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Spoiler Alert! This page may contain plot details relating to Sunrise on the Reaping or unintentionally spoil elements of the book. |
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- "We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction."
- —Plutarch Heavensbee[src]
Plutarch Heavensbee is the Head Gamemaker for the 75th Hunger Games, taking the place of Seneca Crane[1]. A secret rebel-insider, he becomes a commander of the rebel forces of District 13 during the Second Rebellion[5].
He is related to Hilarius Heavensbee. He is one of the many great-grandsons of Trajan Heavensbee.
Quick Answers
Who took over as the Head Gamemaker after Seneca Crane in the Hunger Games?
What role did Plutarch Heavensbee play in the rebellion of District 13?
What is the significance of the Heavensbee family in the Capitol?
Who portrayed Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games films?
Biography
Plutarch is a native of the Capitol, given that he was a member of the Heavensbee family, one of the influential Capitol families. He was able to secure high-ranking positions in President Coriolanus Snow's government. Suzanne Collins revealed that he had been plotting as an underground rebel at least since Finnick Odair's Games. In the same interview, she stated Plutarch had decided the Games were no longer necessary and set about ending them. Liking the challenge of a revolution, he was further motivated to end Snow's presidency due to fearing the president's willingness to kill colleagues, such as Seneca Crane[6]. It is later revealed that he was already a rebel by the time of the 50th Hunger Games.
Owing to the longevity of his plan, it is likely Plutarch worked his way into top positions in the Snow regime in order to help gain information in favor of his rebellion plans. In the movie version of Catching Fire, Plutarch mentioned that Katniss inspired him to "come back", possibly indicating he had been a Head Gamemaker prior.[7]
Using his wealth and connections, Plutarch masterminds much of the Second Rebellion over the years, creating a network in the districts and Capitol. It is unknown at what point he got in contact with District 13 and allied with them. [8]
50th Hunger Games
During the 50th Hunger Games, Plutarch was a cameraman who recorded the reaping in District 12. The broadcast was disrupted when a riot broke out following the killing of Woodbine Chance. After order was restored, Plutarch tried to fix the broadcast before the live feed resumed by making up for the lack of footage. He asked escort Drusilla Sickle if she could spare Lenore Dove's life so he could capture the tears of her and her boyfriend, Haymitch Abernathy as they enacted his reaping. He also thought footage of the Peacekeepers controlling the crowd would be good to show a "No Peacekeeper, No Peace" angle.[4]
Plutarch helped Drusilla remember the names of Haymitch and Wyatt Callow for the reenactment of the reaping for the District 12 males. At the conclusion of the reaping, Plutarch asked Drusilla if he could borrow tributes Haymitch and Louella McCoy to film some more footage. He was callous as he encouraged the tributes and their families to replay the emotions they felt when the child was reaped, promising Haymitch's mother and brother a minute to say goodbye afterwards.[4]
During training, Plutarch questioned Haymitch and Ringina why the districts were so willing to submit to the Capitol when they outnumbered the Capitol in sheer numbers despite being outgunned. Plutarch told Haymitch that he saw the hangings, and the shootings, and the Hunger Games, but he didn't think the fear they inspired justified the arrangement that the Capitol and the districts had and asked what they thought. Plutarch wondered why they agreed to it, why he agreed to it, and why people always agreed to it, suggesting that it was something to consider. Haymitch was surprised to realize that Plutarch wasn't taunting or mocking them, but instead he was genuinely curious. As training continued, Plutarch complimented Haymitch's performance the night before at the Chariot rides and gave Haymitch his condolences over Louella's death. Although he was assigned to cover District 12 alone, Plutarch agreed to try to give the aggravated Haymitch some space.[9]
After training, Snow had Plutarch escort Haymitch to meet him at Heavensbee Hall. While they were waiting for the president, the two discussed their love of reading books and Plutarch surprised by Haymitch by knowing the poem that Lenore Dove was named after. Plutarch showed Haymitch his conservatory and the nepenthe plants there, before they were interrupted by Snow. was visibly ill and for once, despite his cosmetic treatments, looked his real age. Blood trickled from his mouth, and he vomited up a foul mess into a fountain. Haymitch and Plutarch tended to the stricken president, but Haymitch deliberately drank the jug of milk rather than giving it Snow as requested, claiming that it was empty. Despite realizing what Haymitch had done, Plutarch covered for him and went to reprimand his servants. His condition improving, Snow commented that sometimes the cure was worse than the disease, namely incompetence. Plutarch returned with another jug of milk which Snow chugged and demanded more and some bread. Snow claimed that his illness was food poisoning from a bad batch of oysters, but he fared better than Incitatus Loomy, the parade master.[10]
