Ron Stoppable - Blog Posts
such a classic kim-ron moment, probably my fave line from the live-action movie
This is so beautiful. But imagine it? Wade has a cousin. She looked up to Kim throughout her childhood, then when she entered high school she became just like Kim while Kim was off doing super secret missions that she couldn't leave to save the rest of the world. I'd absolutely watch a reboot like this.
Kim Possible
Unstoppables AU Valentine's
No one asked, but here's what everyone in my AU is doing for Valentine's Day.
Ron and Bonnie are having a quiet night in. Ron made food, Bonnie picked up some movies and arranged for someone to watch Rufus and Debutante.
Monique and Tara are going out for dinner.
Wade and Olivia are going to a movie.
Yori explains to Will that, in Japan, Valentine's Day is for girls to confess to their crush, and if the feelings are reciprocated, they get them a gift a month later on White Day. Will says she can take him out then, and he'll take her out a month later.
Felix and Zita are gaming. They both put surprises in the game for the other one to find.
Brick, Josh, and Justine are participating in a trivia night at a local pub.
Gil, Amelia, Larry, Joss, Patti, and Artie are having a "singles party" at Larry and Joss's apartment. Patti's only there because her parents wanted the house to themselves for the night, and Artie's only there because his dad had a date.
Drakken made a nice dinner and dessert for Shego. Her surprise for him is for later in the evening.
The only way Jack was able to take Betty on a date for Valentine's Day was to lead her on a chase that ends in a date.
So, I know I point out a lot about how Kim doesn't seem to value Ron all that much. But, in the interest of fairness, I am going to point out that...
...it seems to be a recent development.
In "A Sitch in Time" we learn that Kim and Ron met in preschool. Kim thought Ron was weird back then, but seemed to enjoy it.
In middle school, Kim was more sensitive to Ron's feelings, such as apologizing for making Ron feel bad about not getting a new computer. She was also kinder about Rufus.
So, somewhere along the way, Kim started disliking all the things she used to like about Ron, including Rufus.
It's anybody's guess as to when and why this happened, but it is truly sad to hear.
Kim used to like that Ron was weird and different. Now, she can't stand it.
Since I mentioned that there are times when Kim could have gotten character development if the creators had chosen to do it, I thought it'd be fair to give examples.
"The New Ron" - Kim learns she can be pushy and needs to respect her friends' decisions, even if she doesn't agree with them.
Note: I'd like to take out the aspect where Ron embraces the haircut and have him stay miserable instead. The takeaway from this episode, as written, is that you shouldn't force people into things because you might hate it. I want to focus on how miserable it'd make others to be forced into something like that. So, for those purposes, Ron stays miserable with his new haircut, and Kim learns that the reason you don't push people into stuff like that is because they'll be miserable and that's not something you should do to your friends.
"Number One" - If they had chosen to portray Will as competent, this could have been a valuable lesson for Kim about how being good at something doesn't mean no one else is good at it either. And that someone else being good at something doesn't diminish your skills. And that, sometimes, it is better to let someone else take over. The episode could end with Kim having a moment of humility where she has Bonnie takeover the job as Cheer Captain, not because she believes Bonnie will give it up in a few weeks, but because Bonnie is genuinely much better suited for the job.
"Sink or Swim" and "Return to Wannaweep" - These could have been episodes where Kim recognizes that she tends to dismiss Ron's feelings and realizes she needs to work on that.
"Coach Possible" - This would be a great moment for Kim to recognize that her competitive drive can get the best of her. It would be great if, to show that Kim recognized this and is going to work on it, they actually showed Kim apologizing to the team.
"The Ron Factor" - This would have been a great episode about Kim recognizing Ron's contributions and learning to appreciate him more.
"Adventures in Rufus-Sitting" - Kim could learn a lesson about taking her responsibilities seriously, both watching Rufus and guarding the chip.
It has come to my attention that a lot of people are probably under the impression that I hate Kim since I criticize her behavior a lot.
This is not true.
I do believe that Kim is selfish and very flawed.
And I'm frustrated that her flaws are often overlooked or ignored or, in the rare instances where her harmful actions are actually acknowledged, downplayed, easily forgiven, and not changed.
But this is not because I hate Kim.
This is because I love Kim, or at least I used to, and wish she had gotten better character development.
Kim is the main character. Heck, Kim is the titular character. Kim is the focus of the show.
But Ron is the relatable character. Ron is the one who gets the most development. Ron got so much development that, in the fourth season, they actually had him take a back seat on some missions to a literal baby because they made Ron too good to keep being Kim's sidekick.
(Not sure if that was their thought process or intention, but it happened.)
Overall, Kim remains a static character. What little character development she gets does not compare to Ron. At all.
Now, obviously I love Ron, too.
But Kim also should have gotten character development. And every time the creators had a chance for it, they decided against it.
I would honestly love Kim a lot more if they had given her the same level of character development they gave Ron.
I mean, the fans deserve that, at least.
Don't you think you are missing the point? Because of how often Ron is overlooked whenever he gets any ounce of attention, it usually goes to his head. I think the chapter focused on this flaw not to make the conflict as one-sided on kim's end. Ron was being a bit patrionizing through the episode. So, Ron acknowladging it was the Kim factor, despite being Ron who defeated the villain showcase his character growth and is a sign of humilty and modesty.
Is one of my favorite moments of his character, I like how supportive and kind he is to Kim. Maybe what was missing was Kim acknowladging Ron more often? how would you've liked to see the episode/ending play out? What would you change?
I wouldn't say I'm missing the point. I'd say I'm saying it's stupid. Huge difference.
Furthermore, as I have rewatched the series recently, I can confidently say that, attention does not, actually, go to Ron's head when he receives it.
(And even if it did, that's not an excuse to constantly beat on the guy's self-esteem when even the anon asking this question admits he's constantly over looked.)
At this point in time, "Ron Millionaire" hasn't happened yet, so Kim's only examples would be "Bueno Nacho", "The New Ron", and "Two to Tutor", and in none of those did Ron get a big head.
(But if you're someone who's threatened by other people being successful and confident, it's the same thing.)
In "Bueno Nacho", Ron invented the Naco and got the job as the boss because of it. Being good at his job and actually enjoying it doesn't mean it went to his head, nor was asking Kim to do the job she originally signed them up for.
In "The New Ron", Ron started caring about fashion and hair-care, but this still doesn't mean he had an ego problem.
In "Two to Tutor", Ron was successful, popular, and confident because of his baking skills, and that still doesn't mean he had an ego problem.
Know why? Because he was enjoying the positive attention without putting down others or making fun of them.
Was Ron a little rude in this episode? Yes. But to say it's a recurring problem when it provably isn't shows more about Kim than Ron.
Namely that, to Kim, it doesn't matter if Ron actually has an ego problem or is just confident, it's unacceptable for Ron to be anything but her insecure, bumbling sidekick.
(Seriously, Kim is allowed to say she can do anything, but Ron isn't allowed to say he's good at one thing? How is that a fair and equal relationship?)
It's also worth mentioning that, yes, Ron is provably important to Kim's success, because she has failed any mission she tries to do alone.
Ron's already humble and modest, to the point of insecurity and self-deprecation. He really didn't need to be told, again, that he's nothing special.
How would I have liked this to go? Easy:
It starts out pretty much the same, but, at some point, Kim is watching feeds of her missions and sees, from an outside perspective, how important Ron actually is to her success.
*cue dawning look of realization*
At the end, after Gemini is defeated, we get an exchange like this:
Kim: "I was so upset about this whole Ron-factor thing at first, but, after watching some surveillance videos, I realized they're right."
Ron and Rufus: "Huh?!"
Kim: "I'm really good at the action stuff, but your quick-thinking and resourcefulness has been more helpful than I realized. I'm sorry I never acknowledged that before."
Ron: "Thanks, KP. That means a lot. Sorry I was kind of rude earlier. Friends?"
Kim: "The best."
*hug*
Ron: "But, for the record, it's not you or me, it's us. We're a team. It's not about a Kim Factor or a Ron Factor, it's us together that makes it work."
Dr. Director: "Hmm...perhaps we should spend time studying both of you."
Thoughts on "The Ron Factor"
So, obviously, this is an episode I have a lot of thoughts on.
I will acknowledge that Kim does have some cool moves in this episode.
But, it also seems fair to acknowledge that, despite those cool moves, Kim didn't defeat the bad guy.
That was done by Ron, with a little help from Rufus.
It's also worth mentioning that, yes, Kim is dependent on Ron to succeed on missions, as shown in "Bueno Nacho".
