Former WWE star says romance made storyline relatable
Summary
– Indi Hartwell said her Dexter Lumis storyline connected because fans could relate to love and perseverance
– The InDex angle became one of WWE NXT’s most memorable romantic stories
– Hartwell said the storyline gave fans something more personal than titles or major wrestling milestones
Indi Hartwell believes her popular storyline with Dexter Lumis worked because it gave fans something real to connect with.
Hartwell and Lumis became a major part of WWE NXT during the early 2020s. Their on-screen romance grew into the InDex storyline and later led to a wedding on the September 14, 2021, episode of NXT.
Speaking on Battleground Podcast, Hartwell was asked why fans stayed so invested in the story. She said wrestling often features moments that many viewers cannot personally experience, such as winning championships or wrestling on the biggest stages.
Hartwell explained that love is different. Fans could understand someone chasing a romantic connection, facing resistance, and still pushing forward. That made the story easy to follow and emotionally simple.
She also pointed to The Way as an important part of the angle. Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano tried to keep her character away from Lumis, which added more conflict to the romance and helped fans root for the payoff.
Hartwell said Tommy Dreamer once described the story as endearing. She agreed with that view, noting that fans were drawn to her character as a lovesick and lovable person chasing someone strange, dark, and unusual.
The pairing had a larger-than-life wrestling twist, but Hartwell believes the story’s heart remained relatable. Fans may not know what it feels like to win a title at WrestleMania, but they can understand wanting love and fighting for it.
That connection helped InDex stand out. For Hartwell, the storyline worked because it brought fans closer to the characters instead of keeping them at a distance.
