Both Peeta and Gale are exceptional characters from The Hunger Games trilogy, but naturally, the fandom couldn't decide if they preferred Katniss to end up with her childhood best friend or with her Hunger Games partner. Ultimately, in Mockingjay, it was undeniable that Katniss was completely in love with Peeta.
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.
They have grown apart and changed; maybe that would have happened even without their roles in the rebellion. Although she will never know for sure, Katniss does recognize that she cannot be with Gale. She will never be able to forgive him for his idea — the parachute bombs — that killed Prim.
Katniss Fell in Love With Peeta During the Quarter Quell
With the odds against them, survival pressured them, and they had to rely on one another. The second game saw their bond deepening, but simultaneously, they had to pretend to be star-crossed lovers to the rest of the world, which certainly confused things.
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.
Hunger Games: Why Katniss Ends Up With Peeta, Not Gale
Why did Katniss choose Peeta instead of Gale?
She is under an immense amount of pressure and has no time to worry about love interests, and Peeta gets that. He never demands that she choose between him and Gale, as he knows that she will make the decision when she is ready. He loves her, but he does so selflessly.
Gale and Katniss' kiss is representative of the ongoing struggle between them, including their trying to reconcile their past with their present. Gale remembers that the last time Katniss kissed him was after he'd been lashed by a Peacekeeper.
Their connection deepened as a result. If Katniss wanted to find a way to move on from the pain she'd had to endure, she knew she would have to be with someone like Peeta, who understood her complicated emotions and grief.
After their last interview, in which the two continue to affect their romantic feelings for one another, Peeta comes to the realization Katniss has staged her love for him all along.
Primrose, Katniss' sister, is killed by a firebomb that may have been designed by Gale. Even though the order to use the bombs was given by President Coin, Katniss cannot bring herself to forgive Gale for his creation and his role in Prim's death, and effectively shuts him out of her life.
While there's some chemistry between the two throughout the series, nothing ever comes of the tension in Suzanne Collins's novels. Beyond the kiss, nothing happened between the two in the movies either.
Snow laughs after Katniss killed Coin because he enjoys the irony of the situation. He avoided the official execution ceremony, even though Panem's citizens still take their revenge on him, while Katniss ends up snatching away the victory and power that Coin thinks she has successfully secured.
Katniss was sickened to think of all the people that Gale sentenced to death, and she chose to stop the rebels from firing on them immediately. Katniss' dislike of Gale's plan demonstrates that she does not agree with his lust for violence, and viewers see that Gale has a vicious streak.
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.
He did, technically, at least have a hand in it. But it wasn't intentional. Throughout the last book, Katniss is bothered that Gale seems to be getting closer to Coin and the district 13 higher ups. He also helped engineer the bombs that ended up killing Prim during the final battle.
Among the names that were considered for Peeta included Hunter Parrish, Lucas Till, and Evan Peters. Coincidentally enough, Till and Peters became co-stars of Jennifer Lawrence while working on the X-Men franchise but they missed the chance at a gig in the Hunger Games series.
In the book, blood streams from Katniss' ear, leaving her permanently deaf in her left ear. She doesn't regain hearing until the Capitol fixes her with a replacement aid after winning the Hunger Games.
She vacillates, first deciding that Peeta is two-faced and that he is now showing his true colors. He has betrayed her and is betraying all of District 12 by buddying up with the Careers, whom she calls the "Capitol's lapdogs." She decides that if the Careers don't kill him, she'd be more than happy to.
Katniss was stuck between her feelings for Gale and Peeta in The Hunger Games, but the books proved who she was always meant to end up with. Like many literary love triangles, Katniss, Peeta, and Gale's situation sparked a fevered debate.
Ultimately, in Mockingjay, it was undeniable that Katniss was completely in love with Peeta. Even though both Gale and Peeta are great men who wanted the best for Katniss, there's no doubt Peeta was kinder, and more loyal and understanding. These qualities made Peeta way better as a character and as a love interest.
Chia Mags kisses Finnick on the mouth to briefly let him know that this is the last time she will see him. It's her way of saying "Goodbye" but in a more affectionate way.
Gale was aware that Prim was training to be a nurse, which meant that he intentionally put Prim's life at risk for the purpose of winning the rebellion against the Capitol. Because of Gale's involvement in this horrific plan, he is partly responsible for Prim's death, making his and Katniss' friendship irreparable.
Katniss here's this and understands that even though she may not love Peeta (then) that it's one less person who has to die. (At least that's what I have always thought.) Katniss realizes that if she pretends to be in love with Peeta people will want the capitol to let them survive.
Gale Hawthorne is Katniss Everdeen's best friend and hunting partner. In order to not cast suspicion on Katniss and Peeta Mellark's highly publicized strategic romance, Gale is presented as Katniss's cousin.