And it's not fair to anyone, Ron especially, that, after Ron defeats the bad guy, he decides to give Kim all the credit.
Kim has impressive skills and definitely demonstrated them in this episode, but that doesn't mean Ron isn't a factor in her success.
And a role model would recognize that yes, Ron is important to her success, but that doesn't mean she's not amazing too.
She'd be supportive of Ron and happy for him, while still making Global Justice see that she's still amazing.
(And, no one said she wasn't amazing, they just said Ron was probably the key factor to her success.)
Other thoughts, in no particular order:
So, did Betty and Sheldon actually lose their eyes, or are they just being dramatic?
(I wouldn't put it past them.)
Is Sheldon's robotic hand prosthetic or some kind of glove? If prosthetic, how did he lose it?
Realistic sibling relationship: Betty and Sheldon immediately resort to childish squabbling when near each other, despite having spent the entire rest of the episode being ominous and brooding.
(The Cain Instinct is strong with these two.)
Honestly, that Chaos Theory thing might not be far off. And if Wade thinks there's some merit to it, I'm inclined to believe him.
I realize they said Ron was a "non-factor" at the end, but there is canon evidence that contradicts this.
It's probably that Ron is a factor, but not in any way that would actually show up on tests.
Thus, they assumed there was no "Ron Factor".
A criticism I’ve heard people say towards Ron’s character is that he was too caught up on his own anxieties and feelings through S4 and that he stopped being Kim’s emotional support, with there being no room for Kim’s own problems.
I’ve also seen people say Ron was much more competent on early seasons and that his characterization on later seasons was a downgrade. Do you think any of this is true?
Admittedly, I haven't watched every episode recently, but I think I've watched enough to comment.
Firstly:
Ron's always had massive insecurities to deal with.
Monique's debut episode, "Pain King vs Cleopatra", has him be afraid he's going to be replaced as Kim's best friend/sidekick.
"Exchange" has Ron show insecurity over his lack of ability in martial arts.
"Grudge Match" and "Virtu-Ron" show Ron has insecurities when it comes to dating.
So, it's not as though Ron having anxieties is a new thing.
Also, and this is a genuine question, but what problems does Kim have in S4 that Ron's not helping with?
He tries to help her feel better about her brothers being skipped ahead.
He tries to offer her advice about finding a new mission outfit. It was even his idea to go to The Fashionistas for it.
Remember, despite Monique having constructed the outfit, The Fashionistas had designed it.
So, it wasn't a bad idea.
The only problem he wasn't helping with was in "Fashion Victim", and it's not as though he didn't want to; he was locked in a crate with Barkin at the time and couldn't.
Also, the main personal conflict in that episode was between her and Monique. It's not as though Ron could've helped with that anyways.
Not to mention, after 3 seasons of Ron being Kim's emotional support, it's only fair that she start being his now that they're dating.
Secondly:
I wanted to argue against Ron getting a downgrade in S4, but I do see the point about Ron not having a lot of awesome moments in this season.
I'm just not sure if it was done with the intention of having Kim and Rufus shine more.
It could be because, to show the audience that Hana is a powerful weapon, they had her be the one dealing finishing blows to Monkey Fist, when typically that would've gone to Ron.
It could also be that they realize they made Ron too competent to be a sidekick, so they needed him to be less competent without explanation, and were just hoping that no one noticed.
Honestly, whatever the reason, it is kind of annoying. Ron is extremely competent at times, and he deserves to shine and be recognized for it.
He deserves to be Kim's partner, not her sidekick.
So, I do agree with the second criticism, though I'm not sure about the reason, but I don't really agree with the first.
But I do love when people send me asks! Feel free to send more!
Thoughts About "Clean Slate"
Obviously, I have thoughts.
And they're mostly about Kim/Ron.
More specifically, the fact that Kim doesn't remember the fact that she and Ron are dating.
Even more specifically, he reaction to being told they're dating.
Ron: No, not to worry. I’ll have KP back in time for dinner. After school I’ll give her a refresher around Middleton. It’ll be like a second first date.
Kim: Are you hitting on me?
Ron: Um, Kim, we are dating. I’m your boyfriend.
Kim: Boyfriend? Oh, wait, you’re serious?
So, here we have Kim finding the idea of her dating Ron amusing. She doesn't take it seriously, and doesn't seem interested in the idea.
I realize that Kim can't remember anything at the moment, and thus she's not really acting like herself.
But it's kind of unfair that Ron is the last thing Kim remembers.
Ron, who should be the most important person in Kim's life.
Ron, who is certainly the most integral person in Kim's life.
Ron, who is the biggest constant in Kim's life, the person she's spent the most time around, and she doesn't remember dating him until the end of the episode.
And it's annoying when we get scenes like this:
Ron: Hey, just take it slow, Kim. Nothing to worry about. You’re among friends.
Bonnie: Unh. Just learned to walk, K?
Ron: Except for Bonnie!
Kim: Bonnie? Oh, Bonnie! She and I are on the same cheer squad, right? So we’d be friends.
---
Monique: Ron, Wade told me. Lost memory. How’s she doing?
Ron: Eh, a little sketchy in some areas, particularly relationships. You know, she needs to remember things on her own, so don’t expect Kim to just--
Kim: Monique? Monique! I remember you! The first time I met you was at Club Banana. We’re, like, best friends.
---
Ron: Now, you can’t tell me that you don’t remember Bueno Nacho.
Kim: How could I forget? The center of the cheese and chip universe. Home of the naco and managed by Ned.
Ron: How is it you remember everything but the fact that we’re a couple?
Kim: Couple of what?
Ron: People who are dating.
Kim: Are you sure that we were dating? I mean sometimes people read a little more into things than they should, right?
Ron: OK, look, photo evidence, K.P.
Kim: Oh, wait a minute.
Ron: Prom, dancing, the kiss.
Kim: You called me in the middle of the night once to ask about us dating.
Ron: Yes!
Rufus: Yeah!
Kim: Then you said I melted.
Ron: No, ok, no, that was just a dream.
Kim: So we were dating in a dream you had?
Ron: Well, yes, in the dream, but also--
Kim: Why is my watch beeping?
Ron: Wade.
Kim: Hi, uh, Wade?
Ron: How did you remember his name?
Kim: You just said it.
Ron: Oh, right.
Wade: How are you doing, Kim?
Kim: Wade? Oh, Wade! Better. I’m starting to remember stuff.
---
Ron: Wait, wait, wait, wait! Shego, you tell her. Kim and I are dating, right?
Shego: What? For real? Oh, come on. That never made any sense to me. I mean--
Ron: See? That wasn’t a no. Unh.
Kim: Glowing hand. Glow…Go…Shego!
---
Wade: Ron? Ron fought Shego? Alone?
Kim: Well, I don’t know if fought is the right word.
Ron: Sure it is. I fought. Fought for my life.
Wade: Well, hopefully this will help Kim remember her fighting skills.
Kim: Cheer practice?
Wade: Well, so far all of your memories have been triggered by some event or meeting. Good luck.
Bonnie: Hello? Late for practice much?
Ron: OK, don’t let Bonnie get to you and whatever you do, don’t listen to anything she says. You’ll be fine.
Bonnie: I don’t know what your problem is, Kim. I knew this would happen when you started dating Naco Boy.
Ron: Aha, Kim, you see? Do you see? I’m Naco Boy.
Kim: Yeah, I shouldn’t listen to what Bonnie says.
It's not fair that Kim can't remember dating Ron, her best friend of 10+ years, someone who is extremely important to her, until he loses his pants again.
She remembers everything about Monique after just running into her in the halls.
She vaguely remembers Bonnie after running into her, and gets her full memory of Bonnie, including a complicated cheer routine, back after one try.
She remembers Bueno Nacho by just showing up.
She remembers Wade after a phone call.
She remembers Shego as soon as her hands start glowing.
And she remembers Drakken and how to fight before she even goes to confront him again.
But she can't remember Ron until the end of the episode?
This is unfair to everyone.
Especially since Kim is, for some reason, so resistant to the idea of them dating.
I mean, I guess I can understand not immediately believing you're dating some random guy, but Ron's not some random guy.
Kim still remembers their friendship, and trusts him on everything else.
But she doesn't accept that they're dating.
She won't even consider the idea.
And, if dating Ron was as important to her as cheerleading, fighting Shego, hanging out with Monique, or going to Bueno Nacho, shouldn't something have triggered her memory earlier?
Especially since Ron is involved in pretty much every aspect of Kim's life?
But, no, she doesn't remember until he loses his pants.
Not riding on the back of his scooter, which she did during the Li'l Diablos incident which, coincidentally, was the same day they started dating.
