Haymitch Abernathy

* 74 ATT
* 75 ATT

"*Stay alive.*"
―Haymitch Abernathy to Katniss Everdeen**Haymitch Abernathy** was District 12's second and only living Hunger Games victor for 24 years, having won the 2nd Quarter Quell, before Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the 74th Hunger Games under his mentorship. He worked secretly in tandem with District 13 and other victors in order to incite the Second Rebellion, and was the main drive behind the rebel plot during the 75th Hunger Games.

## Biography

### Early life

Haymitch Abernathy was born 40 years prior to the 74th Hunger Games in 34 ATT. He was from the Seam of District 12, the same as Katniss Everdeen, and had a younger brother. Eight months prior to being reaped, Haymitch began dating a girl within his district.

### Second Quarter Quell

At the age of 16, Haymitch was reaped as one of District 12's two male tributes alongside Maysilee Donner and another female tribute as part of the special rules pertaining to the 50th Hunger Games. As the Second Quarter Quell, it stipulated that double the number of tributes were reaped from the districts for the Games. He and his three district partners were mentored by Capitol Academy students.

#### Interview

During his interview with Caesar Flickerman, Haymitch was asked about what he thought of the Games having 100% more tributes. He replied by saying that he didn't see much difference, as they were still going to be 100% as stupid, a display of his own wit and sarcasm.

#### Cornucopia bloodbath

When the bloodbath of the 50th Hunger Games took place, the tributes were amazed by the beautiful arena, and many were too stunned to get off their pedestals. Using this to his advantage, Haymitch was able to easily get a knife and a backpack of choice from the Cornucopia, while eighteen ultimately fell during the opening act of the Second Quarter Quell. Though the arena was beautiful, everything in it was actually toxic.

#### Alliance with Maysilee Donner

On the seventh day of the Games, Haymitch ran into three Career tributes. Using his speed and skill with his sharp knife, Haymitch was able to kill two of the Careers, but the third Career managed to disarm him. Just as the Career was about to slit his throat, he was shot in the back and killed with a poison dart by Maysilee Donner, saving Haymitch's life. Maysilee proposed to Haymitch that their odds of survival would be better if he formed an alliance with her, to which he agreed. As the Games continued, the duo formed an effective team, getting more rest, creating a system to salvage rainwater, working together to fight off other tributes, and splitting the food from fallen tributes' packs. All the while, Haymitch urged Maysilee to continue moving towards the edge of the arena with him in the hopes of finding something useful.

Near the end of the Games, when there were only five tributes left alive, Haymitch and Maysilee finally reached the edge of the arena but found nothing but a bare cliff. Maysilee suggested going back, but Haymitch refused to leave. She then broke up the alliance, not wanting to kill him herself, and left on her own. After her departure, Haymitch explored the edge of the cliff, knocking a pebble off that unexpectedly bounced back while he rested. Curious, Haymitch picked up another rock and threw it off the cliff. The force field around the arena threw it back right into his hand, at which point he started laughing. Moments later, Haymitch heard Maysilee screaming and ran in her direction to find her being attacked by deadly, candy-pink bird muttations, who speared her throat with their long, thin beaks right as he arrived. Haymitch rushed over to her side and held her hand until she ultimately died.

#### Defeating Velvet and Victory

Following the death of the two other finalist tributes, Haymitch and Velvet, one of District 1's female tributes, made it to the final two. The two found each other and fought. Despite her being larger and stronger as a Career, both sustained severe injuries. Haymitch, at one point, sliced her eye out, and he himself was hit in his abdomen by her axe. After being disarmed, a weakened Haymitch staggered through the forest while holding his intestines in, with the District 1 female in pursuit behind him. Haymitch reached the cliff he found earlier just as the District 1 female tribute threw her axe, aiming for his head. Haymitch collapsed from his injuries before it reached him and it missed, flying over the cliff. With both tributes unarmed, the District 1 female tribute stood in front of Haymitch, thinking she could outlast him by staunching the flow of blood from her eye wound. To her utter surprise, the axe rebounded off the force field back into the arena, killing her when it buried itself into her head, leaving Haymitch the victor and District 12's latest in four decades.