When Plutarch returned, he was surprised by the Louella body double. Plutarch insisted that he didn't know what Snow had been up to and guessed that the girl was the child of traitors from either the districts or the Capitol who had been programmed and drugged by the Gamemakers. Plutarch led the two to a Peacekeeper van, claiming not to approve of the plan to use the girl as a replacement for Louella.[11]
The night before the Games, Plutarch arranged for Haymitch to have a phone call with Lenore Dove Baird following her arrest. Plutarch explained that he took the risk because he needed Haymitch to trust him, revealing that he was aware of the rebel plot. Plutarch revealed that his cousin knew a Gamemakers' apprentice barely out of university who wanted to quit the program and get into television. Plutarch got the man drunk and learned that the arena's sun was in synch with the real sun -- which was not always the case with the arenas -- meaning that Haymitch could use it to tell direction accurately. Plutarch also told Haymitch that, based on something he'd overheard some of the Gamemakers saying while they were touring Heavensbee Hall, the berms in the arena would be concealing mutt portals. Plutarch stated that from the Capitol's perspective, the Games were the best propaganda they had. The tributes were the stars that carried it out, but only if they let the Capitol control the narrative. Plutarch directly told Haymitch not to let the Capitol control the narrative and to blow the arena's water tank sky high. Considering Plutarch's words and whether or not he could be trusted, Haymitch thought that Plutarch was implying that despite his wealth, privilege and power, Plutarch lacked freedom. As there was clearly at least one Capitol citizen involved with the plot, Haymitch concluded that Plutarch could be telling the truth, but he couldn't be sure until Haymitch got a good look at the berms in the arena for himself.[12]
Afterwards, Plutarch prepared the District 12 tributes for the propos that would air during the Games and offered them advice on how to help get people to root for them in the arena. Plutarch suggested that they could take advantage of the growing concern in the Capitol that district citizens were trying to break into the Capitol, particularly Districts 1 and 2. As the Newcomers were unapologetically district, they could drive home that the Careers were buying into the Games and trying to be more Capitol than the Capitol itself, thus increasing the disapproval for the Careers. Plutarch also agreed with Maysilee's idea of coming up with a stupid nickname for the Careers rather than calling them "Careers," tossing around ideas with the tributes before working up pieces with variations on the chosen nickname of Near Beer Careers as well as similar sayings for variation. Plutarch seemed to be genuinely happy with the result, but he sighed when he mentioned the tools that were abolished and incapacitated in the past, ones deemed fated to destroy humanity because of their ability to replicate any scenario using any person in mere seconds. Although Plutarch guessed that it was the right thing to do given human nature and how they had almost wiped themselves out without them, he was still enamoured with the possibilities. The tributes had to leave soon after without Lou Lou's snake which had vanished. Although Haymitch was still unsure of what to make of the man, but he concluded that Plutarch may be genuine and possibly could even help in some other way once the show began. Either way, it was better to stay on his good side. As they left, Haymitch thanked Plutarch who stated that he was despicable on many levels, but he really was on Haymitch's side in this.[12]
During the Victory Tour's stop in District 11, Plutarch pulled Haymitch into the Justice Building's attic, the one place that wasn't bugged. While Mags Flanagan, Beetee Latier, and Wiress were tortured for their role in the rebellion, Plutarch came out fairly well. Plutarch revealed that despite their failure, the rebellion hadn't given up and they still wanted Haymitch's help. Haymitch's actions had shaken up the Capitol, both literally and figuratively, and he had demonstrated a lot of nerve and intelligence. Plutarch recognized that the change they wanted wasn't going to happen today and maybe not even in their lifetime, but it was still worth fighting for. Plutarch suggested that they needed someone just like Haymitch, but someone who was luckier, with better timing, or who had an army at their back. Plutarch wanted to build an army or better yet find one. Afterwards, Haymitch avoided Plutarch for the rest of the Victory Tour at the end of which Plutarch and his crew did a style piece on Haymitch's house in the Victors' Village. After Haymitch expressed his disgust for Plutarch and what he was and had done, Plutarch told him that while he was nobody's idea of a hero, Plutarch was at least still in the game.[13]
74th Hunger Games
In Katniss Everdeen's private session with the Gamemakers, she became frustrated when the Gamemakers showed more interest in a roasted pig than her. When she shot her arrow at the apple in the pig's mouth, Plutarch fell backward into a punch bowl, knocking it to the floor.[14] During the interview, when Caesar Flickerman asked Katniss for details about her private training session, he jumped in, saying that she could not reveal any details[15]. After the end of the Games, Seneca Crane was executed, and Plutarch was appointed as the new Head Gamemaker, citing that there were not many takers for the job[1].
75th Hunger Games
Plutarch with Haymitch
Effie Trinket introducing Plutarch to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.
