Team Gale: A Peek Inside a Sick Mind

***HUNGER GAMES SPOILERS AHEAD***

One of my best friends in the entire world is named Emma. And that relationship nearly came crumbling down the horrible day I learned of her alignment regarding the two most sensationalized love interests in young adult dystopia (apart from Edward and Jacob of the “Twilight” series). Emma is Team Gale instead of Team Peeta.

For those of you that don’t understand, Peeta and Gale are featured characters in Suzanne Colin’s series of novels, “The Hunger Games.” The main character, Katniss, finds herself torn between the idea of being with her hometown situationship, Gale, and her onscreen beau, Peeta, after being sent to compete in a battle to the death against fellow children from the twelve districts of Panem.

When confronted with an issue that could single-handedly cause the death of a friendship, what else do I do but try to understand (and then attempt to use that understanding of her psyche to reverse her opinion)? However, this would be no small feat. I had to bring in one of the most argumentatively intellectual gorgeous amazing girls I have ever met: my other friend, Chloe. She is Team Peeta.

Dominating the English class debates and making our teacher wish he never brought the topic up, Chloe and Emma have more discussion ammo than the US armory, and even if Emma never sees the error of her pro-Gale ways. 

They typically agree, so a debate between the two of them on opposite sides had the potential to cause the structure of our very culture to topple over like a heavy, dead houseplant. Both of them agreed to defend each man’s honor, and I stepped back from my role as a Peeta supporter to proctor what could be the most heated discussion to date.

Here is their story…

I began with asking each of them why they were on their respective teams, Emma answering first: “I truly think he is the best fit for Katniss! He understands that Katniss puts her family above all else.” 

A fair sentiment. A true sentiment. But was it enough? Chloe followed, stating, “Peeta and her grew as people together, he knows what she needs and is there for her.”

Both answers were well-said, and the atmosphere was relatively respectful, each staying quiet during the others’ turn. That was about to change. I asked why they did not agree with the other side.

Emma immediately rose to the occasion:

“At her core, Katniss is two things: family-oriented and rebellious. Peeta plays it safe, you know…” She paused, collecting her thoughts. “If ‘Mockingjay: Part 2’ didn’t happen, she could cope better with Gale to help her recover without Peeta as a reminder of everything she’d been through.”

Chloe simply would not stand for this slight jab at Peeta’s role in Katniss’ life, firing back, “Peeta understands her trauma. Gale knows her past, Peeta is her present. He helped her cope, he was her crutch until they were equals. She needs stability, you know, she’s a wild spirit.”

Emma widened her eyes in indignation, fighting back by saying, “I would argue the same for Gale! He reminds her where she came from, her roots. Gale could never understand her trauma, but it’s not fair to ask him to do that. Peeta doesn’t know her as a person, he knows her trauma.”

Chloe cocked her eyebrow, rejecting the Peeta slander: “But you’re operating under the guise that the Games didn’t happen, she’s not going to be the same person after such a traumatic experience, he got mad at her for being different after her first Games!”

Chloe had unknowingly opened a can of worms. Emma retorted, “But that’s why he’s better! A person is not made of their trauma: he loves her whole self— when she is happiest and saddest. She was more sad after the games, and he knew that.”

Chloe didn’t skip a beat: “But Peeta ended up knowing her more than Gale ever could, he was more flexible. There are years in between ‘Mockingjay: Part 2’ the epilogue, there was time.”

The next transcription of their debate happened simultaneously, despite my attempts to get them to slow down and let each other speak. This is the clearest translation I could attempt:

EMMA (Team Gale)

Katniss needs Gale to remind her what it was before, to be removed from the entire separate life after the game!

CHLOE (Team Peeta)

If we don’t let our crutches swallow us whole, then we can move on with the knowledge that nothing will be the same— WHICH IS WHAT KATNISS DID! He wasn’t a constant reminder of what she’s been through, she also sees the ability to prosper in Peeta. ‘We were able to overcome all of that,’ you know? After the games, their friendship grew in not knowing one another outside of the games.

EMMA (Team Gale)

Okay, listen. Gale is actually the scum of the earth and deserved the bottom of my boot. I’ll be the first to say that. After ‘Catching Fire,’ I am team Peeta. But those two movies/books (that make up the majority of the series!) prove his potential for me. I honestly don’t like either guy after Mockingjay, I think Katniss is/should have been a lesbian. I don’t think I’m Team Gale, I’m just not Team Peeta.

CHLOE (Team Peeta)

It’s fair to say that Gale knew her better, you know, she was still innocent. But at the beginning, we see hints of him not wanting to change, like when she comes back, he’s like, “I’ve been taking care of your family, like why don’t you love me?”

Gale wasn’t necessarily tarnished by the games, he wasn’t as beaten as much as Peeta. But his character isn’t as strong as Peeta’s reconstruction of his own identity and growing as a person. Him overcoming what he went through helped her overcome what she went through and it provided a backing for them to grow. Katniss and Gale were too similar, both were prideful and wanted to provide, Peeta knows when to step down.

EMMA (Team Gale)

No, no, listen. Gale and Katniss both have severe savior complexes, and it’s not Peeta’s fault, he’s strong, he can take care of himself. However, Katniss allows herself to be taken care of by Gale whereas she can’t trust herself in Peeta’s hands.

CHLOE (Team Peeta)

Honestly, I have a hard time believing she ever loved Gale romantically. Gale liked her more romantically, and Katniss liked him more platonically and trust-wise, and then Gale got the wires crossed: She thought he was taking care of her family because he cared about her as a person, but he asked for more than she bargained for.

Ultimately, Chloe’s last comment was the final straw. The debate became unintelligible, and I had to cut it off after a couple of rude comments attacking each other’s characters. I commend Chloe for her diplomatic approach and I congratulate Emma for standing her ground. But the main draw from this argument is clear: Emma isn’t even Team Gale, she just doesn’t like Peeta. So my final message to anyone that chooses to be Team Gale is this one sentiment: Get help.