In the previous novel, he believed he couldn't save Katniss and Peeta, so he knew he had to choose one. He chose Katniss because she was the stronger competitor, and to help her win he forced her to take advantage Peeta's romantic feelings for her.
As District 12's only surviving winner of the Hunger Games, Haymitch acts as Katniss's and Peeta's coach throughout the Games. Though he is drunk most, in fact nearly all, of the time, he proves a cunning advisor to the young tributes.
He is not known to have ever married, or even been romantic with another woman after her. However, in the films he occasionally engaged in light flirtation with Effie Trinket, and the two kissed in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.
Haymitch is already drinking, and Peeta gets angry with him because he's supposed to be advising them. He slaps the drink out of Haymitch's hand. Haymitch punches him, and Katniss stabs her knife into the table between his hand and the liquor bottle.
Katniss understands and asks if Peeta's been told about this, but Haymitch says he doesn't need to tell Peeta because "He's already there." As Katniss readies herself to take the stage, she realizes that, although she has made it out of the arena, the most dangerous part of the Hunger Games has begun.
Katniss realizes that she kind of hates Haymitch because he's apparently not very good at supporting his tributes – or getting them sponsors (the people who give aid and supplies to the tributes during the game). Katniss asks Haymitch for advice, and he says "stay alive" (4.40) and then laughs.
While, throughout the series, there's some chemistry between the two, nothing ever comes of the tension in Suzanne Collins' novels. Beyond the kiss, nothing happened between the two in the movies either.
The victor tributes from 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11 all had knowledge of the plan, which explains why it seemed everyone was working to protect her and Peeta.
Haymitch Abernathy was born 40 years prior to the 74th Hunger Games, during the same year the 34th Hunger Games were held. There is no information regarding his childhood and early teenage years, although it is known that he is from the Seam of District 12, and had a younger brother, a mother, and a girlfriend.
even then, both of them had very different ways of achieving their success. haymitch is all sarcasm and rough prodding whereas effie tries to be as sweet, and patient as possible. effie is from the capitol, she cares about fashion and food and decorations whereas haymitch....just wants his liquor.
Peeta and Katniss realize that Effie is right about Haymitch as their mentor. They decide to help him to his feet and get him cleaned up. Once they get Haymitch back to his compartment, Peeta offers to do the rest of the cleanup, and Katniss accepts his offer.
Katniss makes Haymitch promise that if Peeta is the male tribute, she and Haymitch will work together to keep Peeta alive, even at the expense of Katniss's life. It is a torn alliance for Haymitch. When Haymitch is drawn as the male tribute, Peeta automatically volunteers to take his place.
Both Morphlings die during the Hunger Games in Catching Fire, after the female tribute from District 6 protects Peeta from the monkey mutations that attack the tribute. She dies in Peeta's arms while looking at the sunset.
In the case of Johanna, they each hated each other because that was what the Capitol had taught them to do. They were from competing Districts, and the idea of the Games was to keep the lesser citizens of Panem distrustful of one another and unwilling to form alliances (or raise arms in war).
Sadly, Phillip Seymour Hoffman died while filming the final installment in the series, and there was no way around the fact that his characters' role had to be lessened. Specifically he was meant to be in the scene in the film with Katniss where instead Haymitch reads a letter to her from Plutarch.
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.
The fan-favorite relationship between Haymitch and Banks' character, Effie Trinket, took a big step forward at the end of Mockingjay - Part 2 when the former victor planted a serious smooch on the normally prim and polished Capitol chaperone, a move Harrelson admits was improvised by him while shooting the scene.
Winning the Hunger Games came at a great cost for Haymitch, as President Snow ordered the death of his family and girlfriend as punishment for his rebellion. Despite his rough exterior, Haymitch became a crucial ally and mentor for Katniss and played a key role in the rebellion against the Capitol.
Why does Haymitch tell Katniss to remember who the real enemy is?
He wanted her to work with the Tributes because he'd planned the whole break-out with them. Pamela Gwynneth made a spelling error but is otherwise correct. Haymitch meant to remind Katness that all of the Tributes were just pawns in the Capitol's games. The Capitol (inc the Game Makers) was the real enemy.
As the lone District 12 mentor for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, it was revealed that Haymitch won the annual Hunger Games event when he was just 16 years old.