And did several other times before Kim got her own car.
Not going to Bueno Nacho, which they do all the time.
Not cheerleading, which Ron happens to be kind of involved in as the mascot.
Not even seeing Ron, which was enough for her to completely remember Monique and Wade (over video!) and kind of remember Bonnie.
No, the only thing that triggers Kim's memory of Ron is that he loses his pants.
And the fact that nothing but Ron losing his pants triggers her memory of them dating, implies that, on a subconscious level, that's how she views Ron.
Not as her boyfriend, but as her clumsy, bumbling, inept sidekick who's always losing his pants.
And everyone - Kim, Ron, us viewers - deserved better.
Thoughts on "Emotion Sickness"
This is one of the most frequently-cited episodes for evidence that Kim's always been in love with Ron, even if she just didn't realize it. And, honestly, if that's how you choose to interpret it, fine.
But looking at it through adult eyes, and comparing it to the rest of the series, it doesn't quite fit.
But, before we begin, a thought:
It would have been better if they gave the little black dress scene to the fully grown woman instead of the teenage girl.
(Or not include it at all.)
Seriously. Gross.
Now, on to my analysis.
First, the outfit:
This is not the style of outfit Kim picks for dates. The dress is too short and too tight and there are too many accessories.
This is Kim's style for date outfits. Knee-length dress that doesn't hug her curves and minimal accessories.
Even her Junior Prom dress isn't quite like the one from "Emotion Sickness".
The dress Kim wore in "Emotion Sickness" isn't like one Kim would wear on a date.
At all.
Secondly, Kim's behavior:
Now, we've seen Kim on a few dates. She's usually nervous and afraid of messing up.
I'm not saying these are good traits to have, but they do coincide with another thing:
She's not usually the one initiating physical affection.
But under the effects of the Moodulator, she kisses Ron without even making sure it's something he'd want.
Conclusion:
Kim might have had some underlying feeling enhanced, but it doesn't appear to be romantic attraction, just physical attraction.
(Which, again, gross.)
Kim was attracted to Ron, but not in love with him.
Where do you think the belief that Ron isn’t good enough for Kim comes from? Do you agree with that claim?
I definitely disagree with that claim. As for where it came from...
I'm not sure.
I'm sure the fact that the narrative itself treats Ron like a loser has played a huge part in this.
Kim is treated like an all-star crimefighter who can do anything, and Ron is treated like her inept, bumbling sidekick.
So, obviously, Kim deserves a cooler boyfriend, right?
(That's sarcasm, for people who have trouble telling tone over text.)
Except, it's been shown that Ron is actually very capable when necessary, even if the narrative and the characters won't acknowledge it.
Not to mention, healthy relationships are built on more than just similar skill levels.
Healthy relationships are built on things like support, communication, and friendship. Those are all things Ron offers Kim constantly.
(I have made several posts about how Kim doesn't offer those things to Ron, so I'm not going to get into it here.)
Ultimately, Ron is too good for Kim, and he deserves someone who at least appreciates the effort he puts into the relationship, even if they can't quite match it.
So, I definitely disagree with that claim, even if I'm not sure where it came from.
(I have a fanfic series on AO3 that addresses a lot of my issues with Kim, but Kim and Ron break up in the first installment. If that's not your thing, I'm going to advise against it.)
Do you think Ron was a good sidekick for Kim?
I think Ron is too good a sidekick.
I think he's so good, in fact, that he deserves to be acknowledged as a partner.
Ron has impressive skills, and was shown to be able to handle missions on his own on several occasions.
He didn't have a problem following Kim's lead, though has expressed a desire to step out on his own as a hero.
My only problem with Ron as a sidekick is that he deserves better. An equal partnership, at least. With his own gadgets and battle suit and the same amount of recognition and gratitude that Kim gets.
Ron, even as "just a sidekick", is essential to Kim's success, even if she won't admit it.
So he is definitely a great sidekick, even though he deserves much better.
Thoughts on "Larry's Birthday"
First Thought: Who the fuck let an old lady own a puma?! How did this happen?! Just...what?!
And she owns an alligator too?!
And briefly owned a grizzly?!
Who is this woman?!
Second Thought: Wade should have told them it was a puma before they even went on that mission.
Kim might have had a battle suit to protect her, but Ron didn't, and should have been told ahead of time the kind of danger it really was so he could better prepare himself, even if it meant not going.
Third Thought: Since when does Kim have a Cuddle Buddy collection? I know it's been mentioned before, but her Pandaroo is the only one that's ever seen. I'd hardly call that a collection.
Not trying to be insulting, I'm saying it'd be nice to see Kim with other Cuddle Buddies. One Cuddle Buddy does not a collection make, so show us the other ones she has.
Fourth Thought: Ron needs to work on not telling other people about Kim's secrets. Not just about the battle suit, but her Cuddle Buddy collection was also meant to be a secret and he shouldn't have told Larry about that either.
Fifth Thought: Not really role model behavior from Kim here:
Says she and Larry don't share the same planet.
Runs out of the comic shop exclaiming "real world" as though spending time around geeks is physically harmful.
She apologizes for putting down Larry's interests at the end, but then makes a condescending comment about real life being cooler than science fiction.
(Kim's real life might be cooler than made-up scenarios, but the average person's real life isn't.)
Sixth Thought: Gotta agree with June here: a guy who willingly stands around during a fight, comments on how it's like a video game, ignores the suggestion to get to safety because "it's just getting good", and gets into a helicopter with strange people assuming it's a LARP for his birthday, is not someone who should be left alone.
Seventh Thought: Why is Larry's birthday party being thrown at Kim's house? Shouldn't it be thrown at Larry's house?
Kim's kind of condescending, but I feel bad that she has to either attend a party she, no doubt, doesn't want to go to, or spend the whole day out of her own house to avoid it.
Also, I feel bad for Kim, with her closet getting blown up. I know it probably gets fixed quickly, but I still feel bad for her.
Eighth Thought: Does June not have any pictures of Larry dressed in normal clothing to use for the posters? Is the wizard costume the only outfit he ever took a picture in?
Ninth Thought: Kim doesn't care about Ron or Hana. Okay, that's probably not true, but she should never have suggested that Ron bring his baby sister on a mission when he's supposed to be watching her.
(Would you be okay if your SO told you to bring your baby sister on a potentially life-threatening adventure?)
She called it "recon" and said it wouldn't be dangerous, but she was clearly expecting to run into Dementor and his henchman while doing it, and thus expecting a fight. And Ron would have had to protect himself and Hana while fighting. This is not the behavior of someone who cares about Ron or his loved ones.
(Especially when she will adamantly deny needing Ron on missions, so, if she had truly believed it wouldn't be dangerous, there was no reason to bring him along anyways. And if she had believed it would be dangerous, she should never have suggested bringing the baby.)
Also, it's not really fair of Kim to not believe Ron when he said he didn't blow up the lair. Ron is canonically a terrible liar, and he wouldn't lie in the first place. He'd own up to his mistake, like he's done every other time he accidentally destroyed something.
Final Thought: Regardless of Larry thinking the whole thing was a LARP, he was pretty badass at the end. He needs a reality check and his own battle suit. He would make great backup on a mission.
(Ron also needs his own battle suit, but that's a discussion for another time.)
Is surprising how much of the humor was based at Ron’s expense, specially when some of his behaviors like having hyperfixation over things he liked (Bueno nacho, wrestling) or scenes where he had to deals with issues such as dealing with fear, phobias and/or anxiety were oftentimes downplayed of painted in a way to make him look “funny”, “silly” or “dumb”.
Ron more often than not read as being neurodivergent and gender non conforming.
Why make fun of him using the things that could potentially make him relatable towards the audience?
I also agree with you about Kim feeling too perfect at times.
An argument I’ve heard people make was that Ron stole Kim’s spotlight at the end of the show. In that it was supposed to be “The Kim possible show, not Ron stoppable” Do you think this argument has any merit?
Sometimes I wish Ron as a character was convinced as a girl instead of a boy, to show girls could be silly, weird and awkward and still manage be useful in their own ways. (Similar to Luz from the owl house or Lilo from Lilo and Stitch).
This is part of the reason why despite being a girl, I always liked him and related to him more than with Kim. You feel the same way, don’t you?
Yeah, a lot of the things that Ron was made fun of for are things that made him relatable to the audience, so it seems like a terrible idea to make fun of those traits.
And making fun of him for things like being gender nonconforming, being neurodivergent, or having PTSD-induced phobias, is not something that seems funny 20 years later.
