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This Villain was Headlined on June, 2012. |
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This villain was proposed but was rejected by the community for not being heinous enough or lacks what is necessary to be a Pure Evil villain. Therefore, this villain shall be added to our "Never Again List", where proposed villains rejected by the community shall be placed to prevent future proposals of the same evil-doer. They can be proposed again (with the permission of an administrator) if new elements appear in their series that can change their status as non-PE villains. Any act of adding this villain to the Pure Evil category without a proposal or creating a proposal for this villain without the permission of an administrator will result in a ban. |
“ | Miss Everdeen. It's the things we love most that destroy us. | „ |
~ President Snow's most famous quote. |
“ | Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. | „ |
~ Another famous quote from President Snow. |
“ | These things happen in war. | „ |
~ President Snow explains to Katniss how President Coin was responsible for Prim's death, not himself. |
President Coriolanus Snow is the main antagonist of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy. He is the tyrannical President of Panem (North America after the apocalypse).
He appeared as the overarching antagonist of The Hunger Games, the main antagonist of Catching Fire and the central antagonist of both Mockingjay Part 1 and Mockingjay Part 2 as his role within Mockingjay was surpassed by the story's main antagonist. He also appears as the protagonist of the prequel novel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes.
In the film tetralogy, he was portrayed by Donald Sutherland, who also played President Stone in Astro Boy and Donald McClintock in Outbreak. In the prequel film, he will be portrayed by Tom Blyth in his first villainous role.
Biography
In the Novels
A native of the Capitol, Coriolanus Snow is mentioned to have been the President of Panem for at least 25 years, and is shown to have absolute, unlimited power. He is in charge of organizing the annual Hunger Games and heading the military responsible for oppressing the districts. Snow is revealed to have been heavily influenced by the nihilistic and misanthropic ideologies of Dr. Gaul. He has now qualms about hurting or killing those he perceives as threats to his power, and is mentioned to have used poison on his political opponents.
Following the victory of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the 74th Hunger Games, he personally congratulates both tributes, placing crowns on their head. However, he is clearly shown to be displeased at their actions, and months later, he personally visits Katniss Everdeen at her home in District 12, threatening to kill her family and friends unless she convinces the nation of Panem (as well as Snow himself) that their actions in the Games were just a sign of romantic infatuation and not a sign of rebellion. Later on, he reveals to her that she failed at doing so, meaning that some or all of his threats will come true.
Snow is next seen announcing the 75th Hunger Games, or the Third Quarter Quell. In hopes of stopping the rebellion, he announces that tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors, which of course, includes Katniss Everdeen. However, unbeknownst to him, Plutarch Heavensbee (the Head Gamemaker), was actually an undercover rebel, and uses his position to help ignite the Second Rebellion. Following the destruction of the arena, District 13 rescues some of the tributes, including Katniss Everdeen and Finnick Odair, and the entire nation breaks out into full-scale rebellion.
Death
After months of warfare between the rebels (led and supported by District 13) and the Capitol, the rebels succeed in taking control of all twelve administrative districts and the Capitol itself. Snow is captured, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. As the Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen is given the opportunity to publicly execute Snow. However, before his execution, she meets up with Snow for the last time in his rose garden, who explains to her that President Alma Coin was responsible for the bombing of Capitol children that killed Primrose, Everdeen's younger sister. Such a move would allow her to take power quickly and swiftly, eliminating all opposition.
To avenge her sister, Everdeen assassinates President Coin at Snow's public execution. Following this, a crowd of angry citizens lynch Snow, and his body is eventually discovered. He is presumably cremated after his death.
In the Film Adaptations

Donald Sutherland as President Snow.
“ | War, terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard fought, sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. When the traitors were defeated, we swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute, one young man and woman, to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future. | „ |
~ President Snow's opening monologue in the Hunger Games film. |
In the film adaptation of The Hunger Games, President Snow was portrayed by Donald Sutherland (who also voiced President Stone and Sergeant Major Peasy) and serves as the overarching villain of the film as a whole. As the film adaptation is a third-person point of view, Snow appears much more often, but still keeps to the character's role and personality. As such, Snow is depicted as having a softer side, displaying affection for his granddaughter.
During the reaping, the districts hear his recorded speech on the reasons for having the Hunger Games (to discourage rebellion). However, he is not seen until he greets the tributes upon their arrival to the Capitol, and unlike the others, he is unimpressed by the flaming entrance of the District 12 tributes, Everdeen and Mellark.
Snow is shown meeting with the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, numerous times. He reveals to Crane that the reason they organize the Games is to give some hope to the districts, but this must be contained and limited. He warns that a large amount of hope can cause the districts to rebel and put an end to the Capitol's reign, something which happens less than two years following the victory of Everdeen and Mellark in the 74th Games.
