How am I playing the beloved Effie Trinket? Let me know! ♥

While The Hunger Games trilogy is a favorite of mine, Suzanne Collins has a tendency to write off characters that Katniss Everdeen is close to, and none gets the shaft more than Effie Trinket. The bright and bubbly escort of District 12 has some of the most interesting character development in the novels -- and for some reason, Suzanne Collins ships her off to the Capitol to get (presumably) tortured during the entirety of Mockingjay for no real purpose other than to give Katniss one more thing to feel guilty over.

The year of time between Catching Fire and Mockingjay for Effie is largely unknown. The last we see of the escort is right after the catastrophic night of television and glamor for the Victor/Tributes on Caeser Flickerman's show. We're told everyone was sent home in the Capitol (presumably Effie, as well) and that's... all we hear from her until the very end of Mockingjay, when she gets Katniss ready for the execution of President Snow and the coronation of President Coin.

That's it. Seriously? For one of the characters that exhibits the most growth in the series? The bright and bubbly woman with the painted face who cheerfully calls out children's names to go die -- the one who goes from loving the Capitol and everything it stands for to supporting Katniss and Peeta over everything else? The one with the most potential and the most to lose in rebellion? And you're just going to shove her under a carpet?

With all due diligence, Ms. Collins, fuck your couch, and I'm going to do this properly.


Effie is taken from the end of Catching Fire to the Capitol, probably at the same time as Peeta and Johanna were. As the Mockingjay's personal escort and handler, she would presumably have a lot of information regarding her activities. Unfortunately for the Capitol (and for Effie), she is left out of the loop about a lot of  bad things going on in Panem, and had little idea of what was going on in regards to the resistance. Maybe they didn't tell her out of suspicion, maybe they didn't tell her out of a need to protect her, or maybe they didn't tell her because they knew she would break if caught.

Either way, Effie has nothing to tell them.

The first week of torture is brutal. Beatings, lashings, anything the Capitol has lying around in their back closet -- going Medieval has proved effective before. They cut off her food next, letting her feel the starving pinch of hunger, until she's too weak to talk. They have to give in then, because a dead traitor isn't any good to them -- but still, Effie has nothing to say.


But when that doesn't work, the Capitol has to kick it up a notch -- and everyone who has seen Effie, talked to Effie, been in the same room as Effie knows how much she loves and adores her two prize-winning Victors from District 12. And it's in this that the Capitol has a premiere weapon against Miss Effie Trinket, which is one Peeta Mellark.

The Capitol could've positioned her cell alongside Peeta's, had her watch him get dragged past to his hijacking session. They could've had Effie forced to listen to him scream and cry and get bewitched into thinking Katniss was the enemy. She wiould've screamed and pleaded for the Capitol to let Peeta go, that Peeta was innocent in all of this, but of course they wouldn't listen, because Effie would say anything to keep her Victors safe.

But they still don't know where the Mockingjay is.

They execute Portia on national television and allow Effie to watch, informing her that she's going to be next if she doesn't own up to what she knows. Where is Katniss Everdeen? Haymitch Abernathy? Finnick Odair? Effie can't answer any of these questions, too fixated on watching her friends be shot in front of a crowd, their bodies tossed aside like garbage. She's forced back into her cell, where she stares at a wall and says nothing. She listens to Peeta's screams and doesn't react anymore, only hoping that they finally kill him and end his misery and suffering.


Months go by -- months of torture, food deprivation, sensory deprivation, poisons and lashings and listening to Peeta Mellark scream for mercy, but she has nothing left to say. They eventually tell her that they're going to put her on television and shoot her, to lure Katniss Everdeen out of hiding, to get her out into the open for her own public execution -- and Effie Trinket, in her natural hair and emaciated figure and torn dress, actually laughs.

Katniss Everdeen, the Girl On Fire, risking her life to come and save a Capitol woman? Effie loves her, and she knows Katniss cares for her too, but to risk the movement? The people guiding her along would never allow such a thing. Haymitch would never allow such a thing. And she could hardly blame them -- her life isn't worth Katniss'.


It falls to shit after that.

Peeta and the young lady from District 7 -- the resistance rescues them both. She hears the chaos and confusion and manages to haul herself up onto her feet to try and see, but everything is blackened out. She can hear someone call Peeta's name and Effie almost calls for Katniss, because surely she's behind this. The star-crossed lovers of District 12 and all that. There's a vague desperate hope that she'll be rescued too -- that she'll be brought back to wherever they are, but as the gunshots sound and the Peacekeepers storm the halls, Effie sinks back down to rest her back against the cell, because she knows that's not the case.

They have one goal. Rescue Peeta Mellark and get out. Katniss probably doesn't even know she's here.

And so she waits.

The Capitol has her lined up for execution. Certain death. Effie is terrified, surely, but she's past the point of showing it. She is numb, quiet, doesn't allow people near her unless necessary, and when they inform her of her execution date, she only asks that she look presentable.

She can't have her Victors see her in anything less than perfect dress, after all.

The rest of the story we know, ambiguously, anyway -- Effie was rescued, presumably by the resistance. She was dolled back up, her face painted, fed and taken care of -- expected to be put back to work making Katniss look presentably, which is probably what Coin told her to do. This woman, who has been tortured for the past twelve months, locked in a cage and forgotten about by everyone she cares about, is forced right back into her former position as Katniss' "handler" the moment she gets out. Eyes bright, chins up, smiles on! The show must go on and the world is focused on Katniss Everdeen, and Effie can't allow her Victor to look anything less than presentable.

