The Hunger Games Wiki
Advertisement

"Who'd have thought we'd ever be sorry to see old Cray go?"
Haymitch Abernathy about Cray being replaced[src]

Cray was the Head Peacekeeper of District 12[1] before he was replaced by Romulus Thread.[2] During his tenure as Head Peacekeeper, the local black market prospered due to his leniency, and he turned a blind eye to hunting, which officially had been forbidden by the Capitol.

Biography[]

Cray was known to exploit starving young women from the Seam by offering them money in exchange for sex. In hard times, the most desperate women gathered at his door, essentially competing with each other for the chance to feed their families. According to Katniss Everdeen, if she had been older when her father died, she might have been among them.[2] This suggests that Cray also victimized teenage girls.

Catching Fire[]

Katniss saw Cray in the Hob after she bought white liquor for Haymitch Abernathy. Cray, a heavy drinker, warned her of how strong the alcohol was, saying that it could probably kill her. Only seconds later did Cray buy a bottle of the same alcohol.[1] He was Gale Hawthorne's best customer when it came to poached wild turkeys, but Gale was surprised when he knocked on the door one day to find Cray replaced as Head Peacekeeper. Romulus Thread, the new Head Peacekeeper, saw the dead turkey hanging from his belt and dragged Gale to the square, where he was forced to plead guilty to his crime and withstand a public whipping. He was whipped at least forty times, and fell unconscious around thirty before Katniss stepped in to stop it.[2]

In the film, Cray greeted Commander Thread upon arrival. However, a bag was thrown over his head and he was immediately arrested. Cray's fate is unknown,[3] but following his arrest, he was most likely executed on President Snow's orders for his laxness and leniency.

Physical description[]

Cray is described as being an older man with "a few strands" of silvery gray hair combed to one side, and he had an unusually red face.[1] He was also referred to several times as "old Cray",[2] suggesting he may have been closer to elderly than middle-aged.

Personality[]

Cray was disliked by most citizens in District 12 for being a Peacekeeper, and especially for exploiting the young women of the Seam.[2] He could often be seen drinking liquor instead of doing his job.[1]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Catching Fire, Chapter 1
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Catching Fire, Chapter 8
  3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Advertisement