The Love Triangle: Gale or Peeta?

sidebra with mockingjays: This post may contain subtle spoilers for The Hunger Games. If you haven't finished The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, please do so - it should only take you two days because you won't be able to put them down. Unless you're Spank. And then it will take you forevah. *blows kisses at Spank*

Since Meadow is out of town this week, *cries a little* we are waiting until later to talk about our favorite Happily Ever Afters (as was promised). But, since Meadow has not read The Hunger Games or Catching Fire, I thought it would be a good time to discuss them in relation to the love triangle.

I've received a bunch of emails from friends (who I may have forced to read The Hunger Games) with the question: Gale or Peeta? Now I know this isn't the central issue to the books, but let's face it - we all love a good love triangle. Think about it - we have Edward-Jacob-Bella from Twilight, Jace-Clary-Simon from The Mortal Instruments, and I keep seeing more and more pop up in YA literature. Our choices in "teams" has even come to be a marker of some sort. I was recently talking to a 17-year-old about Twilight and she stopped me and said, "You should know, I'm Team Jacob," as if it defined an important part of her and how she read the books. And in a way, it does.

I've always been Team Edward and Team Jace - in those cases, it was easy for me to "take sides." But when it comes to The Hunger Games, I am much like Katniss - torn and confused between Gale and Peeta. And I think that's the wonderful thing about the love triangle in The Hunger Games: there is no easy answer. Well, at least there isn't for me. I'm sure some of you have picked your 'team' already (and I'd love to hear why).

Gale and Katniss have a relationship built upon their need for survival. Their drive to keep their families fed and alive is what brings them together and fuels their need for each other. Similarly, Peeta and Katniss's relationship is based almost solely upon their survival - in relation to the Games, the Capital, and President Snow. So, in a sense, both relationships are forced upon Katniss. This doesn't lessen the intensity of either relationship, but makes the choice all the more difficult.

Most of the time, I lean towards Peeta. He is selfless and caring, and there is no doubt that he loves Katniss. It's easy to be Team Peeta when he and Katniss are in the arena, or facing President Snow, fighting for their lives. But then I think of Gale. He knows Katniss. He has been by her side 'fighting' for survival long before Peeta and Katniss were forced together.

You see how I'm confused? And as much as I love happy endings with a neat bow tied on top, I'm not expecting this from Suzanne Collins. She has not made anything "easy" up to this point, so I'm extremely curious to see how she'll end The Hunger Games trilogy.

So, tell me - what team are you on? Are you confused like I am? How do you foresee this ending?

And, just for fun, since they are making a movie from the books *squeee* here are my current choices for actors to play Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. I'm easily swayed, so leave your picks in the comments if you have them!

Katniss: Emily Browning
Peeta: William Moseley
Gale: Ben Barnes

(And yes, I know that I've picked two actors from Prince Caspian, but they just seem "right" to me.)