Katniss Everdeen

"She has no idea the effect she can have."

- Peeta Mellark about Katniss

Katniss Everdeen is the main character and the narrator of the Hunger Games trilogy. After her younger sister, Primrose, was chosen to participate in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss volunteered to take her place as the female tribute from District 12.

Her acts of defiance against the Capitol in the arena led the people of Panem to view her as the face of the rebellion. She later became what was called "The Mockingjay," and led the rebellion to victory against the Capitol, ending a 75-year-long oppression.

Early life


When she was 16, Katniss volunteered to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games when they called Prim's name during the reaping. The other tribute from her district was Peeta Mellark, the boy who had saved her family from starvation during her mother's depression by sneaking her some bread. Before she leaves for the Capitol, she goes to the Justice Building to say her final goodbyes to her loved ones.

When she says goodbye to her mother and Prim, Prim makes her promise to try to win, so Katniss complies and tells her mother to make a promise that she won't leave Prim alone to take care of herself. In the book, her mother tries to explain to Katniss that she was ill, but Katniss still makes her promise to take care of Prim, and she finally complies. Madge Undersee comes in to say her final goodbye to her by giving her the mockingjay pin and a quick kiss on the cheek. The Baker, Peeta's father, comes in and gives her cookies, a luxury, and tells her he will not let her family starve. Gale tries to give her a final piece of advice but is dragged out before he can finish since his time is up, leaving Katniss to wonder about the thing Gale wanted to say so badly. The district escort, Effie Trinket, took the two aboard the train to the Capitol. While on their way, Katniss and Peeta meet their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy.

Katniss' father also taught her how to swim in a pond deep in the outlying woods. When she was 11 years old, her father died in an explosion underground in the mines where he worked, leaving her to take care of her mother and sister. Katniss stated in the book that she still has nightmares about the explosion and the day her father died five years after.

She still woke up screaming for him to run and wondering if he would ever come back to her. She resents her mother for succumbing to depression caused by her husband's death, which left her unable to care for Katniss and her sister, Primrose Everdeen. Even years after her father's death, Katniss didn't forgive her for sinking into depression and leaving her and Prim alone to fend for themselves so young.

The district gave a small amount of money to Katniss' family, allowing for a month grieving period before her mother was expected to get a job. When her mother did not get a job, Katniss was thrust into the role of provider and nurturer. She took on this role to avoid allowing her mother to be deemed an unfit mother, which would send herself and Prim to the community home.

A few weeks before May 8, when Katniss would be able to sign up for tesserae, her family was already starving and she had succumbed to picking from trash cans. One night when it was raining, she was yelled at by the Baker's wife for looking in their trash can, even though it was empty.

Seeing this, the Baker's son, Peeta Mellark burned two loaves of bread, which earned a beating from his mother. When he went outside to feed the burnt loaves to the family pigs, he tossed them to Katniss instead and hurried back inside.

The following day at school, Katniss caught Peeta watching her and quickly dropped her gaze, which landed on the first dandelion of the year. The sight of the dandelion made her think of the hours spent in the woods with her father, and she started utilizing the skills her father had taught her to find food and trade. She increased her hunting and foraging skills and sold the illegal food at the Hob, the local black market where she made most of her living. Katniss could never shake the connection between Peeta Mellark, the bread that gave her hope, and the dandelion that reminded her that she was not doomed.

During her period of hunting alone, when Katniss was twelve, she met Gale Hawthorne after finding one of his snares, which had caught a rabbit. At first, he thought that she was going to steal the snares, but after initial coldness, the two became hunting partners and shared their knowledge with one another; Gale teaching Katniss to tie snares, and Katniss sharing her father's herbological knowledge, as well as archery. Katniss eventually gives Gale a bow.

Together, the two would trade at the Hob, although their illegal transactions were overlooked by the Peacekeepers, who along with Katniss' family, lived off of her haul. The trust between Gale and Katniss grew to a point where they became extremely close friends and knew each other in and out. They became well known in the Hob and in town for selling freshly hunted meat and wild fruits to everyone from the Peacekeepers to the Mayor to the stores in the Hob.

In addition to hunting and foraging, Katniss signed up for tesserae for each of her family members on her birthday each year, providing them with grain and oil. Katniss' underlying motive for doing this was to ensure that Prim would only have her name in the Reaping ball once when the tribute selection for the 74th Hunger Games was to be held.

The Hunger Games


When Katniss arrives at the Capitol, she gets prepared for the parade through the city streets. She is fussed over by her Prep team which consists of Octavia, Flavius and Venia. She then meets her stylist, Cinna, who comes up with an idea that will amaze all of Panem and make Katniss and Peeta unforgettable. Cinna dresses her up in a black unitard to represent coal and lights her and Peeta with synthetic fire that does not burn. After the parade, they are escorted to their residence. At dinner time, Katniss meets a haunting face from the past, Lavinia, who is now an Avox. The next morning, she goes down to the training center to prepare for the games. Haymitch advises her not to show her full skills until the private sessions with the Gamemakers. During her training, she and Peeta notice they are being followed by the little girl named Rue, from District 11.

During the private session, she is angry because the Gamemakers ignore her, and pay more attention to a roast pig which has just arrived since she is from District 12 and District 12 is a district which is not known for producing many victors. After she targets the apple in the roasted pig's mouth, she hits the apple, causing reactions of shock and amazement among the Gamemakers. She scores an 11 for her fiery temper and attitude. While preparing for interview night, she is stressed out by Haymitch and Effie trying to prepare her.

Cinna dresses her in a dress covered in jewels that make her look like she is being engulfed by flames when she moves. Cinna gives her advice before she does her interview, being the only one she truly likes and respects. She is interviewed by Caesar Flickerman and she talks about her stay at the Capitol. She becomes something of a celebrity in Panem and is given the advantage of sympathy after Peeta admits to all of Panem that he loves her.

The night before the Games, she is terrified of the horrors that await her in the arena. She goes to the rooftop and talks with Peeta. Peeta tells her that he wants to die as himself and show that he is more than just a piece in the Capitol's Games. Katniss is enraged and leaves when he doubts he will win. On the day of the Games, Cinna dresses Katniss in the 74th Hunger Games standard uniform. While waiting for launch, Katniss and Cinna talk to each other. Cinna tells Katniss that he can't bet on any tributes due to his part in the preparation of the Games, but if he could, he would bet on her. Katniss finds confidence in this and the speaker announces the tributes to launch.

When the Games begin, Katniss gets away from the Cornucopia quickly, getting into a minor tussle with the District 9 male over a backpack which ends when the boy is cleaved in the back by Clove, the girl from District 2. That pack is key to survival because it containes: a sleeping bag, an iodine (chemical that purifies water) dropper, a water bottle, crackers, dried beef strips,wire and a pair of night glasses.

Katniss is almost killed in the bloodbath when Clove aims a knife at her head. She blocks it by using her backpack and earns a good knife as a result. Over the next few days, Katniss moves further and further away from the Cornucopia, though she is slowed down by a lack of water. She nearly dies of thirst before she finds a small pond to drink from, stumbling onto it while she thinks of camouflaging her bright orange backpack, so it wouldn't draw too much attention. The next morning, she is awoken by a wall of Gamemaker-made fire, including fireballs that are flung at her.



She survives the attack but suffers minor burns and cuts on her hands and a severe burn on her calf. She goes to sleep and is woken by the sound of footsteps. Katniss is briefly chased by the Career pack, consisting of Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Clove, the female from District 4, and Peeta, and escapes up a tree. Cato tries to climb up after Katniss, but crashes to the ground because he is too heavy for the branches to hold. All of the Careers are too heavy to climb the tree. So they decide to wait for her to come down. Rue then appears high up in a neighboring tree and points to the tracker jacker nest above Katniss. Tracker jackers can cause horrible hallucinations, sickness, and sometimes death.

