Literally everyone was made to think that Finnick was some kind of player, he was said and shown to have dated people young and old, so ofc Gale is going to have thoughts about that, the same way Katniss did, until they both realise he actually did love Annie.
He only would have realised he was sold when he came out about it in the propo, again like Katniss and basically everyone except victors, buyers, and escorts , but unlike Katniss he never had a proper relationship with Finnick, so he’s not going to realise that none of it was true and that he loved Annie until he saw it.
He is also just an 18-19 year old boy with a crush, and jealous like any other teenager would be, it’s very normal, even Katniss has it, Peeta too. And it’s not so crazy to think that, when so many people in the country likely have a crush on Finnick, and it’s not crazy for a teenage girl to have a crush on an older guy, and it’s not crazy to think that they might like eachother now that they’ve met and clearly got on well (ofc it’s crazy to us, but Gale doesn’t know their relationship, and they see kids die every year so a 16 and 24 year old getting together would be one of the least weird things in that world.)
I just think it’s ridiculous how much unnecessary hate Gale gets when there are much more valid reasons to not like him, or even if you hate how he’s acted in situations like this surely you could still accept the fact it’s understandable. I personally hated when Clove decided she wanted to torture Katniss to death, but I can understand why she was like that.
Edit: I doubt I’m going to respond to any comments anymore as I’ve clearly done it for ages now, but I’m just going to add more of what I’ve seen on what I believe is more quite ridiculous reasons to send hate towards Gale, or atleast to send hate but not also have understanding on those situations. And I’m sorry if I’ve come off as rude to anyone, I’m very passionate over his character if that wasn’t clear, but I do think I could have been more polite at times, but I do still stand by what I’ve said. And in case anyone wants to say something like “get a job” as people tend to, I’m unable to work right now due to mental health, that’s why I have so much time on my hands lol. Sorry for the super long post I have a lot of opinions.
Firstly I don’t understand why people seem to think Gale is meant to know everything about everything. No he isn’t going to know Finnick was a victim of sex trafficking until his propo, and when he learns he’s not going to automatically think “oh so none of that was real he’s probably just a normal guy.” Or something like that. He also not going to know how, when, where or on who the bomb he helped create is going to be used months later. He’s also obviously not going to be able to understand Katniss’ trauma from the games, nobody is, the closest anyone could be to that is Peeta but even he can’t fully understand as he didn’t know Rue.
Secondly, no he didn’t commit a war crime with the bomb, he never says himself it’s made for civilians and medics, even if he did that’s not him responsible for a war crime. And if we look at the context clues:
1: it’s Katniss that INTERNALLY brings up the thought of medics being hurt, which is correct they would be involved but firstly she’s most likely thinking they’d be medics like her sister and mother, when in reality they’d be combat medics (medics who go in to heal and fight if needed), and they are also literally helping and supporting the fight to keep the hunger games going. I’m sorry to say it but they aren’t innocent just because they are medics.
2: It’s never said, but it doesnt have to be as it’s quite clear when you think about it. The bomb was clearly intended to be used on peacekeepers and their backup who would come in, that’s what a bomb like that would be for. What would be the point in making a bomb like that if you don’t use it against the actual threat?
Even if he had said himself he wants it to be used on medics or civilians that still isn’t a war crime, it’s just a statement. It’s whoever has the power over the weapons, and whoever has the authority to order the use of it in that way, who is responsible.
