‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s Robert Aramayo Sets the Record Straight on that Wild Elrond/Galadriel Kiss

The penultimate episode of Prime Video ‘s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is what we in the television-enjoying business refer to as “a big one.” The bulk of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7 “Doomed to Die” is focused upon the siege — and eventual tragic fall —  of Eregion. The glorious elf city was sort of Tolkien ‘s version of Ancient Alexandria, where knowledge and innovation and craftmanship were exalted above all else. All season long, Sauron ( Charlie Vickers ) has been pulling the strings from the shadows as Annatar, coaxing Eregion’s leader, the elven smith Celebrimbor ( Charles Edwards ), into forging more and more rings of power. In this week’s episode, Adar’s ( Sam Hazeldine ) orc armies take advantage of the chaos and end on the verge of bringing the city down.

Of course, none of that mayhem is likely what most Tolkien fans want to discuss. Oh no. That’s because two legendary Tolkien characters kissed in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7 “Doomed to Die.”

**Spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7 “Doomed to Die,” now streaming on Prime Video**

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Episode 6 Recap: Lord of Illusions

Yeah, so Elrond ( Robert Aramayo ) kisses Galadriel ( Morfydd Clark ) in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7 “Doomed to Die.” (!!??!) As if it wasn’t already wild that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has long established a deep connection between the Lady of Lothlórian and the Dark Lord Sauron, the Prime Video show has now dropped an Elrond/Galadriel kiss on us.

Is this meant to be confirmation for fans that the chemistry we’ve seen simmering between the two ever since they greeted each other by tenderly touching foreheads in the Rings of Power series premiere is sexual? Was all the bickering on the road to Eregion actually a snappy flirtation? Was Elrond just kissing his platonic pal as a distraction? And what does this all mean for the fact that Elrond is supposed to marry Galadriel’s daughter , Celebrían, in the future!?!

“[The kiss is] a means to an end. It’s a functional thing,” Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Richard Aramayo told Decider this week, confirming that it was more about helping Galadriel escape Adar’s clutches than anything else. “But also, it’s like, I don’t know, man.”

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Episode 5 Recap: Mithril Blue Persuasion

“It’s a heightened, emotional moment and he thinks he may never see her again. There’s a very real chance that he wants to say goodbye to somebody who is a family member that he loves.”

As Aramayo went on to explain, because Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a fantasy world where everything is “heightened,” the kiss could have a different meaning for Elrond and Galadriel than we’re familiar with.

“It feels like perhaps they communicate in different ways in this heightened fantasy world,” he said. “And I think love functions differently in this world, as well.”

CLICK HERE TO GET EMAILS FROM DECIDER

With regards to romance in Tolkien, Elrond is destined to fall in love with and marry Galadriel’s daughter Celebrían early on in the Third Age. Celebrían is Galadriel’s daughter by husband Celeborn — a character we see in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy set in the late Third Age, but who is currently believed to be dead in the show. So is Celebrían hiding out somewhere with his AWOL daddy? Is she even born yet? (In Tolkien’s lore, she is.) Either way, Aramayo is eager to dive into Elrond’s real love story in future seasons of The Rings of Power.

“I’d love to explore the relationship with Celebrían,” Aramayo said. “Because I think Tolkien writes these amazing love stories — Beren and Luthien, in particular — that are complicated, actually.”

“So, yeah, that is definitely I’d love to explore because it’s so much a big part of who he is.”

Besides looking ahead to Elrond’s future, this week’s scene where Elrond kisses Galadriel also looks back to the elf’s past. Specifically, Adar namedrops Melian, one of Elrond’s most important ancestors. Aramayo explained how hearing this father of the orcs talk so intimately about Melian was meant to perfectly unsettle the young(er) elf.

“It shows a real deep understanding for the history of Middle-Earth. You know, there’s something about Melian, isn’t there? The ‘Girdle of Melian,’ the sort of the protective sphere that she [creates], the power of her, and what she sort of represents in the lore and stuff,” Aramayo said. “So it’s impressive that he would bring it up in that moment.”

“But to have someone like him speak about things like this, that are so pure , is really complicated to hear. It’s the first time Elrond has ever met Adar, so it’s like, I didn’t really know what to make of him, you know? Elrond is a skilled talker, but I did not expect this entity to be speaking like that . “

Could it be that Adar still has layers The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has yet to explore? To find out more — and if we get a Celebrían name drop — we’ll have to tune into The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 finale next week to find out.

For more entertainment news and streaming recommendations, visit decider.com