The problem was that Gale was the one who created the firebomb devices. Despite not being fully responsible, Katniss couldn't overlook his possible involvement. Katniss returned to District 12, where she reunited with Peeta after she couldn't allow herself to fully forgive her childhood best friend.
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.
In the beginning, Katniss did love Gale. But around the middleish/ending of the story, she finds herself loving Peeta instead. The main reason, though: Gale and Coin were designing a bomb, and Prim was killed by the bomb. After she died, Gale realized it was over with KAtniss.
Gale constantly does not understand katniss' trauma, and puts his feelings above hers every time. She is left traumatized from being in the hunger games and killing other kids, and all he cares about is her relationship with peeta, which was an act of self perseverance on her part.
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
Did Katniss actually love Gale?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
She later realizes, after a conversation with the imprisoned President Snow, that President Alma Coin sent Prim to her death (which was caused by a hovercraft by the rebels) both to sway the Capitol citizens to Coin's side by making them think Snow was bombing the children, and to swing Katniss to her side through the ...
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.
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.
SPOILERS!!!!! In the end of the first book peeta had his leg cut by cato but then when he hid he covered himself with mud and stuff to camouflage and it got hella infected but Katniss found him and took care of him but then his leg got torn up by mutts yada yada yada blah blah blah we already knew this.
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.
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.
After Prim's death, Gale leaves voluntarily because neither of them can avoid the matter of Prim's death having been caused by Gale's invention, with Katniss letting him go without a word. Katniss subsequently grows back together with Peeta, whom she finds she loves again now that he is recovered from his hijacking.
At the end of Mockingjay, Gale relocates to District 2 and begins working in the district's government. He helps train replacements for the Capitol's Peacekeepers.
The double bomb that kills Katniss Everdeen's sister, Primrose, was designed by two rebels: Beetee and Gale, Katniss's lifelong friend. Previously, Gale had explained that the double bombs are designed to appeal to mankind's weakness for compassion.
Deceased. Primrose Everdeen - Blown up by President Coin's parachute bombs. Messalla - Melted in an unknown pod that trapped him before burning the flesh off him.
She was only 13 years old when she was killed in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, and her youth only makes the tragedy that much harder for Katniss to bear after everything else she had suffered. Prim's death is a truly heartbreaking moment.
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.
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.
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.
