That surprising Rings of Power kiss was more about strategy than romance, according to Robert Aramayo

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is close to the end of its second season, and the season’s seventh episode was devoted almost entirely to a large battle. The siege of Eregion involved many of the show’s principal characters, but some fans were shocked by one interaction in particular that had nothing to do with the battlefield.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for season 2, episode 7 of The Rings of Power. 

Prior to the outbreak of fighting in the episode, Elrond and Galadriel meet with Adar to discuss whether bloodshed can be avoided. At the end of that interaction, as Elrond and Galadriel are saying goodbye to one another, Elrond kisses Galadriel. This move shocked fans, many of whom know that in the books, the two elves are only ever friends. It was even more shocking because, for most of the season, Elrond and Galadriel have been at odds with one another over the question of whether to use the elven rings of power.

As actor Robert Aramayo explained to TV Insider, the initial justification for the kiss is purely strategic.

“It starts off as purely strategic, but it’s also emotional and heightened because it’s a goodbye as well,” he explained. “It’s a potential goodbye forever, or for now — until the Halls of Mandos. So it is a really emotional moment, but the impetus for it is a really practical and diversionary tactic.”

The diversionary tactic he’s describing is a reference to the way the kiss distracted Adar and his orcs from realizing that Elrond was sneaking Galadriel a pin that she would need to escape.

Aramayo added that it wasn’t meant to signify anything romantic, but it was a way for Elrond to communicate how much Galadriel means to him and the pedestal he puts her on.

“Galadriel is his hero,” he explained. “There’s a blood relation — and actually, Elrond’s related to almost everyone. But as I said, she’s his hero. She’s taught him so much. It’s more than best friends. It feels like family members. And so it’s the emotion of saying goodbye to a family member who you think might die soon.”