🐚🍓🌼Mary 🌺🦋🪸

Elle Kennedy just announced her next book will be AJ and Ivy and I’m literally SO BEYOND EXCITED!!!

We don’t know the trope yet, but my two theories (these are pretty common theories from what I’ve seen but still) are that either she’ll give him private ballet lessons bc it would help his core strength for hockey. Or that, because Ivy is known to be all sweet and innocent, she’ll go to Aj for ‘lessons’ (if you know what I mean 😉) because she trusts him, and I think TRUST is key here, because he’ll only agree to it to get back at Beau, and when Ivy finds out she’ll be crushed :( I could also see both theories be combined where she gives him ballet lessons in exchange for, well, the other lessons.

I really hope we get a callback to ‘The Score’ where something upsets Ivy and she asks for Aj even though no one knows they’re dating and Stella or beau or someone is like “Aj? Aj Connelly?” Iykyk

I also want a risk callback where Aj professes his love similar to how Jake did so.

Basing this solely off of Cook Islands/season 13, as Micronesia and all of Ozzy's subsequent seasons would have happened too late (Micronesia was 2008 so not technically too late but I haven't re-watched that season yet).

For name comparison, Oscar (Ozzy's full name) means "God's spear" in old English, which is very similar to a trident in a sense, so I think if Suzanne researched Ozzy's name or anything it could have inspired Finnick's signature weapon. Lusth means lust, which is a bit of a stretch when comparing to Finnick but not entirely so.

Ozzy was a menace in the water. He was the ultimate provider, with his spear fishing. Not to mention he was such a good swimmer he would lap everyone in the challenges and just dominate. Finnick was a very dominating force in his games, so I feel like Survivor's dolphin boy could have easily inspired the Sex God of Panem.

Bonus, but I think Parvati also inspired Finnick's Capitol personality. Her flirtatious nature was indeed a second nature to her, but she mentions all the time in Cook Islands and later seasons that it's strategy for her. I think Parvati and Ozzy's antics in the hot tub definitely could have inspired Suzanne when she was conjuring up Finnick. Parvati could have also easily been Inspo for Gloss and/or Cashmere. Time will tell. I really want one of their books but I don't think we'll get them. I think (and hope) Annie's Games will be next if we ever get another book.

Circling back, even though I haven't rewatched Micronesia lately, I have seen it before, and it was a Fans v. Favorites season, and Ozzy was a favorite, in the same way Finnick was a Capitol darling. Ozzy also had a showmance with Amanda that season, and it's a bit of a stretch but that showmance could have inspired/reinforced all the Capitol showmances Finnick was forced to put on.

So to recap, I think Ozzy's fishing/water/challenge prowess, and his and Parvati's flirtatious personality are what the character Finnick Odair was based on.

So, I feel like it's fairly common knowledge that The Hunger Games was inspired by Survivor, and as a fan of both, I was rewatching an old survivor season, and realized Johanna was probably based on Jerri. Here's the evidence I've gathered so far.

Firstly, they have the same initials: JM. Johanna Mason and Jerri Manthey.

Secondly, they have very similar headstrong, tough, and unapologetic personalities. I think about Johanna's attitude in her 75th interview, and Jerri's attitude in the season 8 after show. Both sort of shouting at the camera/host because that's the only way to get their point across.

Thirdly, they're both sort of seen as misunderstood 'villains.' Jerri was on the Villain's tribe her third time playing the game, but name one villainous thing she's done? The only thing that comes to my mind is when she complained about rice being poorly cooked in season 2. Everyone thought it, but she's the only one who said anything, and that made her a villain. Johanna, too is seen as villainous for pretending to be weak and then being a ruthless killer, but she was really just doing what she had to survive. Neither were true villains.