Katniss vs. Lucy Gray: Who Would Win The Hunger Games If They Both Entered?

The Hunger Games franchise has two compelling leading ladies at its core, but while Katniss Everdeen and Lucy Gray Baird have strong connections to one another, they’re very different characters. Katniss gets by in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire in part due to her survival skills — though the romance she strikes up with Peeta certainly helps. Lucy Gray Baird also defies the odds and survives the 10th annual Hunger Games tournament. However, Lucy’s charm is largely what gets her through, as it brings Coriolanus Snow and much of the Capitol to her side.

Katniss and Lucy are both unlikely victors in the Hunger Games franchise, as they’re two girls from District 12 — a district known for producing poor candidates for the Capitol’s deadly tournament. Each of them survives the arena using vastly different skills, and this raises an interesting question for fans of the franchise: which of them would win the Games if they both entered? Although Katniss is a tough fighter, Lucy Gray proves surprisingly resourceful in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Whatever the outcome, it’s clear it’d be a close call.

Katniss Everdeen Is A Much Better Fighter Than Lucy Gray

Katniss’ Combat Skills Would Outshine Lucy’s

Comparing Katniss Everdeen and Lucy Gray, one thing is clear: Katniss is a far better fighter. Prior to the events of The Hunger Games, Katniss spends much of her time in the woods with Gale, hunting for food for her family. For this reason, Katniss is extremely adept with a bow and arrow. Her combat skills shine throughout the original Hunger Games movies, helping her get the better of her enemies inside and outside the arena. By contrast, Lucy Gray is a performer before anything else. Like most kids in District 12, she doesn’t have any real fighting skills, making her an easy target in the Games.

With this in mind, Katniss’ combat skills would trump Lucy’s if they were ever in the arena together. Lucy has the ability to be resourceful when necessary, tricking her opponents or finding clever places to hide. However, Katniss is capable of doing that and going on the offensive. If it ever came down to a one-on-one fight between them, the Mockingjay would be more likely to win. Lucy doesn’t have experience with a weapon, and Katniss is too smart to let someone get the better of her with poison.

Lucy Gray Would Be More Popular With Viewers Than Katniss

Lucy’s Charm Would Get Her More Sponsors

Katniss might outshine Lucy on the combat side of things, but The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ heroine would undoubtedly land more sponsors than Katniss. Katniss is repeatedly shown to have sharp edges in The Hunger Games, making it difficult for her to get along with the people around her. While Katniss is defensive and prickly, Lucy Gray is a natural charmer. She’s a performer, after all, and she’s good at what she does. Lucy grabs the Districts’ and Capitol’s attention from the moment her name is called in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Katniss receives attention from the Capitol and Districts, too, but it’s more due to her defiance than anything else. While she can be charming at times, many of Katniss’ sponsorships come from people who appreciate her spunk — or those rooting for her relationship with Peeta. If Katniss and Lucy ever competed in a popularity contest, it’s likely that Lucy would win. She’d also get more sponsors in the arena, and thus, more gifts and chances to survive. One could even argue that the Capitol’s love for Lucy is what saves her in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Without the students’ protests, Dr. Gaul would have ensured she was killed.

Katniss Is More Willing To Kill Than Lucy Gray

The Hunger Games Heroine’s Ruthless Approach Gives Her An Advantage

Katniss’ sharp edges wouldn’t help her land sponsors in the arena, but they do make her more willing to kill her opponents than Lucy Gray. Katniss is realistic about the Hunger Games from the beginning of the first film. She matter-of-factly tells Gale that only one tribute will come out of the arena, and she does everything to ensure that she’s one of them. While she isn’t willing to kill Rue or Peeta in the first movie, Katniss does seem capable of turning on her allies in Catching Fire. Katniss isn’t heartless, but she has a ruthless approach to the Games that grants her an advantage.

Lucy is also willing to kill in the arena, but she’s more sneaky about it — and she only resorts to it when she’s actively being targeted by another person. Otherwise, Lucy doesn’t seem content to kill potential allies or even those she can relate to. In terms of ruthlessness, Katniss is more likely to win. And that, combined with other factors, sets Katniss up to win a Hunger Games tournament against Lucy Gray. She’s got the skills and mindset to do so, and she also has more experience in Panem’s deadly arena.

Why Katniss Everdeen Would Beat Lucy Gray In The Hunger Games

Katniss Has Proven She Can Survive The Games Multiple Times

When it comes down to it, Katniss’ survival skills and ruthless attitude prove that she would win if pitted against Lucy Gray in the arena. While both characters have significant strengths, Katniss uses her talents to survive two official Hunger Games tournaments — and a third unofficial one in Mockingjay. Katniss has luck on her side, sure. In the original Hunger Games, she and Peeta would both be blown to bits without Seneca Crane’s poor judgment. And Katniss survives Catching Fire because of District 13’s mission to extract her from the arena. However, Katniss gets pretty far in both tournaments without that help.

By contrast, Lucy’s leg up in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can mostly be attributed to Coriolanus’ interference. Although Lucy has a few clever moments throughout the film, Snow is the one who saves her. He does so by mentoring her and turning the tide in her favor. He also prevents Dr. Gaul’s mutations from killing her at the end of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, an obstacle she wouldn’t survive without his help. Needless to say, while Lucy’s a great character, Katniss is the Hunger Games heroine more likely to win a competition between the two. Fortunately, that showdown will never actually happen.