Once Upon A Red Flag

It is finally time to decide on our verdict for Dr. Gaul in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. She is asking: AITA for proving that humans are naturally monsters? In this episode, we will be talking about the lasting impact she has on one particular Hunger Games monster, and whether the future President owes everything to his sick and twisted mentor. Just exactly how far do Gaul’s screwed up ideas af...

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’s Dr. Gaul has been busy during the 10th Hunger Games, doing all sorts of things I’m sure she would rather us not question. She’s back asking: AITA for proving that humans are naturally monsters, while she pits children against each other in a fight to death. We think she might be purposely ignoring some pretty important facts in this experiment of hers. Full length...

Our final A-Hole of Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is Dr. Gaul. She is asking: AITA for proving that humans are naturally monsters? We say this a lot, but this woman may be the most twisted character in the entirety of the Hunger Games franchise, even beating Future President Snow. She has a questionable history even before we get into the events of the 10th Hunger Games, and that is exactly where...

It’s time to decide if Sejanus Plinth is a walking red flag. We’re focusing on his actions in District 12, where it seems his impulsivity has finally caught up with him. Turns out Sejanus didn’t think about the consequences of signing up for the Peacekeepers , the reality of involving himself in a rebel plot and the truth about his friendship with Corio. Sejanus is asking: AITA for letting my mora...

So Sejanus Plinth finds himself in an active Hunger Games arena. No one can honestly think this is a good idea, but from the second he was given an tribute, was this always going to happen? Sejanus has the right (or wrong!) combination of opportunity and morality and it is all going downhill from here. Sejanus is asking: AITA for letting my morals put everyone else in danger? And this is the turni...

Once again we are talking about Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sejanus is here to ask: AITA for letting my morals put everyone else in danger? This is going to be complicated. We’ll be talking about Sejanus’s district background, his Capitol home, and asking who let this guy mentor a tribute in the 10th Hunger Games (though the more important question might be: why)? Full length video episodes av...

Our final episode for Coriolanus Snow asking: AITA for treating life and love like a strategic investment? It’s time to decide on a verdict, but not before we talk about the string of bodies Corio leaves everywhere he goes. We think the scariest part is the way he justifies these killings to himself, and honestly, we are extremely grateful this guy is fictional. Full length video episodes availabl...

Another episode in Snow’s twisted brain. He is asking: AITA for treating life and love like a strategic investment? It’s time to talk about what Lucy Gray actually means to Coriolanus Snow. From the worst possible tribute, to the woman he supposedly chases to District 12, let’s talk about what on earth is going on there. Something tells us it is not as straight forward as first love infatuation. F...

We’re back in Snow’s head talking about his question: AITA for treating life and love like a strategic investment? This time we are specifically focusing on his actions as a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. Coriolanus has his sights set on winning that scholarship prize, and he’ll be damned if he lets humanity and some scummy district kids stand in the way of that goal. Full length video episodes...

With the main trilogy over, it’s time to dive into the prequels, and that means we need to tackle President Snow’s toxic backstory. And since we cannot do that in one episode, this A-hole is split over 4 parts. Coriolanus Snow is a bit more complex than your usual stuck-up, entitled, posh boy. He lived through a war, witnessed some atrocities, and then has to lie through his teeth to keep the life...

The rebel alliance beat the Capitol, and Panem has a new leader. Katniss is finally free to work through her trauma, and make the right choice: Peeta. But it’s taken her a long time to get here. Katniss is asking: AITA for following my heart? We think she made the right choice, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to dig into exactly how she got here, including our final conversations around Gale “...

The Victors are back asking if they are right for voting to keep the Hunger Games going for one more year, featuring the Capitol children. And we are here to answer that question, and also the question of why on earth they were given this choice in the first place. They are asking: AITA for wanting revenge? And we think there is a huge difference between wanting revenge and enacting revenge. Full...

