Katniss Everdeen killed President Coin instead of President Snow in the Hunger Games finale, Mockingjay – Part 2 , for a number of compelling reasons:
- Revenge for Prim’s Death: Katniss believed that Coin was responsible for the bombing that killed her younger sister, Primrose Everdeen. Snow, during his captivity, suggested that Coin deliberately engineered the bombing to turn the last of Snow’s supporters against him, [according to MSN] . This suspicion, along with the fact that the rebel-designed bombs were used and that Prim was deliberately placed on the front lines by Coin, sealed Katniss’s conviction.
- Preventing a New Dictatorship: Katniss recognized that Coin, despite leading the rebellion against the Capitol, was just as power-hungry and ruthless as Snow. Coin’s proposal to hold a final Hunger Games using the children of Capitol officials solidified Katniss’s belief that Panem would simply be trading one tyrant for another, perpetuating the cycle of violence and oppression.
- Seeking True Peace: Katniss’s fundamental motivation throughout the series was to protect those she loved and to create a more just and peaceful world. Killing Coin, in her mind, was necessary to break the cycle of violence and power struggles, offering the chance for a truly peaceful Panem.
In essence, Katniss saw Coin as a greater threat to the future of Panem than Snow, who was already deposed and dying. By eliminating Coin, Katniss aimed to dismantle the very system that created the Hunger Games and bring about lasting peace and freedom for everyone.
Why was coin worse than Snow?
Good point! The difference between Coin and Snow is that Coin hasn’t had the opportunities her rival had to be abusive and cause catastrophic harm. This is clear in how easily she gives in to Katniss’s demands. If it was really a matter of safety, Coin would not have granted permission to them to go hunting.
Did Coin purposefully kill Prim?
Katniss speculates that Coin deliberately sent Prim to die in the Capitol bombing in order to fully gain her trust, but it’s never outright confirmed or denied.