Dear diary, I have good news and bad news. I finally emerged from my Onyx Storm reading slump thanks to Sunrise on the Reaping. Bad news is, I’m right back where I started. I don’t know how a book whose ending WE’VE KNOWN AS A FANDOM FOR 15 YEARS managed to shatter my soul and alter my brain chemistry, but here we are. I can’t stop thinking about this book, especially everything it revealed about the Hunger Games universe.
Apparently, I’m not alone in my obsession with Suzanne Collins’s worldbuilding. So in this post, we’re diving into the ending of Sunrise on the Reaping, the epilogue, all the hidden easter eggs, and what these new revelations mean for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the original Hunger Games trilogy.
⚠️ This post contains spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and the entire original Hunger Games trilogy. Proceed with caution, tributes.
If you’re just looking for a summary of Sunrise on the Reaping, you can find that right here. If you’re looking for character guide for Sunrise on the Reaping, you can find that here.
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Who is your favorite Sunrise on the Reaping character?
Who is your favorite Sunrise on the Reaping character?
Haymitch Wasn’t Reaped by Chance
We knew the end result of Haymitch’s Hunger Games (he used the force field to kill his last opponent with an axe, and his family was murdered as a result of him making the Capitol look like a fool). But we never knew how he got there—until Sunrise on the Reaping gave us the missing piece.
Haymitch wasn’t reaped on Reaping Day (which, by the way, is apparently the 4th of July—what the heck). Instead, Haymitch intervened on behalf of Lenore Dove, his girlfriend, after the originally reaped tribute ran and was killed. Lenore had been trying to give the tribute’s family a chance to say goodbye before the Peacekeepers took his body.
After Haymitch stepped in, Drusilla (Effie 1.0, and a much inferior model if you ask me) punishes him by reaping him on the spot. Haymitch was simply trying to protect the person he loved—and paid the price.
Just like Katniss.
Both Haymitch and Katniss are willing to throw themselves into danger for the people they care about, no matter the consequences. Haymitch has called Katniss a spitting image of himself multiple times—we just didn’t realize how true that really was.
But beyond that character parallel, this scene quietly breathes new life into an old fan theory: the Rigged Reaping Theory from Catching Fire.
If you haven’t heard of it, drop a comment and I’ll go full conspiracy board in a follow-up post. But in short: fans have speculated that the tributes reaped for the 75th Hunger Games (the third Quarter Quell) were specifically chosen—not randomly selected.
President Snow holds a grudge like no other, and the Capitol follows suit. We already have that iconic line in the films: “I want them all dead.” But look closer at the arena from Catching Fire: the wedges of the clock arena seem tailor-made to torment specific tributes.
Mags. Beetee. Wiress. Haymitch. Every single one of them crossed the Capitol in some way, and now, thanks to Sunrise on the Reaping, we know exactly how much Haymitch pissed them off.
So what if the Quarter Quell wasn’t just about symbolism or spectacle? What if it was revenge?
Katniss’s Parents and Haymitch
We FINALLY know the names of Papa and Mama Everdeen: Burdock and Asterid Everdeen are Katniss and Primrose’s parents.
But it’s not just a name drop—Burdock was Haymitch’s best friend (And Katniss never knew that😭). He’s the one who takes Haymitch to visit Lenore Dove’s grave, and Asterid is the one who first gives him the nickname we know all too well: “I don’t much like to drink” Abernathy.
“Drink this, Haymitch.” She presses a small bottle to my lips. “Drink until I say when.”
—Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 26
I wonder if she knew how literally Haymitch would take that. I wonder if Asterid could’ve guessed that Haymitch wouldn’t say “when” until Katniss started the revolution.
And before we move on to the next theory, let’s not forget: we still don’t know how Burdock died. There’s no clear answer in the text—but it might not be a stretch to imagine that President Snow became aware of Haymitch and Burdock’s friendship… and staged an “accident.”
By the way, Burdock is an herb that is known to protect those with ailments, particularly used against liver toxicity. So… yeah.
Lenore Dove, Lucy Gray, and Katniss Everdeen’s Family Ties
Okay, buckle up—this one’s a doozy. I will be creating a full-fledged Covey family tree the first chance I get, but for now, we need to break this down because Collins dropped some MAJOR lineage lore in Sunrise on the Reaping.
First things first: Lenore Dove’s mother is NOT Lucy Gray Baird. It’s Maude Ivory Baird—Lucy’s cousin and fellow Covey musician. We’re still intentionally left in the dark about Lucy’s fate (did she die in the woods? Escape and live free?), but we do learn that Lenore’s mother died in childbirth. So while Lucy’s story remains a mystery, Maude Ivory’s ends here.