(Whether or not Ron was intended to be any of those things, he was coded that way, so it's hurtful to people who relate to him to see him being made fun of for that.)
And Ron was a main character, but he was mostly there to be made fun of.
What's the point of a main character who's sole purpose is to be made fun of?
Kim did feel overly perfect; her parents are too permissive with non-menial jobs, she's relatively popular, and she's rarely shown to not be instantly good at things.
She's known to practice cheerleading, but "A Sitch in Time" shows her doing an impossible routine on her first tryout.
She's never shown receiving any kind of Kung Fu training, but is apparently very skilled anyways.
All in all, Kim's life is perfect, and it makes it hard for people to relate to her.
I do think the focus shifted away from Kim a bit in season 4, especially once Hana was introduced. It definitely felt like there were more Ron-centric episodes in that season than in any of the previous three.
(They hadn't actually planned on continuing the show after "So The Drama", so I guess they didn't have as many plots for Kim as they did for Ron.)
Honestly, Kim having a female friend who's silly, weird, and awkward would have been awesome. Not every female character needs to be serious and focused all the time.
I'm not sure if I'd want it to be a female version of Ron, but I would think it'd be great to introduce a character like that.
Especially if it causes Kim to reflect on her relationship with Ron and how she's treated him at times.
Yes, I do relate to Ron more than I relate to Kim. I am female, but I am also neurodivergent and gender nonconforming, and Ron is a character I relate a lot to.
And I'm not the only one.
So a show indirectly making fun of me isn't something I'm okay with.
Will Du: Can't, or Can? (Redux)
Starting off with a fun fact: Will's original concept was Ken Du, who was just as capable as Kim. They had a rivalry with each other, but also a bit of a romance. Concept art had him looking just like Hirotaka.
So, honestly, the idea of Kim having an actual rival in saving the world is so interesting. Unfortunately, Will doesn't measure up to Kim.
Or, he's not supposed to.
But he's the top agent at Global Justice for a reason, so there's probably more to his mistakes on the mission than being incompetent.
Let's review:
The first thing we learn about Will is that he doesn't want to work with an amateur. He finds it insulting that he's being asked.
Instead of it being snobbery or an insult to Kim's abilities, it could just as easily be that he wanted to get the job done without having to teach someone else to do it, and was insulted that they wanted to waste his time by making him teach someone to do the job.
I mean, I don't know how it works in the world of espionage, but in every job I had, if someone of high rank was being asked to work with a new recruit or potential recruit, it's because they were expected to teach them or determine if they'd be good for the job.
(Also, Kim needs to not take being called an amateur so personally. She never even fought an actual bad guy until "Tick-Tick-Tick", which was less than two months ago at this point. She is definitely skilled, but she is technically an amateur.)
And Kim is someone who said, to Dr. Director's face, that she's wrong about why someone would kidnap Professor Green because "you can learn everything he knows at the library."
(Honestly, odds are that wasn't true. This is the era where computers were still boxes, Wikileaks didn't exist yet, and only nerds spent a lot of time online anyways. There were still projects from WWII that were classified, so it's doubtful that everything Professor Green worked on was declassified.)
Will Du and Global Justice assume Professor Green had been kidnapped for his weapons knowledge. Even if that wasn't why he was kidnapped, they still have an interest in making sure none of his weapons knowledge got out anyways.
But Kim keeps insisting that the trained professionals who do this for a living are wrong.
It must be really frustrating for Will.
(Just because Kim was right doesn't mean she has to be a know-it-all.)
There's also the fact that Global Justice had only asked Kim on the mission, but she brought Ron and Rufus along anyways, meaning in addition to ensuring Kim's safety, Will also has to ensure the safety of a civilian and his pet, who should not have been there in the first place.
Despite Will having an entire database of verified information on his wrist, Kim insists on going to a den of criminal activity to talk to some crime boss for information, despite being unable to prove the information would be correct or helpful.
(And does not tell Will ahead of time where they're going, denying him any ability to refuse to go or offer an alternative.)
Sure, it got the job done, but Will no doubt has procedures, rules, and regulations to follow, along with a list of things that he shouldn't do, and using unverified, known-criminal sources for information is probably one of them.
In summary:
Will has to ensure the safety of an amateur that charges into things without talking to others, and the civilian and rodent she dragged along who shouldn't be there.
Will has to follow rules and procedures that Kim doesn't think about and likely wouldn't respect anyways.
Will has a database of useful and verified information, but Kim insists on using sources like Big Daddy Brotherson.
Kim went into the mission with an "I know better" attitude, already believing she was better than the professionals who do this for a living.
So, while Will is probably actually extremely competent, he was also off of his game because his style doesn’t mesh well with Kim’s at all.
And he would have been an interesting recurring character, but the creators decided not to give Kim an actual rival in saving the world, for some reason, so we never see Will again.
(I like to imagine he specifically requested to never work with Kim again, so Global Justice only contacts Kim for things that Kim would be better suited for, or when they were studying The Ron Factor.)
So, Will could have been a very interesting character, someone to serve as an actual rival to Kim when it comes to saving the world.
Sadly, his potential was wasted by turning him into a seemingly incompetent agent.
And that's just sad.
Bonus Thoughts:
Will doesn't seem to be very experienced with combat. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it just leads me to a certain conclusion about him:
He wasn't trained for combat.
Global Justice's top agent would be very skilled at whatever they needed him to be good at, but combat doesn't seem to be one of his skills.
So it's very likely Global Justice probably didn't need him for combat. His skills probably lie more in intelligence gathering and espionage, which requires more stealth and diplomacy than fighting
And it certainly never involved fighting villains like Kim's.
Thus, Will is not incompetent, he's just not suited for combat against supervillains with gimmicks.
Team Impossible: Wrong, But Also Right (Redux)
"Team Impossible" could have been a great episode to introduce mentor-like characters to Kim and Ron. Instead, Team Impossible is a bunch of jerks who want Kim out of the business for the shallowest reason possible - Kim doing missions for free is cutting into their profits.
There were other reasons they could have given for wanting Kim out of the business. For example:
They won't almost get embarrassed out of existence like Kim in "Blush".
The have plans for if one of them is too sick to go on a mission, unlike Kim in "Sick Day".
They'll actually put stuff they're guarding in safe places, unlike Kim in "October 31st" and "Adventures in Rufus-Sitting".
They won't misuse potentially dangerous gadgets (for personal gain), unlike Kim in "Queen Bebe".
They were able to take down Drakken and Dementor in the time it took Kim to show up. (Granted they were sabotaging Kim's rides, they're still quick and efficient.)
They're full grown adults who are mentally and emotionally developed enough to understand the dangers they're putting themselves in.
They have the experience and training to handle themselves instead of relying on the good will of others.
They don't have to balance saving the world with things like school, clubs, or dates.
Like, there are a lot of good, valid reasons for adults to not want a couple of teenagers to save the world, but instead we get profit.
Also, getting paid for their services isn't so bad. Their resort, training, equipment, and transportation all cost money just to maintain.
Unlike Kim, they don't have people giving them those things for free, so they have to charge somebody.
(And they checked a guy's credit before charging him, probably to make sure he could actually afford it.)
There are a lot of things more important than money, I won't argue with that.
But, since they're footing the bill for all the expenses themselves, it's not wrong to ask for financial compensation for this service. If they didn't, they'd eventually be unable to actually do the job.
(And the guy who charged didn't seem to upset about paying anyways. A little taken aback at first, but not upset. He even gave them a gift basket as well.)
However, I digress.
The point is, there are actual, valid reasons for them to want Kim out of the business, profit didn’t have to be the issue.
Lack of experience, lack of training, and careless mishandling of certain missions would have been enough and would have had the potential for introducing possible mentors.
They could've been people who helped Kim learn from her mistakes and grow from them.
But the creators have a habit of introducing someone to the show who also saves the world and then have Kim be either better, like with Will Du, or more moral, like with Team Impossible, so we never see them again.
Thus, Kim is the lone hero in the world.
And she shouldn't be.
So The Drama: A Bit of A Mess (Redux)
Regardless of my feelings on Kim/Ron, I think the show could've done a better job of portraying them as having feelings for each other.
In "Grudge Match" Kim mocks and insults Ron for even suggesting that people might think they date. This does not indicate that she's secretly crushing on him.
In "Emotion Sickness" Ron is uncomfortable with the idea of dating Kim. This does not indicate that he's secretly crushing on her.
In "Bad Boy" Kim suggests Ron take a date to Rueben's wedding, but gets uncomfortable when he asks her to go. They both agree that it's not a "date-date".
