The Hunger Games franchise has its fair share of brutal deaths over the course of four books and five films. However, one character’s demise could’ve (and should’ve) been much more brutal onscreen. From Glimmer dying via tracker jacker stings in The Hunger Games to the District 6 female sacrificing her life for Peeta in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the novels and movies don’t pull many punches. Still, after learning how one tribute was supposed to die in the 75th Hunger Games in Catching Fire, one can’t help but wish the film followed their gruesome death in the book.

As many will recall, Katniss and Peeta return to the arena for the 75th Hunger Games, aka the Third Quarter Quell, in Catching Fire. Every tribute is a past victor, making their deaths more personal for many of Panem’s citizens. Unfortunately, many of them die before Haymitch and Plutarch could rescue them from the arena and start the revolution, including the District 1 male tribute.

Gloss Getting An Arrow In The Face Would’ve Been A Great & Brutal Change To The Hunger Games Books

Katniss Shoots The District 1 Tribute In The Temple In The Books

Alan Ritchson starred as Gloss, the District 1 tribute, in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He previously won the 63rd Games, while his sister, Cashmere, was crowned a victor the year after that. Gloss and Cashmere are both reaped for the Second Quarter Quell, but they aren’t in on the rebels’ plan. Consequently, the siblings hunt Katniss’ group. In the arena, Gloss slits Wiress’ throat, and once Katniss sees what he had done, she shoots an arrow into his chest in the second Hunger Games movie. However, Gloss’ death in the books is much more gruesome.

In Catching Fire (the novel), Katniss’ arrow hits Gloss in the temple, instantly killing him. According to Ritchson, the movie was supposed to feature a similar, but much more brutal, fate for his character. The actor told WIRED:

“I was a guy that slit that little old lady’s throat. Actually, I took an arrow to the face. So, I played it like it was to the face. And then, I think they decided in post that was a little too gruesome to take an arrow to the face by Katniss, so they changed it to my chest. But, I didn’t shoot it that way. I didn’t shoot it like I was taking a sH๏τ to the chest. My head snapped back like an idiot, and the thing went in my chest, and I’m like this. Who does that? I would have died like that.”

As Ritchson explained, the cast and crew sH๏τ Gloss’ death with the intention that Katniss would hit him in the face. During the editing process, though, they likely came to the conclusion that an arrow to the face would be too morbid for the PG-13 film. So, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (unfortunately) switches up Gloss death, straying far from the temple sH๏τ in The Hunger Games books.

Shooting Gloss In The Face Would Have Demonstrated Katniss’ Evolution Before Mockingjay

Katniss Didn’t Think Before Killing Gloss

During the first Hunger Games book/movie, Katniss is hesitant to kill other tributes. As she explains to Gale, there is a difference between hunting animals and murdering humans. However, as time goes, on, Katniss becomes more desensitized. By the time the 75th Hunger Games rolls around, Katniss is ready to defend herself and her family and friends at all costs, not even thinking twice before killing those who threaten her and her loved ones. So, Katniss shooting Gloss in the face in the second Hunger Games film would have reflected this evolution for her character in the franchise.

Source: WIRED