Gale just went ahead and became an even bigger walking red flag. Nothing is stopping this man. He may have started out as District kid with a inclination to the rebellious, but the give the guy some power and it’s bound to go straight to his head. He is asking: AITA for making tough decisions during war? But we are not convinced any of these so-called “tough decisions” are all that hard for pig-he...

We are calling it as we see it in this episode. District 13’s President Coin may think she’s the best woman for the job, but there is A LOT she has been hiding beneath her perfectly controlled surface and we will not be letting her get away with it. She’s asking: AITA for trying to rule “properly”, but it seems that she has a very strict definition for the word. Full length video episodes availabl...

We’re back discussing more Hunger Games a-holes, and we are finally moving into the events in Mockingjay. Plutarch and Haymitch have been very busy behind the scenes up to now, but their work is not yet over, and once again, their work is a little bit toxic. They are asking: AITA for turning rebellion into a reality show, and boy, do we have some opinions. Full length video episodes available on Y...

How well do we really know the words of Panem? In our final mid-season special, we’re playing a game of “Who Said It?” We’ve collected some iconic quotes from across the series to test our memories and our knowledge of Panem. Feel free to play along and see if you can beat our scores! Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Onceuponaredflagpodcast/ Find us on Ins...

Did Katniss Everdeen survive due to skill, or was it just the luck of the draw? On this episode, we are putting the Mockingjay through a little arena swap. She’s good at archery and foraging and is obviously mentally strong, but would this hold up in every brutal arena thought up throughout Panem’s history? From frozen wastes to scorched deserts, how many arenas would Katniss have survived? Full l...

We’ve seen the rise of President Snow and witnessed first-hand the trauma Haymitch was put through, but so many other characters are shrouded in mystery. This episode we are brainstorming the prequels we think need to happen. Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Onceuponaredflagpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts - @ OnceUponARedFlagPodcast

The deep dive continues. In Part 2 of our mid-season special, we explore five more fan theories as we shift into the darker side of District 13. It may, indeed, be way worse than we all think. How many deaths is President Coin responsible for, and how much did Gale actually know? Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Onceuponaredflagpodcast/ Find us on Instagra...

We’re diving into the wildest fan theories in Panem! In the first of our mid-season specials, we’re exploring five theories we have not discussed on the podcast before. We’re breaking down the evidence, looking for the red flags, and we ultimately decide if these theories are fabulous insights or just complete delusions. Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@On...

Katniss Everdeen is being forced to quell a revolution, survive another round of the Hunger Games and somehow still figure out who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. So, is it fair to call her an a-hole for her treatment of Gale and Peeta? In this episode, we are discussing the fine line between stringing someone along, and simply not having the emotional capacity to deal with a romanti...

Gale Hawthorne may have a lot on his plate, looking after his family, but his entitlement to Katniss is raising some red flags. In this episode, we analyse his behaviour in Catching Fire, and ask if he is the a-hole for taking his anger over Peeta out on Katniss. Does his loyalty and friendship come with too many strings attached? Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtu...

One minute, all the Victors are holding hands in defiance against the Capitol, and the next they were fighting for their lives. On this episode, we explore what is potentially the most intense moral dilemma of the entire Hunger Games. Is it a red flag to choose your own survival over a rebellion that could save millions? Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@On...

When does the rebellion become a red flag? In this episode, we are putting Haymitch and Plutarch on trial for their underhanded tactics getting Katniss, their Mockingjay, from the Quarter Quell arena to District 13. It’s another tough question: is it ever okay to sacrifice your friends for the promise of a better future? Full length video episodes available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@On...

Is President Snow a monster, or is any of his logic sound? This week, we endure the rose stench of President Snow as he attempt to justify the 75th Hunger Games. We can already see exactly how this episode is going to go! In this episode: AITA for using fear and extreme control to stop a civil war before it starts? Why did Snow send Katniss on a mission she could never possibly achieve? Exactly wh...