Sunday, January 23, 2011

5 Characters Everyone Hates But I Actually Like


Character 2: Ron Weasley
Why you no like me?

This is another one that baffles me. Why is there so much Ron hate? I've never understood it. There are whole webpages devoted to hating this guy. Is it because he's a ginger? (It better not be, 75% of the characters in Harry Potter are redheads. DUMBLEDORE was a redhead before he was old.) Is it because his actor has weirdly placed eyes? Like Raoul, here are the reasons I've managed to unearth on hating Ron, and here is my defense of him.

1. Ron is stupid.
Ron isn't stupid. He just has the misfortune of having a best friend who is extremely talented at Defense Against the Dark Arts and another best friend (and later girlfriend) who is extremely talented at everything. Ron also has the misfortune of having extremely talented older siblings, whereas Ron is...just, kinda average. There's nothing wrong with that. But in comparison with all these intelligent and amazing people, it does make him look stupid. But he's not. He's fended off Death Eaters, he can summon a Patronus, he is an EXCELLENT chess player, so back the eff off. Ron isn't stupid.

2. Ron is ignorant of others' feelings.
Well...he's kind of a guy. Snicker. Okay, I'll admit that empathy is not a strong suit of Ron's. He has a tendency of putting his foot in his mouth--it's a character flaw, what of it? He does this repeatedly throughout the series, breaks Hermione's heart through this flaw in the sixth, and then in the seventh genuinely works to overcome this. Look how much sweeter he is to her in the seventh--this is called character growth, people. Harry grew, Hermione grew, this was the way Ron grew. Sheesh. (I'd also point out that Fred and George, as lovable and amazing as they are, are often pretty cruel in their words to Ron and sometimes to others, but just because they're funnier and more attractive, they always get a free pass from fans. Also, this isn't slamming Fred and George--my favorite characters and the central characters of my fanfiction--but I am being realistic to their character.)

3. Ron isn't very loyal.
What?!

Oh wait...I assume you're referring to the grand total of TWO times Ron effed up and ditched Harry. The first was in the fourth book. The second was in the seventh.

Yeah, Ron screwed up both times. It happens. Characters (at least GOOD ones) screw up sometimes. But consider Ron's position. He grew up in a family with five older, more talented, smarter, better at Quidditch, and generally more attractive brothers. He was the youngest boy so he got all the handmedowns, and generally had the fact that he WASN'T his brothers shoved down his throat constantly. His best friend is Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, who is amazing at Defense Against the Dark Arts, an spectacular Seeker for the Quidditch team, and has had girls fancying him since he was a second year. And still, even through being shunted to the side all his life, he stuck by Harry. Frankly, the fact that he's only gotten frustrated and sick of it all TWICE is rather amazing, and an incredible testament to his personal loyalty.

Ron not loyal? Yeah, and Voldemort really did fancy Bellatrix back. Dumbass.

4. Ron messes with my Harry/Hermione ship.
You can't see it, but I'm giving you a withering glare that basically means you're an idiot. Really? The only reason you don't like Ron is because he gets the girl, not Harry?

Okay. It's time for my Ron/Hermione rant.

There has been support for Ron/Hermione since book three. It has in no way been forced. The constant bickering between the two of them has been little more than foreplay. FOREPLAY, people. Opposites attract. Ron is clueless when it comes to emotions, so it took him a very long time to realize he liked Hermione. Hermione, who is more adept with emotions, realized it earlier. Yeah, they fight all the time. Because they like each other. Sometimes couples never fight. A lot of times couples fight all the time. (In a good way)

As for Harry/Hermione...I'm sorry guys, but there has been NO support for Harry/Hermione ever. Ever. There has never been anything between them that wasn't strictly platonic. Harry has never seen Hermione in any way other than being his best friend--'like a sister', as he assured Ron in the seventh book. They have no romantic chemistry.

One of the main reasons I like Ron/Hermione is because Hermione, the main girl, the one who you'd expect to pick the hero, picks the sidekick. I LOVE this. I LOVE that she picked the flawed guy who messes up all the time rather than obvious hero choice. It fits perfectly within her character--Hermione LOVES lost causes. (S.P.E.W. sound familiar?) Not to mention, Hermione is clever enough to see who Ron precisely is--a loyal, essentially kind guy with a great sense of humor.

Much love, Roonil Wazlib. Much love.

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