Just a musing of our good old President Snow when he is in his 'jail' in the mansion before he dies. What could he have done to of won this war? He thinks he knows the answer now that it's too late.
Disclaimer: I don't even own a car-what makes you think I own the HG?
"You took the wrong person." the boy claims with pain in his eyes, though I'm not sure if it is from the physical pain or admitting he wasn't the right person. I had told him that he hadn't done many wrongs, that all I was trying to do was break Ms. Everdeen so she would not be useful to the rebellion I was trying so hard to end. I said nothing more to the boy as I walk out of the room and motion for them to being hijacking him.
Perhaps he was right. I think now, months later. I had thought that it was the perfect plan, to make the boy believe that the love of his life was a mutt that was out to get him. I thought that it would break Ms. Everdeen to know that I was torturing him because of her. But perhaps if I had listened to Mr. Mellark then, or had thought about who would have been better to use against Ms. Everdeen in the first place, I wouldn't be here. Here, with shackled ankles and wrists, my jail cell being my own greenhouse in my mansion at Coin's request. Yes, I think the boy may have been right.
My first thought of who would have been a better use to me would evidently be the sister. She was after all, the reason Ms. Everdeen was in the Games in the first place. Part of the reason she became so popular on her own without Mr. Mellark's help. But no, that wouldn't have worked in my favor for too long. The girl is only thirteen, and if I had let a hand be laid on her it would have only fueled the rebellion further. If she had died it would have certainly crushed the Mockingjay, but then the rebels would only have a martyr to fight for. No, the sister was not better than Mr. Mellark.
But there is someone I could have used much to my advantage. Someone that I believed Ms. Everdeen loves almost as much as her sister, if not more. Someone that I had threatened to kill and that was all it took to make her comply with my demands. Someone that she herself stepped in front of a whip for when they were tortured.
Yes, Mr. Mellark was correct-I did in fact take the wrong person to break Ms. Everdeen. I should have taken Mr. Hawthone.
The 'cousin.' The one that I had my suspicions about since star-crossed lovers angle which played out so well to the citizens of the Capitol, but not to me or many others in power here. As soon as I saw the interviews for the final eight, saw his hostile and sullen appearance, not playing quite nice enough for the cameras, I knew. It only assured my suspicions were most likely correct when I saw the video of them kissing in the woods just weeks after the star-crossed lovers went home. I used him against her then, I should have known to get him before he incredulously got away with almost a thousand residents of District 12. I should have known that he was exactly like her, having that same spark, the same rebellious flair that ignited the rebellion in the first place. I should have known.
If I had in fact captured Mr. Hawthorne, I could have not only guaranteed that Ms. Everdeen would be crushed by his death or torture, but I could have done so much more. I could have forced him to admit that the 'cousin' thing was a sham, or if that failed show the video of the two of them kissing in the woods to the country. I could have destroyed the star-crossed lovers angle that was fueling the rebellion, angering the districts because they were lied to for so long by their symbol. And I, being the President, was gracious enough to show them the truth. That Ms. Everdeen was not in fact in love with Mr. Mellark. That they were never married, and she never was pregnant (or had a miscarriage, which I admit was a good explanation on the rebels' part as to why she was in fact not pregnant), and that the whole time she was in love with someone else. That the one she actually loved was the one who was at her side most likely every step of the way, encouraging her and supporting her through the entire rebellion, not just the propos.
I really doubt Ms. Everdeen would have recovered too well if she did not have Mr. Hawthore with her. That she may not have been a helpful Mockingjay at all. And if she didn't have him, then she wouldn't have had her family or his as well, seeing as he's the one who saved them. They would have died in the bombing just like I intended if I had taken Mr. Hawthorne instead.
Yes, Mr. Mellark was right-I had taken the wrong person. And that mistake will cost me my presidency, my country, and assuredly my life.