When we last see Effie Trinket, she is encouraging Katniss quietly, her hand on her back as she gently guides her Victor onto the stage for the execution of the man responsible for her torment.  And then she has to watch Katniss Everdeen murder the woman who wanted it to continue.

No wonder Effie Trinket has a vacant look in her eyes.

Bright and bubbly as ever, Effie Trinket trots up to the podium and gives her signature, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Her pink hair must be a wig because her curls have shifted slightly off-center since her encounter with Haymitch. She goes on a bit about what an honor it is to be here, although everyone knows she's just aching to get bumped up to a better district where they have proper victors, not drunks who molest you in front of the entire nation.

Effie Trinket makes it sound like Haymitch just has somewhat rough manners that could be corrected with a few tips from her.
"Yes," hisses Effie Trinket. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!"

I hear Effie Trinket's voice, calling me to rise. "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, big day!" I try and imagine, for a moment, what it must be like inside that woman's head.

As I enter the dining car, Effie Trinket brushes by me with a cup of black coffee. She's muttering obscenities under her breath. Haymitch, his face puffy and red from the previous day's indulgences, is chuckling. Peeta holds a roll and looks somewhat embarrassed.

"I've been very mysterious, though," she says, her eyes squint half shut. "Because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district."

"Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But I said, and this was very clever of me, I said, 'Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns into pearls!'"

"Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Haymitch can do that," says Effie grimly. "But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary."
Although lacking in many departments, Effie Trinket has a certain determination I have to admire.

Haymitch guffaws and we all start laughing except Effie, although even she is suppressing a smile. "well, it serves them right. It's their job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from District Twelve is no excuse to ignore you." Then her eyes dart around as if she's said something totally outrageous. "I'm sorry, but that's what I think," she says to no one in particular.

"They're betting on how long I'll live!" I burst out. "They're not my friends!"
"Well, try and pretend!" snaps Effie. Then she composes herself and beams at me. "See, like this. I'm smiling at you even though you're aggravating me."

Effie takes both of us by the hand and, with actual tears in her eyes, wishes us well. Thanks us for being the best tributes it has ever been her privilege to sponsor. And then, because it's Effie and she's apparently required by law to say something awful, she adds "I wouldn't be at all surprised if I finally get promoted to a decent district next year!"



So when we go back to the dining car, where the others are still at lunch, I give Effie an apology that I think is overkill but in her mind probably just manages to compensate for my breach of etiquette. To her credit, Effie accepts graciously. She says it's clear I'm under a lot of pressure. And her comments about the necessity of someone attending to the schedule only last about five minutes. Really, I've gotten off easy.

There's no welcoming committee on the platform, just a squad of eight Peacekeepers who direct us into the back of an armored truck. Effie sniffs as the door clanks closed behind us. "Really, you'd think we were all criminals," she says.

"Big smiles!" Effie says, and gives us a nudge.

"What happened?" Effie hurries over. "We lost the feed just after Katniss' beautiful speech, and then Haymitch said he thought he heard a gun fire, and I said it was ridiculous, but who knows? There are lunatics everywhere!"
"Nothing happened, Effie. An old truck backfired," says Peeta evenly.

When we all assemble to go down to the dinner, I can see Effie is out of sorts. Surely, Haymitch hasn't told her about what happened in the square. I wouldn't be surprised if Cinna and Portia know, but there seems to be an unspoken agreement to leave Effie out of the bad-news loop.

"I don't like the way we've been treated. Being stuffed into trucks and barred from the platform. And then, about an hour ago, I decided to look around the justice building. I'm something of an expert in architectural design, you know," she says.
"Oh yes, I've heard that," says Portia before the pause gets too long.
"So I was just having a peek around because the district ruins are going to be all the rage this year, when two Peacemakers showed up and ordered me back to our quarters. One of them actually poked me with her gun!" says Effie.

The reaping only takes a minute. Effie, shining in a wig of metallic gold, lacks her usual verve.

"Thank you. I had it especially done to match Katniss' pin. I was thinking we might get you a golden ankle band and maybe find Haymitch a gold bracelet or something so we could all look like a team," says Effie.

Effie calls for a work out our training strategy, but even her voice sounds hollow. Poor Effie. She finally had a decent year in the Games with Peeta and me and now it's all broken down into a mess that even she can't put a positive spin on.

"What did you paint, Peeta?" She looks a little misty. "Was it a picture of Katniss?"
"Why would he paint a picture of me, Effie?" I ask, somehow annoyed.
"To show he's going to do everything he can to defend you. That's what everyine in the Capitol's expecting, anyway. Didn't he volunteer to go in with you?" Effie says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"This is dreadful." Effie sounds like she's about to cry. "That sort of thinking... it's forbidden, Peeta."

~

In the bedroom, I find another surprise. Sitting upright in a chair. Polished from her metallic gold wig to her patent leather high heels, gripping a clipboard. Remarkably unchanged except for the vacant look in her eyes.
"Effie," I say.
"Hello, Katniss." She stands and kisses me on the cheek as if nothing has occured since our last meeting, the night before the Quarter Quell. "Well, it looks like we've got another big, big, big day ahead of us. So why don't you start your prep and I'll just pop over and check on the arrangements."