The Mockingjay suit is an outfit designed by Katniss Everdeen's stylist Cinna, based on the mockingjay bird. As the face for the rebel cause, Katniss wore this suit for propos and major public appearances during the Second Rebellion.[1]
History[]
Katniss paging through Cinna's sketchbook.
Cinna drew several pages of designs for the suit in his sketchbook sometime between the announcement of the third Quarter Quell and a few weeks prior to the Games themselves. At that point, he entrusted this book to Plutarch Heavensbee, making him promise not to show Katniss until she decided to be the Mockingjay on her own.[1] The actual uniform was presumably created within that timeframe and entrusted to the rebels as well.
Katniss first donned the suit for a test propo, filmed as proof of concept for District 13's President Alma Coin. Due to the design of the sleeves, a scar from having her tracker cut out was clearly visible, so they wrapped a fake bloody bandage around her forearm to conceal it.[2] The next time she wore the suit was to District 8, where she visited with wounded citizens in a hospital shortly before watching it get bombed, killing everyone inside.[3]
Katniss wore the suit again to film propos in the ruins of District 12,[4] and after the bombing of District 13, her prep team dressed her in it once more to film aboveground.[5] It's unknown whether she wore her Mockingjay uniform for the propo she filmed to distract the Capitol from the rescue mission,[6] though it is likely.
During the Battle of District 2, Katniss was suited up in full Mockingjay gear to give a speech after the bombing of the Nut.[7] The suit's armor stopped a bullet when someone in the crowd shot at her, saving her life, although the impact still bruised her ribs and ruptured her spleen.[8]
When Katniss was deployed for the Battle of the Capitol with the rest of Squad 451, her Mockingjay suit was kept back at the rebel encampment.[9] She wouldn't wear it again until the execution of President Snow, where she assassinated Coin instead.[10] Once apprehended, she was held in her old room at the Training Center. She stripped off the uniform to shower and someone removed it from the room.[11] After that, the outfit's whereabouts are unknown.
Design[]
The Mockingjay suit from Mockingjay - Part 1
- "In his hands, I am again a mockingjay. 'Cinna,' I whisper."
- —Katniss upon seeing the sketches for the first time[src]
In the Mockingjay novel, the suit was described as a black uniform that was "at first glance utterly utilitarian, at second a work of art." In particular, Katniss appreciated "the swoop of the helmet, the curve to the breastplate, [and] the slight fullness of the sleeves that [allowed] the white folds under the arms to show." As she flipped through the sketchbook, she noted layers of body armor, hidden weapons in the boots and belt, and special reinforcement over her heart.[1] Katniss later mentioned that the suit had short sleeves, leaving her forearms bare.[2] The shoulder of her left sleeve had a small pocket that held an emergency suicide pill that she could bite into in case of her capture.[12]
Film adaptation[]
- "Symbol and soldier was our mantra."
- —Kurt and Bart on Katniss's Mockingjay outfit
In Mockingjay - Part 1 and Part 2, the Mockingjay costume was black with very dark blue-black accents for details like the breastplate. Unlike the novel, it had long sleeves rather than short, there was no helmet, and it lacked the white underarm folds that Katniss described. The armor on her back had ridged wing details, and on her right hand, she wore a specialized archery glove.[13][14] There was also an arm guard to protect Jennifer Lawrence from the bowstring lashing her arm, which she had mentioned was an issue in the first film.[15]
Costume designers Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller— better known jointly as Kurt and Bart— stated that they took inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's armor collection, historical depictions of Joan of Arc,[16] and Japanese archery gear. Since the design in-universe was crafted by Cinna, they mentioned having fun trying to get into his head as a character and approach it the way he would: with a concern for the practical application of the outfit in combat. According to Kurt and Bart, both they and director Francis Lawrence were keen that she "not become a superhero or be too flashy."[17] It was also important for the costume to be modular so that more ceremonial details, like the wings or the breastplate, could be removed in moments of combat for mobility purposes. Another aspect of the outfit's functionality was a channel for the quiver to slot in, so it wouldn't bounce around whenever Katniss went to draw an arrow.[15]
Trivia[]
- Cinna's onscreen sketchbook pages were actual design sketches by Kurt and Bart. These were handed off to a concept artist, then made into art props by production designer Philip Messina.[16][15]
- An entire behind the scenes featurette was dedicated to the making of the mockingjay suit.[15]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 5
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 7
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 9
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 11
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 12
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 15
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 16
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 21
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 26
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 27
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 6
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 The Hunger Games: Cinna's Sketchbook - Secrets of the Mockingjay Armor (behind the scenes featurette)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 https://www.panempropaganda.com/movie-countdown/2015/3/4/look-inside-cinnas-sketchbook-with-mockingjay-costume-design.html
- ↑ https://www.panempropaganda.com/movie-countdown/2015/2/18/mockingjay-part-1-costume-designers-on-the-mockingjay-suit-p.html