Though The Hunger Games franchise is technically sci-fi, it is often labeled as dystopian young-adult books (and then movies) mostly targeted at teenagers. Nevertheless, many adults have also enjoyed the series which became a breakthrough in their time.
Though the role of Katniss Everdeen made a female action star out of Jennifer Lawrence, there is another interesting character (played by Woody Harrelson) that attracts the attention of many viewers. Here are 10 things you never knew about Haymitch Abernathy.
He Is Skilled With Knives And Extremely Smart
Haymitch becomes a mentor for Katniss and Peeta, but even though he was a victor years ago, we don't see him in his prime. Instead, he appears to be a middle-aged drunk man who doesn't care about embarrassing himself in front of everyone. In the books, he even fell off the stage during the Reaping.
However, this is not what Haymitch used to be like and he eventually gives up alcohol to mentor Katniss and Peeta properly. Haymitch is skilled with knives and extremely smart. He has a quick wit that helped him win the Games way back at the age of 16.
He Was Never Into Effie In The Books
Though Haymitch and Effie don't get along most of the time, we see them develop a mutual understanding and work together towards their common goal of making Katniss and Peeta survive the Hunger Games. But unlike the movies, Haymitch was never into Effie in the books.
In the last movie, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, we see them kiss as a goodbye when Haymitch and Katniss return to Victor's Village in District 12. This suggests that they might have become something more than friends, but such a scene never happened in the books.
He Outlived A Record Forty-Seven Victors
The Hunger Games require two tributes to be picked from each district. This means that there are twenty-four participants every time with every district submitting one girl and one boy. However, the Games Haymitch participated in had twice that number of tributes.
Haymitch was unlucky enough to be picked for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the 2nd Quarter Quell. Quarter Quells are usually celebrated as a special occasion, so the Gamemakers make them unique in some way. The 50th Games required two male and two female tributes from each district which meant that there would be forty-eight tributes.
He Is The Only Person Reaped For Two Quarter Quells
At the same time, Haymitch's record of outliving forty-seven tributes is supported by his other record of being picked for a Quarter Quell twice. If you know the rules of the Games, you might be wondering how this is possible, but there is an explanation for that.
In the second movie, Katniss and Peeta have to participate in the Hunger Games again because it is the third Quarter Quell, which was made "special" by picking tributes from the victors of the previous years. Haymitch was first picked as a tribute, but Peeta then volunteered to go with Katniss, who was the only living female victor from District 12.
He Has Nightmares And Sleeps With A Knife
Probably due to being skilled with knives, Haymitch keeps one with himself when he sleeps. However, considering that he doesn't sleep often and instead prefers to stay awake and drink, it is only logical that he keeps a knife with himself when he does drift off.
Just like Peeta and Katniss, Haymitch has nightmares from the Games. Like many other tributes, he became an ally with another participant, but unlike many others, he developed a bond with her as Katniss did with Rue. In the end, Haymitch saw her die.
He Is Connected To Katniss Through The Mockingjay Pin
The Mockingjay pin becomes a symbol of the rebellion just like Katniss is. The bird can also be seen in numerous scenes, so it is not just the pin itself but also this particular breed of the bird. For example, Katniss's white wedding dress designed by Cinna turns into a black Mockingjay dress when Katniss spins around.
Nevertheless, none of this would have started if Katniss didn't get the pin in the first place. In the movies, she gets it from an old woman from the flea market, but in the books, it is given to her by the mayor's daughter and Katniss's best friend Madge Undersee. Madge's aunt was Maysilee Donner, who was the tribute that Haymitch allied with in the 50th Hunger Games.
He Pulled A Stunt With The Force Field
Even though Haymitch was considered strong when he was younger, he valued his wit much more. Ultimately, it was really the reason why he won the Games. A little after he and Maysilee broke up the alliance in order not to kill each other, Haymitch discovered that when he threw rocks of a cliff, they would bounce back because of the force field.
While he was throwing the rocks, he heard Maysilee screaming and rushed to her side, but couldn't help her as she died after deadly candy pink birds sliced her throat with their beaks. Eventually, he was left with a female tribute from District 1 who hit him in his stomach with her ax. He then rushed to the side of the cliff while holding his intestines in. She threw her ax at him aiming for the head, but he dodged it and it flew into the force field that threw it back at the girl, killing her instantly.
His Family Was Murdered
One of the reasons why Haymitch has nightmares is because of his experience in the Hunger Games but another reason is that his family was murdered by the Capitol because of his disobedience.
Two weeks after Haymitch was crowned the victor of the 50th Hunger Games, his loved ones, including his girlfriend, mother, and younger brother were all killed on the order of President Snow as a punishment for the stunt he pulled with the force field.
He Played An Important Role During The Rebellion
By the end of the second book, we realize that there is a rebellion against the rule of President Snow that has finally broken out, partially thanks to Katniss. However, she gets very angry at Haymitch for keeping it from her and abandoning Peeta in the arena.
Ever since Peeta volunteered to replace him in the 75th Hunger Games, Haymitch had been helping the rebellion and working with Plutarch and other victors on it. He encouraged Katniss and Peeta to befriend other victors who were meant to help them get out of the arena eventually. Afterward, we see him helping Katniss with the promo materials and he's by her side after she kills President Coin.
He Is Not The Only District 12 Victor Before Katniss And Peeta
Everybody knows that Haymitch was the only living victor from District 12 when Katniss and Peeta were picked. Nevertheless, not everyone knows that he is not the only victor District 12 has ever had (even though it could have been true considering the reputation of the district).
Throughout the history of the Hunger Games, District 12 has had four victors in total including Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, and an unnamed female winner mentioned in the books. She died sometime before the events of the first book and movie.