For a little while now, Morfydd Clark, who plays Galadriel, has teased that this season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will feature an unexpected kiss. Of course, when fans heard that, every single ship and its mother claimed that the mystery kiss involved their favorite pair. Haladriel/Saurondriel shippers (Galadriel x Sauron fans), you bet they claimed it. Adariel shippers (Adar x Galadriel fans), I know for a fact they claimed it because I did it on our behalf. Even Celebrimbor x Galadriel truthers got in on the action. But, at the end of the day, The Rings of Power season two’s mystery kiss really did belong to the last expected people on earth it might have belonged to. But even though this kiss might shock The Rings of Power fans, The Lord of the Rings lore indicates that this kiss was less romantic and more strategic. Let’s take a look at The Rings of Power‘s kiss-gate and break down: who kissed, why the kissed, why we don’t really think it means anything deep, and what The Lord of the Rings has to say about it.
Who Kissed on The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7? Galadriel and Elrond That Shared a Kiss
Yep. That’s what happened. All of those shippers, with all of their feelings, and in the end, the people who kissed are two characters who have almost no shippers at all. (Although, I would never say never.) But the fact remains that it was Elrond and Galadriel who kissed on The Rings of Power. The pair shared a kiss in Adar’s tent as Elrond prepared to leave Galadriel to her captivity and potential death, shocking viewers everywhere.
Why Did Elrond and Galadriel Kiss on The Rings of Power Season 2?
Okay, but hold up. Does a kiss mean that Galadriel and Elrond have romantic feelings for one another on The Rings of Power? Almost certainly not. If we examine the circumstances, Adar wanted to trade Galadriel for her elven Ring of Power. But Elrond, of course, will not do that. He can’t simply leave Galadriel to her fate, though. So, we must intuit that Elrond kissed Galadriel in order to distract Adar and the Uruk (who were so shocked that two characters who have no business kissing were kissing they forgot to pay attention) from the rest of what he was doing. Indeed, it seems Elrond used this The Rings of Power kiss not to admit his true feelings for Galadriel but so that he could slip her a pin from his cloak. Galadriel, being the crafty elf she is, of course knows how to pick a lock.
Did the Kiss Reveal Anything to Us About Galadriel and Elrond?
Not really. Although it does show a bit more of a crafty side to Elrond than we normally see. Personally, I just added this section in so I could say that I feel like this The Rings of Power kiss actually reveals a little bit more about Adar than Galadriel or Elrond. Elrond totally knew Adar would cave and let him say goodbye to Galdriel because, well, Adar is soft at heart. I said it.
Why The Lord of the Rings Lore Rules Out Romance Between Galadriel and Elrond on The Rings of Power Despite Their Kiss
Of course, the biggest reason why the kiss between The Rings of Power‘s Elrond and Galadriel can’t be romantic comes from Tolkien’s lore itself. If you don’t want to know anything beyond what the show has in store look away. But, of course, Elrond will eventually marry Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrían. Elrond’s wife, Celebrían, is also the mother of Arwen, the future queen of Gondor, man, and Middle-earth. While this eventual romance with Galadriel’s daughter doesn’t mean the pair couldn’t share a romantic kiss on The Rings of Power, it means it’s not very likely. That might make things awkward for Elrond when he’s kissing Celebrían later on in life, and we’re pretty sure it would be kind of weird for Galadriel, too.
Who Is The Lord of the Rings‘ Celebrían?
As mentioned, The Lord of the Rings‘ Celebrían is Galadariel’s daughter. Celebrían’s parents are Galadriel and Celeborn. Eventually, Celebrían weds Elrond, and together, they have twins, Elladan and Elrohir and a daughter, Arwen. Sadly, Celebrían’s story is a tragic one. On a trip to visit Galadriel and Celeborn in Lórien, their kingdom, orcs capture her, then torture and poison her. Although her sons rescue her and Elrond heals her physical ailments, her mind and spirit remain broken after the attack. In her sadness, she leaves Middle-earth, sailing west instead long before the time of The Fellowship of the Ring. In time, she is likely reunited with her entire family in Valinor.
Of course, Celebrían’s tragic story takes place during the Third Age of Middle-earth, which is beyond the scope of the Prime Video series. In the Second Age, the time during which The Rings of Power takes place, Celebrían first meets Elrond and they love one another secretly. They don’t wed until the Third Age, however.
It will be interesting to see which, if any, parts of Celebrían’s The Lord of the Rings story are adapted into The Rings of Power.
Where Is Celebrían on The Rings of Power?
Where IS Celebrían on The Rings of Power? So far, the only member of Galdriel’s family we’ve heard about is Celeborn on the Prime Video series. And all we know there is that Celeborn went missing during the War of Wrath, before the Second Age began in this narrative. That either means Galadriel has already borne Celebrían, and she exists in The Rings of Power‘s world… Or it means that she hasn’t yet and perhaps we’ll see a time skip in season three. We probably will need to find Celeborn first though if Celebrían isn’t already born. Although time works differently for elves, it will be interesting to see how the series navigates the dynamic between Elrond, Celebrían, and Galadriel, considering that Galadriel and Elrond are so close here, if not romantically entangled. But, we guess if Elrond is to kiss anyone on The Rings of Power, Celebrían makes the most sense.
Many people thought Mirdania was secretly Celebrían, but given Mirdania’s death in season two, episode seven, it appears that is not so. We’ll have to wait and see if Celebrían surfaces on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.