Can't find this posted elsewhere, and I don't think it's been mentioned in previous interviews. Kinda interesting, and I found it hilarious that the reason given was "sheer spite".

Sauce

 

And in deciding not to kill him, she went soft and produced the last 3 books

 

Killing Ron would have been awesome to read.

 

We might have had a Harry who actually pushed himself to learn then.

 

Wish that had happened. Soooo much!

 

Again feeling part of the minority of people who genuinely like Ron. ;D

 

I like Ron. But his death would have changed the whole series. Probably for the better.

 

It's okay enembee, we all do things which are in poor taste from time to time. I get drunk and make an ass of myself on the internet. You like Ron Weasley while sober.

I would recommend you drink heavily.

 

I'm okay with Ron but him dying would have been awesome.

 

Okay with Ron but him dying would have been awesome +1.

I expect another nine thousand fics written with this in mind.
And Harmony fics, too, obviously--as if we don't already have enough of 'em.

 

So what do you think would have happened if Ron died at, say, the end of book five. How different would that have made things, considering Rowling did already have some long term plans in place of course.

 

I forget which story it was that had the awesome Ron Weasley death scene where Voldemort rips out his trachea and shows it to him as he slowly wheezes to death.
But it involved time travel (via an AK to a time turner), a phoenix outfit, an epic showdown with Voldemort several times, a beheaded Harry being brought back to life as an inferius by Dumbledore, and ended with blood of the enemy, bone of the father, flesh of the servant resurrection of Harry.

I do remember the story actually...just not the name.

 

I think that was "Time, Mr. Potter?".

It suffered from some cliches, but was actually pretty awesome overall. It has a sequel too, but I don't remember the name.

 

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1361546/Tw15teD

 

I like Ron, but I'd have been OK with that idea. Though preferably with at least one caveat: I wouldn't have wanted Harry and Hermione to become a fully involved couple afterwards. Maybe a brief fling to test the waters, if Rowling was feeling adventurous, but I just don't feel that canon!Harry and canon!Hermione are compatible.

With the Ron dies scenario, I suppose what I would have liked to see is both Harry and Hermione becoming quite a bit more vicious when it came to dealing with Death Eaters. I'm having a pleasant time thinking of a scenario where Ron dies at the end of book 4. And then, at the end of book 5, Harry's argument with Dumbledore revolves around the fact that he killed a Death Eater or two in the Dept. of Mysteries, instead of around Sirius's death.

 

I'd love to read something like that. It'd change him.

 

This has potential for a good story. Plot bunny?

 

It's pure fanon to think Rowling had anything planned out, as HBP clearly shows.

OT: I happen to love Rupert Grint and think he did a great job as Ron, but if I'm honest, a lot more people should have been killed if the villain is to live up to Voldemort's rep. I think Ron dying would have made for an appropriate darkening of the series, just as the original plan of Arthur dying would have done.

Yes, Cedric and Sirius dying, then Dumbledore and finally Remus, Tonks and Fred was the tiniest bit gritty, but overall it was a cop-out on Rowling's part, and taking out one of the trio would've been exceptionally ballsy. Plus, as a Hermione fanboy, I would much prefer Ron be the sacrificial lamb despite my liking his character.

I suck at writing anything AU, but it's definitely intriguing, along the lines of Forging the Sword.

 

But if Ron died, who would provide canon's hilarious witticisms?

 

What hilarious witticisms? That was mostly fred and george.