Rings Of Power Actor Robert Aramayo Says Intention Behind Elrond-Galadriel Kiss Was “The Controversy”

Television

In a recent interview with Techradar, Rings of Power actor Robert Aramayo (Elrond) gave a piss-poor justification for the unnecessary kiss between Twink Elrond and Guyladriel (Morfydd Clark) in last week’s episode of the show. The excuse is that it was used as a “tactical ploy” in the scene, something nobody would expect Elrond of doing as he “sneakily” hands Guyladriel his pin for her to free herself later, with an Orc watching in plan view. 

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse. You sweet summer child, it can always get worse. #RingsOfPower pic.twitter.com/XXZuRiR3uK

— Nerd Cookies (@nerd_cookies) September 26, 2024

“That’s definitely his motivation,” Aramayo replied when I asked him about his reading of this particular moment. “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 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.” 

Benjamin Walker, who portrays High King Gil-galad, attempted to add:

“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.”

Clearly, these people have not cracked open a Tolkien novel, nor do they have the intelligence to understand any aspect of the lore and story, considering how terribly written this show is even without the name “Tolkien” plastered on it in a poor enticement for fans of the professor’s Legendarium. Elves express love in the same fashion as any human being in the lore; they are not some emotionless beings, as this show is attempting to portray them. There’s the Tale of Beren and Lúthien, and, of course, Aragorn and Arwen in The Lord of the Rings, both Elven women forsaking their immortality for the human man they love.

“This doom she chose, forsaking the Blessed Realm, and putting aside all claim to kinship with those that dwell there; that thus whatever grief might lie in wait, the fates of Beren and Lúthien might be joined, and their paths lead together beyond the confines of the world.”

— Of Beren and Lúthien, The Silmarillion

This particular moment, however, is utterly blasphemous. Elrond is the future son-in-law of Galadriel; he weds her daughter, Celebrian, who has their daughter, Arwen. Any attempt at justifying this kiss by these online pundits show them as total DIMWITS. There is and was NO reason for it. These writers, if they had any shred of talent, could have written any other scenario to give Guyladriel the pin, and kissing is not one of them, especially in this case. Also, if this kiss was so “platonic,” WHY have the swelling, dramatic music in the background, the sort that many are used to hearing when characters kiss, to add to the drama of the moment such as this?? Although, even with the threats of death against characters in this show, nobody actually dies, so there are no stakes to make you care if they live or perish. All the more indication that the choice to stage this kiss was not necessary but for the showrunners and everyone else involved to continue to spit on Tolkien’s legacy. This rush to make excuses for anything that happens in Rings of Power, especially lore-breaking moments, is, sadly, not surprising.