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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the end, Katniss and Gale grew apart, as many childhood friends and young loves do. She needed something different in her life, and with Gale's link to Primrose's death, Katniss found a reason to cut ties. If Katniss ever wanted to find comfort again, she knew she had to return to Peeta for the long term.
Katniss realizes she couldn't be a cold calculating person who would do anything to achieve her goals and that's who Gale was. He would do anything to take the Capital down. The final driving wedge is when Katniss realized that it was most likely Gale's bombs that killed Prim and Gale couldn't deny it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For the most part, one of Gale's best traits in The Hunger Games is that he is viewed as a hero. He helps lead the charge against the Capitol and Katniss made very similar decisions in her quest to pull down the regime (including her infamous arrow shot at the new leadership).
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.
According to the star behind Effie, Elizabeth Banks, she and Haymitch's Woody Harrelson improvised the scene. Considering she's been adamant about the characters having some romantic connection, it only makes sense that they'd share a goodbye kiss. It's very on-brand for Effie, as well.
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.
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.
Later, the two learn President Snow considered their actions to be an act of rebellion against the Capitol. 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.
Gale was helping the team by putting in suggestions and helped also by defense and offense in the attack on the capitol. He designed a bomb that set off near/in the hospital where Prim was working. Prim does die in this scene, along with many patients.
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.
The woods are now ruined. Katniss decides that the Capitol views her and Gale's weekly hunting trips — and the one time that Gale unexpectedly kissed her, which Snow knows about — as flaunting her defiance in front of the entire district.
Gale's jealousy towards Peeta stemmed from his feelings for Katniss and his desire to be with her. Even after Katniss became engaged to Peeta, Gale still harbored feelings for her and was unable to fully let go of his jealousy and resentment towards Peeta.
Protagonist Katniss Everdeen has two suitors: Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne. Some people prefer strong, hot-headed Gale, while others prefer kind, charismatic Peeta. When one closely examines both options, however, it becomes obvious that Peeta is the superior love interest.
