What was the point of the final mission?

[Adam]

What did people think of the final mission ark? What purpose did it serve in the greater narrative?

In the previous books, even though there was death and hardship, Katniss and her (surviving) companions mostly accomplished their goals. Their attempt to kill Snow, however, was (view spoiler)[pretty much a complete failure (and still got most of the party killed (hide spoiler)]. Would they have been better off if Jackson had assumed command and let them home?

One thing it did was give us a chance to see Peeta recovering (and maybe the life-or-death situation was what he needed to work through his issues), but I can't help but feel we could have watched him do something less depressing.

[Angela]

It was certainly a driving thought for her throughout the novel - wanted to kill him. Being that close to the President's mansion drove her to the decision to not turn around.

We see Katniss assume the role of a strategical military leader of a small troop and she doesn't get the job done, which I think served the purpose of showing her even more as a pawn in the game. She thought she was in control of the situation to get to Snow, but didn't realize there were so many other things playing out at the same time.

[Nya Tomlinson-Horan-Malik-Payne-Styles]

i thought the mission was designed to reach president snow's mansion.

[Kirby]

Angela wrote: "We see Katniss assume the role of a strategical military leader of a small troop and she doesn't get the job done, which I think served the purpose of showing her even more as a pawn in the game...."

that's a very good point.

[Sam]

i don't know. and there's a problem with that...

[Hannah]

I thought it was pointless as she didn't get to kill snow, the rebels attacked at the same time as katniss's group arrived and half the group got killed ie finnick...that did not need to happen. I didn't really enjoy it except for seeing peeta and katniss back togethr but that wasn't even the same I didn't really enjoy it

[Kylie]

To expose Coin once and for all as as evil as Snow - by killing innocent people, having the new hunger games mooted, etc (before that it could have just been extreme dislike of each otherthey needed evidence that she was as bad, or worse in some ways, as the system in place already).

And Katniss would not have killed Coin, had that not happened.

[Hannah]

I get that prim needed to die for her to really understand about coin but I don't know the book just rubbed me the wrong way