Before Katniss does anything she warns Rue she is about to cut the nest down. Katniss cuts it down with the knife she got from Clove and the tracker jackers attack the Careers, killing Glimmer and the girl from District 4 in the book. In the movie it kills only Glimmer. The Careers run to the lake after being stung by the tracker jackers. Katniss has also been stung, and starts to run in the other direction. Katniss remembers that Glimmer had a silver bow when the Careers attacked her (the only bow in the entire arena), so she goes back for the bow. She retrieves it, but as she's about to run away, her hallucinations start occurring. A delusional Katniss is saved by Peeta when she's unable to coordinate herself to run from Cato, who is quickly approaching.

After she runs away, she blacks out from the tracker jacker venom. When Katniss wakes up, she finds she's being watched by Rue, the female tribute from District 11. She then proposes an alliance with Rue. She says Rue reminds her of Prim, in both size and demeanor. She tries to give Rue her pin, but Rue says no, saying that that was how she came to trust Katniss in the first place, seeing the mockingjay on it. Katniss and Rue then plan to destroy the Careers' food and supply pile, with Katniss figuring that the Careers have had plenty of food their whole lives and that they would struggle if a direct food supply was taken away from them. Rue provides a distraction while Katniss checks out the Career camp. She discovers that the food is protected by landmines (with the help of Foxface, the district 5 tribute) and shoots a sack that spills apples onto the ground, setting off all of the landmines. Nearly everything is destroyed and due to the explosion and her relative proximity, Katniss becomes deaf in the left ear.



Katniss goes to the woods, listening for Rue. Her four note melody rings out through the woods from mockingjays, but she suddenly cries out for Katniss. Katniss runs through the trees to find Rue entangled in a mesh net, one arm sticking out before a spear is thrown into her abdomen by the boy from District 1, whose name is later revealed to be Marvel. Katniss shoots an arrow at Marvels's neck, killing him. In the movie Katniss shoots him in the heart. Katniss then goes over to comfort Rue, Katniss promises she'll win for the both of them and sings the Valley Song that she sang to comfort Prim the morning of the reaping.

Rue dies after Katniss finishes the song. Seeing Rue dead, angering her that the Capitol enjoys watching innocent children die, Katniss decides to pick flowers and decorates Rue's corpse with them, hiding the wound and weaving them into her hair. When she finishes, Katniss realizes how much it looks like Rue is in fact sleeping and does the signature District 12 farewell gesture to Rue. Later, this is seen as an act that defied the Capitol. She then takes Rue and the dead boy's backpacks, knowing that Rue would want her to have them.

By the time of the announcement that two tributes from the same district can win, her left ear is completely deafened. She cries out for Peeta, but then suddenly regrets it, realizing the potential danger. She seeks out Peeta and finds him hiding in the mud of a riverbank, totally camouflaged. He's suffering from a severe cut on his leg Cato gave him, tracker jacker stings, and multiple burns. She washes him off at the river, treats the burns and stings, but cannot do anything for his leg but stuff some of Rue's leaves into it, drawing out infection and pus. Katniss does everything she can to care for him, but he eventually gets blood poisoning.



A feast is then announced by the Gamemakers near the Cornucopia where Katniss will find the item she needs most (as all the other tributes will): the medicine needed to cure Peeta's blood poisoning. Katniss, knowing that going to the feast will be dangerous, insists on going, though Peeta refuses to let her. Immediately afterwards, Katniss receives sleeping syrup from their sponsors and tricks Peeta into consuming it by mixing the sleep syrup with berries, telling him it's "sugar berries." Precisely after eating the berries, he passes out for 24 hours, giving Katniss enough time to go to the Feast and get the medicine for his leg.

At the feast, Katniss is cut on the forehead by Clove, who taunts her about Rue's death and Peeta's predicament. Clove tells her that Cato let her "have Katniss," but made her promise to give the audience a "good show." Just as she is about to make the first cut at Katniss' lip, Clove is hurled away from her by Thresh the boy from Rues district, who slams a large rock into her head after accusing her of "cutting up" Rue. Katniss is surely afraid of what Thresh will do to her, but because of her alliance to Rue, he allows her to escape. He does not want to owe Katniss anymore and states that they are now even. She flees the feast with her life, and returns to the cave to heal both Peeta and her own wounds.



While they are both recovering, they see that Thresh has been presumably killed at the hands of Cato. During one night of rain, Katniss asks Peeta when he started loving her. Peeta tells her it was their first day of school when he heard Katniss sing the Valley Song. After the storm ended, the two went to hunt. When Katniss whistled for Peeta and he did not answer she ran towards him and the two argue for a bit until a cannon fires. Peeta had gathered deadly nightlock berries, that he didn't know were poisonous. Katniss expects Peeta to die, but it appears he hasn't eaten any yet. They see the body of the girl from District 5, whom Katniss nicknamed "Foxface", being taken away. A few days later, the river is found empty, as well as the ponds. They figure that the Gamemakers want them to go to the lake.

When they make it there, they wait a few hours for Cato, the only other remaining tribute, to arrive. They are almost going to give up when he runs towards them. When Katniss sees that he is running away from a pack of wolf muttations, she and Peeta immediately ran away with him toward the Cornucopia. They reach the Cornucopia and scale it, though one of the mutts manages to injure Peeta. Once at the top of the horn, Cato finally gets back to his senses and strangles Peeta to the edge. Katniss shoots Cato on the back of his hand and he releases Peeta. Peeta the pushes him off so he wouldn't attack them again. Cato is later disarmed by the mutts and gnawed at, being left to suffer.

After some time, Katniss decides to kill him out of pity, not vengeance. It is then announced that the rule of two tributes winning, if they are from the same district, has been revoked and so she and Peeta must fight to the death. They pitifully realize that the former was just a ruse. Katniss aims her bow at Peeta when she sees he has picked up a weapon, but immediately drops it when he proceeds to throw it into the lake. Feeling guilty, she then takes out some of the nightlock berries and gives a handful to Peeta, and the two of them threaten to commit suicide so there will be no winner. They later discover the Capitol sees this as an act of rebellion. The plan works and both her and Peeta are crowned victors of the 74th Hunger Games. After their final interviews and dinner, they go on the train that then takes them home. Katniss is confused about her feelings for Peeta and becomes even more confused the closer they get to home.

Catching Fire


In Catching Fire, Katniss is back in District 12 living in the Victors' Village with her mother, Prim, and Buttercup, and neighbors Peeta and Haymitch. Soon, she and Peeta will have to leave again for the Victory Tour where the winners of the previous Hunger Games travel to each district and make various appearances and public speeches. During much of the day, Katniss is bored with her new life, because now she has everything: money, a good home and a constant supply of food. One day after Katniss returns home from hunting game outside of the district, she is visited by President Snow, the president of Panem. He explains to Katniss that during the last Hunger Games when she tried to commit double suicide with Peeta by eating poisonous nightlock, she ignited a possible uprising in the districts. President Snow and Katniss have a lengthy conversation about the fact that if she doesn't convince the districts that she made the decision out of temporary lovesickness, then he will personally make sure she suffers. Katniss, now convinced she has started a fire she cannot control, tries her best to convince everyone that she and Peeta are madly in love. When she and Peeta finally set off for the Victory Tour, everything is going smoothly and Peeta has agreed with Katniss that outside of being star-crossed lovers, they should try to be friends. When the tour arrives at their first destination, District 11, Katniss tells everyone the story of how Thresh spared her life, and how Rue became a valued ally during the Games. After her speech an old man whistles her and Rue's four-note tune that meant they were safe, and that signals the end of the work day in District 11, the crowd simultaneously does a traditional District 12 gesture to show their thanks to Katniss. Soon after Katniss finishes her speech, a Peacekeeper shoots the man who whistled in the head, along with two others.

