It isn’t likely that many would rush to the defense of Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) given his role as Gamemaker, but there is one area where fans are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Though he is just like any other Capitol citizen and eager to see 24 children fight to the death, many Redditors considered that he has a small amount of integrity. The character has more agency in the film since viewers can see a tiny bit of affection for the skills Katniss brings to the table. “Everyone likes an underdog,” Crane tells Snow (Donald Sutherland). Unlike Snow, Crane has no real animosity towards the Districts. He just wants to put on a good show.
“I think Seneca liked the idea of Katniss becoming the victor,” proposed u/SummerBaby50. “District 12 never had anyone exciting to root for. Katniss winning would have brought something new to the games.” They also noted that there is a progression in the Capitol after Katniss. During the first game, she is just like any other contestant. Only when she decides to trick the system into allowing two victors do they have it out for her. Giving her a high score is also in their best interest, as u/ms-astorytotell pointed out. “She did earn it. While they weren’t happy with what happened, the point of the score is to see how dangerous/strong each tribute is.”