Now winning the Hunger Games is a very rare achievement in itself that victors are always guaranteed food, riches, and fame. They even get a nice house in the Victor’s Village in their district, which really helped Katniss and Peeta a great deal since they won the 74th Hunger Games in the first book. This is especially for Katniss since she grew up in dire poverty and spent her adolescence hunting for critters since her dad died in a mine explosion. They also got to live near their mentor, former Hunger Games victor, and broken alcoholic Haymitch Abernathy. Yet, a lot of victors don’t have nice lives, especially since they have to train future tributes who have a 23 to 1 chance of making it out alive. This is especially bad for Haymitch because virtually all the kids he’s mentored have died in the arena until Katniss and Peeta show up. However, fame and fortune isn’t nearly as exemplified than with former Hunger Games victor from District 4, Finnick Odair. Introduced in Catching Fire as a tribute for the 75th Hunger Games and third Quarter Quell (which reaped from the existing pool of victors that year like their All-Stars edition), he won his Games at the age of 14 thanks to being irresistible to audiences which brought him sponsors galore and merciless to his competition. His ornate trident that he used to single-handedly destroy his opponents was said to be the most expensive sponsor gift ever. After his win, he’s been very popular with the Capitol and had a reputation as a pretty womanizer who’s left a string of broken hearts (it’s actually not like that). And let’s just say his initial get up had to be a little more conservative for the movies to retain a PG-13. However, he’s actually a nice, fun guy when you get to know him as Katniss did.

Now I thought an appropriate song parody would be “Friend Like Me” from Disney’s Aladdin. You know, the song where the Genie introduces himself in the cave and tells Aladdin that he’s his master and he could ask him 3 wishes (one of which Aladdin reserves to set him free). Still, in the Hunger Games version,  I had Finnick asking Katniss to be her ally at the third Quarter Quell in his true, fun-loving, public persona. This makes Katniss think that he’s a shallow pretty boy. Little does she and Peeta know that Haymitch has already taken care of that by arranging an alliance with half the Quell’s victors. Now let’s just say the Capitol must be pretty stupid to reap tributes from the pool of victors since a lot of them are good buddies with each other and have major issues with Panem’s totalitarian regime. Yeah, sure to have that end with a big arena escape.

 

“Friend Like Me”

Sung by Finnick Odair

 

Well, I won my Games at a mere 14

And hail from fishing District 4

I’m handy with a trident as you’ve seen

When I’ve used one to wipe the floor

 

I was a teenage heartthrob as you know

Attracting as many sponsors and broken hearts

I’ve got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how

But I’d rather not talk about that part

And I say

 

Miss Katniss Everdeen

What will your pleasure be?

Just watch me eat

These sugar cubes

You ain’t never had a friend like me

No no

 

I have a knack of knots

See me hang myself for free

Just let me join you in the Games

You ain’t never had a friend like me

 

Yes, I’m my district’s youngest victor

I’m a hunk

A champ, a star

 

Say what you wish

I sure can fish

As well as disembowel with these prongs

Do you find me quite distracting

Stripped to my underwear

I’m in the mood to help Peeta, too

You ain’t never had a friend like me

 

Can your friends make hooks?

Can your friends make nets?

Can your friends do CPR near an electric fence?

Can your friends make knots?

 

Well, looky here

Can your friends stab a Career right through the guts

And then excuse himself to take a pee?

So don’t cha think I’m a shallow pretty boy

But I can be a very merciless nightmare

You got me bona fide, certified

Better not mess with my trident if you dare

I got a powerful urge to help you out

So what-cha say? I really wanna know

Remember who the real enemy is, no doubt

But now’s let’s try to put on a show – and oh

 

Miss Katniss Everdeen, become my ally please

I’m on the job, you big nabob

You ain’t never had a friend, never had a friend

You ain’t never had a friend, never had a friend

You ain’t never had a friend like me

 

You ain’t never had a friend like me, hah!