Near the end of the Tour, they visit the Capitol and when she and Peeta are being interviewed by Caesar, Peeta performs a fake proposal to Katniss, which she accepts. They then travel to District 12. Katniss suffers from nightmares throughout the night on the train, so Peeta sleeps in her bed to calm her and keep her company. Finally, they get back to District 12 and a huge party is thrown for them. While in the mayor's home, Katniss sees on the his television that there is an uprising going on in District 8. Katniss arranges a secret meeting with Gale, during which he confesses his love for her but she says that she does not have those feelings for him. Gale gets angry and disappointed but before he leaves Katniss accidentally tells him there was a rebellion in District 8. Gale then says that they could have a rebellion in District 12 as well, and he runs off to spread the news. Katniss then goes to Peeta to ask him if he would run away with her and he agrees to go with her, but while they are discussing the plans, they see that Gale is being violently whipped in the square by an unfamiliar man. Katniss steps in to stop the man, whose name is Romulus Thread, but he gives her a lash across the face. Katniss gets severely hurt, but Haymitch and Peeta step in to save her. Eventually, the people of District 12, including many who frequent the Hob, convince Thread to stop whipping Gale. As soon as he leaves, everyone helps Katniss take Gale to her mother. Katniss' mother tries to soothe the pain by giving him medicine. Later on that night, Katniss says she picks Gale, but is still torn between him and Peeta.

Katniss realizes that she cannot stand to be at home, so she goes into the woods and heads to the lake. There, she meets two women named Bonnie and Twill who have run away from District 8. They say they are headed to District 13, since they believe that the district was not actually destroyed and there are people living there underground. When the evening comes, they leave and Katniss returns to the village. However, she realizes that the fence to the district is now electrified and so she must climb a tree and jump from 25 feet in the air. She lands and hurts her tailbone and heel. She returns home to tell her mother how she fell after slipping on a patch of ice, but there are two Peacekeepers there waiting for her. They are surprised to see her, because they knew she was in the forest and believed she would be trapped on the other side of the fence. They were waiting for her not to show up so they can bring her family in for questioning. Luckily, Haymitch, Peeta and Prim were able to go along with a story to cover for her.

Once she is healed, her prep team comes to help with her wedding fashion shoot, along with Cinna. She listens to them speak of how they have not had shrimp in the Capitol for weeks and realizes that other districts are rebelling. That night, there is an important announcement made by President Snow: in honor of the third Quarter Quell, for the 75th Hunger Games the tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors. Since District 12 has only three winners, Peeta, Haymitch, and Katniss, Katniss knows that she is now going to be forced to go back into the arena.

She runs out of the house and into a basement of an empty one to scream and cry. She makes her way to Haymitch, where he already tells her Peeta has come to visit him, and told him that Peeta wants to go back into the arena to protect Katniss. She tells Haymitch that whatever they do, she wants Haymitch to make sure Peeta comes back alive. She and Haymitch get drunk and the next afternoon, she goes back to Haymitch's house, where Peeta has emptied all of his liquor and has threatened to turn them or anyone who gives them alcohol in. He tells them that they will be training for the Quarter Quell because two people will come back alive, and they begin to work out and study footage of past winners to see their competition.

On the day of the reaping, Katniss is the only choice for the female competitor, and the male competitor chosen is Haymitch. Peeta, however, volunteers to take his place. Instead of being able to tell their families goodbye, they are brought directly to the train and leave for the Capitol. Once at the Capitol, they eat and meet their competitors. During training, Katniss befriends Wiress and Beetee from District 3, who point out the force field used to separate the Gamemakers from the tributes. In her solo performance for the Gamemakers, Katniss sees Plutarch Heavensbee, the new Head Gamemaker, and decides to tie a noose around a dummy's neck. With berry juice, she writes the name "Seneca Crane," the former Head Gamemaker who was hung by orders of President Snow. She and Peeta both receive perfect 12s, which Haymitch explains was done to make sure the other tributes are gunning for the both of them.

The day of the interview, the prep team comes into Katniss' room and they start to cry; they leave one by one. Cinna comes in with her wedding gown from the photo shoot, specifically chosen by President Snow. She notes to Cinna that it's heavier than before, but he explains that he had to do some alterations and tells her do not lift her arms until she twirls on television. The interview atmosphere is different from the previous year. The tributes are speaking out against the Capitol, asking why President Snow is not stopping this if he is great and powerful. Katniss is last, who comes on stage with the dress on, apologizing to the crowd for not letting them see her get married. She twirls and raises her arms and the wedding dress burns away to reveal a different dress underneath. When she looks towards a television, she realizes that Cinna has turned her into a mockingjay.

Although Caesar knows what the dress represents, they play it off as the bird on Katniss' token. At Peeta's time to speak, he lies and tells the audience that he and Katniss are already married, and that Katniss is pregnant. This drives the audience to madness and hysteria. Right before the Games are to begin, Katniss is with Cinna and steps on the plate to be taken to the arena, where she is frozen in place. Suddenly three Peacekeepers enter the room, beat Cinna and drag him out of the room. A frozen Katniss watches in horror, but is then transported into the arena. The plate leaves her in the middle of blue water, which she realizes "is no place for a girl on fire." While retrieving a bow and arrows, she sees that Finnick is wearing a gold bracelet that once belonged to Haymitch and realizes that this was his way of telling her to form an alliance with Finnick. She and Peeta run into the jungle with Finnick, who carries his 80-year-old district partner, Mags.

As they are walking, searching for drinkable water, Katniss notices a shimmering square and realizes that it is a force field surrounding the arena. Before she can stop him, Peeta walks into it and is repelled back, knocking Mags and Finnick to the ground. Peeta is not breathing. Panicked, Katniss begins to slap him but his heart has stopped. Finnick helps by performing CPR and Peeta is eventually resuscitated. Finnick asks Katniss how she recognized the force field. She does not want to let them know she can spot them visually, worried that the Gamemakers might do something to retaliate, so she tells them she heard it with her repaired ear.

Later that day she notices an unnatural fog in the distance. The mist from the fog causes blisters where it touches. When Peeta stumbles, she notices it also attacks the nerves, as his face droops and his legs stop working. Finnick agrees to carry Peeta if Katniss can carry Mags, which she agrees to. But after a while, Katniss cannot carry Mags anymore as her legs become paralyzed. Finnick comes back and tells Katniss he cannot carry them both. Mags kisses Finnick and runs into the fog, convulsing and dying. Over time, Katniss, Peeta and Finnick help each other as they meet different challenges in the arena.

Later, they meet Johanna Mason. Finnick runs to her and they hug. As Katniss and Peeta figure out what to do, they realize they cannot leave Finnick after all he has done, and go to Johanna. She has Wiress and Beetee with her. Beetee has received a knife in back, while Wiress is spinning in a circle saying "tick tock, tick tock" repeatedly. Johanna explains that Haymitch told her to bring them to Katniss for an alliance. Later that night, when Wiress restates "tick tock," Katniss begins to realize the arena is in the shape of a clock. She also remembers Plutarch Heavensbee showing her his clock watch and saying, "It begins at midnight," as an image of a mockingjay flashed on the watch face.

They go to the Cornucopia to see if they are correct and are proven to be right. While drawing up the map of the clock, Katniss realizes that Wiress has stopped singing, and turns with an arrow ready and hits Gloss in the temple, while Johanna buries an axe in Cashmere's chest. Katniss starts to realize that everyone is protecting Peeta and wonders if they believe that he can be the leader of the rebellion.

Later, Peeta tries to give Katniss a gold locket and tells her he wants her to win, because if she dies he has nothing to live for. They kiss, and she realizes that she loves Peeta and wants to fulfill her plan of keeping him alive. The next day, after telling Peeta that they need to leave the alliance, he tells her to wait because he believes Beetee has a plan. The plan is to tie Beetee's wire around a tree that is struck by lightning and run the wire into the ocean, making the beach a conductor to electrocute everything in its path. Katniss and Johanna are in charge of running the wire down to the beach because they are the fastest, however they are attacked by Brutus and Enobaria of District 2. Katniss is knocked in the head and through her blurred vision sees Johanna on top of her stabbing her arm, and telling her to stay down.

