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Summary

• The Capitol believes Lucy Gray Baird belongs to Coriolanus Snow, which bristles him slightly as he feels both possessive of her and uncomfortable with her past narrative, revealed in a song that cites a previous lover.
• Lucy Gray's successful performance and the Capitol’s reaction give Coriolanus a sense of satisfaction and ownership over her accomplishments.
• Coriolanus navigates various interactions during the evening, securing potential sponsors for Lucy Gray while dealing with the annoyance of others’ interest in her.
• Conversations reveal others' perceptions and intentions regarding Lucy Gray's future, with Pluribus planning to turn her into a star should she survive the Games.
• Sejanus and his mother make an appearance, and Coriolanus manipulates the conversation to secure their goodwill by feigning a head injury and thanking them for a casserole.
• The walk home with his cousin Tigris prompts discussion about the Capitol’s view of Lucy Gray's survival skills and their shared hardship during the war. Tigris encourages kindness and understanding.
• An unexpectedly functional elevator offers a moment of levity between Tigris and Coriolanus but also signals possible change, hinting at residents potentially selling their apartments due to new taxes.
• Back at home, Grandma'am’s praise for Lucy Gray suggests Capitol favor, and Coriolanus writes about his appreciation of power and control, which he found in the wake of the war, as part of his school assignment.
• Livia’s disdain, Sejanus's criticism of the Games, and Dr. Gaul's admission of satisfaction from being proven right accentuate the following day's class discussion on the war's positive aspects.
• Fear and anticipation surround the mentors as the Hunger Games approach, and an emotional interaction between Lucy Gray and Coriolanus emphasizes their connection.
• Coriolanus, determined to support Lucy Gray, encourages her with a strategy to survive and presents her with his mother’s silver compact, containing an aspect of her district’s poison, as a token for good luck in the Games.