(I will give them props, Kim and Ron's conversation about the main characters of Agony County getting together was a nice lampshade.)
I will admit that Kim was jealous of Yori in "Gorilla Fist", and her conversation with Ron about Yori crushing on him could be a nice parallel to Kim's situation.
However, Kim was also jealous of Felix in "Steal Wheels", so it's not like she has to consider someone to be romantic rival to be jealous of them.
Ron is never shown to have issues with Kim dating, even attempting to help Kim with Josh.
And, though she doesn't seem to think highly of Ron, she doesn't have a problem with Ron dating.
Before "So The Drama" there wasn't a lot to indicate that they were attracted to each other.
Actually, there was more to indicate that they only see each other as friends than that they were secretly attracted to each other.
In "So The Drama" we get a lot of Ron pining over Kim, but only one line near the beginning that might indicate Kim is also pining over Ron.
And then, there's Eric.
Eric was perfect for Kim, and she begins to ignore Ron because of him.
This prompts Ron to realize his feelings for Kim, but he doesn't act on them until after Eric is revealed to be part of Drakken's plan.
Which is another problem; Eric was part of Drakken's plan.
Aside from one line at the beginning, there wasn't much to indicate that Kim was crushing on Ron. So having her date him after it's revealed that Eric was part of Drakken's plan makes it seem like Ron's the rebound.
Honestly, having two people end up together because the alternate love interest was no longer an option is kind of lazy writing.
(Granted, they hadn't been expecting the show to continue after this, so I'm not too surprised.)
Still, Kim ended up with Ron not because he was the better option but because he was the only option.
And that's just unfair to both of them.
Thoughts on "Motor Ed"
The episode, not the character.
Well, I do like that it dealt with disability. And Kim's behavior is actually reminiscent of how many people in the real world treat someone with an obvious disability.
I love that Ron treated Felix like a normal person from the beginning.
And I like that Felix's mom was patient with Kim being uncomfortable with Felix's chair.
(Because Kim's not discriminatory, she has just never been near someone with a physical disability before and has no idea what's considered acceptable behavior.)
However, I do have one complaint:
For all the times Ron acts like Felix is a normal person and even tells Kim to treat him like a normal person, Felix doesn't.
At no point is Felix anything other than...polite.
Sure, Kim's not trying to be mean, but micro aggressions are typically done by people who don't have harmful intentions.
(Though Felix isn't aware of most of them, so I will give some leeway here.)
We have Ron advocating for Kim to treat Felix like a normal person, but we never have Felix advocating for that himself.
(He's also not really advocating, he's just treating Felix like a normal person and telling Kim she's too hung up on the chair.)
Felix is never his own advocate when it comes to how he's treated.
And having a disabled person in a show is great, but it's even better when they advocate for themselves.
Again, I know that Kim's not trying to be mean, but she is treating Felix differently because of his disability. And Felix should be the one calling her out on it, not Ron.
(Though he's new, so it's possible he thinks she treats everyone that way, though it's really unlikely.)
I know it's not intended to be offensive, and I wouldn't say I'm offended, but I do think disabled characters should be allowed to advocate for themselves.
Still, I do like this episode, and I wish we had gotten to see more of Felix in the series.
Bonus: A lot of people in wheelchairs are able to stand or walk without it for a bit. Does anyone think Felix is able to do that?
Kim Possible: Great Hero, Not So Great Person (Redux)
I've rewatched the show more recently and noticed some new details, so I've decided to redo my first post on this blog.
Kim is known for saving the world and helping people with things like park cleanups and cats stuck in trees.
But she is also known to put her own desires before her friends, even if it causes them harm.
And that is not something a good person does.
These are not "mistakes" because Kim is doing them intentionally.
And it's not a one-time thing:
"Bueno Nacho"
Kim forges an application in Ron’s name before she even brings up the idea of working there to him.
When he's upset with her for doing that, she uses the puppy dog pout, which he explicitly states she knows he can't resist, to get him to take the job.
She refuses to be supportive of him or happy for him when he turns out to be good at it, to the point of refusing to do the job at all.
I will give Kim credit for apologizing for her jealousy, but she never apologizes for manipulating him to take the job in the first place.
"The New Ron"
She forces Ron into a haircut, despite the fact that even her own mother had reservations about it.
When Ron tells her he hates it and why, she feigns sympathy, steals his hat, and runs through the halls yelling that he got a new haircut.
When Ron starts to embrace the new haircut and becomes popular, she hates it. But despite his popularity, he's not a jerk.
He didn't abandon Rufus, Rufus wandered off and Ron gently chastised him for it.
She was only upset because Ron was starting to change into someone who cared about hair care and appearances.
(Which, if that wasn't her goal with the new haircut, then what was her goal?)
She apologizes for saying Ron needed a new haircut, but not for the lengths she went to to force him into one, nor for her contempt for him after he started to embrace the haircut.
At the end, she tries to tell him that it's what's on the inside that counts, but it's very hypocritical since she was the one who wanted him to change in the first place.
"Crush"
Kim locks Ron in the janitor closet, though semi-unintentionally; she wasn't intending to lock him in there, but she did shove him back in when he was trying to leave.
She ignores Wade’s attempts at reaching her, even though Wade never contacts her unless it’s important.
(I will give Kim some leeway here, as a teenage girl deserves one night to herself.)
She also expressed no concern at Ron being missing, nor does she seem to even notice he's missing.
We also have no idea how long Ron spent in that closet, but even just an hour is too long.
(Also, that is a really big janitor's closet. The ones at my high school were closet sized, not room sized.)
"October 31st"
When Kim's told the bracelet is armor that grows when she lies, she keeps lying, even though it was probably unnecessary. Her parents and Ron would have been understanding about her wanting to go to a party with her crush.
Her actions led to her destroying Monique's garage door, which probably landed Monique in trouble.
And though Kim does get grounded for lying, she doesn't get in trouble for putting others in danger.
(Probably because Wade's the only one who could confirm that she knew she was putting others in danger.)
"The Twin Factor"
She uses the Neural-Compliance Chips on her brothers, after saying that just making them would be unethical.
After an entire episode about how bad they are.
After being a victim of them herself.
It’s meant to be a joke.
This is not the kind of thing anyone should joke about.
"Grudge Match"
Kim thinks telling Ron that he might stand a chance with a girl is "fudging".
At this point, they know so little about Zita that they think her name is Annie.
There's no reason to believe Ron wouldn't stand a chance except for having a low opinion of Ron in general.
They also had their conversation about it while sitting across the table from Ron at Bueno Nacho, so there's a good chance he heard them.
And despite this belief that he doesn't stand a chance, she spends the rest of the episode angrily telling him that there are no rules to try to encourage him to ask her out.
"Adventures in Rufus-Sitting"
Ron's steps of taking care of Rufus aren't just long because he's an exotic animal, those are also things Ron learned about taking care of Rufus from experience.
He also refers to Rufus as his son in "Mind Games", so Kim's disregard for how to take care of Rufus is extra mean given that Rufus clearly means a lot to Ron.
Not only does Rufus accidentally eat the chip due to Kim's negligence, she doesn't even notice it's missing until Wade tells her it's broadcasting a signal from inside Rufus.
And she lies to Ron about all of it on multiple occasions. I can understand some of them, since she was dealing with an emergency, but this is the kind of thing pet owners like to know about.
"Exchange"
Kim and Monique were both arranging “accidental” run-ins with Hirotaka to ask him out, but Kim’s the only one who had Wade track Hirotaka’s movements to do it.
I know Monique couldn’t do that, but the point is, Kim took it to creepy stalker levels for a guy she’s known for less than a week.
(I'm also interested in the fact that Monique was confident she could take Kim in a fight.)
"Return to Wannaweep"
Though Kim and Bonnie both sabotage each other, Kim started it.
She unplugged Bonnie’s alarm clock, supposedly to charge the Kimmunicator, but there was another available outlet that she could’ve used.
She also uses all the hot water in the showers so Bonnie can’t have any, which wouldn’t harm just Bonnie but anyone else who may need to use the showers after Bonnie.
And she refuses to take any of Ron's feelings seriously.
Even if Gil hadn't actually been up to something, Ron was still stuck sharing a cabin with a guy who used to bully him and had attacked him and the squad at some point. He has every right to be uncomfortable with it, but Kim keeps dismissing his feelings because she's too focused on sabotaging Bonnie so she could win a plastic stick that's been painted gold.
Dr. Lurkin apologizes to Ron for not taking him seriously, but Kim doesn't.
