65th games history it was the results of the 65th annual hunger games that brought every victor (career and otherwise) together in an almost unspoken moment of comradery against the capitol. the games started off as usual, reaping one girl and one boy from each district to take part in the games. but it was when the reaping got to district 11 that these games began to feel different. after the name of a 17 year old girl was called out, a 12 year old girl named cricket sky volunteered to take her place. it was the first time in reaping history that a 12 year old volunteered to take anyone's place. the 17 year old girl she volunteered for was almost a stranger to her, and cricket never revealed the reason she took her place. she was defiant throughout the entirety of the process leading up to the games, so much so that she even frustrated caesar flickerman on television when she called he and his father willing accessories to the murder of countless children. her response to every question he asked her was to spit at his shoes. despite the ongoing discipline from the capitol, cricket was not beaten down.

the districts began to take notice of cricket's bravery against the capitol. her influence on them riled them up in a manner that heavily displeased the capitol and worried president snow. they were very eager to see her fall fast in the games to kill these latest outbursts of rebellion. when the odds for each victor was announced, cricket was given the lowest score despite her proven capabilities. no sponsor was motivated to send her anything, and no capitol citizen bet their money on her. moments after the games began, it was revealed that cricket was able to unite 18 out of 24 tributes into an alliance. they vowed to not perform, beg or kill anyone or anything for the capitol's entertainment. that left all 6 career tributes in their own alliance. caesar flickerman excitedly broke down the two alliances into two names: the pacifist alliance and the killer alliance. the killer alliance easily started to pick off the pacisfists one by one. none fought back to survive, providing no excitement to the capitol. the head gamemaker, sertorius caldwalder was becoming increasingly pressured to do something about it.

to each district and capitol's surprise, the 18 pacifist tributes all kept their vow to not kill even when they were picked off down to the last 4. alliances who had attempted this in previous games had historically turned on each other quickly. through motivating speeches and anti-capitol rhetoric, cricket was able to keep them loyal to their vows even in the face of death. when the pacisfists had gotten down to their last four members, cricket included, the entirety of the 6 killer alliance began to fight each other knowing only one could win. that final brawl with the killers was the most action the 65th games had seen thus far and by the end of it, there was only one male left: a 16 year old career tribute from district 4 who had had the highest odds and most sponsors to begin with.

the career tribute had to hunt down the 4 pacifists. they hid well and moved fast but he was able to start taking them out when gamemaker caldwalder implemented arena twists to push them out into the open. televised to the capitol and all 12 districts was the final moments between cricket and a 15 year old male from district 8 named stitch, the last remaining pacifist alliance member alongside her. he had been stabbed four times by the final remaining career tribute. as he died, stitch begged cricket to win the games despite their alliance's vow to die without fighting. through tears he told cricket that the capitol wanted her to lose to kill the hope she'd inspired in the districts. before the capitol cut the feed, stitch's last words were telling cricket that winning the games was winning against the capitol, not the district 4 tribute and their refusal to fight only meant something if she survived.

in the final face off between cricket and the district 4 tribute, cricket had to get creative. she had no weapons and she was vastly weaker than her opponent. her only advantage was being faster. the two were forced into the cornucopia, which was already in a state of shambles from the brawl the careers had broken out into. some sort of oil was leaking from the tall metal structure that had once held an abundance of supplies. loose wires were hanging low to the ground with sparks and electricity shooting out from them. cricket was forced back into the metal structure as the district 4 tribute slowly approached her. he told her he took no pleasure in killing her, he just didn't want to die. in a last attempt at survival, cricket grabbed one of the hanging wires and pushed it into a puddle of oil. to both of their surprise, a large burst of blue flames erupted. cricket's speed was enough for her to get out of the circle of flames that formed around them both. the district 4 tribute was screaming as the fire got closer to him. it appeared to everyone watching that cricket had won the 65th annual hunger games.

district 11 broke out into a celebration that was quickly squashed when the capitol unleased a downpour of rain into the arena. the tall blue flames that were deathly close to setting the career on fire were extinguished in a matter of seconds. cricket had no escape, slipping onto her back in the newly formed mud as the district 4 tribute regained his wits. he picked up a dagger he'd dropped moments before and caught up to cricket before she could stand again. in one fast brutal act he stood over her and stabbed her in the throat. he was declared the winner of the 65th hunger games. but he and everyone watching knew that the capitol had won. the last minute rain brought in by the gamemaker saved the career tribute and doomed 12 year old cricket sky.

the capitol's attempt to squash any ideas of a rebellion by making it clear they were in charge did the exact opposite. the dirty trick left each district with no hope, believing then that only the capitol decided who lived and died. that was when cricket's mentor and former district 11 victor launched a very quiet and carefully put together plan to take down the games and the capitol once and for all. it would take years, if not decades to build the network he needed but he wasted no time getting to work with many victors already having the same thoughts.

the rebellion's symbol became the image of a blue teardrop engulfed in blue flames to represent cricket's last moments in the arena.