When Katniss comes home to District 12, Gale immediately confesses his love for Katniss, and she realizes she might have feelings for him, too — but she can't explore them, because she has to continue her fake relationship with Peeta or else her entire family, including “cousin Gale,” will be killed.
Katniss didn't really have the time to consider romance when she was worried about survival. When Peeta and Gale both made their feelings clear, Katniss wasn't entirely receptive despite caring for them both. In the end, her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged, with Peeta ultimately winning her heart.
There are two reasons why Katniss chose Peeta instead of Gale. Gale was partly responsible for Prim's death in Capitol. Katniss wanted someone to calm her down and soothe her, and she knew only Peeta can do that and Gale will only rebel against the Capitol.
Similar to many people from the Seam, he has olive skin, straight black hair, and grey eyes. In Catching Fire, people who have never met or barely know them think that Gale is her cousin. Gale admits to have fallen in love with Katniss in Catching Fire.
When Gale is most in pain is when Katniss kisses him, and this is true again as we see her answer Gale's pain with a kiss. She wants to give Gale what he wants, but she can't yet completely commit to him, as she must think of her family and Peeta and being the Mockingjay for the revolution.
Hunger Games: Why Katniss Ends Up With Peeta, Not Gale
Was Gale jealous of Peeta?
Gale is jealous of Peeta and the relationship he has with Katniss, and he wants Katniss to decide between them, though he doesn't press Katniss during her recovery in District 13. Gale is an excellent hunter and excels at setting snares and traps.
Gale does not marry anyone in The Hunger Games. He and Katniss talk about running away together and starting a new life in the wilderness, but they never officially marry.
Katniss Fell in Love With Peeta During the Quarter Quell
However, it wasn't until Mockingjay -- when Peeta got kidnapped by the Capitol -- Katniss realized how much she cared about him and that she couldn't live without him.
Before the Capitol battle, Gale had explained to Katniss his series of bombs designed to feed off human compassion: a small bomb would go off, and then when medical aid rushed in, a second bomb would go off, killing those people as well. Incidentally, it's this exact type of bomb that took Prim's life.
Katniss's focus on survival and her family's safety prevented her from fully considering romance, but her feelings for Peeta and Gale diverged in the end. Katniss ultimately chose Peeta because he understood her trauma and she didn't want to lose him, proving her love for him.
On the other hand, while Gale also wants to create a better world, he tends to be more violent. Gale is resentful and believes the ends justify the means. While Gale's strength was necessary to win the war against the Capitol, Peeta's peaceful personality is ultimately what Katniss needed in a person.
He Didn't Save Peeta's Family But some people believe Gale may have had more malicious reasons for not helping them. However, Peeta's family wasn't great. His parents were abusive, or at least distant. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had his family survived, but no one missed them much.
It's only implied that they get it on via snuggling and other affectionate acts in close quarters — but if you have read the book, they really imply that they took their relationship to the next level.
Who does Gale end up with at the end of Mockingjay?
In the Mockingjay movie, Katniss confronts Gale about his role in Prim's death, which he struggles to come to terms with. Katniss, unable to look at him the same way, lets him walk away without a word and eventually ended up living with Peeta.
Peeta, Annie, and Beetee vote no, while Johanna and Enobaria vote yes. After some thought, Katniss demands to kill Snow. Once she receives an agreement, she votes yes, for Prim. Realizing something is up (as Katniss would never do that), Haymitch votes yes, too.
He was actually helpful during the revolution. Unlike Peeta who was busy being brainwashed, working for President Snow, and wearing white after Labor Day — though again, not entirely his fault — Gale fought beside Katniss during the revolution.
The Hunger Games Catching Fire: Gale Kisses Katniss (Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence) - YouTube. Gale (Liam Hemsworth) surprises Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) when they return from hunting.
The Hunger Games series, much like Harry Potter is for young adults, and the themes and motivations are not hard to understand. Katniss NEVER hated Peeta. She figured she'd have to kill him to survive and had no desire to like him because of that.
Gale was responsible for creating weapons that would trigger a second wave of bombs to target first responders and combat healers. This invention potentially ended up killing Prim, but even if he wasn't directly responsible, Katniss found this tactic so abhorrent that she lost her affection for him.
What does Katniss realize about her relationship with Gale?
She understands that Gale is more than a friend to her but can't admit that she has romantic feelings toward him. She recalls their time in the woods, how she is a better hunter when he is there with her because she trusts him. They depend upon one another to survive and to provide for their families.
Katniss has always been confused by her feelings for Gale, though she used to insist she didn't think of him as more than a friend. She knows that her romance with Peeta must upset Gale, but she is still shocked when Gale kisses her in the woods after she returns home from the Games.
