✓ | Iron ↠ The Hunger Games

the end (& bonus notes)

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THE END;

I am quite honestly in shock that we have reached this point. At one time, I thought it would never happen. I have been working on this story for the longest time (of my currently completed fics) so far. Vesper's journey was first dreamed up in the summer of 2018 — a rather simplistic, two-dimensional concept at the time — but she has now evolved into one of my most complex characters I've created currently. To have completed this first, crucial chapter of her story is deeply rewarding.

There is so much I could say, but I'm going to try and keep it short. (Spoiler: I didn't make it short, this ended up being a long-winded ending note anyway...)

Some thanks are definitely due when it comes to this story, and there are a couple in particular I'd like to mention. First of all to Iydiamartin for being the first inspiration which made this fic what it has become. Their own Hunger Games story, Fragments, with its intricate world-building and deep character exploration, opened my eyes to how ambitious I could be with my own Hunger Games story by expanding the universe. It was what made me want to flesh out District Six and that world so much. So, is this me urging you to go and read Fragments right now? Yes! Yes it is!

I'd also like to give a little shout out to to bIumenthaIs for being a great second opinion when it came to bouncing ideas, agonising over action/fight scenes together, and much more. It's good to have someone to rant to when I need to scream about spoilery plot points for my books! And also to heartofhugs for being a wonderful cheerleader in general when it comes to my writing — you've offered such sweet support throughout, and I can't thank you enough.

Finally, to all of you who have been reading, voting and especially commenting throughout, thank you. I extend this thanks to you more than anything. Yes, you. I could name loads and loads to thank, but I'd be here forever, so I want to make this as broad as possible. My motivation has gone up and down for this book, but you guys keep me going, and now here we are! Teamwork makes the dream work.

You can scroll past this next bit if you like, but if you're interested, I'm a bit of a nerd for film soundtracks, and now that Iron is completed I can share what scores I matched with certain scenes. It really helped me get into the mood and flesh out the moments while writing them:

i. ━ FOURTEEN YEARS PRIOR
old astrid – niklas schmidt
( description: prologue, vesper and her father walk home as the sun sets with their tesserae )

ii. ━ DEATH SENTENCES
future king – lorne balfe
( description: chapter 3, starts playing the moment icarus's name is called, finishes just after he and vesper shake hands )

iii. ━ THE GLADIATORS
horn of plenty – james newton howard
( description: chapter 6, the chariot parade )

iv. ━ REAGAN
the train – james newton howard
( description: chapter 10, plays as vesper watches her mother on-tape talk about her in caesar's interview )

v. ━ BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
sapper's tree – hans zimmer & benjamin wallfisch
( description: chapter 15, vesper and icarus find levin and decide to make an alliance )

vi. ━ SOMETHING IN THE WATER
first confrontation – lorne balfe
( description: chapter 19, alligator mutts attack the tributes )

vii. ━ I'M NOT READY
blake and schofield – thomas newman
( description: chapter 19, levin's death scene )

viii. ━ A SINKING FEELING
lockhouse – thomas newman
( description: chapter 20, vesper, icarus, fern and briony get stuck in mud/quicksand )

ix. ━ THE FEAST
the horrors of war – john paesano
( description: chapter 23, the feast, ends with vesper killing boaz )

x. ━ CLIPPED WINGS
a final sacrifice – luke richards
( description: chapter 24, icarus dies in vesper's arms )

xi. ━ KITES
cottage by the sea – lorne balfe
( description: chapter 25, vesper sees her father in her dream, kite flying scene )

xii. ━ THE WISPS
confession – hildur guðnadóttir
( description: chapter 26, will 'o' the wisps tempt vesper and she finds coral's body )

xiii. ━ SHOWDOWN
the oil – hans zimmer
( description: chapter 27, vesper and fern fight to the death as the last two tributes )

xiv. ━ THE REAL GAME / VESPER'S THEME
your majesty – lorne balfe
( description: chapter 30, ending scene with vesper returning home. i also consider this to be vesper's 'theme'! )

Now, the next question: what now? Well, I can give you an answer, which is that this is definitely not the end of Vesper's story. I wrote Iron with the intention of making it a trilogy, the other two books spanning Catching Fire and Mockingjay. However, the next book might not come for a little while... mainly because I need to figure out what's actually going to happen in it!

But what I can tease is that it will involve more District Six world-building, exploring life as a victor, more backstory and scenes with Irma, Dale, etc, as well as some new characters. Seven years will also have passed, which means Vesper will be around her mid-twenties, so therefore I feel like the break between books is necessary for me to get into the mind frame of an older, maturer Vesper. But for the time being, I'm happy with the way I have finished Iron — it ties a neat little bow on this chapter, while subtly setting up plots for next time.

Once again, a million thanks for coming on this journey, whether you've been here since 2019 or only just now. On this day, I certainly feel that the odds have been in my favour for finishing this book at last. I'll see you around!

— Imogen ( starryeyedturtle )