Haymitch is a past Hunger Games victor, who won by using the arena’s force field against his opponents. The Capitol didn’t appreciate his use of the force field, and President Coriolanus Snow ordered Haymitch’s loved ones to be killed. This led Haymitch to begin self-medicating with alcohol, and for years the tributes that he mentors all die in the arena while he wastes away. That is, until he is assigned to mentor Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.
The first two Hunger Games books introduce readers to Flavius, Venia, and Octavia, a group of stylists who serve as Katniss’ prep team for the Games. While District 13 serves as a safe haven for Katniss after she escapes the Quarter Quell at the end of Catching Fire, the same can’t be said for her prep team. The three are captured and held in District 13 by the rebels, and are tortured on the orders of President Coin. Katniss finds this out and demands that they be released, and the prep team later help Katniss get dressed as the Mockingjay.
While Flavius, Venia, and Octavia appear in the films, their roles are greatly reduced and they are given very little focus. This choice was likely made due to the fact that the films already had a large amount of characters, and they just didn’t have time to show everyone from the books. In addition, the removal of the prep team’s torture helps to make Coin a more sympathetic character, which ends up making the reveal that she is the true villain of the Mockingjay movies hit even harder.
Throughout the Hunger Games books, the main characters suffer some serious injuries that are not featured in the films. Katniss loses hearing in her left ear after her first Hunger Games, although the Capitol doctors manage to repair the damage after her victory. Peeta also suffers a serious injury during his first Games — he has his leg mauled by a Mutt. It is damaged so badly that he eventually has to have it amputated and replaced with a prosthetic.
By the end of the Mockingjay book, Katniss and Peeta are both covered in burn scars after their war against the Capitol, with Katniss even having some of her hair burned off. Once again, these injuries are not depicted in the films, and Katniss and Peeta look fairly undamaged by the time Mockingjay – Part 2 ends. This departure from the books is understandable, but also somewhat undercuts the idea that the contestants will be left with both physical and mental scars from the games for the rest of their lives.