### Post-Victory

#### Adulthood and Mentoring Tributes

Two weeks after he was crowned victor of the Second Quarter Quell, Haymitch's mother, younger brother, and girlfriend were all killed by President Snow because of the stunt that he pulled with the axe and force field, which was perceived as an act of defiance that made the Capitol look foolish. The Capitol then threatened to sell Haymitch into prostitution, but since they no longer had any leverage over him, he simply refused. For the next 4 years, Haymitch studied under the Academy students to learn how to become a mentor. The Games when he turned 20, the 54th Hunger Games, was the first year when he mentored the tributes completely alone. The male and female tribute for District 12 both died in the bloodbath that year. Other years suffered equally poor results.

Due to the horror of his Games, his grief over his family's and girlfriend's deaths, and the overwhelming guilt he felt from being obligated to participate in the Games he hated while each and every one of his mentored tributes died in them, Haymitch turned to alcoholism to cope with his issues and feelings. His constant state of drunkenness and his failure as a mentor earned him the ire and embarrassment of his district. In the years following his victory, Haymitch began sleeping with a knife in his hand and sentenced himself to a self-imposed state of solitary confinement by refusing to let anyone into his house and isolating himself from the rest of District 12. During his time as mentor, Haymitch grew close with a number of his fellow victors, particularly Chaff of District 11, Victor of the 45th Hunger Games, whom he would regularly get drunk with together. He became friends with Coge Magorian and Sicinius Carr of District 6 because they were so affected by morphling addiction that they were completely unfazed with however crazy his rants towards them were.

Barley Mayes of District 9 noticed during the 61st Hunger Games that Haymitch did absolutely nothing to help Rhonda and Milo, his tributes, survive the Games. He just sat on the mentor stands and drank with Chaff. Though Barley and her district partner Dagan Starche allied with the duo from Twelve, they both died in the bloodbath.

Caspian Hadala watched a replay of the 50th Hunger Games to prepare himself for the Games, and he found Haymitch's tactics brilliant, especially considering there were 47 other tributes he had to compete with. Caspian found Haymitch's behaviour in the modern-day disgusting, as he thought brilliance like Haymitch's should be put towards mentoring a tribute properly. He chalks it up as because Haymitch was from District 12.

Until the 74th Games, the closest any mentee of Haymitch has gotten to winning the Games was 6th place in the 67th Hunger Games.

### 74th Hunger Games

Haymitch was present on stage during the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games. Drunk and staggering, he congratulated Katniss Everdeen after she volunteered for her sister, Primrose Everdeen, claiming she had "spunk". Haymitch then head-dived off the stage, knocking himself out in the process and requiring him to be hauled away on a stretcher. Haymitch's whereabouts were unknown until just after dinner is served on the train taking Katniss and Peeta to the Capitol. Drunk again, Haymitch vomited all over the expensive floor before collapsing in his own mess, which disgusted Effie Trinket. Katniss and Peeta took him back to his compartment on the train, where Peeta offered to clean him up and put him to bed, to Katniss' relief. The next morning, Haymitch ate breakfast with Katniss and Peeta, once again drinking. When Katniss asked for advice on the Games, Haymitch was initially dismissive, simply stating for the two to "stay alive" before laughing at them both. Angered at his indifference, Peeta knocked Haymitch's glass from his hand, with Haymitch responding by punching Peeta in the jaw, knocking him from his chair. Before Haymitch could reach for his alcohol again, Katniss drove a knife into the table between Haymitch's hand and his drink glass. Pleased that he finally had a pair of tributes willing to fight, Haymitch began to take a more hands-on approach to his mentoring. He examined them both on their skills and began to formulate a plan for them, promising to help them so long as they did not interfere with his drinking.

