In Parks and Recreation, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) likes to maintain his reputation as a gruff and uncaring person. However, if you’ve spent any amount of time watching the series, you know that beneath all his grumbling and irritation, Ron has a heart of gold. He deeply cares about his friends and family, and his softer side frequently makes an appearance. So, let’s take a look at some of Ron’s most heartfelt moments.

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"94 Meetings" (Season 2, Episode 21)

Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) talking with April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza).
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You may not think a rugged man’s man like Ron Swanson would have anything in common with a sarcastic millennial goth-girl like April (Aubrey Plaza). Yet, the two forge one of the most compelling friendships in the series due to their mutual hatred of government work and other people. Throughout the show, Ron and April maintain a sort of father-daughter/master-student relationship, but in the episode “94 Meetings” that relationship is tested.

April works as Ron’s assistant and has been keeping him from having any meetings by scheduling every one for March 31st, a date she didn’t think existed. Now, on March 31st, Ron has to deal with 94 meetings in a single day. Ron blows up on April about the mistake, and she quits in response. Ron travels to her home and implores her to come back to work for him. The two share a simple and sweet moment that’s very typical of their friendship. It’s a nice scene, and one of the early examples of how much Ron cares about and respects April.

"Eagleton" (Season 3, Episode 12)

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Ron is intensely protective about his personal information, especially his birthday. So, when Leslie (Amy Poehler) discovers the date of his birthday and begins planning a celebration, Ron is driven to intense paranoia. Everyone around seems to be in on an intense surprise party being planned for him. To protect himself, Ron refuses to leave his office, but eventually gives in and follows Leslie when she not-so-subtly implies that it's time for his party. Much to his surprise, the birthday celebration Leslie planned was not a massive party, but a private steak dinner accompanied by some of his favorite movies. Ron is relieved and touched by the gesture, and the two reminisce on the time Ron convinced Leslie to stay in Pawnee. This episode shows that even if Leslie can annoy Ron, the two share a strong friendship and appreciate each other.

"The Fight" (Season 3, Episode 13)

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Tom (Aziz Ansari) frequently irritates Ron with his antics and over-the-top attitude. However, there’s one thing Ron does respect about Tom: his entrepreneurial spirit. In “The Fight” Tom convinces Ron to come to a party at his club and try out a new drink called “Snake Juice” that he created. Ron agrees, and to his surprise, Snake Juice is excellent. The rest of the night, Ron talks up Snake Juice and everyone gets incredibly drunk.

Unfortunately, after the party, Tom is confronted by the City Manager and forced to sell his share of the club because he used his government position to enhance his business. Ron comes to Tom’s defense and attempts to get the decision reversed but is ultimately unsuccessful. In the end, Ron gifts Tom a special case to hold a bottle of snake juice, to console him and show his support. This is the first of many moments where Ron supports Tom's business ventures.

"Road Trip" (Season 3, Episode 14)

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In “Road Trip”, Ron decides to help a 4th grade girl named Lauren Burkiss (Alyssa Shafer) write a school essay on “Why Government Matters”. But because of his Libertarian views, he spends the whole time schooling her on the government’s evils. The two have a great time discussing politics together, and Ron seems to genuinely respect her. He even gifts her his claymore landmine so that she can protect her personal property. Unfortunately, Lauren’s mother isn’t too happy with the gift or her daughter’s essay which only says, “It doesn’t”. So, Ron has a talk with Lauren, gives her some advice, convinces her to write a new paper, and then asks her to autograph her original essay, so he can keep it. All of Ron’s and Lauren’s interactions are great, and their mutual respect for each other is sweet.

"Smallest Park" (Season 4, Episode 8)

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Andy (Chris Pratt) is trying to better himself by enrolling in college, and Ron is very supportive. He goes with Andy to sample different classes and help him decide what subject to study. But after finally finding a class he wants to take, Andy discovers that it’s too expensive for him to afford. Luckily, Ron offers to pay for the class for him. Andy is one of the few people in Parks and Rec that Ron enjoys spending time with, and it’s nice to see them have this moment.

"Ron and Diane" (Season 5, Episode 9)

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In this episode, Leslie finally meets Ron’s new girlfriend, Diane (Lucy Lawless). The three are attending the Indiana Fine Woodworking Association award ceremony because a chair made by Ron received a nomination. While at the event, Ron’s ex-wife Tammy II (Megan Mullally) tries to seduce him. But it’s not Tammy that Diane is worried about, it’s Leslie. No one is as close to Ron as Leslie, and despite their claims of only being friends, Diane worries that there’s only room for one woman in Ron’s life. However, Ron is eventually able to convince Diane that Leslie isn’t a threat to their relationship by opening up to her more. This episode is a great example of how much Ron cares about both Diane and Leslie.

"Women in Garbage" (Season 5, Episode 11)

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In “Women in Garbage”, we get another example of Ron’s affection for Diane. With her normal babysitter unavailable, Diane asks Ron to watch her two daughters, Zoe and Ivy. Ron agrees but barely survives the day with his sanity intact. So, when Diane asks him to watch the girls again, he decides to recruit Ann (Rashida Jones) for help. But when the girls are with Ann, she leaves them unattended for a moment, and they end up cutting their hair off. Ron is mortified and fears how Diane will react, but she laughs it off, and thanks Ron for caring so much. The two then share their first “I love you”.

"The Wall" (Season 6, Episode 15)

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The world officially has a new Swanson. Ron and Diane recently had their son, Jon, and everyone finally gets to meet him. Throughout this episode, we see Ron and Jon have a bunch of sweet moments. The two spend a lot of time together, and we get to see Ron already making an effort to connect with and educate his infant son.

"Leslie and Ron" (Season 7, Episode 4)

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Leslie and Ron don’t always see eye to eye, but they never let that get in the way of their friendship. But after the time skip for Season 7, the two can’t stand each other. To get the two to make up, their friends lock them in the old Parks and Rec office together. After a tough and emotional night, Ron and Leslie eventually work out their issues, and rekindle their friendship. “Leslie and Ron” is one of the most emotional episodes of Park and Recreation and a fantastic example of Ron Swanson’s love of his friends.