Now, here’s where it gets juicy.
We know Lenore isn’t biologically related to Burdock Everdeen, but at the very end of the book, when Haymitch visits Lenore’s grave, he sees two graves beside hers—Maude Ivory Baird and Lucy Gray Baird.
Then we get the big bombshell: Burdock Everdeen is a Covey. His mother is one of the three Covey girls from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. But Haymitch clarifies: Burdock’s mom is NOT the same person as Lenore’s mom. That leaves us with this conclusion:
👉 Lenore is Maude Ivory’s daughter.
👉 Burdock is the son of one of the other Covey girls—specifically Barb Azure Baird.
👉 Which means…
Katniss Everdeen’s paternal grandmother is Barb Azure Baird, making Katniss a descendant of the Covey.
So yes—Katniss is related (at least distantly) to Lucy Gray and Maude Ivory. She’s literally carrying the legacy of the Covey, of rebellion, of music and survival. That “Songbird” blood runs in her veins—and suddenly the Mockingjay symbolism hits even harder.
The Mockingjay Pin Origin Story
WE FINALLY get the backstory of the Mockingjay pin—the one Katniss wears, the one that becomes the symbol of a revolution.
We already knew from the original trilogy that the pin originally belonged to Maysilee Donner, but in Sunrise on the Reaping, we learn where it truly came from: it was crafted by Tam Amber, a member of the Covey.
Yes. The Mockingjay pin was made by Katniss’s ancestors.
When you think about it, it’s kind of perfect—something handcrafted by her people, her legacy, found its way back to her. And she wore it not just as a token of Maysilee, but as a symbol of every woman who refused to let the Capitol dictate how her story ends.
(I love Maysilee like all fire, by the way.)
Luella, Katniss, and “Sweetheart” 😭
I can’t even write this part without tearing up. You know how Haymitch calls Katniss “sweetheart” all the time throughout the trilogy? At first, it seems sarcastic, biting, classic Haymitch. But in Sunrise on the Reaping, we finally learn he’s said it before. To someone else.
Luella.
Haymitch’s first sweetheart. The girl with two braids, just like Katniss. The girl who made him soft. The girl who saw who he really was.
And suddenly, that nickname? It’s not just a snarky jab. It’s grief. It’s memory. It’s the echo of someone he lost.
Katniss reminds Haymitch of Luella. And I just… I can’t.
President Snow Knew Haymitch Wouldn’t Want to Live
There’s a moment early on in Sunrise on the Reaping where President Snow assassinates the parade coordinator—punishment for messing up the tribute chariot procession. But he doesn’t do it loudly. He uses poison. And then, like it’s routine, he calmly asks for bread and milk to help absorb it.
Later, after Haymitch wins the Games and heals from his injuries, he spends weeks in the tribute apartments eating nothing but bread and milk.
And then, back in District 12, Lenore Dove eats the poisoned gumdrop. Haymitch, in a moment of complete desperation, kisses her—trying to die with her. But he can’t.
Because President Snow had been feeding him the antidote the entire time.
Haymitch doesn’t get to choose when he dies. Snow makes sure of it. He knows that taking away Haymitch’s agency—his ability to even die on his own terms—is the cruelest punishment of all.
We Finally Learn How Effie Trinket Became District 12’s Escort
I’ve been an Effie stan ever since she screamed “That is mahogany!” after Katniss stabbed a Capitol table—but this book? It only solidified my love for her.
In Sunrise on the Reaping, we finally get the hilarious, chaotic, and weirdly heartwarming story of how Effie Trinket became connected to District 12.
Here’s what happens: District 12’s stylist literally licks a toad (no, seriously) and gets so high he can’t function. One of their student stylists nearly breaks down, overwhelmed by the disaster.
And who should come sauntering in to save the day? Effie.
Effie Trinket swoops in with old clothes from their aunt and uncle’s collection, keeps everything on schedule, and somehow pulls the whole look together. After that moment, she becomes attached to District 12—and never really lets go.
It’s messy. It’s iconic. It’s Effie.
It also shines such a bright light on Effie and Haymitch’s relationship.
Wiress’s Mental Decline Begins in Sunrise of the Reaping
Beetee and Wiress are fan favorites from Catching Fire. In that book, Wiress seems a little… out of it. Distracted. Fragile. But in Sunrise on the Reaping, we start to understand where that decline began.
Wiress and Mags are assigned as District 12’s mentors, and we find out that Wiress actually understood the arena better than the Gamemakers themselves. She hid in a blind spot—a place the Gamemakers couldn’t monitor—and won by waiting everyone else out.
