In tribute to the new Hunger Games movie, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, we thought it may be time to revisit the controversial debate from the original trilogy. Team Peeta vs team Gale. We all know how it turns out, but perhaps we should go over a little bit of why Gale did not make the cut for the baddie, Katniss Everdeen.

Katniss is a very fiery girl and cannot be pushed around or told how to feel. Gale is very similar. He never seems to have much emotion, and although you cannot blame him for it considering his life, he only cares about how he feels for Katniss, not how she feels for him. Katniss describes her relationship with Gale,

“Gale gave me a sense of security I’d lacked since my father’s death. His companionship replaced the long solitary hours in the woods.”

There is no doubt that Katniss loves Gale, but it is not a romantic connection, and maybe Gale should stay as what he is labeled as…her cousin. Oof.

Peeta, on the other hand, is very thoughtful and aware of how Katniss feels for him and does not try to pressure her. He has liked her since he was a young boy, but even after they play pretend with their love story in the games, he stays back in their real lives until she is ready. You can see this when Katniss has nightmares from the games. Peeta enters her room and, after she asks him to stay, he responds, 

“Always.”

He does not, I repeat, does NOT kiss her randomly without asking while president snow is filming and make himself and her family a target. (Gale does)

Peeta and Katniss also have shared trauma, enduring the hunger games together and outwitting the capital by creating the star crossed lovers storyline. Unfortunately, Gale is the epitome of a “where’s my hug at?” guy, making Katniss feel guilty of her and Peeta’s relationship instead of helping her through her PTSD from the games. Despite Katniss’ guilt from surviving the games, when discussing war strategy Gale carelessly suggests,

“Not if we blow it up.” 

He lacks respect for Katniss and what she went through in the games, as well as any empathy whatsoever. We all knew that Gale isn’t the most kind and sweet person, but bombing and killing a bunch of innocent people (including Prim) is definitely a low blow. Gale well deserves his nickname ‘Prim Reaper’ and also gets points taken away when he referred to killing people in the games as, “no different” than hunting animals back at district 12. 

On the contrary, we all know that Peeta is the sweetest ever, but I also think we need to address his charismatic personality. In an attempt to stop the 75th Hunger Games, in his interview he says, 

“I would have any regrets at all if it weren’t for the baby.” 

He absolutely shocks the audience and even the tributes with this one. His sweet and charismatic nature even unintentionally makes Gale jealous. After Peeta was tortured in the capitol and was trying to get better, Gale says to Katniss, 

“I don’t stand a chance if he doesn’t get better. You’ll never be able to let him go. You’ll always feel wrong about being with me.” 

GASLIGHTING MUCH?! Gale doesn’t care about Peeta or Katniss’s feelings or health, he just wants his shot with her. It’s the fact that he says this to her face that gets me. She’s better than me, he would have been slapped.

Peeta also sacrifices himself again and again for Katniss, as well as herself for him. When he is a prisoner of the capitol, he will be tortured if he says anything against the capital, but still he yells to Katniss through the television, 

“They’re coming, Katniss. They’re gonna kill everyone, and in district 13 you’ll be dead by morning!” 

Peeta is then tortured and you cannot tell me that he would not do that again for her. The whole Hunger Games series is Peeta and Katniss putting their lives on the line for each other asking for nothing in return. Honorable mention goes to the beach scene in the second movie, Catching Fire. It is my Roman Empire. While Peeta and Katniss are talking on the beach, preparing for the end of the games, Peeta says,

“If you die, and I live, I’d have nothing. Nobody else that I care about. It’s different for you. Your family needs you. You have to live for them.”

He hands her his medallion that Effie gave him, filled with photos of Katniss’s family. Katniss responds, 

“What about you?”

“Nobody needs me.”

“I do. I need you.”

And then they kiss…awe. It is too cute, I can’t even. In regards to Gale, I have no doubt that he would also risk his life for Katniss, as he takes care of her family and works very hard, but when it comes down to it, he is not right for her in a romantic way and needs to get over himself. And stop calling her Katnip. Ick. 

The sacrifice, charisma, and sweet, kind nature of Peeta is imperative for Katniss and it is almost impossible not to love him. Surface level, Gale is a decent option for Katniss, but after digging deeper into it, I hope we have convinced you to be Team Peeta. In conclusion, this is not a love triangle. Only a straight line. To Peeta.