During the parade, he was surprised by Katniss and Peeta's costumes and took this advantage by attracting sponsors and making more future plans to help them. On the first day of training, he took the duo and over breakfast asked if they want to be trained together or privately, to which they agreed to be jointly trained. He then discussed their preexisting skills, already deducing Katniss's skill with a knife and further learning on her excellent capacity to hunt with a bow and arrow and Peeta's strength. He advised them to try and learn new things at the Training Center gymnasium, to avoid practicing the skills they excel in and to save them for their private sessions, and to stay by each other's side at all times over their objections.

Haymitch was humored and laughed when Katniss told him how the Gamemakers looked after she almost shot them with an arrow. He was further pleased with their training scores and told Katniss she got a high score due to her attitude. As the duo began preparation for their interviews, Haymitch informed her that Peeta changed his mind and has asked to be coached separately. He tried to teach Katniss how to speak in front of the crowd during her interview with Caesar Flickerman, but grew exasperated and angered at the effort, saying she had the charm of a dead slug. Before the Games began, Haymitch's last piece of advice for the two was for them to stay alive, the same answer he gave them the first time Katniss asked him for a strategy, except this time it was more of an inside joke than ignorant sarcasm.

During the Games, Haymitch helped Effie line up sponsors. He also communicated with Katniss through giving or withholding of her sponsor gifts (he did not send water when she was close to a source but sent broth and medicine when she "played her part" convincingly). Haymitch, however, chose to not help Peeta during the Games, as only one of them could live and he believed Katniss stood the best chance to survive and ultimately win. Following Katniss's and Peeta's unprecedented dual victory, he was thrilled at the prospect of now having two victors after over two decades of no District 12 tributes having returned from the arena and hugged them both.

Before Katniss went to her final interview with Caesar, Haymitch told her that the Capitol was furious about her and Peeta's act in the arena with the berries, as the Capitol saw it as an act of rebellion. Haymitch told her she must act in love with Peeta so that even Capitol and the rest of Panem would not see it as such. After the interview, Haymitch was positive that the Capitol was convinced she was in love and not rebelling. Following the Victory Ceremony, Haymitch returned to District 12 with Katniss and Peeta, where he resumed drinking heavily again.

### 74th Victory Tour

"*You just remember who the enemy is.*"
―Haymitch to KatnissHaymitch's drinking became progressively worse. At times, he got so drunk that he slept for most of the day. Haymitch was passed out and drunk on the day the 74th Victory Tour was to start. When Katniss arrived and failed in her first attempt of shaking him awake, she resorted to dumping a bucket of water on him. This resulted in Haymitch being startled, and he began to slash randomly with a concealed knife in all directions whilst yelling. When Peeta arrived with bread, Haymitch witnessed him and Katniss's stiff greeting to one another, remarking that the two had to improve their act as star-crossed lovers before Katniss retorted for him to shower.

When the time came for the Victory Tour, Haymitch accompanied Katniss and Peeta along with Effie and their stylists and prep teams as they board the train that would take them across Panem's districts. While in transit, Katniss visited Haymitch's compartment on the train, and when the train stopped for fuel, she suggested they went outside to talk, where she told him about the encounter with President Snow, how he told her how the other districts were on the verge of rebelling, and that the "star-crossed lovers" act must be believed by everyone if she planned on keeping her family and friends alive. Haymitch coached Katniss through the "madly in love" facade which she had to keep up with Peeta and informed her that she must continue the act for the rest of her life. Later, Haymitch was surprised and somewhat disgusted by Katniss losing her temper with Effie after she complained about the train's unplanned stop. As the train made its way to District 11, Haymitch helped Katniss and Peeta through preparation for their victory speech they needed to give to the grieving families of the District 11 tributes, Thresh, and Rue.