"Go Team Go"
Despite getting on Ron's case for cheating in "Naked Genius", which is completely fair, Kim had no problems using her newfound super strength for gym class or cheerleading, which is unfair and hypocritical of her.
"The Big Job"
Though I agree the "doofy" and "stupido" thing was embarrassing, coupons shouldn't be embarrassing, especially since Kim isn't offering to pay for it herself.
I can understand how the kids' menu thing was embarrassing, especially since Kim wouldn't want to order a kids' meal. However, she should just let Ron order of the kids' menu if he wants to.
The whole plot around getting jobs would have been better if Kim was getting one to pay for dates herself, not to "encourage" Ron to get one to pay for dates.
And then Ron decides Kim deserves better and starts looking for a job himself anyways.
"Fashion Victim"
I could understand being upset about not getting to see the designs, but Monique signed an NDA and would be risking not just her job but her future career in the fashion industry if she told Kim. And having Wade check the contract for loopholes is obsessive and could’ve landed them all in legal trouble.
Hassling Monique to break an NDA and trying to get Wade to find a loophole so Monique can tell her is the kind of thing Kim would've gotten fired for.
(Also, there is no way Wade was just given a copy of that NDA, so he's definitely in trouble if Monique ever decides to snitch on him.)
"Big Bother"
We learn in "A Sitch in Time" that Kim always wanted a little sister, so it's no surprise that she took to Hana immediately.
But Ron's life was changed against his will without warning while he was at school, so a little sympathy would be expected from his girlfriend. Especially since the attic isn't as nice or comfortable as his old bedroom.
When Yori needs Ron's help on a mission, Kim refuses to let him go because she doesn't trust Ron alone with Yori, even though he's never given her any reason to think he'd be disloyal and Yori had requested help from him specifically.
"Clothes Minded"
I know they’re criminals who are behind bars, but that doesn’t make it right for Kim to use The Fashionistas’ design without their permission.
Monique didn't know it was The Fashionistas' design, and Rufus is a six-year-old rodent, so he wouldn't know any better.
But Kim did know it was their design.
I know they wanted her to bust them out, and I'm not saying she should, but it doesn't seem right for her to use their design without their permission.
(It's also kind of a disappointment that Kim is wearing a design made by The Fashionistas instead of Monique, her fashionable best friend who helped her put them behind bars in the first place. That would've been so much cooler.)
"The Cupid Effect"
At no point should Kim and Ron have been trying to get Monique to date Wade.
(A more realistic way of handling that would be to have them tease her about it for a bit, not seriously asking her to consider it.)
Also, Kim didn't actually need to hit Monique with the Cupid Ray just because she "didn't have time" to deal with Monique being upset. She was in a car, she could've driven away.
Because she did, Monique refused to leave Wade's side and ended up on a mission that she would have never gone on if she had been herself at the time.
Conclusion:
If this show handled relationships a bit more realistically, people would at least be mad at Kim for her actions, and stay mad. Kim being a hero doesn’t excuse such behavior, nor does her being a teenager.
As an action hero, Kim is great; cool, calm, collected, and always victorious.
But as a person, Kim is controlling, competitive, manipulative, insensitive, and more focused on her own wants than others around her.
And those aren't qualities someone who's meant to be a role model should have.
Thoughts on "Grudge Match"
Specifically the plot surrounding Vivian.
While this episode is supposed to be about how girls can be pretty and smart, there was definitely more than Vivian's looks working against Team Possible in regards to Vivian's identity.
First, she was first mentioned as Dr. Fenn's ex-lab partner, presumably pushed into quitting because she couldn't keep up. At this point, they don't have any reason to distrust Dr. Fenn.
Second, when they do run into Vivian, she gets defensive instead of trying to explain things.
Last, Vivian had deliberately published all her research under the name V. F. Porter, a gender-neutral sounding name.
Despite this, Kim still managed to figure it out, with a little help from Wade.
Don't get me wrong, I definitely understand why she didn't think people would believe her.
Kim: She is right here... Dr. Vivian Frances Porter, noted robotics authority. Vivian: How did you know? Kim: A little digging. But why the secrecy? Vivian: My colleagues wouldn't take someone who looks like me seriously.
Especially since she had a respected scientist like Dr. Fenn actively working against her. Still, I feel as though there was a lot more than looks working against Team Possible here.
Other Thoughts:
Ron: OK. Wait. Time out. Time out. So, you're telling me she looks like that, and is a genius! The rules aren't gonna like this.
This is actually unusual for Ron. Other than this episode, we never see him caring about gender stereotypes this much. (Or at all, really.)
And:
I love Vivian and all, but I really hope she wears something else while working. Labs have dress codes for a reason!
Last:
While I do like the episode, it doesn't really emphasize much that pretty girls (and girls in general) aren't taken seriously as scientists (or other kinds of nerds).
Most of the reason they don't know Vivian's the real scientist is because they were lied to and Vivian never tried to explain things to them.
(And she had published all her research under a gender-neutral version of her name.)
At no point was anyone actually acting like Vivian's looks were the reason she couldn't have been the actual scientist. It's definitely happened to her in the past, but Team Possible wasn't acting like that.
(Even Dr. Fenn wasn't upset that she was pretty, just that she was better than him.)
So, while I do think it's important to tell people that girls can be smart and pretty, this episode kind of missed the mark. But only barely.
A better way of addressing that issue would be to have Vivian try to explain to the scientists at the Space Center that she was the one who built the robot, and have them not believe her.
(Aside from Dr. Wong, who is willing to hear her out.)
Then, Kim could suggest a Robot Rumble to prove who the real robotics expert is. Vivian would win, of course, and the other scientists would be forced to apologize and offer Vivian a job.
(Dr. Wong would explain that she gets it; women are often overlooked and undervalued in STEM fields, especially the pretty ones.)
And we still have it somehow revealed that Oliver's a robot. Maybe he gets hit by a stray EMP coming out of Vivian's (other) robot.
Yeah, Kim feels unrelatable. Her life is too perfect, she's too naturally talented at everything, her parents are too permissive, etc. Kim's life is not relatable. At all. Sure, she's a great fantasy, but when you're older, you want relatability more than fantastically perfect.
At some point, it just stops being fun to watch someone who's life is unattainably perfect.
I actually left out the pre-school Halloween costume because, due to his age at the time, I wasn't sure if that would count as a disregard for gender norms.
Also, in the episode "Grudge Match" his rules were that Zita was out of his league and he shouldn't even try asking her out because of it. Less to do with gender norms and stereotypes, and more to do with his perception of himself.
(He's also more surprised that Vivian's boyfriend isn't as good looking as her and that he's a robot than he is that she's a scientist.)
Kim did call his rules ridiculous, but the early part of the episode makes it clear that, despite this, Kim actually does believe Ron doesn't stand a chance with Zita.
Ron: What kind of chance do I have a girl like that anyway? Kim: Honest opinion or best-friend fudge? Monique: Fudge it, girl! Kim: It doesn't hurt to ask.
And it's a bit offensive, because they knew nothing about Zita at the time, so the only reason to think Ron doesn't stand a chance is because she just has a low opinion of Ron in general.
(I'm not going to get into it here, I have several other posts about it.)
But thanks for your commentary, because I really do appreciate it.
I believe that Ron Stoppable is neurodivergent. Many of his traits line up with being neurodivergent.
Disregard for Gender Norms
In "Mind Games" Ron mentions liking the skirt on Kim's cheer uniform.
In "Attack of the Killer Bebes" he got a movie makeup kit as a birthday present.
In "Two to Tutor" he is revealed to love baking and is mentioned as being interested in interpretive dance.
He becomes a fan of the Oh Boyz in "Oh Boyz".
He becomes a fan of "Kim Style" in "Kimitation Nation".
He is implied to be interested in Britina dolls in "Queen Bebe".
These are all things typically regarded as feminine interests, but when Ron has his crisis about being a man in "Ron the Man", none of that stuff is what he's concerned about. He's not afraid any of that stuff makes him less of a man, and he feels no shame about them (most of the time).
Lack of Concern for Popularity
There are several times where Ron is shown to not care about popularity, though there are also several times where Ron is shown to care a great deal about how others perceive him.
Obsessive Tendencies
In "October 31st" Ron is shown to still be interested in going trick-or-treating, despite the fact that most people would have outgrown this hobby by this point.
In "Grande Size Me" Ron becomes obsessed with proving Barkin wrong about the food pyramid, and begins behaving in a defensive manner over it.
(Of course, Ron invented the Naco, which was the specific item Barkin was criticizing, so it's a bit understandable.)
In "Dimension Twist" Ron spends three days straight watching cable television.
