The Hunger Games' Forgotten Book Plot That Could've Changed the Films
One character's absence from the films seems to have negatively impacted the franchise's chances of being more authentic.
Suzanne Collins' series of dystopian teen novels, set in a world starkly divided between the rich and the poor, proved to be a perfect story for Hollywood to adapt.
The first film quickly became one of the most popular blockbusters of 2012.
While audiences admired Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss Everdeen and were, for the most part, pleasantly surprised by the films themselves, fans of the original books noticed that several key plot points were missing.
Though some elements Hollywood omitted from the films could be considered minor, fans argue that excluding one character significantly hindered The Hunger Games' potential to become a truly multi-layered franchise.
The thing is, in the original books, Katniss has a friend from her district – Madge Undersee. She was the mayor's daughter, and she gave Katniss the mockingjay pin that once belonged to Madge's aunt, Maysilee Donner, who died in one of the earlier Hunger Games.
But that relationship would have required substantial exposition, which would have been really hard to fit into just a few scenes in the film.
While fans understand why the film's writers decided to remove Madge, they still argue that her presence would have better explained the world of The Hunger Games. As the mayor's daughter, Madge breaks the rules by helping an ordinary poor girl, demonstrating that not all powerful characters in the films are entitled and prejudiced.
Fans are confident that witnessing this relationship unfold on screen would have helped viewers who had never read the original books get immersed into the world of The Hunger Games.
Although Madge's story arc in the books is cut short when she and her family perish in the bombing of District 12, it provides Katniss with a genuine reason to fight harder to avenge her friend.
Had Madge's death been depicted in the films, the stakes for the audiences would have been significantly higher, resulting in a more gripping final storyline. However, it seems that the writers of The Hunger Games managed to create an excellent film even without this seemingly minor but very important character!