After Peeta finished his speech, Katniss gave her own impromptu speech to honor Thresh and Rue, thanking them for their help in surviving the Games and thanking the district for the bread they sent her. The crowd responded by silently giving Katniss the three-finger salute she did in their honor, which was viewed as an act of rebellion by the Peacekeepers. They shoot an elderly man who whistled Rue's four-note mockingjay tune, which caused unrest amongst the crowd as Katniss and Peeta were forced inside the Justice Building. As the Peacekeepers cracked down on the crowd outside the Justice Building, Haymitch ordered Katniss and Peeta to follow him to the dome at the top of the Justice Building. There, he interrogated Katniss and Peeta for answers on what happened outside, after which Katniss confessed to her meeting with President Snow and the unrest in the district to Peeta. The revelation angered Peeta, who berated both Haymitch and Katniss for keeping him in the dark, before further admonishing Haymitch for his lack of sponsor support during the 74th Hunger Games. Haymitch told Peeta he would be fully informed going forward, and once alone with Katniss, admitted to her that he did chose to solely support her in the Games when asked. The two then departed for the dinner held in their honor by the district later that evening.

Haymitch continued to help Katniss and Peeta throughout the rest of the Victory Tour, during which the two gave scripted speeches to ensure that a riot like the one in District 11 did not happen again. Following the Victory Tour, Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta returned to District 12. Haymitch was not seen again until he had to intervene in Gale's public whipping for poaching by District 12's new Head Peacekeeper, Romulus Thread, during which Katniss got whipped across the face when she attempted to stop it herself. Haymitch managed to defuse the situation by threatening to report Thread to the Capitol for injuring Katniss before her wedding shoot, to which Thread reluctantly backed down and ordered them to disperse before leaving. Haymitch, Peeta, and a few other District 12 coal miners proceeded to haul Gale to Katniss's mother in the Victors' Village for treatment. While Mrs. Everdeen tended to Gale, Haymitch explained to Katniss that whippings were far more common before Cray was Head Peacekeeper and that it was Katniss's mother who use to treat those who were whipped. Haymitch and Peeta were then forced to remove Katniss from the room Gale was in when she grew hysterical at her mother, placing her in a guest room. While Katniss was sobbing, Peeta informed Haymitch of President Snow's thoughts on their performance during the Victory Tour, the uprising in District 8, and Katniss's plan for them to all flee into the forests, on which Haymitch gave no opinion.

Several days later, Katniss and Peeta met at Haymitch's house, and the three went on a walk away from the Victors' Village. When Haymitch remarked on Katniss's plan to flee into the wilderness, Katniss retorted that she instead wanted to start an uprising, at which Haymitch only laughed. When Katniss scoffed at Haymitch's indifference, Haymitch stated that he was focusing on solely on her upcoming wedding and that her plan revolt would fail. The three soon took notice of the militarization of District 12's town square, including the addition of an official whipping post, several stockades, and a gallows, as well as the Hob being burned to the ground. Haymitch left Peeta and Katniss, remarking on finding a new source of alcohol.

#### Third Quarter Quell

A few months after Gale's whipping, Haymitch employed Hazelle Hawthorne as a maid for his home in the Victors' Village. On the eve of the announcement of the Quarter Quell, Katniss visited Haymitch, telling him of her meeting with Bonnie and Twill and the uprising in District 8, to which he informed her of his own knowledge of rumored revolts in Districts 7 and 11. Katniss also explained to Haymitch her suspicion that District 13 was not really destroyed based off what Bonnie and Twill told her, but Haymitch shut down the idea, arguing it was unlikely the Capitol was ignoring a rebounded District 13.

