The story takes place 24 years before the events of Katniss Everdeen's story. It is the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, which went down in history as the Second Quarter Quell. To mark the anniversary, the Capitol selects twice as many participants from each district. A young Haymitch Abernathy becomes one of the tributes. He will have to go through deadly trials in the arena and face incredible cruelty. This path will turn the youth into a legendary mentor and change Panem forever.