I love Ronald’s character, and I find myself defending him more and more lately, as I’ve found that he is treated so poorly by fandom, (and even his creator J.K. Rowling at times.) Recently, I have found that there is an idea that Ron is merely the “bumbling sidekick,” that he’s “useless/goofy,” and even a “coward,” especially for leaving during DHs. Moreover, it has been stated that this is why Romione wouldn’t work, because Ron was never well-suited to her; he’s not in her league, and, therefore, Hermione was a better match for Harry. I, personally, believe that this negative backlash is a result of Ron’s poor characterization in the movies (and the fact that Hermione is turned into badass!Hermione in them as well.) Frankly, there is poor characterization for all of the Golden Trio, with Harry coming through as the least hurt, and Ron being the most desecrated. Hence, below is an in-depth examination of “Ronald’s Ruination.”
1. In the Philosopher’s Stone movie. you will note that in the Devil’s Snare scene, that Ron is shown to panic significantly, and lose his head in a crisis. Harry, however, trusts Hermione’s judgement and escapes before encouraging her to figure out a spell to save Ron who needs them to rescue him. This runs counter to the book wherein the trio must work together. Hermione tells them what the plant is, and Ron gets frustrated because knowing what it is is no help.Then, Hermione, taking that into consideration, says they need light. Thus, Harry suggests making a fire, but it is Hermione who panics and says “But there’s no wood!” and Ron bellows “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?” Hence, Movie!Ron panics, is generally useless, and requires a rescue. He jokes about it after saying “Lucky we didn’t panic” and is criticized by Harry who says, “Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology.” Book!Ron, however, does not lose his head and he and Hermione work together. Thus, this is the beginning of the establishment of his character in the movies as being lesser in importance or intelligence than Harry and Hermione while framing Harry and Hermione as “equals” with Ron being the weaker link. This is counter to the Book!Golden Trio where they all have to rely on each other to get through the first test.
2. The first problem with Ron’s characterization, (and Hermione’s), in the Chamber of Secrets movie is the scene after Ron attacks Malfoy. While he is vomiting up slugs, Hermione gets an angry rant, in the movies, about how “Mudblood is a really foul word for someone with non-magic parents…Someone like me.” She is in tears over it. In the book though, she knew by how everyone reacted that the word was offensive, but she didn’t know what it meant. In the books, it is Ron who knew what the word meant, being raised in the Wizarding World all his life, and, while belching up slugs, explains it to Hermione and Harry. In the movies, he just mutters “it’s disgusting” for comic relief. An important role for his character, that of the provider of the inside scoop of the Wizarding World, is lost. Moreover, it undermines the realism of Hermione’s character as well. She didn’t grow up in the Wizarding World and there are just some things she doesn’t know.
3. The second issue in Chamber of Secrets, the movie, is the scene where Ron follows Harry into the Forbidden Forest. In the books Harry suggests that they go and Ron, who suffers horrifically from arachnophobia, looks at Hermione’s empty seat, and, for her sake, resolves himself to go face his worse fear. As they enter the forest, “Ron sighs as though resigned to the worst, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”” Hence, Book!Ron, for the sake of his friends, resolutely goes into the forest, and shows remarkable courage in the face of his greatest fear. Regrettably, in the movie, he only follows Harry into the forest because he feels obliged to and complains about it. Thus, movie!Ron is portrayed as being rather more cowardly then book!Ron who is very brave, and obviously cares for Hermione quite deeply.
4. The next issue is in Prisoner of Azkaban where one of Ron’s bravest moments ever is given to Hermione. Book!Ron stands up on a broken leg to tell Sirius that if he “want[s] to kill Harry, you’ll have to kill us too.” Movie!Ron whimpers over his broken leg, almost oblivious to what’s going on, and Hermione is the one to stand in front of Harry. (This is one of the worst changes ever made in the movies. It’s such a major disservice to the characters. Ron’s extraordinary bravery is dismissed to turn him into a whimpering coward, likely for the sake of comic relief.)
5. In Order of the Phoenix, in the book, while Ronald is out winning the day for Gryffindor in quidditch, Harry and Hermione are dragged out by Hagrid to see Grawp. Hermione panics significantly and is downright terrified of Grawp. Nevertheless, in the movie, all three of the Trio are there, movie!Hermione becomes badass!Hermione again, and tells Grawp off. Ron, meanwhile, uselessly tries to attack him with a stick. Thus, once again: Movie! Ron is goofy/useless and Movie!Hermione is super-girl.
