One of the seemingly strangest romantic matches in all of Peter Jackson’s films is that of Tauriel and Kili. In the world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, is historically known that the elves and the dwarves don’t see eye to eye and that there are age-old disputes between the races, stemming from fights over precious treasures, and refusal of aid in times of need. This all makes it only more unlikely that Tauriel and Kili would strike up such a bond. However, they fall in love despite all the odds, and despite those around them thinking it is nothing more than a trick or a game, or a fleeting fancy that can never last.
It is believed that after Kili dies, Tauriel becomes a lone rider and never loves again, she was so broken by the experience of losing him. Their love was real, and it was as strong as any other Middle Earth romance story. But this romance doesn't appear in the original book, so where did it come from? Peter Jackson himself has said that he wanted to use this chance within The Hobbit trilogy to pay homage to one of the purest and admirable relationships between an elf and a dwarf in the Lord of the Rings: Galadriel and Gimli.
At the time when the fellowship enters into Lothlorien, having just been torn apart by the tragedy of losing Gandalf in the Mines of Moria, Gimli is treated with caution, and some might even say hostility, purely on the basis of his dwarven birth. All the Lorien elves are deeply distrustful of him, and he is almost treated as a prisoner, until Galadriel demands that he be released from his blindfold, and treated as an honored guest. He is so spellbound by her grace and her beauty that he is forever changed by their encounter, and gets himself into trouble by threatening Eomer of Rohan for insulting her.
Throughout his time in Lorien, Gimli’s admiration for Galadriel and her powerful beauty only grows. When the Fellowship must leave, and he wants nothing more than a single strand of her hair to remember her by, Galadriel she gives him three. The relationship between them is an innocent and sweet kind of love, born of respect and trust. It also paves the way for Legolas to then trust Gimli, which forges a bond between them that lasts to the Undying Lands and beyond.
There are many instances of Gimli’s admiration of Galadriel that are mirrored by Kili’s enamor with Tauriel. Kili too, starts out as a captive in Tauriel's land, being held in the prisons of Mirkwood by Thranduil. They forge a bond because she doesn’t treat him with cruelty and disdain like the other elves do, just as Galadriel did with Gimli in the Lord of the Rings. In fact, Tauriel takes this one step further, protecting the dwarves when they are ambushed in the barrels by a band of orcs. Similarly, both Gimli and Kili are drawn in by the beautiful silvery words of the elves, and the hope and inspiration that they bring. For Gimli, this takes the form of the words that he hears in his mind, words of encouragement for his quest, and the loyalty in his heart to stay true to his fellowship, which he does later by pursuing Merry and Pippin across the fields of Rohan. For Kili, is it the ethereal words that Tauriel speaks about walking among the light of their stars. Her words remind him of his home and his freedom, both of which he has currently lost.
And of course, the thing that is the most reminiscent of the two parallel loves is that of the beauty of the elf maiden melting the heart of the cold, stone-like dwarf. This is seen in Gimli’s line, “I will never again look upon something so fair,” and in the look in Kili’s eyes when Tauriel is healing him with an elvish spell, after he is poisoned with an orc arrow. Viewers can literally see the light and the charm radiating out of her as she speaks. Both stories are tragic, and fleeting. In Gimli's case, it is because Galadriel must sail to the Undying Lands with Celeborn, so he feels the pain and the loss of her departing Middle Earth forever. Meanwhile, Tauriel loses Kili in the fight against Bolg. Her love is run through with a dagger right in front of her, and she can do nothing to prevent it.
One relationship is canonical, and exists as part of the many delightful partnerships created by J.R.R. Tolkien, while the other is a construct to flesh out the story of The Hobbit for the purposes of making it a trilogy. However, both have a uniqueness and a familiarity about them that resonates beyond the end of the movies, and are sure to touch the hearts of audiences.