Katniss hears Finnick running but stays quiet so as not to alert him to her whereabouts, since she believes that he and Johanna have betrayed them. Realizing that Beetee was trying to blow up the forcefield, she wraps his wire around her bow and shoots it straight into the flaw in the forcefield at the exact moment when the lightning strikes the tree, blowing up the arena. She lays there realizing that the Capitol will not let anyone live after this, and sees Plutarch Heavensbee coming over to her as she passes out. She awakes in a hospital bed next to Beetee. She searches for Peeta, believing that the Capitol has captured them and planning to kill Peeta to save him from being tortured.

She passes a room and hears Plutarch talking to Finnick and Haymitch about getting someone out of District 4. She enters the room and Haymitch tells her that there was a plan to break them out the minute the Quell was announced. The victors from 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11 had varying degrees of knowledge about it. Plutarch had been for several years part of a group planning to overthrow the Capitol. The hovercraft they are in is from District 13, which is where they are headed. She tells them that Johanna tried to kill her, but Finnick explains that she was removing Katniss' tracker, and that all of victor tributes in those districts have pledged their lives to her and the rebellion; that she is the mockingjay, the symbol of the rebellion.

She realizes that Haymitch had lied to both her and Peeta. He tells her that everyone kept Peeta alive because they knew that if he died she would never keep an alliance with the others. She asks where Peeta is, and Haymitch tells her he was picked up, along with Johanna and Enobaria, by the Capitol. In horror and anger, she attacks Haymitch, scratching his face. Finnick and others strap her down and drug her to keep her calm. Finnick tells her that the Capitol will at least keep Peeta alive to use as bait against Katniss.

Later, Gale visits her. He tells her that after the Games, the Capitol sent bombers to district 12. He explains that he was able to get her family out in time, but District 12 has been destroyed.

Mockingjay
In Mockingjay, Katniss is living in what's left of District 13 Underground. She goes to visit the ruins of District 12 after the fire bombing from the Capitol. She finds that Buttercup somehow survived the destruction of District 12 (she sarcastically states that the animal that did nothing survived while Lady, Prim's goat who helped the family with food, died.) She takes Buttercup hidden in her hunting bag as a comforting present to Prim who is in District 13 with her mother and the other residence of District 12 that survived the bombing. While examining her old room, she finds a white rose that was left by President Snow as a sign meaning that he was watching her, possibly right then.

Katniss is stressed by everything that is happening but is comforted by Gale's presence. She gets used to the life in District 13. Katniss watches Peeta's interview with Caesar Flickerman and is filled with joy that Peeta is still alive and healthy. She runs off to a supply closet and hides there alone until Gale enters. The two talk about the situation, and that is when she decides that she will be "the mockingjay," a symbol of the rebellion against the Capitol. As part of the deal, she demands that the leader of District 13, President Alma Coin, grant immunity to all of the victors of the Hunger Games. She demands the right to kill President Snow herself and asks for her family to keep their cat, Buttercup, and to hunt with Gale. After the meeting, Plutarch takes her and Gale downstairs where they are stopped by a guard due to a secret room. Gale makes a distraction, and Katniss rushes in and sees her prep team being held prisoner.

Katniss helps them recover by taking them to her mother for treatment. During the meeting held by President Coin for the announcement of her role and conditions, Katniss sees Finnick distracted and in grief. She calls for him but he doesn't answer. She shakes him to get his attention, and the two embrace each other. When Katniss is reminded of Annie, she tells Coin to pencil in Annie as one of the victors to receive immunity. Katniss is surprised by Coin's message during the meeting that, if she doesn't meet all of her obligations as the mockingjay, she and her friends and family are dead.

Katniss and Gale go hunting together like the old times, and they both enjoy it until they get in an argument over the fact that she cares for her prep team. Katniss leaves and is angry with Gale. She is being fixed by her prep team to make her look beautiful for the propo she will film as the mockingjay. When they finish, she and Gale go downstairs to the weapons room where Beetee is making weapons for the rebels. After she receives her weapons, she goes to the room where she will shoot her first propaganda, or propo. After she finishes, Haymitch goes on the speaker and tells them, "That is how you end a revolution." After a brief meeting, they decide to let Katniss speak for herself and to do it in action. Katniss suits up in her mockingjay uniform and heads to District 8 to shoot her first propaganda. During her visit, the hospital is attacked by the Capitol. The rebel forces fight back and are able to defeat them, but the hospital is destroyed. Katniss speaks her own words after the attack. After viewing the finished propaganda, she sees that it is strong. The group decides to shoot more and to send her back into combat as soon she feels up to it.

Katniss has dinner with Finnick in the hospital. Finnick comforts her, and they watch the propaganda again. Katniss tells him to shut the television off but stops him because Caesar is going to interview Peeta. She notes Peeta lost fifteen pounds and watches the interview. After watching it, she pretends to have not seen it because Plutarch walks in and makes sure she is well. She is overwhelmed by Peeta's interview. Katniss and Finnick go to the woods to hunt in District 13. Katniss talks about Peeta's broadcast from last night and questions why no one is talking about it. Katniss is thankful that Finnick is here to listen to her.

The next day, Katniss and Gale have tension between them. Katniss is furious that Gale did not talk or say anything about Peeta's interview. Gale tells her it was to protect her and that he had to lie. Katniss, enraged by this, tells him to leave her alone and to stop lying to her. The next day, Katniss is informed she must go back to District 12 with Gale and the others to shoot more shots for the propaganda. Katniss goes to the remains of her home and feels pain inside of her. Katniss feels more pain when Gale asks to go to his house, but Cressida tells him to react the night of the bombing. Katniss goes and communicates with an avox that escaped the Capitol, Pollux. She sings "The Hanging Tree" to him but is cut off by Cressida. Katniss begins to forgive Gale because the two must stay together. Katniss goes back to the Victor village and searches the area. Katniss and Gale kiss because they are both in pain, and the only way to escape it is by doing this. A few days later, Katniss watches another interview of Peeta and becomes overwhelmed. When Peeta warns them of the attack, he is beaten, and his blood splatters across the screen. Katniss sees this and goes into shock. She backs up Haymitch's theory that it is a warning of a bombing, and the inhabitants of District 13 retreat to a safe bunker. When Mrs. Everdeen arrives and is not with Prim, Katniss deduces that she went back for Buttercup. She stops the doors from being closed and locked in time for Prim and Gale to enter. Katniss stays with her family in one area, and after the first bombing, Mrs. Everdeen leaves to the first aid station to help. Katniss is worried about Peeta, but Prim comforts her and tells her President Snow wouldn't kill him because he needs him. Katniss asks what she thinks will happen to Peeta, to which Prim replies, whatever it takes to break her. Katniss plays with Buttercup during the night with a flashlight and imagines how she can get Peeta back. She goes to Finnick and shares her ideas of Snow's plan. Finnick tells Katniss he is doing the same but with Annie. The two continue to talk about President Snow's plan.

Katniss, while shooting a propaganda, can't take it anymore and breaks down along with Finnick. President Coin assembles a rescue team to rescue all victors in the Capitol, and Gale is the first to volunteer. In a daring rescue, Peeta and other victors (apart from Enobaria) are rescued from the Capitol. Katniss feels helpless when she is left from the rescue mission. She goes to visit Finnick, and the two talk about the mission and how if they die, it won't be bad because they won't have to feel any more pain. Haymitch informs them that they can help by shooting a propaganda. Katniss does an interview and tells them how she met Peeta and informs them of the time when President Snow told her the Capitol is fragile. She tells them it is because the Capitol depends on the districts, and without them, they would fall. Katniss is informed the rescue party had arrived home safe. She sees Johanna and Annie are alive and that Peeta has been saved. However, Peeta has been hijacked into hating Katniss, and tries to strangle her to death her upon their reunion.