6. Finally, we get to Half-Blood Prince where the way the final scene is shot embodies all of my issues with the way that the Golden Trio is handled in the films. In the book, when Harry tells Ron and Hermione his plans, it is Ron who says loyally, “We’ll be there, Harry…. At your aunt and uncle’s house…And then we’ll go with you, wherever you’re going.” It is Ron who stands by Harry first. Then, when Harry objects, Hermione chimes in that they’ve made their decision and they’re going with him. Ron agrees and reiterates where Harry goes, they go. Accepting this, Harry looks out at the grounds and marvels that he has at least one more peaceful day to spend with his friends. The way the scene is described demonstrates Ron’s loyalty and his bravery. It also shows how he and Hermione work as a team to support Harry, together. It highlights Ron and Hermione as equals and Harry as their leader.
In the movies this is lost entirely. Observe this image:
Hermione stands next to Harry and declares that she and Ron will go with him. “You need us Harry.” Note that Ron cannot even be seen on the screen. He isn’t in the frame. This conversation happens entirely between Harry and Hermione. Want to know where Ron is? He’s in the background sitting down watching them as shown below:
Ron is sitting in shadow away from the conversation, left out almost entirely, while Harry and Hermione are in the light. Honestly, is it any wonder at this point why Harmony is so popular? Why Romione is so unpopular? Why Ron is so marginalized? The movie butchers his character by making him lesser than Harry and Hermione who are always seen together. He is made to be seen as not their equal. Harry and Hermione stand up. Ron sits down. Harry and Hermione are in the sun. Ron is in the shade. Hermione stands by Harry, but Ron just sits there and lets Hermione talk for him. Thus, the Golden Trio is reduced to Harmony and sidekick. Honestly, it’s an abominable portrayal that has pervaded our culture and the fandom. Finally you get this scene:
Ron finally gets up, after Harry and Hermione are done talking, and the three of them look out at the grounds. Note that Ron is standing slightly behind Harry and Hermione. This does two things. 1. It indicates that Ron is not their equal and cannot stand beside them. 2. It makes Hermione and Harry appear like “co-leaders” when it is clear in HBP that she and Ron are merely following Harry’s lead. (If they aren’t going to stand together in the movie, it really should be Harry in front with Ron and Hermione behind him.) Ron and Hermione follow Harry together. This is particularly important when in DHs, they, Ron and Hermione, start to question Harry’s leadership, however briefly, because it is always Ron and Hermione backing up Harry together and following his lead.
7. As for Deathly Hallows, it was always more significant that Ron came back not that he left. This was, regrettably, left out of the movies. Ron had more for the horcrux to work with than Hermione and Harry, more family to worry about, more insecurities to prey on. He was almost being possessed by Voldemort who was egging him on, but, in spite of this, he came back ASAP, faced down his worst insecurities and destroyed them. That is awesome. It says a great deal about his character. All of it positive. Despite feeling inadequate, despite being terrified, he comes back to do what’s right, and take responsibility for his own actions. This is the moment I’d say that Ron truly became a man.
Hence, due to the cuts made of Ron’s more powerful moments, with the moments that were kept being mostly given to Hermione or diminished entirely, and the way the movie was shot itself emphasizing Hermione in the frame, and/or Hermione and Harry, (Harmony), it’s no wonder people think so poorly of Ron’s character and of Romione. This is exacerbated too by the fact that Hermione is over-emphasized in the movies. To list some examples:
In Philosopher’s Stone, she rescues Ron who panics.
In Chamber of Secrets she immobilizes all of the pixies with one spell when, at her level of magic, book!Hermione could only do a couple at a time.
In the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, she has more to do in the time travel sequence, and figures out a few things that Harry’s supposed to.
She also evidently “saves his life.”
In Goblet of Fire, Hermione is often framed with Harry alone, even after he and Ron make up, and Harry is implied to rely on her more than Ron, even though it’s clear in the books his relationship with Ron is just as important. He even gets tired of her company exclusively as, while he values her friendship deeply, he had more fun with Ron. That was an equally important relationship to him.
In Order of the Phoenix, Movie!Hermione stands up to Grawp where book!Hermione panicked.
In Half-Blood Prince, it is Hermione who stands by Harry and tells him she’s coming with him in the end. As I’ve already pointed out, Ron is almost entirely left out.
In Deathly Hallows, Hermione is the one to suggest jumping onto the dragon. In the books, that is Harry’s idea. Again, it is Hermione who panics.
Ultimately, if anyone is going to lose their head, it is Hermione. She is a planner. She is not spontaneous as a general rule.
By ignoring the fact that it is Hermione, not Ron, who typically panics, and Hermione is the worst at defensive magic and dueling, but the best at research, they turn her into badass!Hermione. They alter her character just as much as Ron’s. This alteration just highlights how much ‘better’ she seems to be than Ron in the movies, how much closer she seems to be to Harry compared to Ron, and harms his character due to the even more blatant contrast movie!Hermione provides to movie!Ron. This divide also harms the portrayal of Romione as they are never really portrayed as equals. In the books, Ron and Hermione suited each other far better than they did in the moves. They were a team, and the Golden Trio was the Golden Trio not Harmony and sidekick.
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