The Citadel was a military institution located within the Capitol of Panem. It housed the Capitol's War Department, guarded at all times by Peacekeepers as a high-security zone. Dr. Volumnia Gaul and her Gamemaker subordinates were based at the Citadel, where they created muttations in underground laboratories.[1] Other known employees included Dr. Kay[2] and one or both parents of Gaius Breen.[3]
Description[]
Entrance[]
The Citadel was gated, and visitors had to stop at the Peacekeeper station for a retinal scan, which was checked against the Capitol's files. Any bags they carried could be left at the station until they returned[1][2] or searched and kept on their person.[4] With this done, visitors would go down a long, gray corridor and onto an elevator, either escorted by a Peacekeeper[1] or unaccompanied, in the case of a trusted repeat visitor.[4]
Lab[]
The lab was located at least twenty-five floors belowground. Dr. Gaul[1] and Dr. Kay both worked there, and the mutts they created were stored there as well.[2]
History[]
Snake mutts in their tank in the Citadel lab
On Friday, July 8th, Clemensia Dovecote and Coriolanus Snow went to the Citadel to hand in a school assignment to Dr. Gaul. However, Coriolanus had been the only one to work on it. Gaul, suspecting this, had one of her assistants line the venomous snakes' case with it and insisted that they reach in to retrieve it. Since Coriolanus's scent was on it, he was able to pass the test unharmed, but Clemensia was bitten instantly by half a dozen of them.[1] She was rushed away for medical attention, and Coriolanus was left to find his own way out of the facility. He stumbled upon Avoxes, who had animal parts grafted onto their bodies in some grotesque experiment, being tortured with jabberjays that echoed their screams. He was then admonished by Dr. Kay for upsetting her birds and escorted to the elevator. When he exited, Peacekeepers returned his and Clemensia's book bags.[2]
Coriolanus reported to the Citadel regularly once he secured a Gamemaker internship that fall.[5]
Trivia[]
- The exterior of the Department of War was filmed at the James Simon Gallery.[6]
- Lab scenes were filmed at Krematorium Baumschulenweg in Berlin, Germany.[6]
- The place scared Clemensia Dovecote as a child, and Coriolanus Snow admitted that it still scared him.[1]
- Gaius Breen was considered a "Citadel brat," with one or both of his parents working there.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 8
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 10
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Chapter 18
- ↑ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Epilogue
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes audio commentary by Francis Lawrence and Nina Jacobson