Katniss receives medical attention after the attempted strangulation. Prim comforts Katniss and they are informed by Plutarch that Peeta was brainwashed by the Capitol and is receiving all the treatment they can give him. Katniss is deeply depressed by this and goes to visit Gale and Beetee. She is sad that Gale and Beetee are building weapons to help their efforts but aren't thinking about the innocent people who may be injured in the process. Katniss meets Delly Cartwright and informs her of Peeta's condition. Katniss watches Delly talk to Peeta and his outburst to her, shouting that Katniss is a mutation and District 12's destruction is her fault. Katniss tells Plutarch if she is going to be the mockingjay, he must send her away from Peeta. She asks to be taken to the Capitol so she can end the war by killing Snow, but Plutarch tells her she can't until all the districts are on the rebels' side. Plutarch tells her District 2 is the only district still with the Capitol, and so she asks to be sent to District 2.

Katniss goes to District 2 with Haymitch, Boggs, Gale, and Beetee and meet Lyme at The Nut. While in The Nut, the group tries to think of a way to attack in, which would give them control over District 2. Gale suggests that they blow up the inside of The Nut, which upsets Katniss because Gale is willing to kill innocent people for the rebellion.

The rebels take control of the districts and finally begin an assault on the Capitol itself, which Katniss is a part of. However, an assault on a "safe" Capitol neighborhood goes wrong, and Katniss and her team flee further into the Capitol with the intent of finding and killing President Snow. The squad go further into the Capitol. Eventually, Katniss finds herself pressing on alone towards Snow's mansion which has supposedly been opened to shelter Capitol children (but is actually intended to provide human shields for Snow). Afterwards, bombs placed in supply packages kill many of these children and a rebel medical team, including Katniss' sister, Prim.

Katniss is burned by the explosion but receives medical attention at the Capitol hospital. President Coin visits her and tells her the rebels have won and she saved Snow for her to kill. Snow is tried and found guilty, but he tells Katniss that the final assault that killed Prim was ordered by President Coin, not the Capitol. Katniss realizes that if that was true, the bombing may have been the result of a plan originally developed by Gale. Katniss doubts this, but still realizes that she will never be able to look at Gale the same way, regardless of whether he was directly involved in Prim's death.

Coin gathers the seven remaining victors who survived and proposes a final Hunger Games but with the children of the most powerful people in the Capitol. Peeta, Annie, and Beetee vote no, but Johanna, Enobaria, Haymitch, and Katniss vote yes. Katniss then suggests that Snow's daughter is entered in automatically.

Katniss remembers a conversation with Snow in which they promised not to lie to each other. When she is supposed to execute Snow, she realizes that he was telling the truth and kills Coin instead. A riot ensues and Snow is found mysteriously dead, having possibly choked on his own blood or trampled by the crowd. Katniss is admitted to a secure holding room but acquitted due to her apparent insanity and returns to her home in District 12, while Gale goes to District 2 to work in the military and Mrs. Everdeen begins practicing at a District 4 hospital, unable to go back to District 12 due to the pain. Katniss becomes depressed and suicidal. Peeta returns soon after as well, having recovered immensely from his brainwashing. He plants Primroses around Katniss' house as a memorial for her sister. Katniss recovers from her trauma, and her relationship with Peeta and Haymitch recovers as well. She makes a book filled with people who were important to her that died. After a while, Katniss and Peeta put together a book of all of the characters that died at the end of the series. Katniss writes all of the facts about the victims, including Rue, Prim, Boggs, Finnick, and more. Peeta draws all of the pictures in the book, if they had not found a picture of them. Peeta plays one final round of Real or Not and says, "You love me, real or not real?" Katniss answers back, "Real".

In the epilogue, Katniss speaks as an adult, more than fifteen years later. She is married to Peeta (but it is never stated directly), and they have two children. The Hunger Games are over, the arenas were destroyed, and memorials were built for the tributes and other people who died in the wars. She dreads the day her children's innocent world is shattered by learning the details of their parents' involvement in both the Games and the war. When she feels upset, Katniss has taken to reminding herself of every good thing that she has ever seen someone do.

Peeta Mellark
"You could live a hundred lives and not deserve him."

- Haymitch, to Katniss, on Peeta

Katniss mentions she can never stop owing things to Peeta. She sold her squirrels to his father. She was starving following her father's death and he burnt some bread intentionally, risking his mother's wrath, to give to her. This gave her hope to not give up in this dark time. She wanted to thank him, but never did.

They both became tributes of District 12 in the 74th Hunger Games after Katniss volunteered in place of her sister. During their training, Katniss refused to trust Peeta when he did nice things for her, believing it to be his strategy. Peeta reveals in an interview that he is in love with Katniss. At first furious, she apologizes for lashing out on him.

In the arena, he leads the Careers to Katniss, suggesting they wait her out, and then helps her escape. After discovering two tributes from the same district can win as a pair, Katniss searches for Peeta and after she finds him on the brink of death, nurses him back to health. They spend several days in a cave until he's better, during that time she kisses him, playing the part of a girl falling in love.



Katniss eventually admits to having confused feelings about Peeta. He gifts her with a pearl on the beach and a locket and says that he truly does love her during the Quarter Quell. It is very important to her. It is then on the beach when she realizes that she truly loves Peeta.

The Capitol twists Peeta's memories of Katniss. Katniss rescues him, but Peeta attacks her. He eventually recovers from his brainwashing and plants primroses next to Katniss' house in memory of her dead sister.

Katniss and Peeta eventually marry and have two children, a boy and a girl.

Gale Hawthorne
"Gale is mine. I am his. Anything else is unthinkable."

- Katniss

When Katniss was twelve, she met Gale in the woods. Their fathers had been killed in the same accident and they both provided for their families. Gale nicknamed her Catnip, mishearing her. They soon become hunting partners and they taught each other about their expertise. Gale comes to bid Katniss goodbye before she leaves to compete in the Hunger Games. He promises to protect Prim.

Gale unexpectedly kisses Katniss in the woods, revealing his feelings for her. President Snow threatens Katniss that he will kill Gale and his family. Katniss is unable to say "I love you" back, only admitting she knows he loves her. When Gale exclaims he doesn't want anything made in the Capitol, she believes he's referring to her. Katniss prevents Gale from being whipped after found guilty of poaching. Whilst Gale is stabilized, Katniss stays with him and kisses him, bringing him back to consciousness. Katniss decides to choose Gale over Peeta. After the Quarter Quell is announced, Katniss distances herself from him however. Before leaving, Katniss admits to herself that she loves Gale. He tells her that District 12 is destroyed but her mother and sister are okay.

Gale tries to make Katniss happy as they get closer. Katniss believes the firebomb that killed Prim was made by Gale, so can no longer bear to be with him. She is later informed that Gale has left District 12.

Primrose Everdeen
"The only person in the world I'm certain I love."

- Katniss, on Prim

Prim was the only one Katniss loved. Katniss hunted and traded to make life easier for her sister. Katniss got Prim a goat for her birthday. Katniss took out tesserae and refused to let Prim do the same. When Prim was reaped, Katniss volunteered in her place but Prim did not want her to. Prim came to say goodbye to Katniss and made her promise to win so she could come home.

Katniss tries to protect Prim from President Snow and reminds herself she's the reason she must go on.

Prim began giving Katniss advice. After Prim was killed in a bombing, Katniss attempted suicide. Peeta brings Katniss primroses and plants them around her house in memory of Prim.

Madge Undersee
"I'm left thinking that maybe Madge really has been my friend all along."

- Katniss

Katniss and Madge were often paired together in school due to having no one else. Before Katniss leaves for the Games, Madge gives her a pin with a mockingjay on it to remind her of home. By Catching Fire, they become close friends. Katniss teaches Madge how to shoot while Madge plays piano in return. Madge dies when District 12 is bombed and Katniss shows sadness over her death.

Haymitch Abernathy
"I’m with the Mockingjay."

- Haymitch

Haymitch was Katniss' mentor. Haymitch chooses Katniss over Peeta and sends her messages and supplies to save her. Haymitch is impressed by Katniss. After Katniss almost stabs him, he agrees to help them as he believes they have a chance. Haymitch is the first Katniss thanks once she leaves the arena. Peeta says Katniss and Haymitch are alike and can relate to each other.

