'Shadow and Bone''s Amita Suman Says It's Time Inej's Trauma Is Explored

Netflix's Shadow and Bone adaptation has skilfully woven in the characters from Leigh Bardugo's critically acclaimed Six of Crows duology. However, Amita Suman told Newsweek that she is ready to see more from her character, Inej Ghafa.

Also known as the Wraith, Inej is an integral part of the Crows crew led by Kaz Brekker (Freddy Carter). It includes Jesper Fahey (Kit Young), Wylan Van Eck (whose surname is Hendricks in the show, played by Jack Wolfe), Nina Zenik (Danielle Galligan) and Matthias Helvar (Calahan Skogman).

The six of them embark on an impossible heist at the Ice Court in Fjerda in the first novel. They aim to retrieve a Grisha scientist who has created a dangerous new drug called jurda parem. The aftermath of this is explored in the second book in the duology, Crooked Kingdom.

But, while the backstories of characters like Kaz and Jesper have been depicted in Shadow and Bone, Inej's past has only just been touched upon. So, Suman is eager to see more of it come to life onscreen.

Shadow and Bone's Amita Suman Says It's Time Inej's Trauma Is Explored

Inej's arrival in the island nation of Ketterdam was not by choice. She and her brother were kidnapped by slavers, and she was forced to join a brothel named the Menagerie under the ruthless Tante Heleen. It is these experiences that have been traumatic for her, particularly what happened in the brothel.

In Shadow and Bone, Inej and the Crows, Kaz in particular, have fought to find a way to free her from her indentured servitude. Season 2 finally saw her be free of it. In the end, she chose to go in search of her brother to free him, too, despite the almost-romance between her and Kaz.

"Kaz has found his redemption. He's done his story now in terms of this redemption for his brother. So I want to see what happens with Inej's brother as well, and what that costs her, or what she gains from that," Suman said.

"Because the desire between [Inej and Kaz], this care, this unspoken language between them, is so strong and so poignant and atmospheric."

In Season 2, the Crows conduct a heist in the country of Shu Han, where some of them become trapped in a room and poisoned by a hallucinatory drug. In her vision, Inej imagines that she is alone with Kaz. He wraps an arm around her waist and almost kisses her, so showing her desire for them to be a couple.

Referring to this, Suman added: "That's what was really beautiful about the hallucination scene. There were barely any words, but it was everything that these two have not spoken about, cannot speak about. It is everything that they want, in particular from Inej's perspective.

"So I think, for the future—I love the slow burn—I think there's a real grit to the slow-burn that they have, and I want to see a true and honest version of that.

"We haven't quite touched on Inej's trauma as much as we have with Kaz's backstory, so I want to see how that reflects in their relationship as well, because in the hallucination scene, I didn't want to forget that at all," said Suman.

"I wanted that to be at the forefront. So, even when he puts his arm around her waist, her first reaction is, it's this reminder of 'I haven't been touched this way in a really long time, and the last time I did it was the most horrific experience.' But she still wants that from him, so there's this confusion of 'what am I feeling here?'

"Even though these two feel quite similar about touch, hers is a very different experience and his is more of a phobia. So, I think the future would just be how they come together fighting those battles and helping one another, because they understand each other's unspoken language," Suman added.

Suman said that she and co-star Carter felt "this immense amount of pressure" to do Kaz and Inej's story justice for book fans. This was especially true when it came to scenes that saw them say iconic quotes from Bardugo's novels, like when Inej tells Kaz that she will "have [him] without [his] armor" or not at all.

"I so wanted to get it right," Suman said. "But, in the show, it's ever so slightly different. Certain events haven't quite happened yet in the show that have happened in the books. The history between Kaz and Inej by the time she says that line in the show is very different to the ones in the books. But the emotion and the feelings are exactly the same.

"I remember coming in on that day and Freddy and I were really focused," said Suman. "We were both in that mindset and we discussed it, and we walked away still feeling like, 'God, did we do that justice?' And then in the car, thinking, 'Oh my God, I could have said it in a thousand different ways.'

"But, you just have to remember in the moment it's what felt right and I was just so grateful that I had that scene in particular with an actor like Freddy who's so good, like so, so good."

Suman added: "Considering we didn't have a chemistry read I think when you have two actors who just love their characters and root for them, it's always weird to say that we have great chemistry, but, with these characters, things just kind of felt right, if that makes sense.

"And that came with work as well, and great writing and whatnot, but Inej she finally realized that there's no hope left here anymore," Suman said. "It's a reflection back to Season 1 when Kaz says, 'Hope is dangerous,' and she realizes that. It's such a bittersweet relationship that they have.

"Every two steps forward they take, they take 10 steps back, and I think, in terms of the books anyway, it is one of the best couples I've ever read about," Suman added.

Amita Suman Teases 'Six of Crows' Standalone Series

There are plans in place for a Six of Crows spin-off, showrunner Eric Heisserer previously told Newsweek. However, the standalone series will be greenlit only if the newly released second season of Shadow and Bone does well on Netflix. So far, it is No. 1 worldwide on the streaming platform.

"There's a reason why that book did phenomenally well worldwide and to this day, even though the books came out many, many years ago. The fandom has just carried on growing and growing, and it is because the bloody material is so good," Suman said. "It shows even in the [TV] show. When we do the Six of Crows stuff from the books, it's just received so well.

"I don't know what I can say, but I can tell you I am dying to do Six of Crows. It is one of my favourite books of all time and everyone in it has so much to do, and in particular Inej," Suman added.

"We see a different side to her. We see the dangerous woman that she is. We see this unhinged version of her battling with the evil that she's seen and trying not to become it, while being surrounded by criminals that she calls family."

Teasing the future of the standalone series, the actor added: "I've been hearing rumours about the spin-off. I genuinely think it would be one of the best TV shows Netflix [has] ever done, just because it's so different and the material is just bulletproof."

When asked if she would like the show to explore more of Inej's Suli heritage and culture, Suman said: "Hell yes, absolutely!"

"I was actually talking to the producers about the Suli language, because when we had the introduction of Nina, she says a few words like the Suli word for friendship," Suman added. "They said, 'We are developing the language for when we come to that more.' I would love to see the Suli heritage and the place in Ravka where they were from.

"We have Shu Han now. We have Novyi Zem where Jesper is from, and that world is so beautifully made in the show. The colours are so rich and how being a Grisha over there is a blessing.

"I want to see what that's like for sure, and Inej hasn't been home for years," Suman said. "If anything, she is trying so hard to not let go of that tether of memories of what that home was like. So I want to see all the colours and all the travelling troupes, and all of these amazing things."

"I think it would be a really exciting part of the Grishaverse that we haven't seen yet," Suman added.

Shadow and Bone Season 2 is out on Netflix now.