Catching Fire

As Katniss prepares for her Games, she’s prepped and dressed by Flavius, Venia, and Octavia. All three of these stylists cry as they take care of her—they’ve clearly become attached to her in the past year, and don’t want her to die. Katniss wonders if the rich and powerful people in the Capitol feel any sense of sympathy for Katniss and her peers.

On the day of the Opening Ceremonies, Katniss goes to see Cinna and discuss her clothing. To her relief, Cinna isn’t tearful—he channels his feelings into his designs, he explains. Cinna explains that he’ll apply more makeup to Katniss this year. He shows Katniss the dress she’ll wear that day: it’s black, but at the press of a button, it becomes a fiery red. Katniss tells Cinna that the dress is exactly what she needs to face her opponents at the Games.

Katniss leaves Cinna to attend to a few last-minute details, and she goes to the Remake Center, where the contestants have been assembled to meet one another. Katniss doesn’t feel like meeting anyone, but she finds that the other competitors swarm around her. Finnick Odair, a famous victor who won his Games when he was only 14, greets Katniss as if they know each other well, though they’re meeting for the first time. Katniss recalls that Finnick, a beautiful man with kind eyes, won by tricking his opponents into allying with him. He’s been hugely popular in the Capitol ever since. Finnick tries to flirt with Katniss, licking his lips and complimenting her dress, but Katniss doesn’t feel any attraction to him. When he sees Peeta walking toward him, Finnick leaves Katniss. Peeta doesn’t seem jealous—he thinks Finnick is a little ridiculous.

Katniss and Peeta hold hands—they’re both terrified of the Games, and nervous for the Opening Ceremony, which begins shortly. Katniss remembers preparing to kill Peeta only a year ago, during the last Hunger Games. At the time she was convinced that Peeta was trying to kill her.

The Opening Ceremony begins, and Peeta and Katniss rush to the chariot that will lead them around the massive City Circle in the center of the Capitol. Katniss notices the other competitors, dressed in bright outfits. President Snow presides over the ceremony and welcomes everyone to the Quell. Wearing her dark, mysterious clothing, Katniss enjoys the ceremony more than she expected—for once, she feels like herself.

The chariot completes its cycle, and Peeta and Katniss return to the Training Center, where Cinna is waiting for them. Katniss notices that Haymitch is talking with Chaff, one of his oldest friends, and a fellow victor. Katniss has watched footage of Chaff many times, and she knows that he lost a hand in his Games. Chaff’s partner from District 11 is Seeder, a strong, 60 year-old woman. Without thinking, Katniss runs up to Seeder and whispers, “The families?” Understanding that Katniss is talking about the people who whistled during Katniss’s victory tour, Seeder replies that they’re alive.

Capitol “attendants” lead the competitors to elevators that take them to their rooms. Standing in the elevator with Peeta, Katniss notices Johanna Mason, a victor who won the Games by pretending to be weak and helpless, and then murdering her allies. Johanna compliments Katniss’s dress, and Katniss isn’t sure how to respond—she doesn’t trust Johanna at all. Suddenly, Johanna removes her own dress, so that she’s completely naked. Katniss purposefully ignores this sight, and Peeta laughs.

Johanna walks off the elevator, still naked. Peeta, grinning, tells Katniss that the other competitors see Katniss as “pure” and incorruptible—thus, they’re all trying to seduce her in some way. At their floor, Peeta and Katniss get off the elevator to find Effie and Haymitch waiting for them. Effie explains that they have two “Avoxes,” or assistants, for the length of the Games. The first Avox is the same red-headed girl who took care of Katniss last year. The second is Darius, the former Peacekeeper from District 12.