Haymitch continues to mentor Katniss despite the end of the Games. After Peeta's captured, Katniss rejects Haymitch out of fury. They speak again once she decides to be the Mockingjay. Katniss tries to confide in Haymitch about Prim's death, but he teases her. Once she flees, he tries to follow her.

Effie Trinket
"I'll bet my hat that was your sister." "Yes... It was..."

- Effie and Katniss at the Reaping.

Effie was Katniss' escort for the Games. Effie annoyed Katniss due to her love of manners. Katniss purposefully used bad manners to annoy her. Effie attempted to teach Katniss presentation for her interview, but got nowhere. Effie was upset to say goodbye to Katniss and was thrilled when she survived. Katniss yelled at Effie during the Victory Tour as she complained about stopping at District 11, but later apologised. At the reaping of the 75th Hunger Games, Effie is seen crying for Katniss and Peeta when they are reaped, showing how much she now cares for them. During the preparation for the Quarter Quell, Effie let Katniss make more of her own choices. Katniss felt bad she could not say goodbye and told Haymitch to tell her that she said goodbye, and make it special. Katniss is shocked when Effie arrived before Snow's trial because she had been on the rebellion side. Katniss realises she does care for Effie.

Cinna
"I'm still betting on you."

- Cinna's last words to Katniss

Cinna was Katniss' stylist for the Games. She quickly learns to trust him and is shocked by how normal he seems.

In her victor's house, there is a phone which had no use before she started to chat with Cinna about her talent. Since the only thing she was good at was hunting, Cinna suggested fashion designing. He took care of everything for her, including creating a book of sketches that she could show to the cameras.

Cinna designed many things for her, including her opening ceremony garment which sparked his theme. Katniss feared for his safety before the Quarter Quell and as Katniss is in her glass cylinder, about to launch, the Peacekeepers enter and beat Cinna unconscious. This act causes Katniss to unhinge for a point, fretting that they will kill him for his design of her wedding dress. They drag him away and he is killed during interrogation. Katniss suspects this was just to throw her off guard.

Cinna had already designed her mockingjay uniform, knowing there would be a war. His last message to Katniss is written under a sketch of her pin: "I'm still betting on you."

Rue
"I’m going to. Going to win for both of us now."

- Katniss, to Rue

Katniss meets Rue in the training center. Rue reminds her of Prim. When Katniss is in a tree, held captive by the Careers, Rue helps her escape. Katniss and Peeta saw Rue in the Training Center and Peeta described Rue as their "shadow". Katniss also saw Rue when Rue stole Cato's knife causing Cato to attack another tribute.

Rue trusted Katniss when she saw that Katniss was wearing a mockingjay pin. They blew up the Careers' supplies. Rue fell into Marvel's trap and was stabbed before Katniss saved her and killed him. Rue begged Katniss to win for her, and then asked her to sing as she died. Katniss then covered Rue's body with flowers and gives the farewell symbol to District 11. This was believed to be a sign of rebellion.

She feels her promise to win for Rue more important than her promise to win for Prim. Katniss continues to feel Rue with her. Katniss remembers Rue's death, which gives her motivation to go on.

Katniss continues to think of Rue and involves her in the book of people she cared about who were killed because of the Capitol. It is believed that Marvel dies before Rue because Katniss shot an arrow in his throat (book) heart (film) causing him to die instantly.

In Catching Fire, while in Peeta's private session, Peeta painted a picture of Rue covered in flowers.

Johanna Mason
"You have to kill him, Katniss." "Don’t worry." "Swear it. On something you care about." "I swear it. On my life." "On your family’s lives." "On my family’s lives."

- Katniss promises to kill President Snow

When they first met, both Johanna and Katniss had a strong dislike for each other. However, once inside the arena the two were thrown together into an alliance set up by Haymitch and the rebels of District 13. Even though the two were now allies, they still didn't trust each other. Katniss believes one of them will kill the other. During the escape from the arena at the end of the Games, Johanna attacked Katniss to remove a tracking device from her arm. Katniss eventually realised what Johanna had done and warmed to her.

After being rescued from the Capitol, Johanna and Katniss start to become friends. Johanna, knowing that Katniss is indebted to her, begins to siphon off Katniss' morphling supply. As a result of the time spent together in the hospital, the two grow closer, and eventually become friends. Once they are released from the hospital, Johanna and Katniss willingly move into a compartment in District 13 together, proving their friendship. They trained together.

Finnick Odair
"He offered me sugar and wanted to know all my secrets."

- Katniss, on Finnick

While waiting for the chariots to leave, Finnick offers Katniss a sugar cube. She's uncomfortable about how close he gets to her. He asks her if she has any secrets. He continues to be friendly and offers her trident lessons in return for archery instruction. Finnick proposed an alliance with Katniss. She accepted once she saw his bracelet from Haymitch. She remained wary of him but slowly began to trust him.

Katniss and Finnick bond over Annie and Peeta being held by the Capitol. Finnick was decapitated after being attacked by Lizard Muttations and as he died, Katniss got impressions of his life.

Thresh

 * "You better run now, fire girl."
 * ―Thresh to Katniss [src]

During the feast, Thresh saved Katniss from being killed by Clove. Katniss was shocked at his sudden appearance. After Thresh avenged Rue's death by crushing Clove's skull, he asked Katniss in a gentle way about Rue. In the film, all he said was, "Just this time Twelve. For Rue." Thresh was touched that Katniss took care of Rue and tried to protect her from the other tributes and felt that he owed her. He spared Katniss' life and told her to run as Cato would be there soon, as he had heard Clove's screams before she died. Thresh also took Cato's backpack, as it would force Cato to chase him instead of Katniss, allowing her to escape. This act may have resulted in Thresh's death, which shocked and saddened Katniss, as she liked him and wanted him to win if she or Peeta did not.

During the Victory Tour, Katniss honored Thresh by including him in her speech. She stated that she didn't know him, but deeply respected him for his strength and his refusal to play the Game on anyone's grounds but his own. Katniss also thanks Thresh for sparing her life.

Alliances
Although Haymitch and Cinna, expected Peeta and Katniss to join forces in the Hunger Games, the two did not comply. Peeta ended up in a brief alliance with the Career Tributes, while Katniss teamed up with Rue, the small tribute from District 11. Katniss had not made an attempt to form an alliance with Peeta until finding out that if both tributes from the same district are the last two alive, they can both win. After hearing the news, she finally attempts to find and form an alliance with Peeta, even though she knows he is severely injured.

Rue
"I sang until she died."

- Katniss, on Rue

Rue, being the smallest tribute, was also the most vulnerable. She reminded Katniss of Prim, who was also small and fragile. Against her better judgement, Katniss allied with Rue. Rue completely trusted Katniss, handing over her life and loyalties to her, because she had the mockingjay pin Madge gave her which reminded Rue of home.

The two formed a bond during the 74th Hunger Games, both driven by their determination to live. Katniss came up with a plan to destroy the Career tributes food, which ended up successful. However, Rue was captured in a net as she was heading to the designated third clearing to start the fire. Katniss arrived just in time to see Marvel spear Rue in the abdomen. She fires an arrow into his neck and he dies.

Katniss stayed with Rue until she died, singing her a lullaby. Of course, Katniss sang a song that her father taught her to Rue. Out of vengeance over the unjustified death of an innocent girl, Katniss surrounds Rue's corpse with bright flowers and departs with one last gesture; the District 12 signal that shows respect and farewell. The Capitol edits this part from the games, as a result. Every call of a mockingjay reminds Katniss of Rue.

In Catching Fire, as a result of Katniss' grief, Peeta paints a picture of Rue buried in flowers during his private session with the Gamemakers, staging his own small rebellion and proving his refusal to play by the Capitol's rules.

Peeta Mellark
"You here to finish me off, sweetheart?"

