Katniss & Lucy Gray Can't Compete With This: How Sunrise On The Reaping Will Beat All Four Previous Hunger Games Books In One Big Way

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to explore Haymitch's experience as the winner of the 50th Hunger Games, and it's set to be a truly tragic affair, even compared to the other Hunger Games stories. After the success of the original Hunger Games trilogy, the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes continued to expand the world of Panem and uncover the incredible suffering of the young children who are forced to compete in the brutal Hunger Games.

But as terrifying as the story was for Katniss and Lucy Gray, Haymitch had a decidedly more difficult journey that led up to his time as a mentor to Katniss and Peeta. And now, Sunrise on the Reaping will recount the intense and terrible events that led up to that point, presenting what is sure to be the darkest story in the series so far. And shortly after the events are revealed in the novel by author Suzanne Collins, the story is set to be adapted for the big screen, exploring all the grim detail in vibrant color and motion.

Sunrise On The Reaping Will Easily Be The Saddest Of The 5 Hunger Games Books

Haymitch Has A Darker Story To Tell

Here's the thing, Haymitch Abernathy had a very different experience in the Hunger Games compared to any of the other central characters in the series. Haymitch participated in the second Quarter Quell, aka the 50th Hunger Games, where instead of choosing two tributes from each district, the number of participants was doubled. This led to one of the bloodiest and most horrifying openings to any Hunger Games in recorded history, and one that Haymitch was forced to get his hands dirty in.

While in the games, Haymitch formed an alliance with a young woman from his district, and the pair managed to get down to the final five, but as the end loomed near, they parted ways, and Haymitch soon found his former ally dying after being attacked by muttations. Finally, Haymitch was left with only one other contender, a girl from District 1 who was larger and stronger than he was. Haymitch receives intense injuries, but manages to win. However, things only get worse for Haymitch outside the arena.

Why Haymitch's Story Is Poised To Be More Devastating Than Katniss' & Lucy Gray's

President Snow Made Haymitch's Life A Living Nightmare

Due to Lucy Gray's disappearance, Haymitch likely did not have a mentor, or at least not one from his District. Lucy Gray was the only other winner from District 12, and as such, she would have been Haymitch's support and ally. This means Haymitch was probably paired with someone from the Capitol, who likely had no sympathy, compassion, or care for the scrawny child from District 12. And after Haymitch wins the games, things continue to get darker.

President Snow, angered by how Haymitch won the games, decides to have his mother, brother and girlfriend killed to punish him. This begins the devastating cycle of loss that Haymitch goes on to experience every year for the next 23 years, until Katniss and Peeta come along. As the sole victor of the weakest district, Haymitch is forced to work with, and subsequently watch every child go into the games, and suffer a brutal and violent death. His community rejects him, and he descends into the depths of alcoholism.

There's One Way To Put A Hopeful Spin On Haymitch's Hunger Games Prequel

Haymitch Eventually Gets A Happy Ending

Obviously, the future is considerably brighter for Haymitch, when he eventually meets Katniss and Peeta, but it does appear that most of his life has been haunted by death, tragedy, and cruelty. In order to put any kind of hopeful spin on the prequel story, while still staying true to the spirit of it being a prequel, it needs to find another angle to approach the story from, and there is one aspect of Haymitch's life before Katniss that remains shrouded in mystery, his involvement with the rebellion in District 13.

Haymitch joins the rebellion at an undisclosed point in time. From the currently released books, there is no clear indication of when, how, or who introduced him to the rebellion and the survivors of District 13. However, if the movie spends some time exploring this journey, from a tragic survivor, to a hopeful rebel, it could create a brighter prequel story, while staying true to the terrible reality that Haymitch had to face. With that in mind, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has a shot at creating another hopeful story, despite the depths of darkness that Haymitch's life will take him to.