"You're too slow."
Beetee Latier, Catching Fire pg 369
Imagine the person you love most in the world. The person you would do absolutely anything to protect and keep safe. Now imagine that you are physically incapable of doing that for them. That someone told you you're unable to help them because your body doesn't function the way someone else's does. We will never fully be able to understand unless we have a disability but just picture what this moment felt like for Peeta. Hearing that he isn't capable of participating in this part of the plan because it would endanger Katniss.
I wish I could remember who the couple people I've seen mention this are, but I recall seeing a theory that Peeta's nightmares would be about his inability to protect Katniss because of his leg. If that's true, and personally I believe it would be, then imagine how crushing of a blow this is. Also, how does this affect him post war during recovery? Does he get this memory back? Does he only know of it because Katniss tells him? How does he work through this part of his healing? This is a huge moment in terms of how he ended up in Snow's hands. How does Johanna cope with this moment post war? How does Beetee fit into the Victor's post war lives and healing? How does he live with his plan being what led to Johanna and Peeta's capture? And of course his role in designing bombs et al that killed Capitol children?
