10 Best Characters in 'The Hunger Games' Movies, Ranked

The richly developed world-building of The Hunger Games movies allows for some fascinating and complex characters. Due to the isolated and diverse natures of the various Districts and Capitol of Panem, each character has a unique upbringing and experiences, fostering a distinctive understanding of the world around them. For instance, Katniss, who grew up in abject poverty in District 12, has a much lower opinion of Panem's government than Effie, who has only ever experienced a life of privilege in the Capitol.

It is also important to consider that The Hunger Games series is a work of dystopic fiction which uses parallels and juxtaposition to reflect the real problems of our society. This turns the characters of 'The Hunger Games' into reflections of what humanity may look like if subjected to the extreme political conditions of Panem. Because the problems of Panem are exaggerated versions of real-world problems, its citizens make for uniquely accessible characters, with many being able to see themselves in the struggles of characters like Johanna or Finnick. These are the top 10 most complex, entertaining, and relatable characters in The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.

10 Gale Hawthorne

Played by Liam Hemsworth

Gale is one of the most hated characters in The Hunger Games franchise, but his (many) flaws are caused by unregulated emotions more than anything else. Gale's worst offense, which has earned him the nickname "Prim Reaper" among Hunger Games' fans, is orchestrating the bombing of the Capitol that led to the death of Katniss' sister, Prim in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. While he may not have known that Prim would be in the Capitol that day, he still implemented an attack targeted toward children, making him no better than those who believed in holding the Hunger Games in the first place. In his anger at the Capitol's violence, Gale feels entitled to retaliate with equal malice.

Gale's emotions similarly overtake him with Katniss. When she returns from the Games at the beginning of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Katniss is traumatized, experiencing nightmares and flashbacks. Instead of supporting her, however, Gale gets hung up on his jealousy, questioning Katniss about her relationship with Peeta in the Arena, even when Katniss insists that "I did what I did to survive." When his friend needs him, Gale can only think of himself.

9 Sejanus Plinth

Played by Josh Andés Rivera

Sejanus has honorable goals, but unrealistic ways of achieving them. Sejanus can see past the glamour of the Capitol due to his parents having bought his way out of District 2 and is sickened by his peers' ambivalence towards the Capitol's mistreatment of the Districts. Unfortunately, Sejanus's attempts to end this injustice do not create lasting change. He attempts to honor Marcus, a deceased tribute, by memorializing his body according to District 2 customs. This not only puts him in mortal danger, but Doctor Gaul cuts the Arena footage so that no one sees his noble act anyway. Bringing attention to the tributes' humanity is a worthwhile pursuit, but Sejanus's method of doing so is impractical.

Sejanus's flaw of irrational selflessness ultimately becomes fatal, as he wrongfully trusts Coriolanus with his plan to flee Panem with the rebels of District 12. Just as he fails to anticipate Doctor Gaul cutting the footage of him in the Arena, he fails to realize that Coriolanus's alliance will always be with the Capitol. Sejanus dies, never being able to "do some real good" in Panem, despite his considerable financial and political resources.

8 Johanna Mason

Played by Jena Malone

Johanna is a nuanced reflection of the impacts of trauma. She first appears in Catching Fire when she is reaped for the Quarter Quell. Johanna reacts with anger, expressed through small rebellions, such as screaming profanities during her interview, undressing in the elevator in front of Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch, and swinging an axe aggressively during training. When Johanna admits that "there is no one left [she] love[s]," her anger is revealed to be how she copes with her trauma. The Capitol killed Johanna's loved ones because she wouldn't submit to their control, and now that they're gone, her defiance is all she has left. She attempts to channel this defiance into real rebellion at the end of Catching Fire, but this attempt fails when she is captured by the Capitol.

When she is rescued from the Capitol in Mockingjay Part 2, Johanna's fierceness has all but disappeared. She's a shell of herself physically, and emotionally she has just given up. She has realized that the Capitol did indeed have more to take from her, and her entire being reflects that crushing disillusionment. Johanna demonstrates that projecting a facade of strength does not equate to invincibility. Johanna does end the series with some fire back in her eyes, though, which makes a hopeful statement about the possibility of recovery.

7 Effie Trinket

Played by Elizabeth Banks

Effie's journey is one of deconstruction and identity formation. At the start of The Hunger Games, Effie's entire identity is defined by her role in the Capitol. She dresses according to their fashion trends, sees herself as superior to the Districts, and believes wholeheartedly in the fairness and importance of the Games. As she grows closer with Katniss and Peeta, however, and starts to genuinely care about them, Effie slowly begins to deconstruct the Capitol's belief in the insignificance of District lives.

Deconstruction is not a linear journey, though, as Effie's attempts to protect her tributes still follow the rules of the Capitol throughout Catching Fire, such as when she encourages Katniss and Peeta to stick to the Capitol's approved speeches for their Victory Tour. When Effie's role is expanded from the novels in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and she is brought to District 13, this approach is no longer viable. For the first time, Effie has to figure out who she is all on her own, and what she ultimately chooses - getting together with Haymitch and keeping her cute outfits - is a pretty great option. The odds are in Effie's favor, after all.

6 Lucy Gray Baird

Played by Rachel Zegler

Like the title of the film she is introduced in (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Lucy Gray is both a songbird and a snake. Because Lucy Gray is "not actually from 12," and is part of the Covey, her culture and mannerisms feel exotic to the people of Panem. Her colorful clothes, her singing, and her boldness are captivating to the Capitol because of their strangeness and relative rarity. Lucy Gray's exoticism makes her entertaining, and she uses her magnetic quality to win people over, such as when she sings during her pre-Games interview, but also to mask more sinister intentions, such as when she takes advantage of all the eyes on her at the Reaping to put a snake down Maude Ivory's dress, making herself seem like more of a threat in the Games.

