"Finnick, the handsome bronze-haired guy from District 4 who was crowed ten years ago at the age of 14."
-Katniss describing Finnick.
Finnick Odair was the most handsome victor from District 4 who won The 65th Hunger Games and holds the record for the youngest Hunger Games victor ever, at age 14. He was also the first male victor in District 4.
65th Hunger Games[]
Finnick Odair was mentored by Mags Flanagan. During training, he instantly teamed up with the careers. His odds of winning that year were 12 - 1, almost doubled the score of Katniss's 9 years later. During his interview, he flattered the audience with his seductive personality, and he instantly became a favorite in Panem.
During the bloodbath, he gathered a spear and a knife as his first weapons. He killed plenty of tributes with his trident that he received from a sponsor and caught people in fishing nets to stab them with his trident. When this happened, the time it took for him to win didn't take long at all. The sponsor he received was one of the most expensive events made.
Victory Tour[]
During his victory tour, he was pretty rude and arrogant, as he always bragged that he was the youngest victor ever. Its also known that he was then prostituted by the Capitol, specifically by President Snow 2 years later.
66th Games[]
During this time, it is said in the story, "The 66th Mentoring" that he mentored both tributes but they died anyway.
The 70th Hunger Games[]
He was a mentor in these games who mentored victor Annie Cresta. After her victory, they started a relationship that resulted in marriage in 76 ADD and a son the same year.
The 75th Hunger Games[]
Finnick does not seem to be distressed about the idea of being in another Hunger Games. Katniss finds out that he is really snarky and arrogant. Before the tribute parade, Katniss and Finnick talk together, and he offers her a sugar cube. They later have a conversation, and they meet again several times before the Hunger Games, one, in particular, being him teaching her how to tie a knot in the best way possible in the Games, and then pretending to hang himself with it. He also trains Katniss how to use a trident in exchange for Katniss to teach him about archery, since he was at the archery station moments before Finnick and Katniss would talk to each other. Much later, in his interview with Caesar Flickerman, Finnick tells of a poem to the audience about Annie Cresta, his love. During the start of the Games, he wears the gold bracelet that Haymitch gave to Katniss. During the countdown, he was seen standing next to Marian. In the cornucopia bloodbath, he kills the male tribute, once a victor, who is James Logan, from District 5, by throwing his trident in his chest, making him sink to the ground and die. Later, while going to see Peeta in the water, he is seen in the deleted scenes fighting Daniel and kicks him in the water. He later helps find Peeta in the bloodbath, who has already killed a tribute. Finnick, Peeta, Katniss, and Mags all go hiding in the jungle of the arena to find water while carrying Mags on his back.
While on their way, Peeta hits a forcefield in the jungle and is dead. Finnick later resuscitates Peeta from doing CPR on him. Katniss can't thank him enough and will be forever in his debt for saving someone so important to her. Later, they try to find water, by getting a smile from a sponsor, tap it in a tree, and get some water to drink. They later eat by eating nuts. They make a temporary camp from their surroundings while in the jungle. While Katniss is on guard, she hears some rain from a couple of hundred yards away and hears a cannon fire. That is when Blight, from District 7, dies from the blood rain. This triggers the next threat, the poisonous fog, which irritates Katniss's skin enough to wake up Finnick and the others to run. However, they get stung so much by the fog that Katniss is unable to carry Mags on her back, since she herself is small, and needs Finnick to carry Peeta and Mags at the same time.
Of course, he wasn't able to do that, which leads Mags to sacrifice herself without a moment's hesitation before kissing Finnick on the lips, and walking to her imminent death. This makes Finnick almost cry. While they find a cure to her irritated skin, which is water, they run into a pack of monkey mutts. They try to attack them, but they fail, but manage to kill Megan, a morphing from District 6, who sacrifices herself to save Peeta by jumping out of the bushes and letting the mutt eat her. Katniss and Peeta take her to the beach, the end of the center of the arena, confronting her, while Finnick volunteering to watch over them in case anything tries to hurt them again. The next day, the team hears a high pitch screaming, which come from Ivette, a tribute from District 5, trying to run away from a huge tidal wave, but she fails and drowns. Moments later, they see her dead body being lifted in the hovercraft. They run into Beete, Wiress, and Johanna. Johanna talks to Finnick about the blood rain, and about Blight's death.
Finnick says that he's sorry to hear it. Later, Wiress tells the newly formed pack that the arena is a kind of clock, and they go to the Cornucopia and stack up on weapons. Wiress has the wire from Beete that he got in the beginning in the Games, in the cornucopia, and sings a song. The rest of the crew draw a picture of the arena and label the threats that come each hour, which are the fog, blood rain, the tidal wave, monkeys, etc. However, the crew realizes that Wiress is awfully silent all of the sudden, and looks at her, only to realize that Gloss, from District 1, a career, slits her throat. Katniss shoots him with an arrow, and Johanna throws her ax at Cashmere, Gloss's tribute partner and sister. She dies too. Finnick blocks a throw of a spear that came from Brutus, another career, but from District 2, and Finnick gets cut by Enobaria's knife, but the wound isn't that deep. The remaining Careers run away before the Cornucopia spins very fast, but Finnick manages to hang on to the Cornucopia without getting flung into the water. This destroys the map that Finnick's crew made of the Cornucopia, making them unaware of time.
