The first time I read Mockingjay, I was probably about 12 and had only really read either middle grade fantasy or other YA dystopia books, and even though I was a voracious reader, because I’d always been reading Chosen One novels, I had no way to contextualize that this series was different.
The ending where Katniss gets into the president’s mansion and kills Snow was my EXPECTATION. It completely fried my brain when she didn’t make it and instead Prim died and Katniss had her mental break. I fully did not understand what was going on, or why it was more realistic and more powerful that Katniss WASN’T the one to storm in and kill Snow. My understanding, from other books, was that Katniss was always in control. She was the Mockingjay after all, so how could she not be? District 13 was Katniss’ ally, Coin was the GOOD GUY (until the Prim thing).
Then, re-reading as an adult, all of this HORRIFIED me. Katniss’ desperation, the way that 13 stood by for 75+ years while the other districts suffered, Coin using Katniss and the propaganda throughout.
The whole point is that Katniss is NOT a Chosen One.
Her status as accidental symbol of the rebellion comes with power, but in order to use that power, she must submit to being controlled, ultimately losing many of the things most important to her. AND SHE DOES, because she doesn’t want the power just for herself. Isn’t the biggest reason she agrees to be the Mockingjay to defeat Snow and free the districts?
And then it happens AGAIN in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes except SNOW actually DOES think he’s in a Chosen One novel.
In direct contrast to Katniss, he sees HIMSELF as the Chosen One. So of COURSE Tigris stays up all night to help him. Of COURSE Gaul singles him out among his classmates. Of COURSE Lucy Gray is able to win (ONLY with his help, of COURSE). Of COURSE he isn’t going to spend his whole life as a Peacekeeper, he’s Too Special. He’s Going to Be President Some Day.
And this, this self-obsession, especially combined with his ambition, and the expectation that those around him can and SHOULD be manipulated (because they are lesser-than in Snow’s eyes) is what lets him rise to power as a fascist dictator.
Not only does Collins divert the Chosen One trope with Katniss, she also shows us the danger in characters who believe they are the Chosen One and behave that way to those around them.
