In the Hunger Games prequel, fans come to understand how a close dynamic can become so twisted. The timeline of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” fits into the 10th Hunger Games, long before Katniss meets Tigris. Essentially adopted into Coriolanus Snow’s nuclear family following the death of her parents, Tigris (Hunter Schafer) is a close confidante of Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) because they are cousins. But where Snow is a well-practiced political animal, Tigris is not. She sees the best in things, and Snow describes her as being easily taken advantage of because of her good nature.
This nature includes her disgust with the Hunger Games. Unlike most of those who make their homes in the Capitol, she has empathy for District 12. Even more so, she is visibly disturbed when Snow shows a capacity for murder. This sensitive quality could only have been twisted into resentment during Snow’s reign as president. Tigris gets a front-row seat to see how her ambitious cousin becomes a monster. This could turn anyone into a rebel, which is what becomes of Tigris.
Throughout the years, she adds more and more cosmetics and procedures as her anger toward her cousin increases. She does not support the dictatorship that has a stranglehold on Panem and becomes more rebellious as time goes on. That is why she helps Katniss, who finds refuge in her home. No matter how close two people are, there is always a breaking point.
