Mockingjay is just round the corner, but what scenes from the books are we most looking forward to seeing?

In anticipation of the penultimate entry in The Hunger Games film series, we’ve pondered the five scenes we’re most looking forward to seeing when Mockingjay, Part 1 hits theaters worldwide later this week. Please note: This article is based on moments from the third book, and as such, non-readers will want to stop reading now. Spoilers!

Last week, it was confirmed that Jennifer Lawerence would indeed be performing the iconic Hanging Tree song from the third Hunger Games book, to a melody composed by the Lumineers. In the books, Katniss is taught the song by her father shortly before his death. Though her mother banned it, Katniss remembered all of the words, slowly learning the real meaning of the song as she grew older. Though the song isn’t a particularly plot-heavy moment of Mockingjay, it’s repeated throughout the book and holds great significance to the mood and themes of the trilogy-capper. The lyrics depict a dead man, asking his lover to come and join him in the afterlife. With the terrible torture and palpable sense of dread on every page in The Hunger Games‘s finale, the song holds real poignancy. Seeing it brought to life on screen will be an incredibly affecting moment for many fans.

Most of the action scenes glimpsed in the Mockingjay trailers come from the Battle of District 8 – a bloody assault which will probably be Part 1’s main set-piece. After travelling to District 8 in order to make their first propaganda video, Katniss and Gale visit the victims of the Capitol’s bombing regime in a make-shift hospital. The tone is set pretty early, as a thick atmosphere of gloom hangs in the air. But District 13’s new “Mockingjay” doesn’t have long to reflect on the terrors of war, as almost immediately she finds herself in the middle of it. When more bomber planes arrive, Katniss and Gale join the fight against them. If the explosive shots of the duo taking down two aircraft with their arrows is anything to go by, it’s going to be amazing.

Josh Hutcherson has been one of the principal characters in The Hunger Games series since it began, but he hasn’t been able to show his acting range as much as co-star Jennifer Lawerence. Until now, that is. After being taken hostage by the Capitol at the end of Catching Fire, Peeta is subjected to weeks of horrific torture and brainwashing. It’s a ruthless and desperate attempt by President Snow to try and break Katniss one last time, and its largely successful. Rather than the calm, composed Peeta we’re used to seeing in the series, Mockingjay will give us a deranged version of the character. Since it seems Peeta’s rescue will be the climax of Part 1, we should see Hutcherson go all-out-rage this year. It’s going to be a long wait for Part 2…

It’s fair to say that Katniss Everdeen struggles to deal with her duties as the titular Mockingjay, and the “propo” videos that District 13 produce are often the area in which she struggles the most. Finnick, on the other hand, gives one of the most moving and shocking speeches in the entire series when he gets in front of the cameras.

Often portrayed as shallow and vain, the District 4 tribute reveals that President Snow sold him (and other desirable victors) as prostitutes to wealthy Capitol citizens. The story is heartbreaking enough, without learning that the dictator would kill loved ones of the victors if they refused to co-operate. But then, he twists the knife into the Capitol’s regime by revealing the darkest secrets of the most noted figures, including President Snow himself. Just like Peeta, Finnick really get to flex his emotional muscles in Mockingjay, and we can’t wait to see how Sam Clafin delivers this iconic moment.

Mockingjay will see The Capitol and the rebels of District 13 face off in an all-out war. But some of the most fascinating battles in the books aren’t fought with guns or violence, but with information and images, as Beetee almost single-handedly takes on President Snow’s regime by disrupting the Capitol’s propaganda with some “propos” of his own. Recurring throughout The Hunger Games‘s finale, we should be seeing plenty of the videos in Part 1, including Finnick’s confession (above), Peeta’s beating and a whole host of other stake-raising clips. Fingers crossed, the filmmakers will even slide a few new scenes into the battle of the airwaves.

Which ‘Mockingjay’ scenes are you most looking forward to?

Related: Haymitch and Effie plan Katniss’ next move in latest Mockingjay clip