Kaz and Inej "I want you" scene| SHADOW AND BONE SEASON 2 | Kanej drawing timelapse + interpretation

[@bujowithbooks6298]

I’ve seen complaints from both sides - that Inej’s trauma is neglected to make room for the Kanej hallucination scene, and also that Inej herself is not considerate of Kaz’s trauma when she decides to leave him. This video provides an excellent take on what Inej’s mindset is in s2 and how her trauma is still somewhat addressed. I think the fact that Inej’s backstory was not delved into, was the major problem. In an 8 episode season with 15 central characters, it is understandable from a certain point of view, I guess. But also, in a season when Kaz had his backstory revealed, I guess we hoped for Inej’s story too, rather than Jesper’s (though that made more sense plot wise). I think if we got some explicit scene about Inej’s past, this hallucination scene and why she chose to leave in the end would make more sense.

[@aranystudio]

I honestly don't understand these complaints - granted the kiss is supposed to be on the mouth, not on the neck like in the books, but honestly how much more is there in the hallucination scene than in the canon bathroom scene? Also I'm glad that her trauma is going to be adressed in a dedicated episode in the spin-off (if we get it) rather than have it rushed in this season, which is so crowded already... Jesper's backstory felt rushed to me to be honest, so I'm glad Inej's didn't have the same fate... as for Inej not considering Kaz's trauma when she decides to leave him - I've always wondered if she is doing an ableism by reproaching him something that he can't control, but what I don't understand is why would people have a problem with it now, when in the books it was the exact same thing and that was praised as we well know 🤷‍♀️

[@bujowithbooks6298]

@@aranystudio I think the complaints about Kanej hallucination was because Inej was the only one whose hallucination was of a romantic nature, when both Kaz and Tolya’s hallucinations were about being drowned/killing their siblings. And Jesper’s hallucination was about meeting his mother. When the creator’s keep mentioning Inej having a brother sold in slavery both in s1 and s2, some viewers wondered why wasn’t Inej having a hallucination about never finding or reuniting with her brother? These viewers believe that giving Inej a romantic hallucination takes away her own trauma - takes away the fact that Inej herself is not fully comfortable with physical closeness. Your video explains these very well though 👍👍👍. As for Inej’s comments about armour, it makes more sense in the book, where Inej and the rest of the Crows are unaware about Kaz’s back story, and hence the touch-aversion (?). Also, most of Kaz’s inner monologues tells us how Kaz feels about Inej, but it’s not something he admits to Inej until much later. In the show though, Kaz already tells Inej that Pekka killed his brother, and if her comment about Nina confirming everything went well was anything to go buy, I guess both Inej and Wylan are aware of Kaz’s backstory with Pekka (despite not being there during the Kaz-Pekka fight). However, does this explain his touch aversion? Nina certainly didn’t seem to realise about Kaz’s phobia in Shu Han, but Inej seemed too? Jesper earlier in episode 1 didn’t seem to understand Kaz’s touch aversion either. We can conclude Inej figures out to a certain degree, but how much? That’s what makes the armour comments in the show make Inej seem insensitive, because we don’t see whether she’s fully aware of Kaz’s phobia or simply believes it’s something he can overcome if he wished?

[@aranystudio]

I think that Inej knows he can't touch, but not because of hearing or not hearing about his backstory. In the books she was the only one who had figured it out, but it was because she had worked in close quarters with him, she was interested in him and also she's a good spy. To me it sounds that it's the same in the show. That scene in ep 5 when she drags Kaz out of the crowd and then when he looks at her, she retreats a little to give him more space, mirrors the book scene where she gives him space in the prison wagon. I'm trying to figure whether this would make her more insensitive towards his trauma... to me it sounds like it's the same as in the books...

[@bujowithbooks6298]

@@aranystudio One thing to keep in mind is that not all those who watch the show have read the books. Personally, I thought Inej’s armour comment in SoC was about wanting to clarify whether Kaz truly cares for her. When she talks about “armour” to Kaz, it was only moments before that she found out from Nina about how Kaz’s breathing changes every time he sees Inej. But fast forward to CK, Inej is not sure if Kaz would come for her if she couldn’t be the Wraith anymore. But in the show, Kaz clearly cares a lot. He might not say it, but he talks about his real tell, he frees Inej from indenture, and he doesn’t even want her to take the job at Shu Han because she’s not beholden to anyone. I’m playing the devil’s advocate here, because I definitely want to believe Inej meant to find if Kaz truly loved her in the show with the armour comment - and was NOT being insensitive to his trauma - but I don’t know how it came across to those who didn’t read the books.

[@aranystudio]

Yeah, I see your point now, you gave me a lot of food for thought 🤔 I wanted to do a disection of the "how will you have me scene" as well, but now I think I will have to reread SoC+CK to do that 😂