in the Capitol. Together, they had a daughter named Lucia. Valeria and her daughter both survived the rebellion, although Lepidus was arrested, tried, and executed for his participation in the Hunger Games" (The Hunger Games Wiki).
Claudius Templesmith is an announcer in the 74th Hunger Games, so his name is not beneficial to understanding Messalina's identity.
This age difference significantly contradicts the theory in terms of Valeria's relation to Messalina's identity as she would be a generation younger than Snow, the equivalent of Effie's parents' generation.
The only thing I can think of would be if Messalina was a fling for Snow, seeing as he desire control. She could have brought disgrace to the Trinket family name by being seen as a person with looked morals. In this instante, she likely would have been in a position like Finnick. She could have made Snow mad, and in response, he could have decided to ruin her life until her reputation destroyed her family.
If Valeria is the daughter of Snow, then he would have named her such as an intentional power play to say, "I own you," as he often uses possessive language such as calling Lucy Gray "my girl," but an entirely separate context and connotation from Haymitch's interpretation of the words.
Snow sees anything like the position that Finnick was forced into as a disgrace to that name, as he considered the potential of Tigress doing that as a taint to the Snow name. He would use that as a way to control and manipulate, making Valeria Messalina Trinket be considered a lowly creature.
(This doesn't even take into account that Snow's kid married a Heavensbee, and Hilarius was the mentor of the District 8 female tribute, same class as Snow. Plutarch would then be related to someone who married Snow's kid, which is perfectly ironic. That would also make more sense as to why Plutarch tried, along with Haymitch, to vouch for Effie's life while Coin was considering executing her; not that much sense, though, because that would imply that somehow Plutarch figured out a small detail about their lives. There's no way that Effie would have mentioned the relation if she ever knew, so that part is more of a what if he knew rather than a he would have known.)
The second half is more of a far-fetched theory, but I think there could be potential with the part about Gaius Silius. If relating to their namesakes, Gaius Silius Breen reflects a lover in his youthfulness before dying, Valeria Messalina reflects the multiple love interests, Gaius Breen's death from the rebel bombing becomes similar to the executions of Gaius Silius and Valeria Messalina, and the attempt to erase Great Aunt Messalina's disgrace aligns with the Roman Senate's order to erase Messalina from other's memories.
Feel free to add on to this, proving or disproving it. Also, if you have any more details about it, I would love that as I am currently on the first book in my reread of the series.
For some reason I started imagining a scenario where the tributes and the mentors somehow get trapped together in the arena (without the peacekeepers being there don't ask me how I haven't figured it out) at first the mentors are freaking out meanwhile the tributes are just sitting there being like: we are dead anyway and each group is staying on one side of the arena and don't want to cross the other side however when supplies are sent for the mentors empathize on only the mentors the nicer ones are willing to share with their tribute while the less good ones are complaining and screaming nonstop until the tributes have enough of the screaming and tell them to shut up Bec they are the ones who the capitol is trying to save and send supplies for and the ones who well get to live while if they get out of the arena while they will come back home in boxes and will never get the chance to grow up except one and the tributes who are frustrated with their mentors varbully smack them down until the bad mentors finally shut up and slowly they go from insulting the tributes to trying to have a somewhat casual conversation although with little success idk I am writing this while half asleep so sorry if it's all random and there are dozen of plot holes and I haven't decided if the reason they are all trapped in the arena is Bec of the bombing and where the peacekeepers would be as I am not considering them so sorry if this is all random but it's a scenario that I thought would be somewhat amusing
That's a fantastic setup for a fix-it!! Because the best way to convince people to part with their prejudiced, bigoted beliefs is to let them interact with the people they hate. It forces them to see the humanity in those they've convinced themselves are lesser beings. It's what most of my full fix-it AU's are focused on: forcing the mentors to see what they refuse to accept. The tributes just don't have the power or influence to stop the games, but the mentors do. They have the freedom to actually do something. It's just that they don't, because they only care about their own tribute and are raised to believe in the system. The games are a part of the system. Working within the system means trying to make their own tribute the victor, and it's that mentality that gets all of the tributes except Lucy Gray killed.
