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Robert Aramayo has defended the controversial scene involving Elrond and Galadriel in The Rings of Power season 2’s seventh episode.

Speaking to me during season 2’s ‘Path to the Finale’ press junket on September 25, Aramayo admitted that the sequence was meant to be intentionally provocative. However, The Rings of Power actor, who plays Elrond in the hit Amazon prequel show, suggested that his character had plenty of reasons for acting the way that he did.

The scene in question, which takes place in season 2 episode 7 – or, as it’s known by its official title ‘Doomed To Die’ – sees Elrond kiss a chained-up Galadriel, with the latter being held prisoner by Adar and his orc army. Unsurprisingly, the moment has proven highly controversial, with The Rings of Power fans having had lots to say about Elron and Galadriel’s kiss since the episode aired yesterday (September 26). Indeed, reactions have ranged from genuine surprise to outright anger, with a number of viewers claiming that, given Elrond ends up marrying Galadriel’s daughter in the source material, it’s not only incredibly awkward, but also sacrilegious.

Elrond kissing Galadriel??? What in the game of thrones is going on 😭 pic.twitter.com/JhVp5DoO2BSeptember 27, 2024

However, considering Elrond uses the kiss as a tactical ploy – he gives Galadriel a sigil pin during the smooch so she can free herself from handcuffs and chains later in the episode – some sections of The Lord of the Rings‘ global fanbase can see the reasoning behind his decision. And, as Aramayo confirmed during our chat, the kiss is nothing more than a diversion tactic to aid his long-time friend in her hour of need during the Prime Video show’s latest chapter.

“That’s definitely his motivation,” Aramayo said when I asked him about his reading of the situation. “It’s also a really heightened moment because Elrond thinks it’s the last time he’s ever going to see her, so it’s emotional as well. But, the intention behind is exactly that – the controversy. It’s the last thing that you would expect him to do in that moment and, if you’re in a dangerous situation, surrounded by your enemies, doing something as shocking as that is going to disarm them. It’s a good ploy on Elrond’s part.

“It was a fun thing to talk about [with Galadriel actor Morfydd Clark, and showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay] as well. They [Payne and McKay] have had some really interesting things to say about how elves express love in this world. We’ve had some really fascinating conversations about that throughout, so it was a really interesting thing to do on the day.”

The way this kiss between Elrond and Galadriel wasn’t necessarily romantic and it was just a coy to give her the lock pick was smart 👌🏽 it also was a way to say goodbye to each other 😢#TheRingsOfPower #TROPspoilers pic.twitter.com/WfF1a92T8LSeptember 26, 2024

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Benjamin Walker, who plays High King Gil-galad and whom I interviewed alongside Aramayo, added: “It’s also a life and death situation for Elrond. It’s a Hail Mary pass. But, you know, it’s also an imposition of our viewership, in being human, that we impose our interpretation of what a kiss means for another species, albeit a fictional and immortal one. What would a kiss mean to them? I think that’s a really interesting way to look at it.”

Quite right, Mr. Walker. I’ll be bringing you plenty more exclusive coverage around one of the best Prime Video shows’ season 2 finale, which airs on Thursday, October 3. So, be sure to check back in with me on TechRadar for lots more insight from the series’ cast.