Haymitch was in his home when President Snow announced that the Third Quarter Quell's special rule would have tributes reaped from the existing pool of victors. When Katniss entered his house after freaking out in an empty victor's house cellar, Haymitch was already drunk and sarcastically remarked on the assured possibility that Katniss would be going back into the arena and wondered what she was here to say to him. He went on to state that Peeta had already come to talk to him, begging to be allowed to go back into the Games since he owed Peeta so that he could protect Katniss. Haymitch deduced that Katniss was here to ask him to volunteer in Peeta's place. Katniss bluntly replied "I came for a drink", at which Haymitch laughed before passing her a bottle. As the two drank, Katniss pointed out that since Haymitch hated life, he should go into the Games again instead of Peeta. Haymitch concurred with her point, remarking that since he tried to keep Katniss alive in the 74th Hunger Games, he was obligated to do the same for Peeta for the 75th. However, Haymitch pointed out that if his name is drawn, Peeta would simply volunteer in his place to be with her and there was nothing Haymitch could do about it. Katniss then told him that if it did come down to Peeta and herself, the both of them would do everything they could to ensure Peeta stay's alive, to which Haymitch agrees to. However, Haymitch only agreed in order to patronize Katniss, as he had already started to plan with Plutarch Heavensbee about how to get both of them out of the arena, especially her.

The following day, Katniss and Peeta headed to Haymitch's house. Unbeknownst to Haymitch, Peeta disposed of Haymitch's entire supply of alcohol, enraging him. Peeta then bluntly pointed out to Katniss and Haymitch that the two of them would be going into the Games and two would be coming back, a mentor and victor, and informed the duo that they couldn't afford both being drunkards. Peeta then told them that they were going to prepare like Careers for the Quell, reviewing footage from every living victor's Games provided by Effie before storming out of the Haymitch's house.

Over the next several weeks, Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta trained for the Quarter Quell, doing daily exercises in the morning, combat exercises in the afternoon, and watching recaps of the Games of previous victors at night. Haymitch struggled to get through the training regimen after years of alcohol abuse, unable to properly hit the side of a house with a knife after several weeks, but eventually improved. On the day of the reaping for the 75th Hunger Games, Haymitch's name was called for the men, to which Peeta predictably volunteered in his stead. Katniss and Peeta were not allotted the customary hour for goodbyes and the duo were rushed to the train alongside Haymitch and Effie, bound for the Capitol.

On the train, Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, and Effie watched the recaps of the reapings, after which Haymitch departed without a word back to his room on the train. While alone, Katniss and Peeta watched the recaps of Haymitch's Games, the Second Quarter Quell. After finishing it, Katniss remarked that Haymitch's stunt at the end of his games with the force field was similar and just as bad as their own stunt with the berries. Haymitch unexpectedly returned, drinking from a bottle of wine, remarking "Almost, but not quite."

Following the tribute parade, Haymitch conversed with Chaff and Seeder, the tribute victors from District 11, and Haymitch introduced Katniss and Peeta to them. When the District 12 delegation returns to their apartment, Haymitch restrained Katniss when she recognized one of the Avoxes serving them was Darius, a peacekeeper from District 12 who tried to help Katniss during Gale's whipping, only to be knocked out by Thread. The following morning, Haymitch ordered Katniss to the dining room, where he explained to her and Peeta that their strategy for training was to remain in love and to befriend the other victors. Katniss initially refused, but Haymitch remarked that going into the Quell only allied with each other wouldn't be enough and that they would need more allies. Haymitch stated that since Katniss and Peeta were popular with the crowd, that would make them desirable allies. He suggested allying with Seeder and Chaff, and Finnick Odair, District 4's male tribute and victor of the 65th Hunger Games should have also been considered, but the two were free to choose who they liked to add to their alliance.

Following their first day of training, Haymitch informed Katniss and Peeta that half of the tributes have informed their mentors that they wanted Katniss as their ally. Peeta told Haymitch they saw Katniss shoot. Katniss, however, was indifferent from the tributes' praises, stating she only wanted Beetee and Wiress from District 3 as well as Mags from District 4 to be added to their alliance. Haymitch sighed at the response, saying he would inform the mentors that Katniss was still making up her mind. Following their private sessions with their Gamemakers, Haymitch agreed with Effie when she remarked that their actions during the private session would bring more trouble upon them. After dinner, Peeta informed Haymitch that he and Katniss decided that they were going to go in alone, with Haymitch remarking he wouldn't be responsible for killing his friends in the arena. When Katniss and Peeta both earned a 12 for their training score, Haymitch sent the two to bed, stating that he couldn't stand the sight of either of them.

