I just finished Sunrise On the Reaping, the latest Hunger Game, and I devored the book and once I was done, I went online to see review from people and lots of people were saying there were lots of plot hole and I just came up with a theory :
SNOW WANTED HAYMITCH TO WIN
Not from the very beginning, of course, but I think after the chariot incident, Snow had some time and ressources to search into Haymitch leading up to their meeting. And both have some points in commons (handsome, smart, covey girlfriend).
Most importantly, Snow saw the game as a mercy for Haymitch over getting involved with a covey girl, and promised a clean, quick death to Haymitch if he behaved, with safety for his loved one, or a slow painful one if he kept acting as a rebel.
And Haymitch misbehaved, and thus was doomed to live by Snow. Similarly to Beetee, he bad a purpose and a use, and Snow wasn't gonna be wasteful.
So here the reasons why I think he was left alive :
1- Snow's narcissism and seeing himself, at least partly, in Haymitch, leading to some level of not wanting to kill him. I think this was further pushed when Haymitch was dress in old Capitol's evening wear for his interview.
2- To fumble future rebel plot, having Victors from other district to mentor Twelve allowed coordination, especially for this rebel plot, so having a Victor from twelve insure more isolation and less risk in the future. Haymich was the best choice since Lou Lou was never meant to live, odd guy died 2 seconds after the gong, and Maysilee was too rebellious. Haymitch in comparaison appeared a bit more tame probably.
3- To torture him. From the moment the game started, having Lou Lou find him just to die a painful death in front of him, I am about sure she was lead to him through the game makers. Even then, the butterfly mutts couldn't kill him, just be painful. Then 2 of the mutts where programmed to kill an ally in front of him, but not to harm him. The cage for humiliation, killing his family before he get to step there, having him kill his girlfriend. And they never did anything with the peacekeepers or the white liquor available in Twelves, even after Haymitch told the capitol of it. Letting him drown his sorrow, becoming a husk of himself, forced into the spotlight each year as a mentor doomed to sent two kids who'll die painful death. Public drinking should have disturbed the peace, yet Haymitch doesn't get arrested from what I seen.
4- As an exemple, I think he is a warning to the other Victor of "Do as I say, or you'll be treated like Haymitch". Haymitch made a fool of himself years after years, without repercussion and probably everybody whispered about his condition and what happened to him. There was no threat, no trafficking of his body. I thought his refusal of being a capitol puppet would have killed his family one by one, but no. Snow got rid of such valuable hostage to send a message. To break a man. To keep others in line.
I feel this answer some plot hole I've seen, such as why were the game so easy from his perspective, he never had to worry about mutts much, only other Tribute, and then he was not punished directly by the game maker.
At the end, Snow did sent the milk, but without confirmation it was Poisonous, it is just a message that he is Snow's puppet. And then, as a Victor, Haymitch only had milk and bread for weeks, as he said himself, as insurance he couldn't poison himself (how true that is I don't know, but maybe they wanted him to think that).
The rebel point was not loved, but every Victor involved was tortured, and probably many died from this (Beetee's son sure did).
Anyway, just a theory I guess, but I feel giving that motive to Snow kinda paint some "plot holes" in a different light.
izzy806
discoholicmusic
turnnoffyourmind
pixelskylines
romaincrisis
gamechangershow
