Character Analysis
Why So Serious?
Ron is basically a comic relief character in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He owns a joke shop. He makes goofy comments to Hermione, his wife. And he sends Albus a love potion.
Basically, Ron hasn't changed much from his days as the Gryffindor jokester…even if his ginger mop might sport a few gray hairs.
But in the alternate timelines, we see a couple of alternate Rons, and they're serious in different ways.
In the first timeline, created when Albus and Scorpius dress in Durmstrang robes to hamper Cedric's progress at the Triwizard Tournament, Ron and Hermione never married. Scorpius explains it for us, saying,
SCORPIUS: Ron never got jealous and that jealousy was all-important and so Ron and Hermione stayed very good friends but never fell in love—never got married—never had Rose. (2.16.20)
Also, Ron is married to Padma Patel…and, weirdly, has no sense of humor.
In the "Harry's Dead" timeline, Ron shows what a true-blue friend he is, by staying with Hermione when they're soul-sucked by Dementors. The stage directions tell us: "It is terrifying" (3.9.40) in case you thought having your soul sucked out by Dementors was like getting a deep tissue massage or something.