Ron has a tendency to become obsessed with his interests, and defensive if someone doesn't like them.
Hobbies and Interests
In "Monkey Fist Strikes" Ron is revealed to be interested in video games, and this is mentioned again in "Steal Wheels".
In "Larry's Birthday" it's revealed that Ron has regular meetups with Larry and Larry's friends.
In "Queen Bebe" Ron is implied to have an interest in Britina dolls.
Ron is a fan of the Oh Boyz in "Oh Boyz", even when they're so unpopular no one goes to their concerts. In addition to this, he doesn't even realize they're no longer popular.
Ron may not having been looking for a naked mole rat specifically, but he does consider them to be cool pets.
In "Two to Tutor" there is a brief mention of Ron having an interest in interpretive dancing.
He's still interested in trick-or-treating in "October 31st".
Many of Ron's interests are things typically regarded as "uncool" or "childish", things his peers are usually not interested in.
Social Life and Anxiety
Ron is frequently shown to lack social skills - bad at picking up intonation, doesn't have many friends, has a hard time dating, and is generally believed to be unpopular.
There's also Ron's tendency to panic, and his occasional bouts of paranoia.
(Though his belief that Barkin is targeting him specifically was apparently correct.)
In fact, Ron's anxiety reached a breaking point when, in "Odds Man In", he experienced such bad anxiety, he locked himself in some kind of panic room.
(Also, where was this? When did he have it built?)
Ron is also concerned about being replaced as Kim's best friend or sidekick, as shown in "Pain King vs Cleopatra", or boyfriend, as shown in "Ill-Suited".
So Ron displays many traits associated with neurodivergent teenagers.
And these also happen to be the traits that the show used to write him as a "loser".
And that's one of the reasons I dislike so much of the show's humor being at Ron's expense - because it often relies on poking fun at Ron not behaving in a neurotypical way.
And as someone who is not neurotypical, seeing the character that's the most like me being the "buffoon" character, the "inept sidekick" character, the one who is incompetent and incapable, well...it kind of hurts.
Because it kind of feels like they're saying what I and many other neurodivergent people have heard our whole lives - that you can't do anything, and you look foolish for trying.
Look, I realize this wasn't intentional. But, even unintentionally, Ron is very heavily neurodivergent-coded, and that happens too often in media - humor that relies on someone having neurodivergent traits and making fun of them for it.
And we've all grown past that.
I believe that Ron Stoppable is neurodivergent. Many of his traits line up with being neurodivergent.
Disregard for Gender Norms
In "Mind Games" Ron mentions liking the skirt on Kim's cheer uniform.
In "Attack of the Killer Bebes" he got a movie makeup kit as a birthday present.
In "Two to Tutor" he is revealed to love baking and is mentioned as being interested in interpretive dance.
He becomes a fan of the Oh Boyz in "Oh Boyz".
He becomes a fan of "Kim Style" in "Kimitation Nation".
He is implied to be interested in Britina dolls in "Queen Bebe".
These are all things typically regarded as feminine interests, but when Ron has his crisis about being a man in "Ron the Man", none of that stuff is what he's concerned about. He's not afraid any of that stuff makes him less of a man, and he feels no shame about them (most of the time).
Lack of Concern for Popularity
There are several times where Ron is shown to not care about popularity, though there are also several times where Ron is shown to care a great deal about how others perceive him.
Obsessive Tendencies
In "October 31st" Ron is shown to still be interested in going trick-or-treating, despite the fact that most people would have outgrown this hobby by this point.
In "Grande Size Me" Ron becomes obsessed with proving Barkin wrong about the food pyramid, and begins behaving in a defensive manner over it.
(Of course, Ron invented the Naco, which was the specific item Barkin was criticizing, so it's a bit understandable.)
In "Dimension Twist" Ron spends three days straight watching cable television.
Ron has a tendency to become obsessed with his interests, and defensive if someone doesn't like them.
Hobbies and Interests
In "Monkey Fist Strikes" Ron is revealed to be interested in video games, and this is mentioned again in "Steal Wheels".
In "Larry's Birthday" it's revealed that Ron has regular meetups with Larry and Larry's friends.
In "Queen Bebe" Ron is implied to have an interest in Britina dolls.
Ron is a fan of the Oh Boyz in "Oh Boyz", even when they're so unpopular no one goes to their concerts. In addition to this, he doesn't even realize they're no longer popular.
Ron may not having been looking for a naked mole rat specifically, but he does consider them to be cool pets.
In "Two to Tutor" there is a brief mention of Ron having an interest in interpretive dancing.
He's still interested in trick-or-treating in "October 31st".
Many of Ron's interests are things typically regarded as "uncool" or "childish", things his peers are usually not interested in.
Social Life and Anxiety
Ron is frequently shown to lack social skills - bad at picking up intonation, doesn't have many friends, has a hard time dating, and is generally believed to be unpopular.
There's also Ron's tendency to panic, and his occasional bouts of paranoia.
(Though his belief that Barkin is targeting him specifically was apparently correct.)
In fact, Ron's anxiety reached a breaking point when, in "Odds Man In", he experienced such bad anxiety, he locked himself in some kind of panic room.
(Also, where was this? When did he have it built?)
Ron is also concerned about being replaced as Kim's best friend or sidekick, as shown in "Pain King vs Cleopatra", or boyfriend, as shown in "Ill-Suited".
So Ron displays many traits associated with neurodivergent teenagers.
And these also happen to be the traits that the show used to write him as a "loser".
And that's one of the reasons I dislike so much of the show's humor being at Ron's expense - because it often relies on poking fun at Ron not behaving in a neurotypical way.
And as someone who is not neurotypical, seeing the character that's the most like me being the "buffoon" character, the "inept sidekick" character, the one who is incompetent and incapable, well...it kind of hurts.
Because it kind of feels like they're saying what I and many other neurodivergent people have heard our whole lives - that you can't do anything, and you look foolish for trying.
Look, I realize this wasn't intentional. But, even unintentionally, Ron is very heavily neurodivergent-coded, and that happens too often in media - humor that relies on someone having neurodivergent traits and making fun of them for it.
And we've all grown past that.
Ron was never given any of his own gadgets in the show was he? He was given a communicator in the games and in a stitch in time to keep in contact with kim, but that timeline got delete. And I’m not sure if the games are canon
I never thought about it, it makes episodes like The Fearless Ferret somewhat sad, he really wanted to step out of Kim’s shadow.
Yeah, he was never given his own gadgets. And he always seems impressed by Kim's gadgets.
He was only given a Kimmunicator in "A Sitch in Time", and even then only after Kim had told Wade to make one.
He is sometimes shown using a grappling hook, but Kim's other gadgets are always made for Kim, not Ron.
And it's frustrating that he doesn't get gadgets because even Robin gets gadgets.
Yeah, Ron really wants to step out of Kim's shadow. He wants to be his own hero, or at least considered a partner to Kim, not her inept sidekick.
I don't know how you can say that Ron outgrew his role as the forgettable sidekick while still claiming it's part of his character. Sure, Ron's probably not one to try hard, but acknowledgement of what he does for Kim would be nice.
(He's also been shown to be unhappy with being the forgettable sidekick, so it's not fair to act like he needs to keep being that.)
Do you think Ron outgrew his original role as the forgettable sidekick and comedic relief? If the answer is "Yes", at what point do you think that happened?
His chracter was treated that way mostly because he was the primary source for comedic relief, the show needs humor if Ron outgrew that role and his character was being held back by that, then in order to solve it, they needed to either introduce another character to fullfil that role, change the way the humour operated or find another way like tone down the humor and the gags or at least not make them at expense of the chracter.
How would you solve this?
Was Ron's character really unhappy with being just the sidekick? There were few instances where he sounded proud of having that role, I think it was people overlooking him and outright forgetting him which annoyed him and not that he was known as a sidekick.
I definitely say Ron outgrew his original role. As for when, hmm...
As early back as the first (chronological) episode, Ron was shown to have some skill at this.
I'd have to say by mid-season 2 it's just mean to keep up all the jokes at Ron's expense.
If one character is the primary source of comedy in a show, I do agree that needs to be changed. The change I'd make would be having humor rely on more than one character.
(Of course, I'd make it that way from the beginning.)
Yes, I do think, at times, Ron was unhappy being the sidekick.
There was "Bueno Nacho" where he was upset that Kim only wanted him to join her as a sidekick.
In "Sink or Swim" he asks if he'll be allowed to lead the next mission, which implies an interest.
There was "The Fearless Ferret" where Ron wanted to branch out on his own as a hero.
And at least one occasion where Ron asks Kim why she never has Wade make gadgets for him.
