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Atala was the head trainer for the Hunger Games. Her job was to explain the point of each station and the possible ways to die in the arena, as well as to get the tributes in shape to compete. It is said in the Tribute Guide that Atala can whip even the weakest tribute into shape.

Biography[]

The Hunger Games[]

"In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead. One of you will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days, particularly to what I'm about to say. First, no fighting with the other tributes. You'll have plenty of time for that in the Arena. There are four compulsory exercises, and then the rest will be individual training. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife."
—Atala introducing the tributes to the Training Center[src]

Atala was first seen when Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark joined the other tributes for training. They stood in front of her in a semi-circle. She welcomed the 24 tributes and then explained to them about the different stations set up around the Training Center. As usual, she read through the list of stations, explained there was no combat allowed with other tributes, and that survival skills were just as important as fighting skills. She then released the tributes to train.[1] While training, Cato and the District 6 male got into a fight over Cato's stolen knife, which was actually taken by Rue. Atala blew her whistle to get their attention and told them to get back to training.[2]

Catching Fire[]

Atala reappeared in Catching Fire when Katniss and Peeta returned for the third Quarter Quell. Although only half of the tributes had arrived by ten, she was unfazed by the poor attendance. Again, Atala welcomed the tributes and directed them in their training, reading through the list of stations before letting them train.[3]

Physical description[]

Atala was tall and athletic.[1] In the film, she was portrayed as being dark-skinned with black hair tied back in a loose ponytail and dark eyes. Atala's training outfit had the Capitol seal visible. Unlike most Capitol citizens, she looked pretty normal to a modern or district-oriented perspective. Presumably, as she was in official uniform designed for practicality when seen, this was not her usual form of dress.[2]

Etymology[]

Atala shares a name with the titular heroine of the novella Atala by François-René de Chateaubriand. However, some fans have theorized that Atala's name may be a short form of Atalanta, a heroine in ancient Greek mythology who lived in the wilderness and was renowned for her swiftness and strength, as well as being the only female member of the Argonauts in some interpretations. The latter interpretation aligns with Atala's role as someone who helps tributes prepare for the Hunger Games, as well as the recurring trend of Capitol citizens being named after ancient Greco-Roman figures.

References[]

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