History Characters / TheHungerGamesFilmCapitol

* PunchClockVillain: Unlike his boss, the tyrannical President Snow, he's not sadistic or excessively cruel, and even gives Katniss a top score after she fires an arrow at him because 'she deserved it' (though the top score does also paint a target on Katniss' back). He's really little more than a callous opportunist looking to advance his career even if it means sending children to their death.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Snow in the books is described as having a much more sinister appearance, with serpent-like eyes and a sore-ridden mouth with stretched lips that went ear-to-ear, similar to a snake as a result of poisoning himself for years to deflect suspicion. None of these deformities are seen in the film. His book counterpart was also insecure about his comparatively shorter stature while here, he stands at 6'4, making him one of the tallest characters.

** In the books, President Snow is a complete sociopath who has no regard for anyone. The film version, while still incredibly heinous, at least seems to likely care about his granddaughter. He also comes off this way in ''Ballad'' since the film is not told from his direct POV. He seems more conflicted about the bad things he does, and his manipulations aren't as clear because we don't hear his arrogant and often frankly insane thoughts. His relationship with Lucy Gray is also more sympathetic than in the book. In the book, he's very possessive and sees her more as an object to control than a person. He also seems himself as superior to her because he's from the Capitol and she's from the districts which he rationalizes to himself as being okay because she's not really from the districts and just got trapped there. The book also leans more heavily on the fact that he liked her more than she liked him and that she was leading him on, at least to a certain extent, to get her through the games. However, in the movie their relationship is portrayed as more mutual.

* LargeAndInCharge: Being played by 6'4" Donald Sutherland will do that to a character. Funnily enough, Snow in the books was rather insecure about not being taller.

--> '''Snow''': We both know I'm not above killing children, but I'm not wasteful. I take life for specific reasons, and there was no reason for me to [[spoiler:destroy a pen full of Capital children]]. None at all.

** [[spoiler: While on his ProtagonistJourneyToVillain, he angrily warns Sejanus that aiding the disaffected members of the District is a bad idea; while Sejanus' wealth can likely bribe him out of trouble, Coriolanus will be hung for association with a rebellion. He also mentions that disaffected rebels should not be trusted; he is proven right as they have guns which Sejanus did not expect.]]

** While Plutarch indirectly through Paylor made the arrangements for Katniss to see him, Snow also while he still tells [[spoiler:Katniss that Coin was the one who got Prim killed]] does not really have it subtly confirmed by Plutarch shortly after—and thus, Snow's motivation to still make sure he's telling Katniss the truth is more palpable as a result—[[spoiler:as well as also indicate that Coin as a ruler would be no different than him—and arguably worse too since he makes it a point to say that "[he's] not wasteful"]].

* BatmanGambit: Correctly guesses that the timing of when Katniss contacts him over video chat that she's invoking ConvenientlyTimedDistraction to keep her talking while she thinks ''she's'' keeping him talking. That's when he springs on her that he knows that the rescue team is in the Tributes Center. This also proves a double blind as he also intended [[spoiler:the Tributes be rescued so the hijacked Peeta would try to kill Katniss on site too]].

** His not being surprised when Katniss sneaks away to go to battle--when she ''actually trained'' in the book first in order to be granted permission to go to battle--is one of the first indications that [[spoiler:he's defiant about Coin being the right choice to lead Panem once Snow is deposed]].

** While he does have [[spoiler:Paylor arrange for Katniss to see Snow and knows that Snow will tell her Coin ordered the Capitol bombings that killed Prim instead]], Plutarch [[spoiler:not confirming it himself directly here does mean he relies more on Katniss just taking Snow's word for it as a result--though in the end, she rejects Coin--by executing her--just like Plutarch hoped she would]].

** While Plutarch indirectly made the arrangements for Katniss to see him, Snow also while he still tells [[spoiler:Katniss that Coin was the one who got Prim killed]] does not really have it subtly confirmed by Plutarch shortly after—and thus, Snow's motivation to still make sure he's telling Katniss the truth is more palpable as a result.

** Plutarch also did things like arranged Effie Trinket be pulled from the Capitol to work with Katniss again—and later knew Katniss would sneak away to go to battle too since she didn't train for it like she did in the book. Also, while not doing it himself here, arranged for [[spoiler:Paylor to have Katniss be allowed to see Snow since he'd figure Snow would outright tell her that Coin set off the bombs that killed Prim and also made it a point to day that Paylor was "the voice of the people" in his letter and therefore, not simply his choice as to who should rule either.]]

