Why Ron is the Best Character in the Harry Potter Series

Ron gets more shit than nearly any other character in the series but I think he's wonderful.

First Year: Generally people complain that he made Hermione cry and said she had no friends and other mean things. He was right though. Hermione was being a stuck up bitch and what he said was mean and rude but at the end of the day she humiliated him and he reacted like an 11 year old. But he made it up to her, he fought a troll to save her and then became her friend. At the end of the year he sacrificed himself, frankly risking death, in order that Harry and Hermione can go on with no thought to his own safety.

Second Year: Now Ron has spent his whole life being told Slytherins are evil and parseltoungue=dark magic. Yet when his best friend is caught speaking the language and is widely believed to be Slytherins heir, being bullied in the corridors, does he abandon him? No of course not, he's too loyal. Then at the end of the year he goes to fight Slytherins monster because his friend and sister were hurt, facing death for the ones he loves.

Third Year: Hermione was a bitch and went behind their backs about the broom, didn't even think to mention that she went to speak to McGonagall. She was also wrong about it being cursed as much as she was right about it being from Sirius. She also was heartless about Scabbers (idgaf that he was Wormtail, she was still heartless about her cat having "killed" his pet). Ron again reacts normally,hurt by his friend but he can't stay mad for long and ultimately forgives her. End of the year Ron stands up to what he believes is a mass murderer "if you want to kill Harry you'll have to kill me too". He's also there for Harry all year when a murderer is trying to kill him, not even when Sirius "almost kills" him with a knife in the dorms does he try and distance himself from Harry. He stands by his friend.

Fourth Year: This is the only thing I have against him, shitty thing to do but I can still understand it, he believes Harry put his name in the Goblet. Imagine you're Ron though. You spend weeks dreaming that maybe you'll be picked for the tournament, yeah you're underage but maybe just maybe you'll get to shine for once publicly and do something none of your brothers got to do, make your Mum proud and hey maybe Hermione will notice...she's been getting cute lately. But nah it's your famous bff. He reacts like a normal teenager. You know what though? End of the year there's not one doubt in his mind about Harry saying that Voldemorts back despite much less evidence.

Fifth Year: They were right not to write to him, one wrong word could have been a disaster for the Order. Harry was being a child, they were at war and couldn't risk any sensitive information being leaked. He spends the entire year supporting Harry being a little bitch, he defies the ministry and trains for the fight ahead mastering magic many adults cant do (on that note his Patronus? A dog. Loyal to a fault). End of the year he goes to fight Death Eaters at the ministry because his friend had a dream and he knew fighting Voldemort (who he thought would be there) was the right thing to do.

Sixth Year: He is nothing but a good friend. He even does the mature thing and hooks up with Lavender because he accepts nothings happening with Hermione. Also, at this point he knows his best friend is prophesied to kill or be killed by the most powerful dark wizard in history. Does he run away? Nope, he duels said dark wizards followers at the end of the year and pledges his loyalty to Harry on what seems like an impossible mission.

Seventh Year: So Harry has no family and Hermione hides hers in Australia with no one noticing cause their muggles, grand. Ron on the other hand by the time he leaves for the hunt has one earless brother and another mauled by a werewolf. He doesn't have to go, Hermione and Harry can't go back to Hogwarts cause mudblood and chosen one. Ron can. Ginny does, Neville does, Luna does. Ron goes on the hunt anyway, putting himself and his family at risk. He's also human and worries about them, then they get a Horcrux, great.

By this point his sister has been in a Death Eater ran school for 3 months and 2 of his brothers are being hunted for taking a stand and his whole family is under surveillance, (this is especially worrying as they are involved in a long term lie about him being sick). If they are caught they will be tortured into insanity and killed. He still goes because he knows it is the right thing to do. He also goes without a clear idea of what is going to happen but he goes because he knows his friend has a plan, except he has no fucking clue.

Then the Horcrux plays on all of this and he snaps and in a moment of weakness, after hearing his sister was punished at the school she is trapped in ran by Death Eaters and no one but him even pauses to think about it, Harry tells him to go and he does. He immediately regrets it and tried to go back but Harry and Hermione have already left, it's not his fault they didn't wait and he couldn't find them.

He eventually comes back, after being completely off the hook, saves Harry's life and destroys a Horcrux, overcoming his insecurities and completing the growth of the most compelling character arcs in the books. The scenes with the mirror in The Philosophers Stone, when Harry catches him sneaking out to practice Quidditch and the horcrux lays out every problem with Ron perfectly; his insecurities about his family, not being good enough for his mother, the girl he loves preferring his friend, being the weak member of the group. The Horcrux then throws all this and more back at him...so he stabs it in the face. Because he has finally realised he is good enough, that he does have value and that he should be happy with who he is.

We also see a notable change in him from this point on. He is much more confidant and calm, he gets Hermione and is able to be possibly the most valuable he has been in the entire series.

He then goes on to help destroy 2/3 remaining horcruxes, fights in the Battle of Hogwarts and is one of only three people to directly stare down Voldemort and defy him ("He beat you") and continues to fight for what is right, even knowing Harry is dead and being one of only two people who knew the prophecy he actually thought the fight was futile at that point but he kept going because it was the right thing to do.

Ron is the heart of the trio, he's the only one who shows true character growth in a realistic manner. Sure he makes mistakes but he overcomes them and ultimately becomes a better person for it. He can be insensitive at times but he more than makes up for it by being the most loyal and decent person in the series.

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