The bombing's the only time the tributes and mentors both go into the arena at the same time, so it'd have to happen then if we wanna stick as close to canon as possible. Ain't no way the Capitol's gonna let their precious children be alone in a large space with district people so there would be peacekeepers either way. The best way to handle this is to kill most or all of those peacekeepers via rubble. The first bomb goes off in the entrance rather than near it, effectively collapsing it shut, and the second goes off lower down in the stands. Only the walls to the bottom of the stands collapse, the ceiling stays intact. Possibly a third bomb goes off to create a gap in the ceiling that's too high for anyone to reach.
Maybe Treech and Lamina are sent by the mentors to climb the pile and find a way out? Because the mentors view themselves as smarter and more superior so they try to take the lead and be in control. They wanna send Wovey too but the 22 glares (bc Dill wouldn't glare) burning into their very souls put that idea to rest very quickly. But Lamina and Treech can't make an exit without moving stones which would risk bringing the whole building down on everyone. The mentors refuse to accept "no" until Reaper and Marcus have enough of their shit and threaten them to accept the answer or face the consequences. Sejanus, throughout all of this, is an absolute angel trying to stop his mentors from being jerks. It's not effective, but he's trying, and he only admonishes the mentors that try to threaten back. Not Reaper or Marcus, because of course not. They're well within their rights to be rude to the Capitol kids. So, they're stuck and retreat to their corners because of the mentors.
I think the tributes would want to be with each other while stuck in the arena, but their mentors would stop them because competition and "those other tributes are vile and dangerous district scum and you're different so I can't be around those beasts!" Maybe that's actually the snapping point for one of them? It would show some more selfless characteristics which would make it harder for the mentors to ignore. This kid didn't stand up for themself but for people who they met days ago that'll have to die soon. It's very echo-y in the arena so even spoken words can be heard by everyone. Perhaps, while the tributes like Facet and Panlo are screaming at their horrible mentors for being trash, they reveal some of the horrible living conditions in the districts? Like one of them will go "and not even when we're in the Capitol can we escape you worthless, slimy douchebags depriving us of our basic needs! Not even when you need us fed will you bother inconveniencing yourself in the slightest to be less than the bare minimum requirements for a basic human being!!!!" and it kind of shocks the mentors out of their delusion because the tributes haven't ever been so openly hostile before.
Maybe, if they rant a little further, the other mentors turn to their own tributes and ask if things are really that bad. The answer? "Ha! No. Absolutely not don't worry :). It's worse :D" When Facet straight up tells Livia he hates her and everything about her, and Brandy declares she wishes she'd gone through with slitting Arachne's throat rather than showing mercy, they start to realize just how much the tributes loathe them. It's awkwardly silent for a few minutes when Gaius tries to lighten the mood with one of his "jokes". The mentors laugh. The tributes scowl. Panlo says nothing, merely looks Gaius in the eyes for a few seconds. Then he spits in his face and decks him hard enough to break his nose. Standing up, he goes to sit with Sheaf. The glare he gives when Gaius speaks up indignantly and tries to follow shut him up immediately as he sits down. Something about the previous conversation about not feeding the tributes sits with Vipsania and she turns to Treech. "When I said you should perform for food, I-"
"I know about the prize, Vipsania. It's fine, you don't have to lie." Marcus and Sejanus have spent this quality time to bond and become actual friends (because Sejanus is very funny when he subtly roasts his classmates and Marcus can appreciate that the guy's trying to help them at least) so when Sejanus tries to apologize Marcus merely gives him a hug and assures him that he didn't do anything wrong. Coriolanus' belief in Gaul's theory is destroyed because they're all effectively cornered and this is the most human he's ever seen the tributes act (because he can't not pay attention this time). No one's dead, and even the already starving tributes who were initially denied food haven't done anything drastic or caused any actual harm. Huh... Maybe he should listen to Tigris a little more, she's always been there for him after all. He knows she has the best intentions, whereas Gaul... He's starting to have his doubts about her.
