The Gamemakers have out done themselves.
Earlier this year, Capitol Couture brought you an exclusive look at the Gamemakers- brilliant minds working behind the scenes to bring Panem continually exciting and engaging Hunger Games. Prior to this year’s Quarter Quell, Plutarch Heavensbee (new Head Gamemaker) had stated that he was reluctant to give even the slightest hint of what the shiny new arena would hold, for fear of spoiling any surprises for Panem’s eager public; in retrospect, we couldn’t agree with him more.
An undertaking of what we can only assume to have been vast proportions, both the layout and features of this year’s Games grounds wildly exceeded any conjectured expectations. As the tributes travel through the terrain, we see a level of demanded ingenuity tailored to the victors’ unique abilities, talents, and personalities, requiring adaptation at whiplash speed. We wonder what must have been going through Katniss Everdeen’s mind as the girl on fire surfaced on a platform in the middle of the saltwater center.
A landscape of physical trials as formidable as their psychological counterparts, this Quarter Quell has shown us everything from terrifying savage beasts to the imitated cries of those closest to and most loved by our tributes, the latter generated by sound mixing software just revealed from District 3. A reliable source tells us the unforgiving fog has been years in the making, as it proved a near-impossible undertaking- yet the extensive Games team pulled through, and the fog was added last-minute.
Careful calculations played a crucial role in the precarious location of the redesigned Cornucopia and its surrounding extending spokes of land, which extended just out of range of any weapons provided. The never-seen-before sectioning with individual challenges presented additional tests, allowing the rest of Panem to solve the puzzle of the arena alongside the tributes, and in some cases, even before (we heard bets were placed hours in advance of Wiress’ cryptic clock-related messages).
The games never cease to amaze, especially in this 75th year— a true Quarter Quell Celebration! Catch all the Hunger Games action now!