It was either going to be Haymitch Abernathy or Peeta Mellark as the District 12 male tribute for the 75th Hunger Games, aka the Third Quarter Quell, in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and the film would have been a lot different if Haymitch was in the arena instead of Peeta. The 2013 dystopian action movie, directed by Francis Lawrence, is based on Suzanne Collins’s book of the same name and is the second installment in the Hunger Games film series. In the sequel, the Capitol forced Peeta and Katniss Everdeen to play the Games again due to a horrific tradition.
A Quarter Quell occurs every 25 years to celebrate the quarter-century anniversary of the Capitol’s win during the First Rebellion. Each featured a twist — the 25th Games had the districts voting for their tributes; the 50th Games included twice the amount of tributes; and the tributes for the 75th Games were reaped from the existing pool of victors. Since Katniss was the only (alive) female victor from District 12, she was one of the tributes by default. However, Haymitch and Peeta had a 50-50 chance of being picked. Ultimately, Effie Trinket drew Haymitch’s name, but Peeta volunteered in his place.
Peeta Would Become Haymitch & Katniss’ Mentor
Before the reaping in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Katniss made Haymitch promise that he would volunteer if Effie picked Peeta’s name because she wanted to keep Peeta alive by any means necessary. However, Haymitch explained that he couldn’t do anything if his name was drawn, since Peeta could then volunteer (to protect Katniss in the arena), and that’s what happened. Consequently, Haymitch traveled with Katniss and Peeta to the Capitol to mentor them, but Peeta would have to take on the mentor role if Haymitch was the District 12 male tribute instead.
Throughout the Hunger Games series, Haymitch was always Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, even after the Third Quarter Quell. He was their confidant and someone who could understand their pain and behavior like no one else. So, it would have been intriguing to see the role reversal between Haymitch and Peeta, with Haymitch as the tribute and Peeta as the mentor. However, Haymitch undoubtedly wouldn’t have been able to help himself by giving Katniss advice and strategic tips.
Peeta was one of the most level-headed characters in the franchise, meaning he would have been a fantastic mentor. The only problem is his feelings for Katniss. Peeta would likely prioritize Katniss over Haymitch, which Haymitch would have understood. But Peeta’s negligence still would have disadvantaged Haymitch once he entered the arena in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, even if Haymitch was more familiar with the other tributes.
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Haymitch Would Make Katniss’ Alliances Easier
Once Haymitch and Katniss (hypothetically) entered the clock-themed arena in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Haymitch had an advantage that Peeta didn’t in the film — he was one of the Hunger Games characters who knew about the rebel plan. As some recall, the Third Quarter Quell didn’t end when there was one tribute left standing. Instead, it concluded when Katniss blew open the arena’s force field, allowing the rebels’ hovercrafts to rescue some of the remaining tributes and marking the beginning of the Second Rebellion.
Rescuing Katniss from the arena was the priority from the start. Haymitch’s knowledge would have made it easier for the Girl on Fire to ally with Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason, who were both also aware of the plan. Neither Katniss nor Peeta knew about the rescue, making it more difficult for them to trust other tributes. But if Haymitch were there instead of Peeta, he could have convinced Katniss that she could trust Finnick, Johanna, and the others, making things run more smoothly.
Katniss Would Not Be As Worried Without Peeta
After President Snow announced the twist for the Third Quarter Quell in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, one of Katniss and Peeta’s priorities was making sure the other lived (even though Peeta was quicker on the draw than Katniss). Their feelings for one another outweighed all other concerns, meaning they were constantly worried about each other in the arena. Katniss was focused on ensuring Peeta’s survival, not winning or keeping the spark of the rebellion alive. However, if Haymitch were the District 12 male tribute instead of Peeta, Katniss wouldn’t have to worry about guaranteeing Peeta’s safety.
Since Peeta competed in the 75th Hunger Games, his presence added another level of difficulty to the rebel’s plan. They knew Katniss wouldn’t agree to be the Mockingjay if they didn’t protect Peeta. As a result, tributes like Finnick, Mags Flanagan, and one of the Morphlings saved Peeta in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. But if Haymitch were there instead, they wouldn’t have been so concerned about keeping him alive as they were with Peeta.
Would Haymitch Have Died In The 75th Hunger Games?
One cannot say for certain whether Haymitch would have survived or died during the Third Quarter Quell in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He’s older than Peeta, so his age was a disadvantage, but that wasn’t a problem for Beetee. Plus, Haymitch would have aligned with the likes of Katniss, Finnick, and Johanna, who would have kept him safe.
However, Haymitch could have slowed them down due to withdrawal from alcohol in the arena, meaning he might have had to sacrifice himself to save the others. Or a freak accident, like the poisonous fog or the blood rain might have killed Haymitch. He also could have been captured by the Capitol like Peeta was at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire‘s ending. A case could be made for Haymitch’s survival or death, but fans will never know the definite answer regarding his fate if he was the District 12 male tribute instead of Peeta.
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Peeta Would Have Been Safe From The Capitol’s Control
One of the most significant ways the Hunger Games film series would be different if Haymitch competed in the Third Quarter Quell instead of Peeta would be Peeta’s fate. After Katniss broke the force field, the rebels saved her, Finnick, and Beetee from the arena. However, the Capitol captured Peeta, Johanna, and Enobaria before the rebels could get to them. If Peeta hadn’t been in the arena in the first place, President Snow’s forces wouldn’t have been able to kidnap him, and he would be safe from the Capitol’s control.
Peeta would have known of the plan and been there when Katniss woke up in the hovercraft instead of being taken hostage and tortured for weeks. One of the biggest plot points in the franchise is when the Capitol hijacks Peeta into thinking Katniss is the enemy. The hijacking wouldn’t have happened if Haymitch and Peeta swapped roles in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, saving Katniss and Peeta from immense pain.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The second entry into the Hunger Games film franchise and based on Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire picks up shortly after the events of the first film. Returning home to District 12 after their victory at the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) begin to sense an imminent rebellion against the oppressive Capitol.
- Release Date
- November 1, 2013
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Cast
- Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Sam Claflin
- Runtime
- 2h 26m
- Franchise(s)
- The Hunger Games