I can’t imagine Snow was happy about any of that. First, Wiress outsmarts the Gamemakers. Then, she helps Beetee coordinate with Haymitch to break the arena.
After the Games, we see that Wiress is tortured and abused by the Capitol.
It’s likely she never knew a moment of peace after her victory. From the moment she won, they were already breaking her down—because she made them look stupid, and the Capitol doesn’t forgive that.
Plutarch Has Been Rebelling in Plain Sight
Don’t get me wrong—they’ve all been amazing in this book—but nobody plays the long game like Plutarch Heavensbee.
Starting out as a camera crewman in District 12, Plutarch is an incredibly wealthy Capitol citizen who somehow manages to slip under the radar. From there, he begins slowly climbing the ranks, placing himself closer and closer to President Snow, ingratiating himself just enough to stay useful—but never threatening.
And then, the year Plutarch becomes Head Gamemaker?
They finally break the arena.
They finally start the rebellion.
This man has been quietly putting the pieces in place for nearly two decades.
Head Gamemaker, indeed.
Katniss and Peeta Are Literally Soulmates
If you needed any more proof that Katniss and Peeta were always meant to be, here it is—the final, quiet thread that ties everything together:
“Out of the corner of my eye, I see almost everybody around me follow suit, but Otho Mellark, a big lug of a guy whose folks own the bakery, seems bewildered. His meaty hands dangle loosely at his sides and his feet shuffle back and forth, and then I notice his blond hair’s splattered with someone’s blood. Burdock punches him hard in the back of his knee and it’s enough to get him down on the ground and out of the line of fire.”
—Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 2
Katniss’s dad literally saved Peeta’s dad’s life.
If that’s not an invisible string, I don’t know what is.
Everything We Learned in The Epilogue
The epilogue is heart wrenching and does an amazing job tying everything back up to the original trilogy. I was dying at the beginning of this book for us to get Haymitch’s POV of seeing Katniss for the first time.
Here’s everything we learned in the Sunrise of the Reaping Epilogue:
- Haymitch has never gotten over Lenore. Like Lenore’s geese they mated her life. Haymitch was haunted by Lenore’s ghost for the rest of his life. He even mentions Lenore aged with him. He does feel like he fulfilled his promise to her, but also knows Lenore wants him to take care of his family, Katniss and Peeta.
- Haymitch saw Katniss for the first time when Burdock took him around as a baby. Katniss reminded her of Louella McCoy — his sweetheart.
- Haymitch was insistent of closing his heart to the others, mostly because President Snow takes everyone he loves away from him but couldn’t resist Katniss and Peeta.
- He wanted to remain secluded and alone after the war, but he had to tell everyone about Burdock, his friend who never gave up on him. About Maysilee who owned the Mockingjay pin. About his brother Sid.
- After Haymitch told them about everyone he lost, Katniss brought him a batch of goose eggs, so he can hatch it.
- Haymitch knows Katniss and him are exactly like each other, except Katniss is luckier.
- He knows his liver is wrecked from years and years of abuse, and is at peace for when his time comes. He did stop the sun from rising. He is just waiting for his time at the end, knowing Lenore is waiting on the other side.
Now let’s put it all together, based on the lore sprinkled throughout the book and the epilogue.
Lucy Gray and Lenore Dove—Covey girls—were victims of the Capitol.
Tam Amber, a Covey uncle, made the Mockingjay pin that Katniss wore.
Katniss is a Covey girl.
Beetee had a son—and he’s been trying to rebel against the Capitol this entire time. He lost his son because of that.
Mags and Wiress were Haymitch’s mentors.
And who did Katniss ask for as allies in Catching Fire? Beetee. Wiress. Mags.
Haymitch knew from the beginning he wasn’t going to make it.
He thought, “Someday, someone with fire will come along and show you what it’s like.”
And then Katniss, the girl on fire, came along.
These people have been rebelling against the Capitol, biding their time for as long as they could—waiting for the right tribute to arrive.
If that’s not an epically written chosen one arc, I don’t know what is.
Just like day one—15 years later—The Hunger Games is still my Roman Empire.
I’ve been meaning to reread the original trilogy for a while now, so I’m sure I’ll be adding more as I go. Every time I revisit these books, something new jumps out.
Did you catch any Easter eggs I missed? Drop them in the comments—I want to hear all your theories!
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Can’t get enough of Sunrise on the Reaping? The first teaser for Sunrise on the Reaping movie is out today! In theathers November 20, 2026.
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