I knew what quote someone would eventually send in, from page 216 of mockingjay, and no, that is not Gale saying it was made to target civilians and medics. Firstly, it’s Katniss’ internal thoughts, she sees what’s on screen and realises they have created the bombs using the traps she and Gale used to hunt and adapted them. She then gave examples on how they used the TRAPS whilst hunting: “Booby- trapping an area that provides something essential to survival. A water or food supply. Frightening prey so that a large number flee into a greater destruction. Endangering offspring in order to draw in the actual desired target, the parent. Luring the victim into what appears to be a safe haven — where death awaits it.” She then says they left the wilderness behind and focused on human impulses: “A bomb explodes. Time is allowed for people to rush into the aid of the wounded. Then a second more powerful bomb kills them aswell.” Obviously it’s a very morally bad thing to create, but it’s a war so surely that can be looked past. Secondly we never see Gale or Beetee say it’s for medics, we only see Katniss think about the aid coming in, however when a bomb like that, or any bomb in fact, is used in a war, it is used on frontlines, and then backup comes in, with that backup is the aid, the medics. COMBAT MEDICS! Medics who come in to mainly heal, but also to fight with weapons. Katniss is likely thinking of medics like her mother and sister because she is obviously quite naive being only a 17 year old child. But if it was a war crime, to use a bomb because you know medics would be involved, every bomb ever is a war crime, because obviously when a bomb sets of aid will be sent in, that doesnt mean they are the target. To be clear again, we never get them saying that’s their target, yes its still morally bad but its a war, and yes we also dont get them saying its for peacekeepers but some things dont need to be said to be clear. Why would they randomly have civilians bombed, and how would the Capitol know and be able to send in medics within seconds to also be bombed?
Thirdly, both Katniss and Gale are very possessive over eachother and in my opinion it’s unfair to hate on him for it but completely ignore her:
1: Gale gets jealous over Katniss’ relationship with Peeta, just like how Katniss gets jealous over Gale kissing and getting attention from other girls. Neither of them owe eachother anything, but they both get jealous, likely for different reasons (Gales crush, and Katniss wanting a good hunting partner, though I’d say she had a less intense crush on Gale compared to what she felt for Peeta, I’ll get into that in a minute.)
2: Katniss completely understands why Gale feels the way he does: Page 142 of catching fire: “I imagine Gale volunteering to save Rory in the reaping, having him torn away from my life, becoming some strange girls lover to stay alive, and then coming home with her. Promising to marry her. The hatred I feel for him, for the phantom girl, for everything, is so real and immediate that it chokes me.” This not only shows her being able to fully understand how Gale feels, but it’s another example of how she has that same possession over him that he does for her. And just after that she expresses that more when she thinks: “Gale is mine. I am his. Anything else is unthinkable.”
And now onto why I think Katniss had a “mini crush” on Gale. Firstly, I am NOT and would NEVER ship Everthorne and this is probably the belief I’m weakest in believing if that makes sense. This is also why I’m not a fan of people saying there was never a love triangle, because although it’s so clear to us it was always Peeta, it wasn’t to her. But anyways, one think I see is that Katniss’ first clear sign of her crush on Peeta is noticing stuff like his eyelashes and I definitely agree, however after Gales whipping she thinks similar with him: Page 141-142 of catching fire: I touch parts of him I have never had cause to touch before. His heavy, dark eyebrows, the curve of his cheek, the line of his nose, the hollow at the base of his neck. I trace the outline of stubble on his jaw and finally work my way to his lips. Soft and full, slightly chapped. His breath warms my chilled skin. The way she describes it, along with her own possessiveness and calling him handsome gives me some kind of crush vibe, but nowhere near what she had unknowingly felt for Peeta, mainly because with Peeta she never really has a reason or excuse to notice stuff like his eyelashes she should really be focusing on his drawing, but with Gale she’s comforting him and nothing else is really going on around her. There also times where she mentions his hands as I think rugged but also soft, I can’t find the quote but I’m pretty sure it’s in Catching Fire, and it also gave me the vibes of her having a small crush on him. But again, nothing compared to how she felt and was with Peeta.
Also, I think it’s so unfair to call Gale some “master manipulator” for literally having and expressing normal human emotions, that many would struggle to control in that environment, especially when there’s no healthy way to get help or get it out. Yes, he’s going to misdirect his anger towards those like Madge, Katniss agrees with what he said as it’s true, the reaping is unfair and a way to split everyone up in the districts, he also acknowledges that. And yes, he’s going to cry, that’s good, it’s not his fault that when he cries or gets upset Katniss tends to kiss him, and he begins to notice that’s when it always happens. He can’t just turn off his emotions. And someone said that he’s a “fully grown man” at 18-19 and this is where I’m fine with being rude because if you actually believe that as soon as someone turns 18/19 they are suddenly fully mature and fully grown, then you are quite weird, sorry.