Most of the characters are the ones that have already been introduced in the first two books of the trilogy. However, new characters are introduced as well – some of which are extremely important to the development of plot and ideas within the novel.
Katniss Everdeen
Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the novel, is just as brave and impulsive as ever. However, she is haunted by the events in the previous novels and does not want to be the Mockingjay anymore. She only agrees to take on the role of the Mockingjay in exchange for immunity for Peeta. Katniss continues to do whatever she is asked to help the cause of the rebellion, but she soon realizes that the war is not going to end until President Snow is alive. Thus, she sets out on her own to assassinate him. Though she is not successful, she is instrumental in freeing Panem from the clutches of an autocratic rule.
Peeta Mellark
Peeta is under the hands of the Capitol for almost half the novel. He is tortured for information and his mind is hijacked, i.e., brainwashed into thinking that Katniss is dangerous to him. Thus, he attempts to strangle Katniss to death upon seeing her. However, the doctors at District 13 try to rehabilitate him, and he slowly returns to normal. A few years after the war, he marries Katniss and has two children with her.
Gale Hawthorne
Gale is Katniss’s closest friend. It turns out that he has an enthusiasm and passion for war. He does not mind resorting to unethical tactics if the tactics give the rebels an edge. This drives a wedge between himself and Katniss, who despises injustice and wishes to remain ethical in their approach. He and Katniss continue to remain amicable, however, with their relationship even turning into something more than friendship. Unfortunately, Katniss sees one of his death traps at work in the bomb blast that killed her sister and she is never able to look at Gale the same way again.
President Snow
President Snow is the main antagonist of the novel. He is not always present, but his threatening shadow constantly looms over Katniss and the other rebels. He tries everything that is in his power to break Katniss and the rebellion. He tortures Peeta and the rest of the captured tributes for information, and bombs District 13 to take out the base of the rebellion. He does not have any qualms about killing innocent people while he protects himself in his mansion. Snow is ultimately captured and killed by the rebels for his actions.
President Alma Coin
President Alma Coin is the leader of the rebellion. She belongs to District 13 and is hungry for power. She claims she wishes for a free nation, but in reality, she wishes to take over the rule of Panem from President Snow. She is threatened by Katniss’s power and influence. She even goes so far as to attempt to get Katniss killed. Towards the end of the novel, Katniss realizes that Coin is just as bad as Snow and ends up killing her.
Plutarch Heavensbee
Plutarch Heavensbee is the former Head Gamemaker of the Hunger Games. He joins the rebels and brings his expertise in manipulation and control to help the rebels win their cause.
Commander Paylor
Commander Paylor is a leader of the rebellion in District 8. She is resourceful, brave, and has considerable military prowess. When President Coin is killed, Paylor is made the interim President post the rebellion, and is ultimately elected as the President of a free Panem.
Haymitch Abernathy
Haymitch is one of the key players in the rebellion. His shrewd strategies often come in handy, and he helps the rebels win their cause. He connects with Katniss on a deeper level and understands her pain when Peeta is tortured.
Primrose Everdeen
Primrose Everdeen, or Prim, as she is usually known, is one of the closest people to Katniss. Katniss is fiercely protective of her, but Prim has become more independent and self-sufficient than she used to be. She is trained to become a doctor but is killed in a bomb blast at the end of the novel.
Katniss’s Mother
Katniss’s mother works as a healer in District 13 and aids the recovery of those injured or sick.
Finnick Odair
Finnick is Katniss’s fellow tribute who was rescued from the Quarter Quell. He is handsome and charming and is therefore used as a central figure in some of the propos of the rebellion. He is killed in a fight with the mutts during the infiltration of the Capitol.
Annie Cresta
Annie Cresta is Finnick’s lover and later, his wife. She is a former tribute of the Hunger Games and has gone half-mad because of it. She is captured by the Capitol and rescued by the rebels.
Johanna Mason
Johanna is Katniss’s fellow tribute. She was captured by the Capitol and tortured for information about the rebellion. She was ultimately rescued by the rebels.
Beetee
Beetee is Katniss’s fellow tribute who was rescued from the Quarter Quell. He is extremely resourceful and intelligent, helping District 13 develop sophisticated weaponry and infiltrating the airwaves.
Boggs
Boggs is the Commander of Squad 451 or the “Star Squad.” He is one of the few people that Katniss trusts, and he vows to keep her alive. However, Boggs’ legs are blown off by a pod at the Capitol, and he dies as a result of his injuries.
Cressida
Cressida is a former resident of the Capitol, now working as a cameraman for the rebels. She helps to film several propos that are used to rouse the passion of the people in the districts. She joins Katniss and the others in Squad 451 and helps Katniss achieve her mission in various ways.
Pollux and Castor
Pollux and Castor are twin brothers on Squad 451. Pollux is an Avox who worked in the sewers for five years before he and his brother were able to buy their way out. He proves to be an invaluable asset to the squad when they decide to move underground. Castor dies on the mission, but Pollux survives.
Lieutenant Jackson
Lieutenant Jackson is the second in command for Squad 451. She trusts Katniss when Boggs transfers power over to her and ends up sacrificing herself in Katniss’s defense.
Leeg 1 and 2
Leeg 1 and 2 are the two sisters who make up Squad 451. They die on the mission to take over the Capitol.
Mitchell, Homes, and Messalla
The rest of the members of Squad 451. They sacrifice themselves one by one to keep Katniss and her mission alive.
Tigris
Tigris is a shop owner in the Capitol. She has had extensive plastic surgery to get her skin to resemble the skin of a tiger. She is a former stylist in the Hunger Games who was shunned by the Capitol. She helps Katniss and her squad on their mission to kill Snow.
Flavius, Octavia, and Venia
Flavius, Octavia, and Venia are Katniss’s hair and makeup team. They are shallow and vain. Having been brought up in luxury, they do not know how to deal with scarcity. As a result, they steal bread in District 13 and are tied up and tortured for the act.
Effie Trinket
Effie Trinket is the superficial and over-the-top escort of tributes from District 12. She returns at the end of the novel and helps Katniss get ready for the assassination of President Snow.
Caesar Flickerman
Caesar Flickerman is the ever-garish and ostentatious host of television interviews in Panem. He hosts several interviews with Peeta in an attempt to quell the growing rebellion.
Fulvia Cardew
Fulvia Cardew is a former resident of the Capitol and a former power player in the government. She has defected to the side of the rebels and is power-hungry and manipulative.
Delly Cartwright
Delly Cartwright is a round-faced and cheerful girl from District 12. She is friendly with Peeta and is brought in to aid his rehabilitation after the Capitol hijacked his brain.
FAQs
Is Katniss pregnant in Mockingjay?
No, Katniss is not pregnant in Mockingjay. Her pregnancy was merely a ploy of Peeta’s to gain the sympathy of the public in Catching Fire. Katniss tells people that she lost her baby in a miscarriage in Mockingjay.
Who is Katniss’s lover?
Peeta Mellark, a boy from District 12 is Katniss’s lover. Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta during the first Hunger Games to survive. She is forced to continue the pretense even during the rebellion. However, Katniss ends up feeling genuine affection for Peeta and marries him in the end.
What was Finnick saying about President Snow?
In one of the propos, Finnick exposes the secrets of President Snow. He tells the people that the President only rose to power by killing those in his way. The President’s Modus Operandi, according to him, was poison.
What makes Katniss the Mockingjay?
Katniss and the Mockingjay bird are very similar. The Mockingjay is a bird that symbolizes the failure of the Capitol. It is a bird that was never meant to exist and thus lies outside the control of the Capitol, much like Katniss.
