Fan Theories About Ron Swanson From 'Parks And Recreation'

In the first episode of Parks and Rec, Ron initially refuses Leslie's request to transform the gigantic pit into a park. Ron only relents when Mark Brendanawicz calls in a favor. Redditor /u/Theluckygal believes that Ron owed Mark a favor after he discovered Ron's secret identity, Duke Silver.

Ron likely asked that he not tell anyone, and Mark got a one-time favor out of the arrangement. 

Ron Swanson is rumored to have an enormous store of gold and treasure buried somewhere near Pawnee, but he is as secretive about his treasure trove as he is about most aspects of his life. We do eventually glimpse at least some of his treasure buried under a tree, but whether or not that's the bulk of his wealth is unclear. 

The audience's only further hint is a quick glance at his makeshift will, meant to be used in the case of his untimely demise. The note features some strange, runic symbols that Redditor /u/Prufrock451 may have finally decoded. According to this theory, each symbol relates to a clue in a sort of scavenger hunt. This proves that his will doubles as a treasure map, as each symbol ties in with real-world locations. 

This simple yet elegant theory from Redditor /u/tsoro attempts to uncover Ron's true motivation for working at the Parks Department. As he is a vocal libertarian who believes in abolishing all government, his role as Parks Department director is puzzling to many.

This theory states that Ron's treasure is actually buried in one of Pawnee's parks, and Ron has kept his position to ensure that no one disturbs his hidden wealth. 

Redditor /u/mybustersword claims that Ron's overly masculine personality may have much darker roots than many would believe. Ron's first wife, Tammy 1, is considerably older than Ron. She was his teacher as a child and his nurse on the day he was born.

According to this theory, Tammy was grooming Ron to be her perfect partner. When they are together, Ron regresses into a more childlike form. He shaves his mustache, dresses differently, and speaks in a less mature tone. Tammy clearly prefers a younger, more boyish Ron. His excessive work ethic and overly manly lifestyle may be subconscious attempts to make himself less attractive to Tammy.

NBC's hit comedies Parks and Recreation and The Good Place were both created by Michael Schur and are both similar in tone. References to Parks and Rec are fairly common on The Good Place, leading many to believe that both shows exist in the same universe.

This is essentially confirmed in this theory from Nerdist, which connects Ron Swanson to one of The Good Place's lead characters, Jason Mendoza. In The Good Place, we see that Jason passes when he gets locked inside a safe. The door to the safe is branded with the name Swanson Safe Company.

The Good Place podcast also featured a fictionalized ad for the Swanson Safe Company, narrated by none other than Ron Swanson himself. Ron's company built the safe that served as Jason's ultimate demise, officially connecting the two series.

This theory from a former Redditor revolves around a comment Ron makes about Pawnee's local gay bar, the Bulge. In the Season 2 premiere, Leslie is surprised to learn that there is a gay bar in town of which she is unaware. Ron exclaims the bar's name, the Bulge, much to his friends' surprise. He quickly backpedals, claiming he only knows the name because it is located behind his house. We later learn, however, that he lives in a secluded cabin in the woods, far from the bustling bar. 

While the theorist originally guessed that Ron is secretly bisexual, they later changed their story to claim that Ron's secret alter ego, Duke Silver, could be responsible for his knowledge of the Bulge. If Duke is as popular with gay men as he is with the ladies, he may have played multiple concerts at the Bulge and just wanted to keep his saxophone-playing secret from his coworkers.