A particular moment in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has inspired a fiery debate—but such a topic is really nothing new to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Some of the most controversial aspects of the Prime Video series revolve around changes made to canon, and the same is true for this season 2 moment. There’s the implication of a romance that was never described by Tolkien and, therefore, seems to break apart the established story fans know and love. However, the grey area that Rings of Power built into this scene fits right in with similar relationships in the Lord of the Rings.

The moment in question is, of course, the big kiss scene between Elrond and Galadriel in Rings of Power season 2, episode 7. Galadriel had been captured by Adar’s forces, and Elrond was unwilling to trade the Elvish Ring of Power, Nenya, for her freedom. However, he was granted an opportunity to say goodbye, and the two Elves shared a rather tender and stirring kiss. After pulling away, Elrond placed a pin in Galadriel’s hand, which she could (and did) use to escape. However, the big question and debate is whether this Rings of Power moment was romance or just a moment of deep friendship.

Elrond & Galadriel’s Rings Of Power Kiss Has Sparked A Heated Debate

Is It Romance Or A Strong Friendship?

Since Elrond passed Galadriel a pin during their big kiss in Rings of Power season 2, it can easily be argued that the “romantic” moment was just a cover-up. However, others have said that Elrond could have used virtually any other means of distraction to help Galadriel escape and that he chose a kiss because of genuine affection for her. The debate here has been ongoing, and the fact that such a kiss was never described in Lord of the Rings canon has made these arguments all the fierier.

Still, the foundation of this debate is really nothing new. Sure, there was never a question about Elrond and Galadriel’s relationship in Tolkien’s works, but Rings of Power season 2 has effectively reintroduced the very same question that modern audiences have asked of nearly every Lord of the Rings friendship—are they romantic or just really affectionate buddies.

Tolkien’s Friendships Have Always Been Romance Coded

Rings Of Power Has Continued The Trend

Friendships in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings have always come with a great deal of physical and poetic affection. The author brings attention to the physical moments between Frodo and Sam, from holding hands to embracing. What’s more, they would often describe their love to one another, and there wasn’t much difference between these poetic exclamations and those of genuine romances like Aragorn and Arwen or Beren and Luthien. The same is true for Legolas and Gimli, whose love was so strong that the Dwarf was the first of his kind ever to be welcomed to the Undying Lands alongside his friend.

Tolkien attributed Gimli’s traveling to the Undying Lands to his mutual love for Legolas.

While these relationships are presented as friendships, that extra level of affection has inspired endless debates regarding whether Tolkien secretly intended for Frodo and Sam or Legolas and Gimli to appear romantic. It’s an argument that will, frustratingly, never come with a definitive answer, and it seems Rings of Power has kept this same energy going with Elrond and Galadriel. It seems unlikely that Prime Video will ever have a clear answer about whether their big kiss was intended as romantic or friendly, and that’s pretty perfect for The Lord of the Rings.

Elrond’s Kiss Doesn’t Make Perfect Sense (But It Works For Lord Of The Rings)

The Lord Of The Rings Themes Tie It All Together

There are still frustrating elements involved with Elrond and Galadriel’s kiss, one way or another. Elrond could indeed have worked out a different way to distract Adar and the Orcs aside from laying one on his friend. Moreover, it could also be argued that Prime Video was being purposely inflammatory by including this moment, knowing that such a change in Rings of Power would create negative buzz. Still, there’s no way to prove this, especially since the big romantic debate here fits so well with other relationships Tolkien himself created.

One way or another, it’s clear that Elrond loves Galadriel, whether as a potential love interest or a very dear friend.

One way or another, it’s clear that Elrond loves Galadriel, whether as a potential love interest or a very dear friend. Canon dictates that he will end up with Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrian, so there is no question whether the connection between these characters in Rings of Power is endgame. Instead, it’s just another relationship to add to those that have already been heatedly debated for decades.