- Peeta to Katniss Peeta had originally joined with the Career Tributes, but this was just an act to protect Katniss and lead the Careers farther away from her. Having a not-so-secret crush on Katniss put him in the mind frame of protecting Katniss at all costs. Eventually, he fights Cato, the leader of the Careers, in order for Katniss to escape, and he is wounded terribly.

Near the end of the Games, Claudius Templesmith informs the remaining six tributes that there can be two winning victors for that year, provided that they are both from the same district. Katniss rushes to form an alliance with Peeta, who's still wounded. The two of them are an inseparable pair from then on.

Since Cinna, Haymitch, and Portia worked so hard to play up the romance from the start, Katniss tries to pretend to be fully in love with him. They keep this up until the end of the Games, after Cato has died and they are the only remaining tributes. Claudius Templesmith then again informs the two over a loudspeaker that there may only be one victor for the 74th Hunger Games, leaving the two together in the arena to fight each other to the death. Peeta begs for Katniss to kill him, willing to lay down his life for hers, but Katniss thinks of a way to let them both die together. Collecting nightlock (poisonous berries), she instructs Peeta to eat a handful of berries with her once she reaches the count of three in a double suicide. She does so under the pretense that she wishes the two lovers will never be separated, but by death, when really she suspects that rather than have no victor, the Capitol will allow them both to live. The Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, is shocked and desperate at the prospect of losing the remaining tributes, and so it is announced that the Games are concluded and both are victors of the 74th Games.

Victims
During the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss killed Glimmer, the female tribute from District 1, and the female tribute from District 4 by dropping a tracker jacker hive on them while they slept. Her next kill was Marvel, the male tribute from District 1, who drowned in his own blood after Katniss shot him in the neck after he threw a spear into Rue's stomach. In the movie, she killed him by shooting him right in the heart. During the final fight between Katniss, Peeta, and Cato, Cato was mortally wounded by muttations. Katniss mercifully killed him by shooting an arrow into his head.

During the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss killed Gloss, the male tribute from District 1, after he slit Wiress' throat.

All of her victims in any of the Games were Career Tributes.

After joining the rebellion, Katniss and Gale shoot down several Capitol bombers during an air raid on District 8. During the Battle of the Capitol she kills Peacekeepers, a female Capitol citizen, and at Snow's execution, President Coin.

Physical description


Katniss has straight long black hair, which she normally pulls back into a long braid, olive skin, and gray eyes. She is small in stature and thin for her age as she was generally malnourished because of her district's poverty. She is thus one of the smallest tributes in her Games, but due to her outdoor life, she is strong for her size. She is also known as "the girl on fire" during the Hunger Games; she earns this title from her fierce personality and the outfits created for her by her stylist, Cinna. Katniss is not very image-conscious, to the consternation of Venia, one of her stylists. In the first book, her hearing in her left ear is destroyed because of an explosion caused in the arena, but it is fixed in the Capitol in the end, as are all of her other major and more minor injuries including the erasing of any scars. Before entering the arena the first time, Katniss had many minor scrapes and cuts, and her outward appearance was very much imperfect. However, after she won, they were repaired by the Capitol doctors. Most notable about her appearance and demeanor, however, was the image she unconsciously projected, as noted by her co-tribute Peeta

In The Hunger Games, Katniss wore worn-out clothes with hunting boots, and sometimes wore her father's hunting coat. During the reaping, she wore her mother's blue dress. At the parade in the capitol she wore the costume that Cinna made that gave her the name "the girl on fire." She wore a black unitard representing coal and lit them with synthetic fire that doesn't burn but can be quenched by a solution made to counter it. He keeps the theme by designing Katniss' interview dress, a gown made completely of precious jewels in flame colors, reflecting the lighting to make her look like she is "engulfed in flames." During the Hunger Games she wore a hooded black jacket that fell down to her thighs and reflects body heat, tawny trousers, sturdy brown belt, and a green button-up shirt (it is black in the film adaptation) she also wears her Mockingjay pin. Cinna also designs her Victor dress, keeping the theme of fire, yet toning it down to candlelight to symbolize innocence other than the fiery spirit for which the theme was first created.

In Catching Fire, she wore many dresses due to the victory tour held six months after the games are over. The outfit Cinna designs for the first day of the Victory Tour Katniss describes as, "Flowing black pants made of a thick, warm material. A comfortable white shirt. A sweater woven from green and blue and gray strands of kitten-soft wool. Laced leather boots that don't pinch my toes." Another one of Cinna's outfits for the Victory tour includes a white coat, leather gloves, a bright red scarf, and earmuffs. The outfit Katniss wears in District 11 is described as, "a pretty orange frock patterned with autumn leaves." Cinna designs dresses for Katniss to wear to banquets and balls. One is described by Katniss as a pale pink and strapless. Another is described by Johanna Mason as a dark blue velvet number. The dress worn by Annie Cresta at her wedding was designed by Cinna for Katniss in District 5. After Katniss accepted Peeta's proposal during the Victory Tour stop at the Capitol, Cinna designed a set of wedding dresses. The Capitol audience voted on the finalists to select the one that would have been used for the wedding. Katniss describes the winner as having sleeves that touch the floor and lots and lots of pearls. During the third quarter quell she wore a fitted blue jumpsuit only 1/2 inch thick made of sheer material, zipper in front, six inch wide padded belt covered in purple plastic and nylon shoes with rubber soles. Every victor wore a blue jumpsuit, and a belt that was also a flotation device. The belt was filled with a thick, purple, liquid. Katniss also wore her Mockingjay pin.

In Mockingjay, she wore a plain grey shirt and pants since all residents of District 13 wear this. Cinna had designed a uniform for Katniss to wear for her role as the mockingjay. The uniform was black body armor. It had a helmet that can turn into a hood, a chest plate to protect vital organs and had a special reinforcements over her heart, short sleeves that reach to her elbows and white folds under her arms. She had hidden weapons in her boots and belt. Katniss wears a bloody bandage to cover the scar on her left arm that Johanna Mason gave her when she cut her tracker out during the 75th Hunger Games. She also wears her Mockingjay pin over her heart.

Personality
"Frankly, I could use a little sugarcoating."

- Katniss

Katniss has strong and independent survivalist instincts due to her difficult past and is good at thinking outside the box. She is not socially adept and has a hard time making friends due to the emotional strain on her life which has made her hard and cold. She is more concerned about feeding her family than being social, making her awkward around people. Though Katniss can be rather blunt and cold she has a very vulnerable side which she only shows around her family, and she has a natural maternal instinct as showed when she comforted Prim and helped Rue. She is not very good at acting for the camera and comes across best when she is herself. She is usually very logical except for times when her emotions get in the way.

Katniss has a habit of biting her nails when she is nervous or anxious and must consciously stop herself from doing so when around others. After she became a victor she could not think of a good reason to break the habit. However after joining the rebellion she appears to have stopped biting her nails as she does not mention doing so.

"All I know about you is that your stubborn and good with a bow."

"That pretty much sums me up."

- Peeta and Katniss on the train to District 11.

Katniss is very strong, stubborn and determined. Often, she will react first and ask questions later. She will do anything to survive. Even when she allied with Rue, she said she hoped that she didn't have to be the one to kill her. Yet when it came to Peeta, she tried her best to figure a way for them both to survive. This independent streak did not go well in the regimented confines of District 13 and Katniss largely did what she wanted and ignored her daily schedule. She had to discipline herself to undergo military training in order to prove that she could be sent into combat, and her unwillingness to take orders was perceived as her greatest weakness. This was targeted during her individual exam, but she was able to realize this and pass.

Even though she can sometimes be a bit self-centered and self-reliant, she does have noble traits, protecting those she loves. For example, caring for Prim, looking out for Rue, and ending Cato's life mercifully even though he caused her so much pain or when she shields Gale to keep him from being whipped, even when it means a lash for herself. Katniss has an instinct to protect those who are weak such as Rue, Wiress, and her prep team.