Pup asks Lamina whether she thinks he's been a good mentor, and her answer is along the lines of "Yeah, and you've been a good friend to me." She glances at Treech, and he remembers all the things he so desperately tried to diminish and write off. The way they were always near one another, them sharing all their food (his earned through performance, hers given by Pup), the way they constantly looked over at one another to make sure they were still okay and their obvious concern. They cared about each other, and he was fine with taking someone so clearly important to Lamina away from her because actually questioning the system would've made him uncomfortable. His comfort had been more important to him than her happiness, her mental stability, and possibly her life. Vipsania turns back to Treech. "Do you hate me?" It catches everyone's attention, and he stares at her with an unreadable look on his face before hesitantly saying: "You could've been much worse..." While she knows she'll regret it, she repeats herself. "But do you hate me?" For a few agonizing seconds, you could hear a pin drop while everyone waits for his next words. They don't come. Instead, he merely looks away from her, curling in on himself. It's answer enough.
All the other tributes look away as well, and that's when it finally actually hits the mentors. Even the tributes with nicer mentors hate them. It's Lucy Gray who explains it. Some of them like their mentors just fine, but due to the circumstances... There's a part of them that can't help but feel resentful towards the Capitol kids. Their privileged lives, their frivolous worries like school projects that somehow take precedent over children who rely on them to survive, the everything about their circumstances and everyone's role in it. The system that caused the suffering and future death of the tributes is the same system that benefits the mentors. And no matter how much said mentors show they care, it clearly wasn't enough to make them even question this unfair world. Silence and inaction can speak much louder than any word or action ever could sometimes. This is one of those times.
I have so many more ideas but I'll cut it off now. Do you want to write this? If not, I'd be interested :) (with credit given ofc). I do have two running stories and 3 things I plan to start writing, but I'd give this precedence over at least 2 of those lmao. But it is your idea so...
She agreed since he made her laugh. Wasn't that enough reason?
II. Felix Ravinstill
They've always known each other, but something feels different when they're in University. It's not an instant click, but more of a slow realization of 'I think I'm in love with you.'
Max's favouritism was definitely not peeking through during their wedding.
A total of 2 children: Selene and Helios.
Felix fell victim to an assassination. A file to the heart is pretty hard to walk off. He wasn't the intended victim, but he was a Ravinstill, so that was good enough for the perpetrator.
Helios was born after Felix's death. Many names were suggested by family members, including Hector (by Max) or even Felix. But Clemensia was firm on naming their son 'Helios', as this was the name they decided.
III. Ptolemy Ibarra
There were no plans for remarriage after a few years. Clemensia wants to focus on the children and properly grieve. But after a while, people tell her she's still young.
Then Ptolemy falls into her life. Literally. At an outing with her kids, the professor falls down a flight of stairs and lands at her feet.
He has to put in a lot of work to convince her that he's not in it for the money & status. (A lot of her other suitors were like this). He treats her children quite well. It takes time to convince her that he's serious about a relationship.
I'm a widow. / So? / I have two children. / Adorable children, might I add.
He has a big heart. Perhaps too big of one since it becomes his undoing. A year into their marriage, he runs back into a burning building to save someone. While he makes it back out, he has a lingering cough after this.
They don't realize till much later that his lungs are messed up from this. He dies from too much fluid in his lungs.
His death is when the whispers begin: “That’s Cleopatra’s granddaughter, you know.”
IV. Midas Almas
Purely a business arrangement. Clemensia wants to strengthen her hold on Lavinium. While she's inherited the business, her cousin Pentheus, is still looking for ways to make trouble. Midas is a self-made man who has his fortune in the gemstone industry, but wants the reputation that comes with the old families, because like it or not, names of old families still speak quite loud during business.
They work fairly well as partners. Both in terms of business and in their personal life.
