Effie and Haymitch may not seem like the best mentors to Katniss and Peeta at first, but over time, fans have learned to love them.
The Hunger Games series was incredible for its powerful storyline, amazing performances, and stellar character development. While Katniss, Peeta, and Gale were the heroes of the series, there were other characters who stole the spotlight. Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket, played by Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks were two such characters.
With scene-stealing performances, these two characters acted as mentors for Katniss and Peeta throughout the series. Warm, affectionate, with a hint of negative traits, Effie and Haymitch weren't perfect by any standards. There were complicated characters but here are some instances when they proved to be the best characters in the series.
Right till the very end, Haymitch sticks by Katniss' side. From the beginning, viewers can see the bond they both share, the way they're able to anticipate each other's moves and thoughts. And it only grows after Catching Fire when they get onto the same level of information. They know precisely how the other person is going to react. And Haymitch is intuitive to inexplicable extents and he seems to know exactly what Katniss will end up doing when he takes her side in the final vote for Coin's Hunger Games.
Effie's mood is considerably changed in Catching Fire. Like many people from the Capitol, it was probably the first time that they realized the unfairness of the situation. Effie rises to the occasion and she seems very genuine when she says they are a team and that she wants to show people this as well.
She gets herself a golden wig and gets Haymitch a golden bangle and Peeta a gold medallion in order to match with Katniss' pin.
In as much as Haymitch and Katniss have this bond, they both know that Peeta is the better person amongst them all. And when Peeta is rescued from the Capitol after being tortured, Haymitch asks Katniss to go to him even if she doesn't want to. He says very bluntly that, "it doesn't matter what you want." Haymitch sticks up for Peeta even when Katniss doesn't.
As the representative from the Capitol amongst them, Effie proves that not everyone from the Capitol is necessarily pure evil. She feels for them, and she seems to be genuinely empathetic to their extremely unfair conditions. She's upset about the situation and says very honestly that Katniss and Peeta deserved more. They should have been able to live life peacefully after their first Games. When she tears up, it seems honest.
When Gale is being whipped by the new Peacekeepers, Katniss rushes to his rescue and gets whipped as well. The whippings only stop when Haymitch enters the scene and manages to talk the Peacekeeper out of it.
Haymitch has been around longer, he knows the ways of the world, and he knows exactly what to say, when and to whom. So it is only because of Haymitch that Gale gets rescued from there.
In Mockingjay, Effie becomes Katniss' stylist to get her into the costume that Cinna had created for her. Effie is genuinely kind and a breath of fresh air to Katniss who finds District 13 to be very alien. Effie's presence in some sense becomes comforting to her. Effie always feels genuine affection and concern for Katniss who has gone through so much. And the only way she can help or contribute is in this manner, and that is exactly what she does.
Becoming something of a running joke, Haymitch's advice in two words captures everything. He is brutally honest when he says this as his advice before they enter the Games. Haymitch is extremely snarky and sarcastic, but it's all covering up the tender feelings he has for his mentees. He wants them to survive, he genuinely wants them to come out of it alive.
Effie is who keeps them going. Event after event, party after party. Especially in Catching Fire, it becomes plenty clear that Effie is the one who is able to organize and keep them running like a well-oiled machine.
There is also quite a funny moment when they are heading to Snow's party and Effie says these lines and without even turning to look back at Katniss, continues to say, "I'm talking to you, Katniss."
Haymitch provides much-needed laughs to this otherwise difficult and somber series. He's one of those characters who can always be relied upon to give an entertaining and amusing take on things. While viewers are first introduced to him in The Hunger Games, he was just a drunkard who seemed incapable to mentor Katniss and Peeta. Slowly but surely, viewers can see him take his job more seriously as he does everything he can to help them come out of it alive.
In Catching Fire, Effie is quite emotional when she realizes that her victors have to go into the Games again. Even amongst the people of the Capitol like her, viewers can see the cracks in their reluctance to accept what Snow has done. The general mood during the interviews makes this very evident and when it is Katniss' turn, Effie is unable to control her emotions. When she sees Katniss is the wedding gown, viewers can clearly see how affected by it Effie is. And in the most Effie-esque manner, she tries to put a positive spin on it.