Following the chaotic end to their tribute interview, Haymitch informed the duo of the commotion in the Capitol and the canceling of the recaps of the interviews. Katniss and Peeta both asked Haymitch to give Effie their thanks and appreciation for being their escort. Before departing for the night, Haymitch's last piece of advice to the two was once again to "stay alive", although he specifically told Katniss before leaving for the night to "just remember who the enemy is." When the Games begin, he worked with District 4, and later 3 and 7, since Katniss, Peeta, Finnick Odair, Mags, Beetee, Wiress, and Johanna Mason were in an alliance together. Behind the scenes, Haymitch and, to varying degrees, the victors from Districts 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11, coordinated with Plutarch on igniting the Second Rebellion.

When Katniss blew up the force field, Haymitch was aboard the hovercraft that rescued her, Beetee, and Finnick. Haymitch, Plutarch, and Finnick gathered together on the hovercraft and discussed the ongoing situation in several districts. When Katniss entered the room, he was annoyed and explained everything that recently happened, including the secret conspiracy involving the victors, the survival of District 13, the open revolt of most of the districts, and the outbreak of the Second Rebellion. Katniss was enraged with all of Haymitch's lies and when she learned that Peeta was captured by the Capitol alongside the other surviving victors, she lunged at Haymitch, cutting his face with her nails. The two proceeded to yell vicious, terrible things at one another until Katniss was taken away and sedated.

### District 13 Rebellion

"*Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"I doubt it.*"
―Haymitch and KatnissAfter watching the final edit of Katniss' first propo, Haymitch went on the speaker and laughed, stating, "And that, my friends, is how a revolution dies." Haymitch called for a meeting with Katniss and the other rebels. He asked everyone to come up with a moment when Katniss has ever genuinely touched them inside. After everyone finished, he stated that she did them all by herself. When Haymitch and Katniss found themselves alone in the meeting room, Haymitch told her to say what she wanted, and she asked him why he let Peeta get captured. Haymitch sadly asked why she let Peeta out of her sight. The two began to reconnect and comfort each other. Haymitch told her the plan to shoot the propo live in action.

After Peeta's interview, Haymitch clarified that Peeta gave a hint about an attack that was going to be launched by the Capitol. Haymitch and the other head members of the rebellion began to form a plan for the impending attack. Haymitch informed Katniss about the rescue team to save Peeta, Johanna, Enobaria, and Annie from the Capitol and told her Gale was the first to volunteer to be a member of the rescue team.

When the group returned and received medical treatment, they met in the command room. Haymitch, along with the others, discussed the propo. They decided to allow Katniss to go back into combat and shoot more propos after she is fully recovered. When Katniss returned to her hospital bed, Haymitch entered and talked to her for a while. Haymitch was mad at Katniss for removing her earpiece and showed signs of vengeful thoughts towards her. She made sure not to be left alone with him. He later went back to the command room to discuss topics and other objectives that must be taken care of with the head of the rebellion.

She asked him if they needed her help, and he informs her she could shoot propos to air during the rescue mission. Haymitch comforted Katniss, who was sad because she didn't go along with them. He explained to her that two weeks after he was crowned victor, President Snow killed his mother, younger brother, and girlfriend. Around midnight, Haymitch informed them the rescue party made it back safely and they went to meet them.

Haymitch went to District 2 with the others. He met Lyme Turnbull and attempted to think of a plan to attack a mountain fortress nicknamed "The Nut" and take control of District 2. Gale pulled a plan together where they would set off avalanches to collapse the Nut, which Haymitch did not fully agree with.

