Indi Hartwell has not closed the door on a reunion with Samuel Shaw in TNA, and the idea carries built-in history from one of NXT’s most memorable relationship-driven storylines of the modern era.
Hartwell and Shaw, then performing as Dexter Lumis, were at the center of the InDex storyline in WWE NXT. Their unusual romance culminated in a wedding on the September 15, 2021 edition of NXT, a segment that stood out in a wrestling landscape where on-screen weddings have often been remembered as much for disaster as for romance. In this case, the connection between the performers and the audience gave the angle a warmth that extended beyond the wedding itself.
That story did not receive a clean, definitive ending. Lumis’ first WWE release in 2022 interrupted the narrative, leaving the fictional marriage without the kind of follow-up that fans commonly expect from a major serialized wrestling angle. Both performers have since landed in TNA, creating a natural opportunity to revisit a relationship that remains recognizable years later.
Speaking with Joey Karni, Hartwell said fan interest in InDex has endured well beyond its original NXT run. She described the storyline as a frequent topic at public appearances and as one of the most enjoyable experiences of her career.
For more background on this topic, read Kelani Jordan Details the Mindset Shift Behind Her NXT Women’s Title Breakthrough.
“I think it’s something that a lot of people want to see,” Hartwell said. “Anytime I’m at a signing or a convention or a show, someone will bring up how they loved InDex. Even years later, it’s something that is always brought up. And honestly for me, it’s probably the most fun I’ve had in my career and I’m so proud of that storyline. We’re both open to doing something again because I feel like we never really got closure on it. It’s still open. I’m interested in doing more with that.”
Hartwell’s comments do not confirm that a reunion angle is planned. They do, however, establish that she sees creative value in returning to the connection, while recognizing that the original story still has unresolved material to explore. In wrestling, that combination matters. A familiar pairing can provide instant audience recognition, but a successful revival needs a reason to exist beyond repeating what worked before.
The lasting appeal of InDex
The original InDex presentation succeeded because it mixed a deliberately unconventional character pairing with sincere emotional beats. Lumis’ silent, unsettling persona could easily have been treated only as a comedic obstacle or a one-note horror character. Instead, the relationship with Hartwell allowed another side of the act to emerge. Hartwell, meanwhile, had the opportunity to show personality, commitment and comic timing while maintaining a genuine investment in the story.
That emotional clarity helped the storyline connect. Fans were not simply asked to laugh at the contrast between the characters; they were given a reason to want the relationship to work. The wedding became a payoff because viewers had watched the pairing develop over time. That is an important distinction, particularly for a potential TNA continuation. The audience already knows the shared history, but the new chapter would need to establish what the relationship means now.
Time away from the story may actually help that process. Hartwell and Shaw are no longer returning to the same setting or the same versions of their characters. The transition to TNA offers flexibility to acknowledge the past without being locked into a direct recreation of every earlier beat. The unresolved nature of the storyline can be treated as a hook, whether the promotion presents them as reconnecting, working through their separation, or discovering that their lives have moved in entirely different directions.
There is also a practical advantage in the familiarity of the concept. TNA viewers who followed NXT will immediately understand the significance of a Hartwell-Shaw interaction. For viewers less familiar with the earlier angle, the basic premise is simple enough to explain: two performers with an unfinished on-screen relationship have unexpectedly found themselves under the same banner again.
Samuel Shaw’s place in Syx
Any Hartwell-Shaw story in TNA would also have to account for Shaw’s present direction. He is continuing a horror-oriented presentation alongside Joseph Sawyer, formerly known as Joe Gacy, under the Syx name. The act carries forward elements associated with their previous work together while functioning in a new environment.
That makes a reunion more complicated than simply placing Hartwell beside her former on-screen husband. Shaw’s current identity is tied to a darker group dynamic, and Syx has its own visual and thematic world. Hartwell addressed that possibility directly, saying she would be willing to consider being involved with the group, but she does not see herself as a natural duplicate of its existing atmosphere.
“I feel like the Syx are pretty spooky and I’m not very spooky,” Hartwell said. “Maybe I would bring more of a real aspect to it, I guess.”
That difference could be an asset rather than a problem. Wrestling factions often become stronger when each member has a distinct role instead of sharing identical mannerisms, motivations and presentation. Hartwell’s suggested “real aspect” could create an effective contrast with the horror-themed tone around Shaw and Sawyer. Rather than trying to transform her into another ominous figure, a storyline could position her as someone who understands Shaw in a way others do not.
Such a role would give TNA several possible creative directions. Hartwell could be a sympathetic bridge between Shaw’s past and present. She could be suspicious of Syx and determined to pull him away from it. Or she could be presented as a grounded presence who gradually reveals that she is more comfortable around the group’s darkness than anyone expected. Each approach would offer a different balance between nostalgia for InDex and the current Syx presentation.
The key would be preserving Hartwell’s own identity. Her comments make clear that she does not view herself as naturally suited to simply becoming “spooky” in the same manner as the group. A storyline built around that tension could be more compelling than one that eliminates it. Contrast has long been central to wrestling partnerships, and it was a major part of what made InDex work in the first place.
Closure does not have to mean a simple reunion
Hartwell’s point about a lack of closure is especially notable. Closure in wrestling does not always require a happily-ever-after ending, nor does it necessarily mean returning a team or couple to its original form. It means giving the audience an answer that feels earned after a story has been left hanging.
For Hartwell and Shaw, that answer could involve reconciliation. It could also involve conflict, a difficult conversation, competing loyalties, or a realization that the connection they had in NXT cannot be recreated exactly. The strongest option would likely be one that respects the audience’s memory while acknowledging that both characters and performers have moved into different circumstances.
There is value in not rushing that kind of story. The original NXT material benefited from gradual development and from letting the audience react to small moments. TNA could use a similar approach if it elects to revisit the pairing: a brief encounter, uncertainty over whether either person wants to address the past, and escalating involvement with Syx before any major resolution. That would allow the emotional history to inform the angle without requiring viewers to have seen every chapter of the earlier run.
Hartwell’s willingness to revisit the material also highlights how strongly performers can remain connected to the work that shaped their careers. Her description of InDex as the most fun she has had professionally is not merely nostalgia. It reflects the unusual opportunity the storyline gave her to develop through character-based storytelling rather than relying only on matches and rivalries.
For TNA, the situation presents a potentially useful creative resource: two performers with established chemistry, a recognizable shared history, an unfinished narrative and a current faction that can add intrigue to the situation. None of that guarantees that an angle will happen. Hartwell has only expressed openness, not announced a plan. But the ingredients are there if TNA decides the time is right.
As Shaw continues his work in Syx with Sawyer and Hartwell continues to build her own path in TNA, the possibility of their worlds crossing will remain an easy point of interest. Fans have kept InDex alive in conversations at signings, conventions and shows. Hartwell’s comments suggest she understands why, and she appears ready to see whether an unfinished chapter can eventually receive the attention it never got.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.