This is a masterclass in patched confusion. For two films, Rey and Kylo had a psychic, antagonistic, and complex dynamic. There was tension, but it was largely ideological and violent. In the third film, after Kylo is stabbed and healed (off-screen), Rey suddenly kisses him upon his redemption. They had shared no romantic banter, no planned dates, no mutual confession of affection beyond "I want to take your hand." The kiss felt less like a culmination and more like a checkbox. The patch failed because it ignored the preceding 135 minutes of combat and opted for a silent, tragic smooch.
There are several reasons why forced patched relationships and romantic storylines occur:
Perhaps the most common offender in Hollywood cinema. Two colleagues/friends/enemies have shown zero romantic tension for 80 minutes. Suddenly, in minute 81, one of them is moving to another city, and the other sprints through an airport/rain/downtown traffic to shout, "Wait! I love you!" The audience is left baffled because the "love" was never on screen. It happened in the writer's outline, but not in the dialogue or action.
Often combined with forced proximity, where two people on opposing sides are "forced" into a truce to survive. Strategies for "Patching" a Relationship
It was a disaster. The public narrative, however, was glowing. Hand-painted broadsheets depicted them sharing wine and whispers. In reality, they lived in a state of polite cold war, divided by a massive mahogany table.