One of the most popular YA stories of the last decade has been The Hunger Games series, the infernal story of Katniss Everdeen. First a best-selling trilogy before becoming a box office success, this several part tale encomes romance, political intrigue, revolution, action, danger, and monumental loss. It's a powerful work that captured the minds and hearts of many readers. Furthermore, it sky-rocketed the career of Hollywood darlings Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.
At the center of it all is Katniss, a fantastic marksman with a fiery heart. She does what she believes is right and will do anything to protect her little sister. One split-second decision to take her sister's position in The Hunger Games changed the world around her forever. After all, who can resist a girl on fire?
Between her endless in-story fans and fans in the real world, Katniss is beloved by many. She even inspired a lot of young girls to take up archery, sparked another fandom romance debate, and technically saved the world. Despite all of the trials she went through, though, she survived. However, not everything about Katniss, the symbolic Mockingjay, is perfect. Some of it just doesn't add up. After all, her popularity can't cover all of her character flaws up.
With that said, here are the 25 Things Wrong With Katniss In The Hunger Games Everyone Chooses To Ignore.
25. Her Romantic Interest In Gale
One of Katniss' love interests is her childhood best friend, Gale. However, the romance between Gale and Katniss is pretty irrelevant. They could have just been great best friends and it wouldn't have effected the overall plot of the series very much.
Unlike Peeta, the girl on fire had little reason to be romantically interested in Gale. They both had very different views about how to get things done and he was a much more unforgiving person than she was. For someone desperate to be comforted and grounded, he never makes sense. While Gale was attractive, that didn't make him a good option for Katniss.
24. She's Better Than Career Tributes
When Katniss enters the Hunger Games, she learns about "The Careers." These are kids from the wealthy districts who have spent their entire lives training for this. They see it as an honor to the ceremony.
Though our young heroine is fantastic with a bow, it's a bit of a stretch to think that she could face off against trained warriors. If all of the deus ex machinas hadn't saved Katniss (Rue, Thresh's mercy, wolf-mutts, etc.), she probably would have been toast. The Careers were painfully lackluster considering how skilled they were supposed to be.
23. Her Dull Lack Response To Losing Prim
In Mockingjay, a lot of terrible things start to weigh on Katniss' shoulders. The Capital brainwashed her sort of boyfriend, Peeta. While contributing to a mission, wolf-mutts mauled her close friend, Finnick. Worst of all, though, was what happened to Prim. During The Hunger Games, Katniss risked her life to save Prim from the games. However, the rebellion's own bombs decimate Prim while she was helping the wounded.
Though Katniss is devastated, she lacks the fiery response expected from her character. She's always responded to frustrations and pain with rage and vengeance. If she stayed true to her character, she would have destroyed Gale for being the one to make the plan.
22. She Doesn't Use Her Wealth To Help Others
After surviving the Hunger Games, victors get to live in their district's "Victor Village." This place has huge mansions and victors get to bring their entire families with them to live there. Also, they earn a bunch of money, resources, clothes, and never have to work again (excluding mentoring tributes).
However, with all of this wealth and resources, it doesn't make sense that some victors don't use this to better their district. Despite the money and power Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch have, District 12 is still helplessly poor. While they live in relative luxury, their community suffers. As the heroes, they should make some effort to help others, not just wage wars.
21. Her Friendship With Madge Undersee
Throughout The Hunger Games book series, Katniss has a close female friend, Madge Undersee. While the movies omit her, she's pretty important to the novels. This is the character who gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin and s her. However, as time goes on, it becomes clear that a character like Madge Undersee doesn't quite belong.
One of Madge's distinct moments happens when she buys a pretty dress so that she can look good if she gets picked in the culling. Next to a family-focused, rebellious girl like Katniss, the two simply don't match up. Of all of the people the girl on fire could have befriended in District 12, Madge didn't mesh well with her personality.
20. She Got Drunk With Haymitch
When the trio of District 12 victors learn about the new Quarter Quell rules, they don't take it well. After all, they're pooling from victors only, and there are only three of them. Since Katniss is the only girl, the only other option is Haymitch or Peeta.
Throughout the first Hunger Games, Katniss is startled and repulsed by Haymitch's drunkeness, even if she appreciates him. However, later, she seems to be following him. It's understandable, considering the trauma of the Games, but Katniss acts like a person who has to cope with violence and stoic-ness, not one who has to deal with alcohol.
19. Her Lack Of Appetite In The Movies
Because of District 12's helplessly poor conditions, food can be quite scarce. In contrast, the capitol is rich with food and goods. It's not surprising that the half-starved Katniss gorges herself on food in the books. However, for some reason, the movies decided that she should resist eating. This not only directly goes against the books, but it also ignores how hungry a starving young girl can be.
Katniss may be a rebel, but she has always struggled and scraped around for food. Peeta even got in trouble for getting her burned bread.
18. Her Complicated Relationship With Her Mother
In a world like Panem, family is the only thing people have left, especially in places like District 12. Though losing her husband crippled Mrs. Everdeen, it should have brought her closer to her daughters, not further. Depression is infectious and monstrous, but sometimes duty has to supersede pain.
On the flip side, though, Katniss clearly just took over her mother's role instead of trying to help her get better. This created a weird mother/daughter relationship that sometimes felt mixed up. While their lives were hard, the Everdeen women should have found a way to cope together. Katniss shouldn't have been strong-arming her way through everything.
17. Her Endless Arrows
Looking at Legolas from Lord of The Rings or at any Robin Hood movie, you'll notice that this mistake is pretty common. After all, where did all of those arrows come from?
The endless quiver is a problem that many movies with archers face. While it would be boring for archers to run out of arrows, it also doesn't make any sense for their stock to never deplete. In the grittier world of The Hunger Games, it could have made for a more interesting storying, as we could see what Katniss would do if she ran out of ammo. Unfortunately, that's a scenario fans will never see come to fruition.
16. The Gale Kiss In Catching Fire
Throughout The Hunger Games, the book eludes to the fact that there might be more between Katniss and Gale than just friendship. He's desperate to know that she's okay and whenever she thinks about Peeta, she worries about Gale. It's all complicated, teenage romance stuff.
However, when Gale finally gets Katniss alone, he thinks it's a great idea to kiss her. She's still confused about her feelings between the two boys. Conversely, though, it was bold of him to presume that she felt the same way about him. He probably should have waited until they talked about it before going in for the kiss. That was the moment Katniss should have known that Gale was too aggressive for her.
