Gale
You should try to eat something.
Caesar
Hello. Good evening. And a big welcome to all in Panem. I'm Caesar Flickerman. And whoever you are, whatever it is you're doing, if you're working, put down your work. If you're having dinner, stop having dinner. Because you are going to want to witness this tonight. There has been rampant speculation about what really happened in the Quarter Quell. And here to shed a little light on the subject for us is a very special guest. Please welcome Mr. Peeta Mellark. Peeta, a lot of people feel as though they are in the dark.
Yeah, I know how they feel.
Caesar
Now, so set the stage for us. Talk us through what really happened on that final and controversial night.
Well, first off, you have to understand that when you're in the Games, you only get one wish. It's very costly.
You're alive.
Caesar
It costs your life.
I think it costs more than your life.
Caesar
How do you mean? What's more than your life?
I mean to murder innocent people, that costs everything that you are.
Caesar
Yes.
So you hold on to that one wish. And that night my wish was to save Katniss.
Caesar
Yes.
I should've just run off with her earlier in the day like she'd wanted.
Caesar
But you didn't. Why? Were you caught up in Beetee's plan?
No, I was caught up trying to play allies. And then they separated us and... that's when I lost her. And then the lightning hit... and the whole force field around the arena just blew out.
Caesar
Yes, but, Peeta, Katniss is the one who blew it out.
No.
Caesar
You saw the footage.
No, she didn't know what she was doing. Neither of us knew there was a bigger plan going on. We had no idea.
Caesar
You had no idea?
No.
Caesar
All right. Well, Peeta, there are many who find this suspicious to say the least. It seems as though she was part of a rebel plan.
Do you think it was part of her plan to be almost killed by Johanna? Or part of the plan to be paralyzed by lightning? No, we were not part of any rebel plan. We had no idea what was going on.
Caesar
All right. I believe you, Peeta Mellark.
Thank you. Yeah.
Caesar
And I was going to ask you to speak about the unrest, but I think you might be too upset.
No, I can.
Caesar
Are you sure?
Yeah, absolutely.
Caesar
Thank you.
Yeah. I want everyone who's watching to stop and to think about what a civil war could mean. [13 workers become outraged] We almost went extinct once before. And now our numbers are even fewer.
He's one of them!
Is this really what we wanna do?
He's a traitor!
Kill ourselves off? Killing is not the answer.
I can't believe he's doing this.
Everyone needs to lay down their weapons immediately.
Traitor! He's not one of us! This is treason!
Caesar
Are you calling for a ceasefire?
Yeah. I am.
You're a puppet! Hang him!
I want everyone to stop the senseless violence. This is not the path to change.
Traitor!
It's not the path to justice.
