Originally posted by Morgana:
[QB]These people, Marcius especially behave as if Clark and the other tributes are going on a long distance hike! How cruel and indifferent they are to their situation.
Marcius is a Capitolite who has swallowed the Capitol propaganda hook, line, and sinker. He genuinely believes being selected for the Hunger Games is an honor, and doesn't understand why the tributes don't see it that way.
The appearance of Kryptonite at this stage surprised me quite a bit. But later on the trackers were mentioned and everything fell into place and made sense. On the other hand, several tributes no doubt think Clark will make a very easy target for them to kill. That's where their mistake will begin and end especially since Clark's abilities will return.
Directly following Kryptonite exposure, Clark was indeed an easy target (which is why Platinum was almost able to kill him). Of course, what Platinum didn't count upon was Lois "I Don't Need Any Allies" Lane coming to his defense.
Speaking of Peacekeepers, where is Trask?
He's in quiet (but still paranoid) retirement. Snow got bored with his insistence that aliens are real, but didn't eliminate him. He'll be back.
In Janet Owens' wonderful, The Girl Next Door, it was revealed that Lois means battlemaiden. Excellent name in this case.
It also means superior. So Lois is a superior battle maiden...which describes her perfectly.
Why does Clark and Becky answer to the stupid salute;
Do you mean the hand over the heart salute given by their mentors? It's a District 9 sign of respect and farewell, and using it is actually somewhat rebellious (sort of like when Katniss uses the three-finger salute after Rue's death in the Hunger Games movie and sets off a riot in District 11). Sending the tributes off to the arena is supposed to be a happy occasion, but Haver and Matilda don't agree. They're victors, not Capitolites, and they know that it's probably the last time they'll see Becky and Clark alive--plus, as Matilda keeps hinting, victors may be alive, but what they'll have to deal with after the Games is pretty painful.
