After being saved from the ruins of the 75th Hunger Games arena, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), along with fellow Victors Beetee ([Jeffrey Wright]) and Finnick Odair ([Sam Claflin]), finds herself in District 13—an underground haven isolated from the rest of Panem and a key player in the rebellion. There, she reunites with her mother and sister, Prim ([Willow Shields]).
While recovering, she meets President Alma Coin ([Julianne Moore]) and Plutarch Heavensbee ([Philip Seymour Hoffman]), the rebellious leader. They reveal that her defiance in the arena has incited riots across the districts. Colonel Boggs leads security in District 13, and despite the Capitol's previous bombings of their district, they've managed to adapt and survive in their underground settlement.
Coin proposes that Katniss becomes the "Mockingjay," the rallying symbol for the rebels, as part of a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the districts. Beetee hacks into Capitol communications, and Heavensbee suggests they create a series of propaganda videos to encourage rebellion against the oppressive regime. However, Katniss passionately rebuffs the idea at first, recalling that Peeta Mellark ([Josh Hutcherson])—her love interest and a fellow District 12 tribute—was left behind in the arena.
To bring her around, Heavensbee shows Katniss the demolished landscape of District 12, obliterated by a Capitol bombing campaign—only the Victor's Village remains intact. Alongside Gale ([Liam Hemsworth]), she discovers the harrowing fate of her district’s citizens, many of whom perished due to the Capitol’s retributive actions.
During her time in the Victor’s Village, Katniss comes across a white rose, a chilling token from President Snow ([Donald Sutherland]), which makes her acutely aware that she is constantly being watched. Snow’s speech to the districts reinforces the Capitol's dominance, reminding everyone of the pact made in the Dark Days: districts toil while the Capitol maintains control. He bans all imagery of the Mockingjay and vows violent repercussions against any nascent protests.
As Katniss witnesses Peeta on television, attempting to quell the rebellion with pleas for peace, she realizes the toll it has taken on him. This prompts a change of heart; she agrees to become Coin’s Mockingjay on the condition that Peeta and the other victors—Johanna and Annie—are rescued and pardoned, as well as ensuring that Prim can keep her cat.
It becomes evident that District 13 is lacking in children, a grim aftermath of a prior epidemic. After Haymitch ([Woody Harrelson]) points out that Katniss thrives on spontaneity, she is introduced to her film team, led by Cressida ([Natalie Dormer]), and is dressed in a specially crafted outfit by Effie Trinket ([Elizabeth Banks]), who decides to join the rebel cause after witnessing the oppression firsthand. Despite their efforts, Katniss’s initial propaganda efforts fall flat, lacking the necessary fervor to spark a revolution.
Their mission takes them to District 8 to highlight the suffering within a hospital, but they fall victim to a surprise bombing by the Capitol, which results in the loss of numerous lives. The attack was a direct message from Snow, suggesting dire consequences for associating with Katniss. Fueled by anger, Katniss manages to shoot down the attacking planes but not before they carry out their mission.
In a surge of emotion, she delivers a powerful speech captured live via a hijacked Capitol broadcast, Stoking flames of rebellion, which leads to a violent backlash in District 7 against the Peacekeepers. After seeing Peeta's frail state on screen, Katniss argues to her team that he’s unaware of the destruction wrought upon District 12, prompting further introspection.
Returning to District 12, Gale recounts the tragedy that befell the district, leaving only a fraction of its population alive. Katniss is filmed singing "The Hanging Tree," and the ensuing broadcast incites a demolition team from District 5 to sabotage the Capitol’s power supply, crippling its information control.
That night, as Katniss watches Peeta’s live interview with Caesar Flickerman ([Stanley Tucci]), he inadvertently reveals an impending attack on District 13. Thanks to Peeta's warning, a swift evacuation is implemented, and while Prim nearly misses sheltering by going back for her cat, they manage to escape without casualties.
Emerging after the chaos, Katniss finds the area scattered with white roses—a menacing sign that Snow is taunting her, leading her to fear for Peeta's life. In light of the attack and the seconds gained by Peeta’s warning, Coin organizes a rescue mission for him and the other victors trapped within the Capitol. The operation is successful, but as Katniss attempts to reunite with Peeta, he violently attacks her, forcing her unconscious before he too is subdued.
Waking up in a medical facility, Katniss learns that Peeta has undergone a brutal form of brainwashing known as "hijacking," where he is conditioned to associate her presence with terror. The efforts to rehabilitate him began with Peeta isolated from everyone. Despite the chaos, Coin announces the successful retrieval of the victors, with their sights set on taking the fight directly to the Capitol's military stronghold located in District 2.
