In order to survive in a series like a deadly game, it’s hard to stay completely likable, but at least the choices of a character can be understood.
When The Hunger Games jumped from the page to the screen, some story points had to be changed to fit the sprawling story into four films. Even with those changes, a lot of the likable characters, and the fan favorites, have remained the same. So have the characters fans find the least likable.
LIKABLE: Finnick
Finnick is the breakout character of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Though Katniss initially dismisses him as just another pampered career winner, he wins the audience over fairly quickly.
Finnick has charm to spare, but he hates his life as a game winner. He’s been used and abused by the rich and powerful for years, and Finnick takes his chance to bring their whole corrupt system down. The fact that he chooses to do all of this by allying himself with Katniss and Peeta, who clearly don’t trust him, and that his whole heart belongs to a woman who never recovered from her own Hunger Games, makes him one of the franchise favorites.
UNLIKABLE: Glimmer
Glimmer is one of the tributes in the first film. She’s brash and seems to genuinely enjoy the games themselves, which is probably why a lot of fans despise her.
Glimmer relishes the chance to torture her enemies. She taunts people before her friends take their lives, and she tries to do the same to Katniss before the latter releases tracker jackers from their hive. Most fans weren’t sorry to see Glimmer go.
LIKABLE: Johanna
Johanna seems slightly unhinged when fans first meet her. She’s theatrical, seemingly enjoying her part to play, but in reality, she simply knows how to encourage a crowd - but also how to make people uncomfortable. Johanna is incredibly disarming.
Like Finnick, Johanna is more than what she first seems. She wants nothing more than to bring down the Capitol and expose all of their secrets. Johanna also exemplifies just what trauma a person can go through, providing a window into the effects the world of The Hunger Games has on a person.
UNLIKABLE: Gloss
Gloss proves himself to be incredibly dangerous before fans ever see him in the arena. Katniss labels him “polite,” but isn’t sure of him beyond that. If Katniss can’t get a read on someone, fans know they must be dangerous.
Like many of the career winners, Gloss benefited from the of the wealthier of society. He could have been a powerful ally fans could get to know. Unfortunately, Gloss crosses a line with fans when he murders Wiress in Catching Fire, and for that, fans would likely never have forgiven him if he survived Katniss’ arrow.
LIKABLE: Mags
One of the oldest former tributes to return for the Quarter Quell, Mags is pretty amazing. She volunteers to compete to keep Annie out of the games, going into battle with Finnick. Mags might not be the most vocal of the group, but she’s certainly one of the most comionate.
She’s aware that her age and lack of strength makes her allies vulnerable. To give Finnick and Katniss a fighting chance, Mags sacrifices herself. She might be more noble than anyone else in the franchise.
UNLIKABLE: President Snow
The leader of the 12 districts during the run of the franchise, President Snow is completely ruthless. He allows the inner districts to live luxuriously in wealth and opulence while the outer districts struggle to even survive.
President Snow cares more about his own power than he does his people. That’s why he keeps the districts so close to him taken care of. His callousness toward the general population doesn’t earn him any love from the audience.
LIKABLE: Katniss
Katniss is rough around the edges. She doesn’t have the best communication skills, and she tends to be blind to the feelings of others, but she’s also an incredibly caring and committed person. Her whole journey begins because she doesn’t want her innocent little sister put in harm’s way.
She does what she has to in order to survive, and she’s not suddenly enamored with the glitz and glamour of the wealthy. Katniss takes Rue and Peeta both under her protection. She might be rough, but Katniss is loyal and has a whole lot of heart.
UNLIKABLE: Marvel
Marvel isn’t someone who gets a ton of spotlight in the first movie. Instead, he’s part of the larger pack of career tributes who seems to follow along with whatever Cato wants to do. Marvel, however, doesn’t ever seem to regret any of his actions.
He performs one of the most heinous acts in the franchise for fans. Marvel throws his spear through Rue, ending her life. His actions light a fire in Katniss that isn’t there before, but considering it’s Rue’s life, fans never would have forgiven him.
LIKABLE: Rue
Not being able to stand Marvel directly correlates to how much fans love Rue. She’s not interested in the violence or the glory that so many tributes are interested in.
Rue just wants to survive, but she doesn’t put herself in the path of other tributes to do it. She could have lived in the trees indefinitely if she hadn’t decided to help Katniss survive. Rue makes a bold choice to align with Katniss, but never appears to regret it. She’s a little girl who wants a friend during a terrifying ordeal, and she gets one.
UNLIKABLE: President Coin
Outside of the tributes in the games themselves, President Snow always seems to be the real antagonist of the series. President Coin, leader of District 13, is really just like him, but on a smaller scale, as revealed during the Mockingjay chapters of the movies.
Coin presents herself as an ally for those who rebel against Snow. She gives soldiers the opportunity to fight for what they want, and she feeds her people hope. In reality, however, Coin just wants Snow’s power. She’s willing to allow innocent people to destroy one another to get it. That makes her just as bad as Snow in the eyes of the fans.