Following the fall of the Capitol and the capture of the President Snow, Haymitch was present in a meeting hosted by President Coin with the other known surviving victors, immediately prior to Snow's execution. Coin proposed to the victors the possibility of holding a final Hunger Games involving Capitol children in retribution for the 75 years of Hunger Games imposed on the districts. The proposal was put to a vote amongst the victors, with Peeta, Beetee, and Annie voting no while Johanna, Enobaria, and Katniss vote in favor, leaving Haymitch as the tie breaker vote. Haymitch ultimately chooses to side with Katniss and votes in favor of hosting the 76th Hunger Games involving the Capitol. Haymitch was later present for Snow's execution on the Avenue of the Tributes and watched as Katniss instead assassinated President Coin. Haymitch accompanied Plutarch when they released Katniss from her confinement. The two flew back to District 12, with Haymitch informing Katniss that in addition to still being her mentor, he would also be looking after her, since her mother now resided in District 4 to oversee the construction of a hospital there.

### Later life

After the Second Rebellion and Panem's transition into a democratic republic, Haymitch, alongside Peeta and Katniss, returned to a rebuilt District 12. He continued to drink, but he also started raising geese.

## Relationships

* Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen (mentees, neighbours)
* Plutarch Heavensbee (co-conspirator)
* Effie Trinket (crush)
* Chaff Boivin, Coge Magorian, Sicinius Carr (friends)
* Maysilee Donner (ally)
* Ripper (liquor saleswoman)
* Rhonda, Milo (mentees)
* Velvet (opponent)

## Victims

During the 2nd Quarter Quell, Haymitch killed three Career tributes, including Velvet.

## Appearance

Haymitch was paunchy and middle-aged. In 50 ATT when he won the Games, he was young, strong, and attractive. He had curly dark hair and bright gray Seam eyes as well as looking generally disheveled due to his rampant alcoholism. Haymitch's skin became noticeably yellower when suffering from withdrawal.

## Personality

Haymitch was often drunk, surly, and harsh, but on rare occasions he could be understanding and, as mentioned by Peeta, had the capacity to remain sober. He was often sarcastic and unfriendly, but he secretly loves both Peeta and Katniss, even though he admitted he had chosen to keep Katniss alive during the 74th Hunger Games. He and Katniss were on the same "wavelength" for most of the books, as he could "communicate" with Katniss by unconventional means, such as the timely deliverance of a sponsor's gift. After the war was over, Haymitch was sent to District 12 to look after Katniss, but for a long period after arriving he did not visit her, opting to stay in his house and drink. They talked more as time went on.

Haymitch often couldn't sleep at night because of nightmares pertaining to the Hunger Games. When he did sleep, he always clutched a knife. Drinking was Haymitch's way of tuning out the present and the pain of his Hunger Games. His alcoholism was also prompted by the loss of his entire family shortly after he won the Games, at the hand of President Snow, due to his rebellious victory. Haymitch did not have access to his liquor while he was in District 13, as it was banned. He was mostly unaffected by this after therapy, but his skin became yellower. When they returned to District 12, he started drinking again. When Haymitch was in withdrawal, he became violent, incoherent, and prone to hallucinations, screaming, shaking, and scaring people half to death.

Haymitch is tactical and observant, shown when he finds out about the forcefield in the arena. Despite his severe drinking, Haymitch had some degree of control over it as he told Peeta and Katniss in their original deal that, if they let him drink as much as he wants, he would remain sober enough to help them. He is clever when sober.

## Abilities

* Knife skills
* Clever hints
* Raising geese

## Trivia

* Haymitch and Annie Cresta were the only known victors still alive after the war who were not tributes in the 75th Hunger Games.
	+ During the reaping of the 75th Hunger Games, both were initially reaped only for a volunteer to take their places, Peeta in Haymitch's case and Mags for Annie's respectively.
* Haymitch has the distinction of being the only tribute in the history of the Hunger Games to be reaped for two Quarter Quells, however, he did not participate in his second due to Peeta volunteering to take his place.