Lucy Gray embodies a dichotomy between beauty and danger that makes her impossible to truly figure out, and her fate remains a mystery. This is true for Coriolanus, who goes mad with paranoia over her, constantly guessing at what her motivations truly are. Lucy Gray is a beautiful enigma, just like the Lucy Gray of the song she is named after, who is "a survivor... But...a mystery."

5 Cinna

Played by Lenny Kravitz

Cinna is an exception to the rule that our upbringing dictates who we are. When Katniss first arrives in the Capitol, Cinna is the only person to treat her with humanity. While everyone else has treated her like either a wild animal (Effie), or a dress-up doll (the assistant stylists), Cinna's introductory words are "How despicable we must seem to you." He can look at himself from her perspective, displaying a humble ability to critique both the Capitol and himself that asserts himself both as Katniss's equal, and as a rebel. He builds trust in her through genuine empathy and concern that isunheard of with any other Capitol citizen.

Despite Cinna's screentime in the series being criminally short, he still manages to throw the first stone at the Capitol's destruction. While Katniss has always hated the Capitol, it is Cinna who turns her into a revolutionary icon. He understands the power of knowing how to "make an impression," using his designs to associate Katniss with the rebellious symbol of the Mockingjay. Without Cinna, the revolution might never have succeeded.

4 Finnick Odair

Played by Sam Claflin

Finnick is one of the most beloved characters in TheHunger Games, and for good reason. He's charming, attractive, and good with a trident, all qualities that tend to make one very likable. Interestingly, like real-life fans of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Capitol fans of the Games also took a liking to Finnick. Their love is parasitic, however, as immediately after Finnick wins the Games, he is sold off to rich Capitol citizens for "the pleasure of [his] company." Finnick's experience draws a parallel to real-world fandom, making a point about how toxic such relationships can be.

By The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, it is evident that Finnick is more than meets the eye. He fiercely protects his loved ones, literally carrying Mags through the Arena even though she is unlikely to survive it, and managing to throw a beautiful wedding to Annie under the austere conditions of District 13. Finnick's experience in the Games and afterward has left him with a lot of trauma, but he knows that "it's better not to give in to it." Finnick's love allows him to endure the darkest of times.

3 Haymitch Abernathy

Played by Woody Harrelson

Haymitch makes an abysmal first impression in The Hunger Games, but ultimately proves himself to be one of the best characters in the series. When Katniss and Peeta first meet their mentor for the Games, they are disturbed to find that Haymitch is drunk, detached, and disinterested in helping them. This is because Haymitch has had to mentor the District 12 tributes ever since he won his own Games, and has had to watch those tributes die every year, unable to stop the violence. Haymitch knows that "Nobody ever wins the Games. Period. There are survivors... no winners."

It is love that breaks Haymitch of his depression and allows him to work towards creating real change. As he grows to care for Katniss and Peeta, he is revitalized, and we are reintroduced to Haymitch as someone strategic and witty, who understands how to bend the rules in his favor. Haymitch finally takes action by becoming part of the revolution, coaching Katniss through her role as the Mockingjay just as he had through her Games. Haymitch understands that Panem is just an extension of the Games, and, luckily for him, surviving the Games is something he knows well.

2 Katniss Everdeen

Played by Jennifer Lawrence

Katniss is the protagonist of The Hunger Games, and we experience the story from her perspective. This makes it easy to see ourselves in Katniss, whether that's in her protective love for her family, how she reacts to trauma, or her relationships with her prospective love interests (Team Peeta, anyone?). Despite her relatable nature, however, Katniss is more than just a blank slate for the audience to project themselves onto. Katniss is an active and unique character, whoseflaws only make her more human. She is distrustful and cynical, she can be stubborn, and sometimes she lets her anger get the better of her, but she is still the Mockingjay.

What makes Katniss so amazing is that she can be a hero while not being perfect. She is not a "chosen one," and possesses no supernatural ability. She became a talented archer only out of necessity, because she had to learn to hunt in order to feed her family and survive. She is a normal person who rises above the challenges presented to her, using her compassion and sense of justice to end the cycle of power-hungry leaders in Panem. Hopefully, many audience members see themselves in Katniss's bravery, determination, and strength.

1 Peeta Mellark

Played by Josh Hutcherson

Doctor Gaul designed the Hunger Games based on the notion that all people are inherently evil, and that, if forced to compete for survival, they would immediately disregard any concern for others. Peeta single-handedly proves this wrong. No matter how difficult the circumstances, Peeta does the right thing. Whether that means going against his abusive mother to give a starving Katniss a loaf of bread, donating his winnings to the families of fallen tributes, or volunteering in Haymitch's place for the Quarter Quell, Peeta always puts others' needs before his own. Katniss sees Peeta's pure selflessness as proof that people can still be good, even under the oppressive rule of Panem.

This is why Peeta's hijacking is so devastating. President Snow knows how to hurt Katniss the most, by stealing Peeta's kindness, which had become Katniss's only beacon of hope, while simultaneously realizing Peeta's worst fear, that the Capitol would be able to "change" him. It is a testament to the strength of Peeta's goodness that he manages to break free of the Capitol's programming. Peeta proves that kindness always triumphs over violence.

'The Hunger Games' is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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