Let me tell you all a little something about Haymitch Abernathy, which the movies seem to ignore.
Haymitch is from the Seam and was reaped for the Second Quarter Quell at the age of 16. This Quell involved twice as many tributes, so there were 48 in the arena as opposed to 24. Haymitch allied with Maysilee Donner (Madge Undersee’s aunt…aka the girl who gave Katniss the Mockingjay pin in the first book) and held her as she died, very similar to the way Katniss held Rue.
Haymitch made it to the final two and was involved in a fight in which the other tribute lost and eye and Haymitch was hit in the stomach with her axe (resulting in him having to hold his intestines in). Earlier in the Games, Haymitch had discovered that the forcefield would throw back whatever you threw at it. With this knowledge, he made in to the edge of the cliff and ducked just as the other tribute threw her axe at him once more, but the axe hit the forcefield and bounce back, killing the other tribute. Haymitch was crowned victor.
However, Haymitch was clever. This was something the Capitol did not like. He’d played them at their own game with his stunt with the forcefield. Because of this, two weeks after he was crowned Victor, his mother, younger brother and girlfriend were dead at the hands of the Capitol and Haymitch was used by the Capitol as an example of what would happen to victors who “cause problems”. He was then forced to become a mentor to the District 12 tributes.
Haymitch began to drink heavily. It isn’t mentioned at what age, but it can be assumed it was pretty soon after he started his mentoring. He was damaged, tormented by his experiences from such a young age, that he suffers PTSD and sleeps with a knife clutched in his hand (this was actually shown in Catching Fire) in an attempt to stave off the nightmares.
Throughout the books, he’s subtly working towards the rebellion, including working closely with Plutarch Heavensbee. Now, there was a movie still of Haymitch and Plutarch at the Victory Tour party, however this was not in the movie. But he’s still there behind the scenes. He is a main driver in orchestrating the rebel plan in the arena, breaking the tributes out and getting them to District 13. He even agrees to sober up enough to help Katniss and Peeta during the first two books.
In 13, he’s forced into sobriety due to their prohibition of alcohol products. But he’s still very much a part of the lead team in District 13, alongside Coin and Plutarch.
He supports Katniss every step of the way. He doesn’t just appear occasionally when Katniss is upset, like he does in the movies. He’s still her mentor. He’s even the one who communicates with Katniss through her earpiece when she’s out on the battlefield.
Despite their differences, Haymitch is so so so instrumental in helping Katniss get through being the Mockingjay. Yes, we have some scenes in the movie, but he’s so much deeper in the books than he’s portrayed as in the movies.
He isn’t a comedic element, as the movies would have people believe. He’s damaged, he’s violent, he’s aggressive and he drinks to numb himself againt the memories and trauma he experienced from being a victor.
This has been a PSA. Goodbye.
