“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” directed by Francis Lawrence and based on Suzanne Collins’ final book in her “The Hunger Games” series, is a fitting finale to the world of Panem. It satisfyingly completes the arc of Katniss Everdeen’s life, played superbly by Jennifer Lawrence. “Mockingjay – Part 2” showcases the final war of Panem and Katniss’ role in building a new world. In a true “Hunger Games” style, the concluding part of the film series has Katniss perpetually wondering about the identity of the real enemy in this world. It also provides a moving conclusion for the love between Katniss and Peeta.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) had to endure seeing the sweet boy she loved turn into a hateful rabid puppet for the Capitol by the end of Part 1. Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) was brainwashed, via tracker jacker envenomation and torture, into thinking Katniss was the person who ruined his life. Now, despite efforts from District 13 doctors, Peeta continues to relapse, especially when inflicted with the presence of Katniss. Katniss considers the possibility that Peeta might never recover and will always hate her – the perfect revenge from President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
This, however, makes Katniss even more determined to kill President Snow. She asks Rebellion’s President, Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), to send her to the Capitol to assassinate President Snow. Coin tells her that until District 2 is captured by the rebel party, she will not sanction any plan to invade the Capitol. But Katniss tries to sneak into the Capitol anyway and boards a helicopter to the Capitol. She is greeted and welcomed by Colonel Boggs’ (Mahershala Ali) squad, which includes Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Finnick (Sam Claflin). Peeta is also sent to join that squad, even though he has not fully recovered from his brainwashing.
Also, Read: The Hunger Games (2012) Movie Ending Explained: Are Katniss and Peeta in Danger Now?
President Snow, who has anticipated the eventual invasion into the Capitol, has his Gamemakers prepare the entire Capitol as the arena of the next “Hunger Games.” Just like the tributes who had to survive the Games, Boggs’ squad is met with a multitude of life-ending obstacles. One such ‘pod’ kills some of the members of the squad, including Boggs. Before dying, Boggs gives the Hologram Pod Detector machine to Katniss, warning her about President Coin’s ulterior motives.
The mission to reach President Snow’s inner circle continues to be treacherous for the Squad, with each turn taking lives. In addition to the ‘Pods,’ there are ‘Mutts.’ Snow’s genetically mutated humanoid creatures are like zombies but much faster. One such Mutts-infested attack takes Finnick’s life. Katniss uses the self-destruction mechanism in the Hologram machine to detonate an explosion that kills the Mutts. The remaining surviving members, including Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, take shelter in the house of one of the Capitol’s stylists.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Movie Ending Explained:
Who Bombed the Children? What Happened to Gale?
The Squad learns that Snow has invited the Capitol’s citizens to his mansion, primarily to protect himself from the Rebel attacks, as the innocent citizens (including Children) would form the perfect human shield for him. Gale and Katniss, under disguise, join the march of the citizens. Hoping to infiltrate into the mansion so that Katniss could kill Snow.
However, the rebel forces attack the mansion gate, and the battle between the rebels and Snow’s peacekeepers ensues. Gale gets taken by some of the peacekeepers. Before Katniss can do anything, a plane appears with the Capitol sigil on it. It drops parachutes with gifts, the kind of gifts that Hunger Games participants used to receive from their sponsors. However, this time those start to explode as they are bombs. These kill and injure helpless citizens by the mansion gate. Including children.
How Did Prim Die?
Katniss’ young sister, Primrose (Willow Shields) is shown joining the Rebel Party’s medic team. Prim was present during the battle by the mansion gates, tending the wounded on the rebel side. However, the bomb explosion and the attack on Capitol’s children shocked the rebel medics that they rushed to tend them as well. As the parachuted bombs continued to drop from the same plane, another set of explosions was only a matter of time. As the explosions knock Katniss down, she watches Prim tending Capitol children before the next explosion kills her.
Did President Snow Lie?
The unconscious Katniss wakes up inside the Capitol mansion. She is informed by Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) that the Rebel forces have been victorious. The bombing of the children by President Snow ensured that every single peacekeeper also turned against him. So, he is now a prisoner, waiting to be executed. Katniss goes to meet Snow. Snow expresses his condolences at the death of Prim. An enraged Katniss blames him.