Plutarch formally introduced himself to Katniss during a feast after the Victory Tour. He attempted to win Katniss's trust, but she dismissed his discreet hints of rebellion. He then showed her his watch, which in the right position revealed the symbol of the rebellion, the mockingjay. Katniss pondered what he meant but merely saw it as one of the Capitol's obnoxious trends.[1] Later, he showed up as Head Gamemaker and kept a low profile. Plutarch showed no special acknowledgement of Katniss in public and treated her like all other tributes[2]. He was surprised when both Peeta and Katniss showed signs of rebellion in their private training sessions[16].
President Snow and Plutarch
It came as a surprise to Katniss when Plutarch was revealed as a leader of the rebellion. Plutarch came to the arena in a hovercraft and saved her, Finnick, and Beetee after a plan of his making removed the Capitol force field. For several years, he had already been involved in an undercover group that was aiming to overthrow the Capitol.[17]
Second Rebellion
Plutarch was a leader of the rebellion and was present during the meeting Katniss held to accept the role of the Mockingjay. After hearing her conditions, Plutarch showed Katniss the sketchbook Cinna made for her and entrusted to him, having made Plutarch promise not to show Katniss it until she decided to be the Mockingjay on her own. Fulvia Cardew and Plutarch took both her and Gale downstairs, but they were stopped on their way by a guard. Gale distracted him, allowing them to see the guarded room, where they found Katniss' prep team being tortured.[5] Surprised, Plutarch demanded that they be freed[18].
Plutarch went along with the others to District 8 to shoot their first propaganda. During their visit to one of the hospitals, the Capitol attacked them. Plutarch tried to keep Katniss safe by not allowing her to fight, although she refused to listen.[19] After the propaganda was finished, Katniss went to receive medical treatment. They met in the command room and discussed the propaganda[20]. Afterward, they decided to allow Katniss to go into combat again and film more after she made a full recovery[20][21].
Plutarch went to Katniss's hospital room after Peeta's interview because he was worried about her mental health. When he entered, Katniss and Finnick pretended not to have seen it.[20] After Peeta's warning of the bombing on District 13 by the Capitol[21], Plutarch helped evacuate the entire district to safe bunkers. Plutarch was happy during the bombing because Beetee was successful in hacking the Capitol and airing Katniss' propaganda, although he infuriated Katniss by dismissing the severity of Peeta's situation.[22] After Peeta was rescued and revealed to have been hijacked, Plutarch helped put together a team to treat him. Later, Katniss asked to go to the Capitol, but he refused because they needed all the districts to be on their side first. However, as District 2 was still with the Capitol, Katniss told him to send her to District 2.[23]
Plutarch showed up after Katniss was shot in District 2[24] and was happy to finally have all the districts on their side. Plutarch explained further about the relationship between the Capitol and the districts. He announced that their next propo would be of Finnick and Annie's wedding.[25] Plutarch gave the order of shooting new propaganda in the Capitol and told Katniss to get ready for training so they could film it.[26]
Snow believed Plutarch to be part of the bombing that killed Capitol children and rebel healers, including Prim[27]. Katniss killed President Coin for her part in the plan, but sought no vengeance against Plutarch. He did Katniss a favor by preventing Effie Trinket's execution[28] and acting as a witness in Katniss's defense at her trial for Coin's murder.
Plutarch was appointed Secretary of Communications after the war.[3]
Personality and traits
Plutarch Heavensbee was a man with uncertain motives and ambitions[20]. He was exceptionally intelligent[18][23][26] and manipulative[29][20][22][30][26][27][28][31]. As he is often ambiguous in words and actions, many people are typically suspicious and wary of Plutarch. However, Plutarch's keen mind, useful talents, and careful behavior keeps everyone around him guessing while relying on his aid. He was even able to fool President Snow into thinking he was one of his most loyal allies, when in reality, he worked for the rebellion.