So it certainly seems like there are times where Ron wanted to be treated more like a partner than a sidekick.
And, honestly, I think he deserves it.
I found the episode "Showdown at the Crooked D" kinda insulting towards Ron(excluding the final scene) it literally would be impossible for Kims cousin to know every detail about Kims missions, including the times Rufus was vital, but know nothing about Ron. I know it's supposed to be for "comedic purposes" but that gag was so overdone by then(late s3) as you said in some of your posts, Ron has stepped up so much since the first episode, she should've been treated with more respect. It also kinda made Kim look bad, not defending him or recounting atleast one of the missions where he came through.
First, "Showdown at The Crooked D" was late season 2, not late season 3.
Second, I agree with all of it.
There's no reason for Joss to know all about Kim, Rufus, and Wade, but know nothing about Ron.
(She even knows about the Centurion Project, which was a top-secret project she reasonably shouldn't have known about.)
Except, of course, that the narrative likes to make jokes at Ron's expense.
And when I say Kim doesn't appreciate or respect Ron on the team, it's not just because of how she treats him in their everyday life, it's also because of situations like this.
Kim won't acknowledge Ron's contributions to the team.
When someone praises Kim as a hero, she never even tries to give Ron credit for his part in their success.
(And when Joss praised Ron as a hero, it was because he faces his fears to be there for Kim, not because she recognized his skills. Not a bad reason to admire someone, but still...)
Kim acknowledged his importance once in "Sink or Swim", which Officer Hobble didn't believe at first. She never does it again.
(Also, she follows this up by telling Ron he's not going to be allowed to lead a mission anyways.)
Kim's the one getting praise, getting people to owe her favors, getting recognition, and Ron's not.
And, though Kim will probably say she's not doing it for the fame and recognition, it hardly seems fair to not allow Ron to have any.
(Also, it's easy to say you're not doing it for fame and recognition when you're the one getting it.)
The point is, even ignoring her mistreatment of him as a best friend, she fails to acknowledge or recognize his contributions to the team as a hero, and he deserves better.
But that’s more of a problem with the show’s narrative rather than with Kim’s character.
And is super weird because Ron already gets a lot of spotlight from the series, he gets entire episodes where he does solo missions and succeeds, and even the series acknowledges from time to time how important he is to Kim’s success.
But those moments are few and far between, and right after that and most of the time he is back at being treated as the sidekick and as a liability even as a joke by the narrative and even by other characters and villains.
He is the sidekick, he is the comic relief. The show is called Kim possible after all. Kim is the Hero and Ron’s the sidekick. And that’s fair.
This is a comedic miseries and a girl empowerment show first and foremost. I don’t want to sound too harsh. The show at least acknowledges that Ron can be capable and has entire episodes dedicated to how much Kim needs him. Shouldn’t that be enough?
But it never stopped treating Ron as a sidekick and I get that’s the joke, but his character clearly developed far beyond that and I agree with you in that he deserves a little more respect from the show’s narrative.
Usually I dislike those type of stories, but now I can finally understand where those stories where Ron goes to Japan or becomes a superhero,even come from.
He is the most relatable character and a part of the fandom want to see him succeed and get the credit they think he deserves .
I wonder if there is a way to keep him in-character and maintain his role as a sidekick (that’s what he is! There’s no shame in that) and goofiness, while also showcasing that he is just as important and capable as Kim is. Do you think this is possible?
I think it can be a problem with both the narrative and Kim's character.
It being a problem with the narrative is a meta POV; it being a problem with Kim's character is an in-universe POV. And only one of those POVs makes for good fanfiction.
I wouldn't have a problem with him being treated like a sidekick if it came with respect and recognition. But he rarely ever gets that. It's not that Ron's the sidekick, it's that other sidekicks still get treated as important to the success of a mission, but Ron doesn't.
(Other sidekicks also get gadgets and communicators, and Ron doesn't.)
I don't think it's too harsh to say that Ron deserved more from the narrative. He outgrew the "goofy sidekick" role pretty early, so it's kind of annoying that no one acknowledges that.
Yeah, I'm not typically into the "Ron comes back from Japan" stories either, but I can understand why people would want them; Ron deserves recognition, and if Kim isn't going to give it to him, he deserves to leave and/or find someone who will.
Ron is extremely relatable, more so than Kim, so people would like him to be treated better.
As for keeping him as a goofy sidekick while still getting the respect he deserves, I do think it's possible, in theory...
However, that would require Kim acknowledging Ron is very capable, and Kim doesn't seem interested in doing that. (She adamantly denies it in "The Ron Factor".)
She is known to get jealous if Ron is good at something that she struggles with, so I don't think she'd be eager to acknowledge that he's good at anything, especially if it's something she takes pride in. ("Bueno Nacho", "Two to Tutor")
So, while it could work in theory, with the way Kim is, I don't think it would actually work well in practice.
It does seem like Ron going out on his own would be the only way for him to get respect.
It's sad, but, that's the way it is.
I would love for Ron to get more respect, but it doesn't seem like Kim is willing to give it.
So, if Ron decides the only way to get respect is to go out on his own, I wouldn't blame him.
What role do Ron character has in team possible? Do you believe he gets the credit he deserves for his contribution to team possible within the narrative of the show?
Well, the role Ron is supposed to have is "bumbling sidekick".
But, as stated in my "Ron Deserved Better" post, he outgrew that role very quickly.
He demonstrated on numerous occasions that he is capable of being more than that.
But he's not treated that way.
The narrative wants Ron to be a sidekick, so no one acknowledges that he's capable of being more.
Kim acknowledges it once, at the end of "Sink or Swim", but then follows up with telling him he's not going to be allowed to lead a mission anyways. She never acknowledges it again after that.
(Despite this, he goes on four missions alone in "Overdue" and is successful in all of them.)
In "Showdown At The Crooked D" Kim's cousin Joss, who knows everything about everyone of Kim's missions, does not recognize Ron as anything other than the guy who's always losing his pants.
In "The Ron Factor" Kim refuses to consider the possibility that Ron might be important to her success, even when Wade, someone who she greatly respects, suggests it might be true.
And people are always talking about how Kim saves the world, but never even mention that Ron's with her every time.
And this is despite the fact that it's canon that she can't save the world without Ron.
In "Bueno Nacho" it takes no time at all for her to get captured when she tries to go on a mission alone.
And in "A Sitch in Time" it highlights just how important Ron is to Kim's success. Once again, she gets captured immediately when trying to go on a mission alone. (And then the timeline gets reset and everyone forgets everything.)
But no one's opinion of Ron really changes until the last episode. To everyone, he's still Kim's sidekick.
Even though they're dating in season four, Kim doesn't actually acknowledge any of Ron's skills or admit that he's more than a sidekick when it comes to saving the world.
Even when Joss acknowledges Ron as a hero, it's because he always faces his fears to be there for Kim, not because of any of his own skills.
Ron doesn't get gadgets, or his own Kimmunicator, and many people who owe Kim favors don't even remember Ron being there. Or, if they do, it's because Ron caused the problem in the first place. (Which, that last part is fair, but still...)
Ron is treated horribly by the narrative. He doesn't even get recognition that other sidekicks get. (Robin, Kid Flash, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, etc.)
So, no, I don't believe Ron gets the credit he deserves. He's not even treated with respect part of the time. (The tracking chip, the haircut, the lack of gadgets or communication device, etc.)
Ron is barely even a sidekick. He's treated more like a lapdog.
And it's disgusting.
Thoughts on Josh Mankey
So, in some fanfiction, I've seen Josh portrayed as, well...I wouldn't say mean, but not as nice as canon. This is usually to highlight how Ron is better for Kim. Obviously, I'm going to have issues with this.
Firstly, Josh is kind and patient. When Kim is acting weird on their date, he doesn't seem bothered by it. Maybe concerned, but he never once loses his cool.
Secondly, he's accepting. Though Kim's interest in putting marshmallows on hotdogs is weird, he doesn't give her a hard time about it. And he doesn't seem judgmental towards Ron for still trick-or-treating in "October 31st". (Actually, he seemed to enjoy that.)
Lastly, he's charitable. Near the end of "Blush" we learn that Josh worked with some kids to clean up a bunch of graffiti and paint a mural in place.
Josh is a kind, caring, patient, and tolerant guy who volunteers to work with kids and paints murals after cleaning up graffiti. He's also a musician and likes hanging out with Ron too. ("October 31st")
So, if people want to get Josh out of the way to have Kim and Ron end up together earlier, portraying Josh as a horrible person doesn't have to be an option.