** While he does have [[spoiler:Paylor arrange for Katniss to see Snow and knows that Snow will tell her Coin ordered toe Capitol bombings instead]], Plutarch [[spoiler:not confirming it himself directly here does mean he relies more on Katniss just taking Snow's word for it as a result--though in the end, she rejects Coin--by executing her--just like Plutarch hoped she would]].

** Plutarch also did things like arranged Effie Trinket be pulled from the Capitol to work with Katniss again—and later knew Katniss would sneak away to go to battle too since she didn't train for it like she did in the book. Also, while not doing it himself here, arranged for [[spoiler:Paylor to have Katniss be allowed to see Snow since he'd figure Snow would outright tell her that Coin set off the bombs that killed Prim and also made it a point to day that Paylor was "the voice of the people" in his letter and therefore, not simply his choice as to who should rule either.]]
* AdaptationalJerkass: With his watch in the book [[spoiler:that flashed both a clock--the setting of the arena--and ]a Mockingjay] not being present, it means [[spoiler:he makes little to no effort to let Katniss know he's actually on her side--and it as a result makes the reveal of him having been in league with the rebellion the whole time more hidden in subterfuge as a result]].

* LikeFatherLikeSon: His ancestor Hilarius was Mentor to Wovey, the District 8 Tribute during the 10th Games--and vigorously so (aspects are present in the film even though most of it's adapted out), proving that both the passion and drive to fight for and champion the underdog always ran in his family.

* UsedToBeASweetKid: Sweet, might not be the right word, but he was one of the few students during the 10th Hunger Games to treat the Tributes with compassion, and see them as people. The two-faced nature of the Capital [[spoiler:and Lucy Gray's "betrayal"]] changes him.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Snow in the books is described as having a much more sinister appearance, with serpent-like eyes and a sore-ridden mouth with stretched lips that went ear-to-ear, similar to a snake as a result of poisoning himself for years to deflect suspicion. None of these deformities are seen in the film.

* BatmanGambit: Correctly guesses that the timing of when Katniss contacts him over video chat that she's invoking ConvenientlyTimedDistraction to keep her talking while she thinks ''she's'' keeping him talking. That's when he springs on her that he knows that that

* TheChessmaster: It's best demonstrated by his line about "moves and countermoves". He's a much savvier and more intelligent Gamemaker than Seneca Crane ever was. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it's revealed that he's an even more skilled Chessmaster than he initially appeared. Heavensbee manages to play the entire Capitol audience, Katniss, the Victors and notoriously shrewd President Snow himself to save Katniss and start the revolution in earnest.]] And finally, he also knew of [[spoiler:Coin]]'s true colors and was fully expecting Katniss to [[spoiler:kill her]], as he's openly smirking after [[spoiler:her death.]] Thus with [[spoiler:Snow and Coin both out of the way]], he's free to move on to advising [[spoiler:their successor]] unopposed. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] at the end:

* LikeFatherLikeSon: His ancestor Hilarius was Mentor to Wovey, the District 8 Tribute during the 10th Games--and vigorously so, proving that both the passion and drive to fight for and champion the underdog always ran in his family.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the books, President Snow is a complete sociopath who has no regard for anyone. The film version, while still incredibly heinous, at least seems to care about his granddaughter. He also comes off this way in ''Ballad'' since the film is not told from his direct POV. He seems more conflicted about the bad things he does, and his manipulations aren't as clear because we don't hear his arrogant and often frankly insane thoughts. His relationship with Lucy Gray is also more sympathetic than in the book. In the book, he's very possessive and sees her more as an object to control than a person. He also seems himself as superior to her because he's from the Capitol and she's from the districts which he rationalizes to himself as being okay because she's not really from the districts and just got trapped there. The book also leans more heavily on the fact that he liked her more than she liked him and that she was leading him on, at least to a certain extent, to get her through the games. However, in the movie their relationship is portrayed as more mutual.

* AdaptationalHeroism: PlayedWith. [[spoiler: In ''Mockingjay'', Snow suggests to Katniss that Plutarch may have had a hand in the parachute bombs that killed Prim. However, it's never confirmed whether or not Snow was correct in this assessment since Katniss only seems to hold Coin responsible for what happened and not Plutarch, which makes it an AmbiguousSituation.]] In the movies, [[spoiler: Snow claims it was only Coin who was responsible for the parachute bombs. Later on, there's a scene where Plutarch smiles after Katniss kills Coin, which suggests he became aware of what Coin did and approved of Katniss's assassination of her because he recognized Coin would be a tyrant no different than Snow.]]