As a person who mastered the "long game"[8], Plutarch saw the Hunger Games, and later the war against the Capitol, as giant chess games consisting of moves and countermoves. As such he was an ingenious strategist, but this also caused him to be somewhat callous as he showed no concern for people who died in the Quarter Quell or the war[19][18][32][33][27]. Plutarch was openly described by President Snow as brilliant.[34]
During the 50th Hunger Games, Plutarch often surprised Haymitch Abernathy with his genuine curiosity, kindness and rebellious attitude. He once asked Haymitch and Ringina why the districts were so willing to submit to the Capitol when the districts outnumbered the Capitol. Plutarch's questions about the subject were genuine rather than taunting or mocking.[9] He expressed condolences over the loss of Louella McCoy[10] disgust over the body double plan[11] and covered for Haymitch when he lied to Snow's face about there being no milk.[10] Plutarch went so far as to take a risk by arranging for Haymitch to talk on the phone with Lenore Dove Baird in an effort to gain Haymitch's trust before revealing his knowledge of the rebel plot and offering Haymitch advice as well as helping to come up with ways to make fun of the Careers on camera. Haymitch was never entirely sure if Plutarch was on the level, but concluded that it could be possible and decided to reserve judgement for when and if he saw what Plutarch was telling him.[12]
Due to years of masterminding the Second Rebellion, Plutarch shown to be patient, resolute, and pragmatic, even if it meant engaging in morally dubious actions. Plutarch himself acknowledged that he was despicable on many levels and that he was no one's idea of a hero, but insisted that his support of the rebellion was genuine.[12][13] The failure to destroy the arena and disrupt the Games failed to dissuade him, predicting that they would need someone like Haymitch as a symbol, but someone who was luckier and preferably had an army at their backs, one that they would have to find or build.[13]
Plutarch reveals to be a realist, to the point of expressing a cynical view of humanity, stating they are "fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction. However, Suzanne Collins described Plutarch also described to be an optimist at heart, having "a fairly low opinion of human beings, but ultimately doesn't rule out that they might be able to change". Having a deep understanding of the history of mankind, he recognized the life as a continuum, where one must strive towards their goals even if they may not live to see the result.[6][8][13]
Plutarch expressed a love for reading certain kinds of books, much like Haymitch. He also knew at least some poetry, including the one that Lenore Dove was named after.[10] He is also rather fond of coffee.[5][35]
Physical description
Plutarch is a large man.[1] As Head Gamemaker, he wore a purple robe with a fur-trimmed collar.[2]He has an ample frame.[36] In the films, he has short blond hair swept to the side.
Work
Plutarch works as a Head Gamemaker[1], but is also a leader for the underground rebellion of District 13[37]. He is only revealed to be part of the rebellion at the end of Catching Fire when he reveals that they are heading to District 13, a district believed to have been destroyed when the first rebellion took place[17]. In District 13, he is head of propaganda[5][21][38] and makes videos of Katniss as the Mockingjay[39][20].
Plutarch is given the job of Secretary of Communications by President Paylor at the end of Mockingjay, which means he is in charge of the programming on the airwaves[3].
Etymology
Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, or just "Plutarch", was a famous historian and essayist in Ancient Rome. This ties in with the many Roman references and similarities of the series. "Heavensbee" likely refers to the spiritual domain of Heaven.
Gallery
Trivia
- In a deleted scene, it reveals that Plutarch was the one who switched the Quarter Quell to have the victors reaped.
- The actor for Plutarch, Philip Seymour Hoffman, died on February 2, 2014, while shooting the last film. Due to Hoffman's death, two scenes were altered. In Mockingjay Part 1, Effie replaced Plutarch to give Katniss Cinna's book. In Mockingjay - Part 2, Plutarch was originally meant to explain to Katniss that her charges for assassinating President Coin were dropped. This information is instead revealed via a letter delivered by Haymitch.[40]
- In the Mockingjay - Part 2, Plutarch appears to smile as he looks at Alma Coin's dead body, suggesting that he approved of her death.
- He is related to Hilarius and Trajan Heavensbee somehow.
- Trajan Heavensbee was one of Plutarch's many great-grandfathers but he can’t remember which one.
- As revealed in Sunrise on the Reaping, Plutarch has been a rebel since at least the 50th Hunger Games.
- In Sunrise on the Reaping, Plutarch tells Haymitch that the rebels will need someone like Haymitch, but luckier and preferably with an army at their back, foreshadowing Katniss' role in the Second Rebellion. He also talks about building or better yet finding an army, foreshadowing his efforts to build the rebel forces and Plutarch's future connection to District 13.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Catching Fire, Chapter 6
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Catching Fire, Chapter 16
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 27
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 2
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Mockingjay, Chapter 3
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 10th Anniversary Interview, Suzanne Collins.
- ↑ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 “Sunrise on the Reaping’’, A Q&A with Suzanne Collins
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 8
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 9
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 10
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 14
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Sunrise on the Reaping, Chapter 27
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 7
- ↑ The Hunger Games, Chapter 9
- ↑ Catching Fire, Chapter 17
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Catching Fire, Chapter 27
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 4
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 7
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 Mockingjay, Chapter 8
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 9
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 10
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 13
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 15
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 16
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 18
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Mockingjay, Chapter 25
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Mockingjay, Chapter 26
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 6
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 12
- ↑ Mockingjay, Part 1
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 23
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 24
- ↑ Mockingjay, Part 2
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 11
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 2
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 1
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 19
- ↑ Mockingjay, Chapter 5
- ↑ Nina Jacobson, Quora. Direct link