Nearing 5 years into their marriage when Helios suffers a near drowning.
Clemensia is furious to learn that he'd been behind things. Horrified too. Midas had thought that she was pregnant with their child, so had made plans to kill her children so that their unborn child could inherit.
That pregnancy test wasn't hers. It was Persephone's, who'd been over because she'd been wanting to see if she was pregnant again without Festus around.
You’d kill me? / For my children's sake? Without hesitation.
The rumours already think she’s a murderer, might as well make them true.
V. Viatrix Valens
They meet through a gathering hosted by Clemensia's cousin (through Cleo's side of the family). Is Viatrix involved in crime? Yes.
Clemmie is (rightfully) wary of any romance, given her past spouse.
It's more of a friends with benefits thing on her end. She insists it is. Viatrix is more so amused and going along with it. "Whatever you say, darling."
They're pretty much doing every thing a married couple might, but without being married. Clemmie has a ring (many rings) from Viatrix, the woman tags along to Selene & Helios' parent-teacher interviews, matches her prosthetic eye to whatever jewelry Clemmie is wearing that day, etc. They do eventually get married.
About 2 years into their marriage, she goes missing in the Districts. Presumed dead. Clemensia is heavily skeptical of her passing despite what others say.
VI. Evander Valens
Viatrix's cousin. Her second-in-command.
About 6 months after Viatrix's alleged death, he decided it was a good time to proposition Clemensia.
Both out of lust and the fact that with Viatrix's death, she essentially takes over all of her wife's business dealings.
She didn't exactly get a choice in the marriage. It was more of a "How much do you value your children's lives?"
A very short-lived marriage that lasted all of 3 days. She kills him the same day Viatrix returns. Surprise, she's not dead!
cont. Viatrix
With her return, she cleans house of any traitors that might have supported Evander. Similar to Romulus Herz's ascension to power. It's rather bloody.
She and Clemensia later adopt a girl. Vespera Valens-Dovecote
CLEMENSIA'S CHILDREN of this AU
With Felix: Selene & Helios. Selene goes on to inherit House Dovecote and its assets, while Helios inherits the Valens' business. Neither child kept their father's surname as sometime while they were growing up, those who had the Ravinstill surname were dropping like flies and it was safer to only be a Dovecote. Both stuck to the Dovecote surname.
With Viatrix: Vespera who goes on to inherit Lavinium from Clemensia, and keeps both of her mothers' surnames.
What happens when crazy old lady Lucy Gray and Katniss meet each other will they have some kind of singing of test like the rainbow songbird vs the mockingjay and in the zoo is there at least one rabid raccoon squirrel hybrid living there now
Oh, Panem, Horn of Plenty! Katniss “Nepo Baby” Everdeen will literally bow down before Lucy Gray and her grumpy husband, Panini Panlo when D12’s local ✨girl on fire✨ finally meets them in person.
Also, Panini Panlo will probably scold Katniss for stealing her little sister’s only opportunity to compete in Panemvision. #justice4Prim #primcansingbetterthantheswamppotato #antivolunteer #fightforbuttercuprights
At least poor Peeta can finally learn how to bake “real” bread from Peepaw Pan Pan and crazy old lady Sheaf the Chief.
As for the rabid raccoons and feral squirrels, they’re still the sacred creatures of the Capitol (and all of Panem after Felix Ravinstill became the “regent” President). So by law, it’s illegal to cage, hunt, and/or kill them no matter what they do to you or your family. Moreover, the rabid raccoons are also being protected by the Ravinstill Capitol Act 7070.
However, R.C.A 7070 does not apply to those who officially identify themselves as wannabe “werewolves” (Nero Price and Brandy) because of the ongoing controversial feud between the two groups.
Lastly, as for the Capitol Zoo, it’s now fixed and running like a real “functioning” zoo since Gaius Breen became the head of his family.
And as long as you ignore the ✨Bichon Frisé Puppy Paradise Enclosure✨, it’s totally worth your time and money.😉
