Catching Fire saw the introduction of several new characters to The Hunger Games narrative, many of whom are ultimately integral to District 13's uprising and defeat of the Capitol in Mockingjay. President Snow's decision to reap past victors for the Games' 75th annual Quarter Quell threw a slew of new faces into the mix, including the charming Finnick Odair, the bold Johanna Mason, and the elderly Mags, among many others. The spectacle of this special edition of the Hunger Games also required a new Head Gamemaker.

Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker in The Hunger Games, met his untimely end after President Snow blamed him for Katniss and Peeta's heartwarming ploy that saved both their lives in their first Games. The presence of nightlock, a poisonous berry, initially accomplished Seneca's intentions in the arena. Tributes mistook them for food and ate them, dying instantly. Katniss, however, recognized them for what they were, and when she and Peeta were the last left standing in the Games, the two used them to make a suicide pact rather than attack each other. President Snow, who, after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, knows better than anyone the importance of hope in retaining his audience, abruptly ended the games and allowed an unprecedented victory of two tributes. However, when Seneca himself was locked in a room with the berries, it was clear that Snow was unhappy with this outcome and blamed it on the presence of nightlock in the arena. Catching Fire introduces the mysterious Plutarch Heavensbee as the successor to this high-stakes position.

Who is Plutarch in The Hunger Games?

After Katniss is inevitably reaped as District 12's only female victor, and Peeta volunteers in Haymitch's place, the couple is lavishly transported to the Capitol where they socialize with city elites- including new Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee. Plutarch is surprisingly charming, dancing with Katniss, and offering subtle hints of his intentions of rebellion, but she doesn't yet pick up on them. He wears a watch featuring the image of the mockingjay, which Katniss notices but doesn't grasp its meaning.

Regardless of any plans of uprising, Plutarch dutifully fulfills his role as Gamemaker. The arena in Catching Fire is thorough and brutal, taking the form of a clock in which a different section of the jungle faces a certain horror every hour. When the tributes come to understand the layout, Plutarch casually demands that the map be spun, sending the land itself flying in a circle as Katniss, Peeta, Finnick, Johanna, and others cling for their lives. Before the Games even began, Plutarch displayed his cold prowess for societal control.

Shut down the black markets, take away what little they have, then double the amount of floggings and executions. Put them on TV, broadcast them live, sow fear, more fear... She's engaged. Make everything about that. What kind of dress is she gonna wear? Floggings. What's the cake gonna look like? Executions. Who's gonna be there? Fear. Blanket coverage. Shove it in their faces. Show them that she's one of us now. They're gonna hate her so much they might just kill her for ya.

Nonetheless, when the force field over the arena is broken and several tributes are inexplicably airlifted out of the arena, Plutarch's role as a double agent becomes clear. He, along with Haymitch, is waiting for Katniss to regain consciousness so they can explain the situation. Katniss, still not understanding Plutarch's role in the rescue, balks at the sight of him until he explains the plan that has been in place long before the Games began: to get her out and make her the face of the rebellion, the mockingjay.

Throughout the uprising that takes place in Mockingjay, Plutarch serves as a leader in the war. He spearheads the propaganda element of District 13's approach, orchestrating the filming of propos and attempting to keep Katniss from any real battle, knowing that the loss of the symbol of the rebellion would be devastating to integral morale.

Who Played Plutarch in The Hunger Games Movies?

In Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, and Mockingjay Part 2, Plutarch was played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. With credits ranging from Twister to Moneyball, Mission: Impossible to The Big Lebowski, Hoffman was a highly regarded, critically acclaimed performer. Hoffman passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 46 while still filming Mockingjay Part 2. It was his final film. Hoffman had completed all but two of his scenes for the final installment of The Hunger Games, yet he was the only actor to portray the character.

The rest of Plutarch's appearances in Mockingjay Part 2 were rewritten to justify Hoffman's absence. Director Francis Lawrence refused to use any kind of CGI to attempt to digitally recreate Hoffman, a choice that he explained to Huffpost was not difficult at all.

I just think to try to fake a Philip Seymour Hoffman performance would have been catastrophic, and I would never want to do that.

What Happens to Plutarch?

Despite many casualties in the District rebellion, Plutarch survives the war. Still reeling from the betrayal and rapid defeat, President Snow considers Plutarch a mastermind of the uprising, and thus at least partially responsible for President Coin's unethical war tactics. However, while Katniss publicly kills Coin, Plutarch is left untouched. He even comes to Katniss's aid by saving Effie Trinket from execution, a Capitol elite who had come to be a close friend of Katniss, and speaking in Katniss's defense at her trial for Coin's murder. In life after the rebellion, Plutarch works as Panem's Secretary of Communication.