Despite earning relatively positive reviews, season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power featured one moment that has since become a controversial topic among fans: the shocking kiss between Morfydd Clark‘s Galadriel and Robert Aramayo‘s Elrond. Many viewers believed the kiss to be an expression of potential romantic interest between the two characters, but a recent interview saw Clark and The Rings of Power showrunners setting the record straight.

This controversial scene appeared in the penultimate episode of season two, while Galadriel is still imprisoned by Adar and his Orcs. Although Elrond attempts to negotiate a deal with Adar to secure Galadriel’s freedom, they fail to agree on suitable terms, and Elrond asks for the opportunity to say goodbye to Galadriel instead. It’s during this moment that Elrond passionately kisses her, taking everyone (including the Orcs) by surprise — but viewers quickly realize that the kiss is just a ruse, as Elrond uses the opportunity to slip Galadriel a tool that will help her escape. However, despite the apparent strategic nature of the kiss, many fans still wondered if it would preclude a romantic relationship between Galadriel and Elrond in later seasons.

However, Clark and showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne all share a vastly different interpretation of the infamous scene. Keeping in mind that, during the events of The Rings of Power, Galadriel is still wed to the Elf-lord Celeborn, Clark and the showrunners argued that the kiss was a platonic gesture of respect and loyalty rather than an expression of romance.

Speaking to ScreenRant, Clark stated: “Well, I kind of wanted the elves kissing on the mouth all the time from the very beginning. I kind of see it as an ultimate show of love and admiration, but in a platonic way. And I quite like that. It was kind of felt, to us as humans, quite like, ‘[Gasp] It’s romantic.’ I quite like the idea that the elves do move through the world quite differently, and kind of a little bit bohemian.”

McKay emphasized this perspective, saying, “To our minds, the kiss is not romantic in nature. Elves are different, you know. Elves express their love in different ways.” As for Payne, his take was simply that, “[Elves] are a little more European.”

Despite Clarification, Galadriel and Elrond’s Relationship Remains Controversial

Much of the fanbase for The Rings of Power is particularly sensitive to apparent rewrites of established Tolkien lore, which is partially why Galadriel and Elrond’s kiss was so controversial in the first place. Not only is Galadriel technically married during The Rings of Power (although her husband, Celeborn, is notably absent), but Elrond eventually goes on to marry the couple’s daughter, Celebrían. Since a large chunk of the criticism against The Rings of Power revolves around departures from canon, a budding romantic relationship between Galadriel and Elrond could’ve spelled disaster for the upcoming third season. Thankfully, Clark and the showrunners’ explanation of the scene seems to indicate a staunch refusal to explore that particular avenue — but for many fans, it’s difficult to see a kiss, even a strategic one, as anything other than romantic.

In fact, the sheer amount of backlash from fans may deter The Rings of Power writers from making such risky creative decisions in the future. After all, the show relies on continued support from its viewers — though streaming numbers from season two indicate that The Rings of Power is far from being in any danger. With season three on the horizon, there’s no telling what the writers will do to keep audiences on their toes.