The Hunger Games Wiki
Advertisement

The Uprising of District 8 was the first known uprising in Panem since the Dark Days. Katniss Everdeen learned of the uprising from accidentally seeing a televised report in Mayor Undersee's office that she was not supposed to view.[1]

Background[]

D8 Uprising

The Capitol emblem being set on fire.

Since the unconventional victory of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the 74th Hunger Games, the citizens of District 8 had become emboldened. When the duo visited District 8 on their Victory Tour, the citizens had a dress rehearsal for the uprising in which they went to their planned positions they would attempt to take over in the real uprising. The district citizens were able to discuss planning for the uprising in the textile factories, as the machinery would drown out their conversations and make it impossible for Peacekeepers to overhear them.[2]

Uprising[]

The uprising took place the night Peeta proposed to Katniss. Ordinarily, it would have been too suspicious for large groups of people to be gathering together in the town square, but this event gave the rebels the element of surprise, allowing them an opportunity to strike.

The Peacekeepers were quickly caught off guard and overpowered by the crowds, and the district fell into rebel hands quickly. The rebels were able to take control of key positions, acquiring weapons and ammunition along the way. Hours later, however, reinforcements were sent in; the Capitol deployed its air force, bombing rebel strongholds and deploying mass numbers of ground troops to contain the unrest. Forty-eight hours later, the rebellion was subdued and the district was put in a state of lockdown, with all residents forbidden from leaving their homes. The following week, Peacekeepers arrested mass numbers of suspected rebel instigators, hanging them in the square and televising their executions.[2]

The lockdown was lifted a week later, and normal life resume. The Capitol, having learned that the idea of the rebellion had been planned in the factories, bombed one of them, which killed large numbers of District 8 citizens, including the families of Bonnie and Twill.

Katniss Everdeen found out about the uprising by coincidence. When she walked into the office of Mayor Undersee and saw that he was absent, she heard a beeping sound, which came from his personal television. Onscreen, a middle-aged woman was giving updates on the situation in District 8, stating that conditions were deteriorating and that a Level 3 Alert was called. By then, all textile production had ceased and additional Peacekeeping forces were being deployed into the district to help contain the unrest.

The monitor then showed footage from the main square of District 8, where large numbers of citizens were waving banners with Katniss' face from the rooftops. The square was packed with angry citizens wearing homemade masks, throwing bricks. Buildings burned, and Peacekeepers shot into the raging crowd at random, killing indiscriminately.[1]

Notable persons involved[]

  • Bonnie
  • Twill

Known casualties[]

  • Twill's husband
  • Bonnie's entire family[2]

Trivia[]

  • In the films, District 11's riot during the 74th Hunger Games was the first known uprising since the Dark Days, rather than District 8's.[3]
  • In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Katniss heard of the District 8 uprising while passing by a control room on the train during her Victory Tour. She also did not encounter Bonnie and Twill.[4]

References[]

Advertisement