Later, when Katniss and Finnick went out for water, a Jabberjay attack broke out, with the birds' voices making the tributes' loved ones screaming in pain. When Finnick heard the Jabberjays targeting him, he called out for Annie. Finnick believed that she was being killed, debilitated by his helplessness. Katniss killed the Jabberjay, but this didn't calm Finnick, who was still unnerved by the thought that Annie had been tortured to make those horrible sounds. After he and Katniss escaped the attack, Peeta reassured the two of them that the Games are down to the final eight, and not only must the Capitol have family and friends to interview, but that those sounds could be faked, as Beetee explained that it was possible to do such a thing. The alliance viewed the faces of the tributes that died the second day, discussing who was left beside them and District 2. District 3 sent twenty-four pieces of bread, an unequal number, each eating three. Finnick suffered another night of restless sleep and occasionally murmuring Annie's name, still unnerved by what happened that day.
Finnick assisted Beetee with his plan, along with Peeta, while Katniss and Johanna set up the electric coil to make the trap. After the line was cut and Johanna removed Katniss's tracker, in what seems like a vicious attack at the time, Finnick chased Enobaria to get her away from Katniss, as he was obviously told that he had to protect her. Later Katniss destroyed the arena in her own way instead of Beetee's plan.
After the arena was destroyed, Finnick, Beetee, and Katniss were rescued by a hovercraft from District 13. Plutarch Heavensbee was aboard and told Katniss that he was unable to go back for Peeta and Johanna, though he wanted to. Finnick requested to go to District 4 to get Annie, but Plutarch told him they couldn't, but he did make a special order for her and the other captured victors. After Katniss awakened she went to the room where Finnick, Haymitch, and Plutarch were having a conversation with each other. There, she learned about the rebels, how District 13 wasn't completely destroyed after all, and the plan to overthrow the Capitol. Finnick stopped Katniss from clawing Haymitch's face with her nails when she tried to attack her mentor. Finnick tells her that he wished Johanna, Peeta, Enobaria, and all the others would just die so that they wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Finnick returned to Plutarch and Haymitch to presumably talk again, leaving Katniss alone.
Mockingjay[]
In Mockingjay, at the beginning of the book, Finnick was deeply distressed, slightly unhinged, and unable to focus on anything but to save Annie Cresta, who had been kidnapped and was being tortured in the Capitol, along with Johanna and Peeta. Enobaria was captured but wasn't tortured because she was trusted and had nothing to do with the plan to save both Peeta and Katniss. One of the only ways he kept himself sane was by repeatedly knotting short length of rope. When Katniss first saw Finnick she noticed he was distracted and grief-stricken, as mentioned before. She calls for him but he does not respond, Katniss shakes him and when he noticed Katniss was calling him, he stopped tying knots and grips her hand in relief to see a familiar face. Finnick asks why they are meeting here and she informs him about her role as the Mockingjay and her conditions. Finnick is happy when he hears her condition for the immunity of victors being held because of his love, Annie.
Finnick visits Katniss in the hospital and has dinner with her. He comforts her since she is stressed, the two then watch the propaganda again. After the interview, Finnick tries to calm Katniss down and pretends not to have seen the interview because Plutarch walks in and makes sure she is well. The next day, Finnick and Katniss go to the woods in District 13 to hunt since Gale is busy helping Beetee make weapons, this of course brings back memories of Katniss hunting back in District 12. Katniss talks about the interview with him and is glad he is there to listen to her. Finnick comforts her and helps her through the pain she is feeling. During the bombing by the Capitol, Finnick gives Katniss a rope to tie when she needs to be distracted from her feelings. After the bombing during the night, Katniss goes to Finnick to share her thoughts on President Snow's plan. Finnick tells her he is doing the same with him but with Annie. Finnick shares with her the first time he knew Katniss did indeed love Peeta, during the 75th Hunger Games when he ran into the force field and almost died. Finnick admits he misjudged Katniss until that time came. While shooting a propo Katniss can't take it anymore and breaks down along with Finnick.
Eventually, a rescue team saves Annie, Peeta, Johanna, and others. To distract the Capitol from the rescue mission, Finnick and Katniss do an interview where he states President Snow has remained President of Panem for so long because he poisons all those who could become threats, including one of his wives. Finnick waits with Katniss until Haymitch tells them the rescue party has arrived. Finnick and Annie embrace each other and he personally takes her to receive medical attention for the wounds she received from being tortured by the Capitol. When District 13 broke in the Capitol to save the remaining victors held hostage, his name was seen on a black pillar, along with his other victors from 4. Finnick and Annie marry shortly after the rescue. Annie conceives a son. For a propo and for real, Annie and Finnick get married when Annie comes to District 13 after the rescue.
Finnick along with Annie met with Katniss, Gale, Beetee, Delly, Johanna, and later with Peeta. Katniss notes he hasn't let go of Annie's hand since the two were married. Finnick is assigned to be on the sharpshooter's squad with Katniss, Gale, and later Peeta. He tells them to leave Boggs's corpse since it would only get in the way. Finnick helps calm Peeta down and votes not to kill Peeta.
When the squad was bombarded by the lizard mutts, he saved Katniss from a close encounter with death by fighting one of them. He saved her with his trident. When trying to escape, he was pulled down by the mutts and eaten. To save Finnick from what would be his agonizing death, Katniss drops the pod detector by saying the word "Nightlock" three times, which makes the thing self destruct, killing Finnick and a huge amount of the mutts all at once.
Trivia[]
- The name is related to Fenwick, an old Anglo-Saxon place name and surname that may be loosely translated as "marshland farm." The names Fenwick and Finnick are also related to Phoenix.
- He probably had a high score for both Games he was in.
- He was born the same year another one of his victors would win. The person in question was Librae Ogilvy.
