This Was Leslie's Most Heartbreaking Storyline In Parks And Recreation

In a matter of six years, Parks and Recreation grew into one of the most beloved sitcoms in NBC's history. Set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, the show focused on its Parks Department and the individuals who kept it up and running. Despite its premise appearing rather mundane on the surface, the program was anything but, taking viewers on comical adventures through the world of public service. Of course, to make the material work, Parks and Rec required a talented crew of actors, with the undisputed centerpiece being Amy Poehler, who played the optimistic Leslie Knope.

A well-read politician with eyes on the White House, Leslie is the heart of the entire series. She has devoted her life to small-town politics and genuinely cares about bettering the lives of the people under her jurisdiction, regardless of how terrible some may be. Leslie is especially caring toward her close friends, whom she often smothers with her positive and helpful attitude. Be that as it may, it's obvious that she always means well, making it all the more disheartening when her usually fun life takes a depressing turn for the worst.

Here's the single most heartbreaking storyline Leslie Knope ever starred in on Parks and Recreation.

Compared to the bubbly, outgoing Leslie Knope, the Pawnee Parks Department's longtime Director, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), couldn't be more opposite. A stern, secluded advocate for small government, Swanson's disciplined personality made him a standout among Parks and Recreation's ensemble cast. Though his rough and tough attitude remained rigid for the majority of the series, he and Leslie's close friendship occasionally pointed to his hidden soft side. Their mutual respect and admiration was an incredibly heartwarming aspect of the program, thus making their communication-severing fight extra painful to sit through (via ScreenRant).

In the seventh and final season of Parks and Rec, a two-year time jump changed the entire landscape of the show. Most notably, Leslie took on the role of Regional Director of the Midwest National Parks Service, and had apparently suffered a falling-out with Ron over the "Morningstar incident." Ron — no longer a part of the Pawnee Parks Department — established the Very Good Building Company and oversaw the construction of an apartment complex called Morningstar. The building sat in the lot where Ann Perkins' (Rashida Jones) old house once stood, which greatly angered Leslie and led her to cut ties with him.

Even though they lived totally different lives, governed in completely different ways, and looked at the world through very different eyes, Ron and Leslie were each other's biggest fans. They'd go to bat for one another no matter what and always found common ground in the face of disagreement. The fact that they both gave up on trying is what makes their conflict so tear-jerking. Never before had they thrown up their hands and walked away from a petty argument, showing just how brutal the situation was.

Thankfully, by the time the finale aired, Leslie and Ron made up and found themselves on speaking terms once again — putting to rest one of the most dreary Parks and Recreation stories.