Although he favors Crane, he does not hesitate to intimidate him, and following the controversial victory of the District 12 Tributes, he orders Crane's execution, locking him into a room with a bowl of nightlock berries, the same berries that Everdeen and Mellark were going to use to commit suicide. He congratulates both tributes on their victory during the crowning ceremony, and is last seen watching the two return to District 12.
In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Snow is again portrayed by Sutherland. He is first shown in the Victor Village talking to Katniss Everdeen. During the conversation, Snow informs Everdeen about the mayhem she had caused with her suicide threat, and threatens to kill her family and friends if she fails to convince him that her actions were motivated by romantic craze for Peeta Mellark, and not rebellion.
He is seen next in the balcony of his mansion congratulating Everdeen and Mellark on their victory. As he watches the uprisings in various districts, Snow discusses with Plutarch Heavensbee, the new Head Gamemaker on eliminating Everdeen. Snow introduces the 75th Hunger Games (the 3rd Quarter Quell) and announces that the tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors, which includes Everdeen herself. Throughout the second half of the film, he (along with Heavensbee) is shown watching the Games in his office.
However, near the end of the film, Heavensbee leaves, just before Katniss Everdeen destroys the arena with an arrow. Snow angrily calls out to Heavensbee, but he is nowhere to be found. Following the rescue of Katniss Everdeen and a few other tributes by District 13, Snow orders the capture of the remaining tributes.
Sutherland returns for both parts of the film adaptation of The Hunger Games Mockingjay as President Snow. In Mockingjay, President Snow serves as the secondary antagonist as he was ultimately outranked by the main villain. During the first film, he appears near the end, during a rescue mission conducted by District 13 in the Tribute Center. To distract him, Katniss Everdeen speaks with him in a video call, during which he reveals that he knows that District 13 had in fact, sent a special forces team to rescue the imprisoned tributes. This sends Katniss Everdeen into a panic attack.
In Mockingjay Part 2, Snow is not seen for most of the film, except near the end, as he orders the evacuation of Capitol citizens to his mansion, during the invasion by the rebels. Similar to the novel, he speaks with Katniss Everdeen for the last time prior to his execution, where he reveals to her that Coin was in fact, responsible for the bombing of Capitol children which killed Everdeen's sister. As he is about to be executed in public by Everdeen, Everdeen decides to kill Coin to avenge her sister. An angry crowd proceeds to lynch Snow, and he is presumably cremated afterwards.
Appearance
The President is a small, thin man, with paper-white hair and thick lips that seem pulled across his face. Katniss once states that his lips smelled of blood and roses and his eyes are that of a snake's. His lips are thought to be changed, to make them more appealing. Overall, his appearance is quite snake-like. His trademark sign is a single white rose, which he always wears, and what Katniss finds in her house in the beginning of the third book.
Personality
A ruthlessly cruel, violent, vindictive, arrogant, sadistic, wrathful, power-hungry, and utterly evil man, Snow is obsessed with keeping the established order and had no qualms about using violence and intimidation to pursue his agenda. He is an extremely cunning, dexterous, manipulative, and intelligent individual, capable of manipulating others to suit his purposes, and also to meticulously deduce an advantage for himself in certain situations. Snow is also phenomenally ruthless and malevolent, and possesses an extreme degree of paranoia.
His personality describes that of a psychopath and a megalomaniac, in that he views himself as a magnanimous, benevolent leader, even though his actions say otherwise. He maintains little care or respect for human life, and views others as pawns to realize his agenda and carry out his will. Except for his own granddaughter, Snow is never once shown to have affection for others, and even his closest allies, such as Seneca Crane, constantly live in fear of their lives, as one misstep could mean death or torture. Up until the very end, he shows no regret nor remorse whatsoever for his actions, and blames Katniss Everdeen for disrupting the status quo.
Residence
Snow lives in a huge mansion in the City Circle of the Capitol.
Full Name | Coriolanus Snow |
Allies | the Peacekeepers, the Muttations |
Enemies | Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Finnick, Johanna, Haymitch, Enobaria, Alma Coin, other Rebels, the 12 districts |
Powers | No special power, breath smelled like a mix of roses and blood which makes Katniss feel sick, extremely cunning |
Death | Either choked or crushed to death; exact details are uncertain. |
Occupation | President of Panem for 25 years |
Goal | Keeping Panem under his control, to end the legacy of the Mockingjay (Katniss Everdeen) |
Caused the Deaths of... |
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Known Family |
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Age | 18 (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), 76 (The Hunger Games), 76-77 (Catching Fire, Mockingjay) |
Gallery
Images
Videos
External links
- President Coriolanus Snow on the The Hunger Games Wiki
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The Capitol Career Tributes Others |