Seutonius Cathode

Seutonius Cathode was the first Hunger Games Master of Ceremonies.

## Biography

Seutonius was born in the Capitol fifty years before the First Rebellion. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming an actor, and his dream came true when he acted in his first film at was 22 years old. With his innocent good looks, down-home charm and endearing accent, he quickly established himself as a beloved actor. He mainly appeared in Westerns and gentle romances and made it a point never to play a villain.

When rebellion broke out, Seutonius left film to join the war effort. He was initially accepted, despite the military's reluctance to risk the life of one of the nation's most beloved actors, but he changed his mind when he looked deeper and discovered the war was not as noble as he had thought. He backed out of military service, citing an exaggerated childhood leg injury. He declined to make any statements on the war, preferring to use his influence and wealth to raise funds and support for hospitals.

As the war came to a close, Seutonius was already nearing the age when he could no longer take the romantic or physically taxing roles of his youth. When offered a chance to become the Master of Ceremonies for the first Hunger Games, he accepted, while he still took occasional film roles. He was horrified at the idea of the Games, but he hoped that as an insider, he would be able to affect change. He further hoped to be able to assist the Tributes.

## Master of Ceremonies

Seutonius had always loved children, and he fell in love with every child he interviewed. His goal as interviewer was to give each child the best chance at survival. At first he was dismayed and shocked when the Careers developed, but he soon began to view them as victims like any other Tribute. He had deep sympathy for the Tributes' plight and mourned for the loss of childhoods in the Games and in the Academy.

The loss of twenty-three children every year weighed heavily on Seutonius' soul. While he loved being with them and was devoted to remembering them all, the emotional strain aged Seutonius and wore him down. His health began to decline in the year of the 30th Hunger Games. His back weakened and he developed arthritis, to the point where he required a cane.

In the closing ceremony for the 32nd Hunger Games, Suetonius announced his retirement. The Capitol received the news with great dismay but honored his wish to live a quiet life with his wife, to whom he had been devoted for fifty years.

## Personality

There was nothing artificial or pretentious about Seutonius. He was a tenderhearted and chivalrous gentleman who was raised with old-fashioned manners and genuine compassion. He adored children, and it was his greatest regret that he and his wife were unable to conceive any of their own.

His years working as Master of Ceremonies gave Seutonius a forgiving and inclusive philosophy. He interviewed many children, many of whom looked forward to murder, but as he aged, Seutonius saw how young they all were. He ceased to see them as anything but the children they were- children too young to understand their actions and whose upbringing gave them no other choice. He remembered each of them and mourned every death.

## Retirement

After he retired from his Hunger Games job, Seutonius repaired to his home, where he enjoyed quiet hobbies with his wife. His time with the Tributes never left him, and he possessed a serious and mournful air that he never had before.

## Trivia

* Seutonius kept a scrapbook of the Tributes he interviewed, and he kept adding Tributes even after he retired. Every year, on the anniversary of the Games, he read it and lit a candle for them.