However, surprisingly, Snow admits that although he has proven to be not ‘above killing children,’ he is not wasteful. He was, in fact, about to surrender before the bombings happened. So killing Capitol citizens was totally unnecessary for him. Snow continues with a smile while enjoying Katniss’s confusion. He tells her that it was a masterful plan from Rebel President Coin. Killing Capitol children while using Snow’s plane is the plan of Coin, who has previously shown that she could be equally ruthless in order to seize control.
What was Gale’s Role in the Bombing?
Katniss does not believe Snow immediately, but Snow reminds her that they have a pact not to lie to each other. Katniss’ doubt gets confirmed when she meets Gale next time. Gale (especially in the books) has mentioned designing a weapon that would detonate two times, with the first explosion drawing helpful people inside. This was too cold-blooded for Katniss but she remembers the conversation.
There is no doubt Gale would never intentionally kill Prim. But, he shared the similar ruthless feeling that President Coin had. And Coin would not bat her eye before sacrificing children’s lives as collateral. The mechanism of the bombing weapon, and Snow’s pragmatic admission of not killing his own citizens when it does not benefit him, start to make sense to Katniss. In addition, Gale avoided meeting Katniss while she was recuperating.
So, when Katniss asks Gale frankly about the bombing and whether it was his design, he admits to knowing nothing. This seems to be true. Gale would not intentionally harm Prim, but his plan might have been carried out by Coin without him knowing the finer details. Gale’s reluctant acceptance means that Snow was not lying to Katniss.
Why Did Katniss Kill President Coin?
“The Hunger Games” always has Katniss Everdeen asking herself one single question over and over. “Who is the real enemy?” During her first outing, it seemed that District 1’s Tributes were her real enemy, and she made alliances with others. As the story goes on, Katniss becomes sure that President Snow is the real enemy. And he continued to be so until the very last moment. However, things change at the very end as Katniss gets a different answer to her question.
After dismissing Gale, when Katniss meets Coin, along with other surviving Tributes, she learns that Coin plans to remain as the ‘Interim President.’ Coin does not provide any concrete timeline for when she plans to fulfill presidential duties and when the democratic voting will be held. President Coin also announces, to the shock of everyone in the room, that she plans to organize an edition of “Hunger Games” with the Capitol’s children.
This seals President Coin’s fate in Katniss’ eyes. She remembers Snow telling her that Coin intends to take his place. It is not just taking the Presidential position, but Coin becomes exactly like Snow. At that moment, Coin becomes the bigger enemy for the united Panem than the defeated ex-president. So, Katniss agrees to Coin’s plan of having Hunger Games one more time on the condition that she gets to execute Snow. So, when the day comes, Katniss aims her arrow toward a tied Snow but shoots it in the direction of President Coin, who is standing on the royal platform.
Are Katniss and Peeta Together? What Is Next for Panem?
After Katniss shoots Coin, she tries to take a nightlock pill to kill herself, but Peeta stops her. The angry mob lynches Snow, meanwhile. The arrested Katniss is visited by Haymitch, who informs that Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the primary advisor of the rebellion, will find a way to get her pardoned. In fact, in his letter, Plutarch more or less admits his support for her action. He says that Commander Paylor (Patina Miller), one of the better leaders from the rebellion, would ensure a free election immediately. Plutarch is also arranging transport to District 12 for Katniss.
Back in the deserted District 12, Katniss is faced with a life without Prim. A life she struggles to live, but soon she is joined by Peeta. Throughout her journey, Katniss has felt love for both Peeta and Gale. Gale’s involvement in Prim’s death means the clear end of that chapter. Peeta, who saved Katniss from killing herself, proves that he has completely overcome his brainwashing effect. The transformation from wanting to kill Katniss to saving her has been traumatic for both him and Katniss.
An epilogue scene shows that years have passed. Katniss and Peeta are now happily married and with two children. Gale lives in District 2 and Katniss’ mother helps build a hospital in District 4. Katniss promises her newborn that she will tell her all about the Hunger Games story one day.
Read More: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) Movie Ending Explained – Why Did Peeta Try to Kill Katniss?
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Trailer
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia
Cast of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Movie: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) Movie Genre: Sci-fi/Action, Runtime: 2h 17m
