Summary

• At 16, Haymitch won the 50th Hunger Games through cunning strategy and tough intelligence, but faced tragic consequences.
• President Snow punished Haymitch for winning by killing his loved ones, leading him to struggle with PTSD and alcoholism.
• The prequel, "Sunrise on the Reaping," will explore Haymitch's backstory, finally shedding light on his Hunger Games victory.

Ever since Haymitch Abernathy was introduced in the first Hunger Games movie, audiences have wondered how Haymitch won the Hunger Games himself. Haymitch was one of the most polarizing figures to come out of the Hunger Games franchise, and a lot of that stemmed from what fans didn't see. Woody Harrelson portrayed the character in the movies based on the character from Suzanne Collins' YA book trilogy. As the lone District 12 mentor for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, it was revealed that Haymitch won the annual Hunger Games event when he was just 16 years old.

As mentors are made up of former winners of the Hunger Games, it is hard to believe that the hard-drinking and initially uncaring Haymitch could actually win. However, the truth behind his victory is revealed in the second book, Catching Fire, though it was mostly left out of the film adaptation. Surprisingly, Haymitch proves to have used his toughness and intelligence against the other tributes, but not without consequences. The truth behind how Haymitch won the Hunger Games explains a lot about his character and connects to the overall story in some big ways.

What Year Haymitch Won The Hunger Games

He Won When He Was Just 16 Years Old

Part of what makes the Hunger Games books so timeless is that they aren't set in a specific year, but rather in an unspecified dystopian future. Unfortunately, this lack of specificity means it's impossible to know exact years for key events, including when Haymitch won the 50th Hunger Games. In hindsight, this was a smart move on Suzanne Collins' part as it will ensure her stories don't ever find themselves clashing with reality, and they'll remain timeless.

That said, an interesting clue in an early draft of the first movie can give a better idea of when the events of the Hunger Games take place. An early version of the Hunger Games script, which Collins co-wrote along with Gary Ross and Billy Ray, had the events of the movie set about 300 years in the future from present day. It was later removed, but it's a good starting point. The first Hunger Games movie came out in 2012, so the first movie's events would have taken place around 2312 AD. As Haymitch won his games 24 years before Katniss and Peeta, he would have won in the year 2288 AD. Again, this isn't canon, but it's interesting to see that's where their thinking was when penning the first script.

An early version of the Hunger Games script, which Collins co-wrote along with Gary Ross and Billy Ray, had the events of the movie set about 300 years in the future from present day.

How Haymitch Won The Hunger Games

He Was A Cunning Player

At 16, Haymitch was reaped in the Second Quarter Quell, which was the special name for the 50th Hunger Games. The fellow District 12 tribute was a girl named Maysilee Donner, with whom he formed an alliance for a brief time in the arena, fighting off the Hunger Games' deadly Mutts and career tributes. While fighting some of the other tributes with a knife he acquired from the Cornucopia, Maysilee saved Haymitch's life by killing the lone surviving attacker. As the number of tributes dwindled, Maysilee went off on her own. Shortly after, she fell victim to the bird-mutts.

In time, it came down to Haymitch and the District 1 female tribute as the final two opponents. The pair faced off, and Haymitch was severely injured to the point that he had to hold in his own intestines as he crawled away from the other tribute. As he approached a nearby cliff, the girl attempted to finish him off with a throwing axe. Unlike Haymitch, the girl didn't know that the arena was surrounded by a force field. Haymitch dodged the ax, allowing it to bounce back off the forcefield into her head. Despite winning, things got worse for Haymitch Abernathy after the Hunger Games.

What Happened To Haymitch After He Won The Second Quarter Quell

Things Became Tragic Because Of How He Won

President Snow wasn't too pleased with Haymitch and his actions involving the force field in the arena. As punishment for the stunt leading up to the win, Snow had Haymitch's mother, younger brother, and girlfriend killed. Everyone he truly cared for was taken away from him mere weeks after his victory. Not only did he suffer from the deaths of his loved ones, but Haymitch also struggled with severe PTSD from his experiences in the Games. For the next few decades, he carried the trauma with him, turning to alcohol to repress his feelings. It also didn't help that Haymitch mentored tributes that went on to die for years to come.

Haymitch emerged as a key member of the Second Rebellion, giving the districts more control over Panem after overtaking the Capitol.

By the time Haymitch mentored Hunger Games tributes Katniss and Peeta, he had isolated himself from the rest of District 12. He was still a drunk, but Katniss' ignition of the rebellion gave Haymitch a new sense of purpose. Haymitch emerged as a key member of the Second Rebellion, giving the districts more control over Panem after overtaking the Capitol. Despite another victory, Haymitch never had the chance to rid himself of the horrors he endured before the Hunger Games story came to an end.

Why The Details Of How Haymitch Won The Hunger Games Were Cut From The Catching Fire Movie

It's An Important Detail To Leave Out

For those fans who have only watched the movies, how Haymitch won the Hunger Games is left as a complete mystery and never addressed. Fans of the books feel that cutting out Haymitch's backstory in Catching Fire was a mistake as it not only spoke to his character but also had big implications for what happened in that story. In a way, it is understandable why such scenes were cut as the story was focused on Katniss and Peeta while introducing plenty of new characters. While it condensed the material, losing this subplot took a lot away from Haymitch as a character.

Haymitch is forced to live with, not only the traumatic experiences of the games but also the cost of his own victory. While it destroys Haymitch in many ways, he also uses it to get his revenge on President Snow. Given that the The Hunger Games uses the forcefield to free Katniss, it stands to reason Haymitch played a part in that. Using the same methods he used to win the Hunger Games, Haymitch waits out his enemies and outthinks them in a bit of poetic justice.

Will Haymitch Be The Main Character In The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping?

A Significant Part Of The Hunger Games Story Will Finally Get A Movie Adaptation

It was announced that Suzanne Collins is writing another book in the Hunger Games franchise, titled Sunrise on the Reaping, and Lionsgate already has a movie adaptation announced for 2026. It's likely that longtime Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, who recently directed the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will return to direct The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The book is set to hit shelves on March 18, 2025.

It's likely that longtime Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, who recently directed the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will return to direct Sunrise on the Reaping.

Sunrise on the Reaping, like Ballads, will be a prequel that brings Haymitch Abernathy's story fully into the light. The story begins on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, which saw young Haymitch pulled into the deadly competition. Nothing more is known of the new prequel story beyond that, or what other characters may be involved, though it's likely a few familiar faces will pop up, including President Snow. Regardless of who else s, Haymitch will be the main character of Sunrise on the Reaping, finally giving readers and audiences the chance to see his Hunger Games story come to life.