Unlike her younger sister, she is not a natural born healer. She once ran from the house in fright while Prim and her mother cared for a dying man. She even had trouble healing Peeta, being squeamish and reluctant to care for him unclothed. Instead, she is more like her father, being skilled at hunting and gathering.

In Mockingjay, it is shown that Katniss dislikes being a "pawn" and hates having the weight of Panem on her shoulders.

Skills
"I'm the best shot you've got!"

- Katniss, to Coin



Katniss is a highly skilled archer and hunter, which she learned from her father. After meeting Gale, she added fishing and trapping to her skills. This is shown when she was making snares in the Training Center, watching the training of the career tributes including Cato using sword, Glimmer using Bow and Arrows.

She also had to educate herself on the edible, medicinal, and poisonous plant life of District 12. Hunting and gathering on a daily basis has given her a highly skilled sense of woodcraft.



She uses her archery and her guts to score an 11 out of a possible 12 during the pre-games judging. She has some experience with wielding and throwing a knife in order to finish off a wounded prey animal.

Later in District 13, she belatedly undergoes military training in order to participate in the fighting against the Capitol and gains enough proficiency with a gun to be selected for a sharpshooter unit, Squad 451. Katniss is a skilled tree-climber, which has benefited her in hunting and the Games. Additionally, she has a good singing voice, also inherited from her father, although she was reluctant to sing since his death.

Possessions


Katniss has a gold pin depicting a mockingjay, which was given to her by her friend, Madge Undersee. After she wins the Games, it becomes a symbol of rebellion for the Districts against the Capitol, and a symbol of Katniss herself, as her actions were never meant to exist. However, many ignorant Capitol citizens still use it as a symbol of fashion, a remembrance of Katniss' exciting Games. Katniss also receives from Peeta a pearl along with a gold locket engraved with a mockingjay, containing a picture of her mother, her sister Prim, and Gale during the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire. She is later seen throughout Mockingjay keeping the pearl close to her as a prized possession. In Mockingjay Katniss receives a bow and arrows from Beetee. They have mechanical properties, and can be voice activated.

Family
Katniss' only family is Primrose Everdeen and her mother, Mrs. Everdeen. Her father died in a mine explosion. Katniss would do anything to protect Prim (short for Primrose), even if it means her own death. Her mother suffered extreme depression after the death of her husband, Katniss' father, leaving Katniss to become the head of the family, despite her young age. Mrs. Everdeen is a skilled healer, and Prim is something of an assistant.



Gale Hawthorne and his family are like family for her. In Catching Fire, it is revealed that during the Hunger Games, Gale was presented to the Capitol media as Katniss' cousin, in order to be interviewed about her without detracting from the romance which Katniss and Peeta were presenting to survive the arena. After the 74th Hunger Games conclude, President Snow threatens Katniss with Gale's life if she does not perpetuate this lie, and so she does. As part of this sham romance, Peeta and Katniss become engaged, and Peeta tells a TV interviewer that Katniss is pregnant. It is revealed early in Catching Fire that Gale loves Katniss. Even though her father is dead, she still misses him dearly. With the possible exception of Prim, there was no one Katniss loved more than her father. He taught her to hunt, swim, and live off the wild, skills that served her well during the games. Katniss inherits a beautiful singing voice from her father, shown when either of them sing the mockingjays stop to listen. He taught her many songs such as "The Hanging Tree" and the lullaby Katniss sang to Rue as she died. But after her father's death, singing reminds her too much of her father so she only does it rarely.

When Katniss' mom heard Katniss singing "The Hanging Tree" she yelled at him for teaching her that, and tells Katniss to forget the song. Katniss runs away to the hide out and of course because she was told to forget the song, she distinctly remembers it. She remembers it a lot, especially after her father's death. Katniss sings the "Hanging Tree" once to Pollux when he wanted her to sing for the mockingjays and a few other times throughout the book Mockingjay. Katniss sings the Meadow Song to her two children, and many times throughout the series.

The rebellion drives Katniss' family apart. Prim's death in a bombing devastates Katniss. The trauma leaves her a "mental Avox," unable to speak until her encounter with Snow after his imprisonment. Her mother leaves District 12 permanently, taking a position in District 4 to build a hospital. Katniss returns home with Haymitch, where she finds that Peeta has also returned, yet Gale has not. Katniss and Peeta rely on each other while recuperating from the war, and rebuild their relationship.

Several years after the end of the rebellion (in the epilogue to Mockingjay) Katniss and Peeta start a family together. It is assumed they wed. Of their children, who remain unnamed, their first is a girl, who has black hair like her mother, and blue eyes like her father; the second is a boy, with blond hair like his father, and grey eyes like his mother. He is also about 2 years younger than his sister. Their daughter is old enough to understand that Peeta and Katniss played a role in the Hunger Games but their son is not.

Etymology
The katniss plant is also known as "arrowhead" and belongs to the genus Sagittaria. It is both ornamental and useful.

She was given two other names due to her symbolic role: The Girl on Fire and The Mockingjay. The first was a reference to her spectacular costume during the chariot ride before her first games. The second was because of her district token, a gold mockingjay pin, which came to stand for the rebellion. Both names originated from something she wore.

Film portrayal


Lionsgate confirmed in March 2011 that about 30 actresses auditioned or read for the role of Katniss Everdeen, including Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Chloë Moretz, Jodelle Ferland, Lyndsy Fonseca, Emily Browning, Shailene Woodley and Kaya Scodelario. On March 16, 2011, it was announced that Oscar nominee, Jennifer Lawrence of the indie film Winter's Bone had landed the coveted role. Ross described Lawrence as having "an incredible amount of self-assuredness, you got the sense that this girl knew exactly who she was. And then she came in and read for me and just knocked me out; I'd never seen an audition like that before in my life. It was one of those things where you just glimpse your whole movie in front of you." Though Lawrence was 20 when filming began, four years older than the character, Collins said that the character demanded "a certain maturity and power" and said she would rather the actress be older than younger. She added that Lawrence was the "only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book," and that she had "every essential quality necessary to play Katniss." Lawrence, a fan of the books, took three days to accept the role, initially intimidated by the size of the production.

Trivia

 * Her favorite color is green and her favorite food in the Capitol is lamb stew with dried plums.
 * Of all the promotional character posters for the The Hunger Games, Katniss' is the only one facing right.
 * Her name comes from the plant katniss, which is a plant shaped like an arrow.
 * All the tributes she killed in the Games were Career Tributes.
 * Her birthday is on May 8. This is is a special day in France for the celebration of Joan of Arc, to whom Katniss had been compared. However, Suzanne Collins has not yet indicated whether this was intentional or merely coincidence.
 * Jennifer Lawrence has described her character as "a futuristic Joan of Arc" while promoting every Hunger Games movie to be released thusfar, and Donald Sutherland described her as "more dangerous than Joan of Arc" in his initial letter to the first film's director regarding the character of Coriolanus Snow (shown in the DVD featurette "Letters from the Rose Garden").
 * In the film, Katniss weighs 122 pounds and has 23-1 odds of winning the Games.
 * The two people in her family closest to her, her father and Prim, both died in explosions.
 * Her decision to volunteer for Prim for the 74th Hunger Games not only saved her from certain death, but saved the country from the oppressive rule of the Capitol. This stated, it is the primary driving event of the whole series.
 * Katniss killed both male tributes from District 1 in her two Games after they killed one of her allies; she killed Marvel after he threw the spear into Rue's stomach, and she killed Gloss after he slit Wiress' throat.
 * Katniss had received burns in all three books.
 * Although it is mentioned that Katniss is a skilled knife thrower, she never throws a single knife after she shows her skills to Haymitch and Peeta.
 * Katniss and Peeta are the only tributes to participate in the games two years in a row.
 * Katniss is possibly the only female Victor from District 12.
 * When the training scores are revealed, she and Peeta are the only tributes recognized by their first and last names.

Gallery

 * Katniss Everdeen Gallery