Everything You Need to Remember About Locke & Key Before Season 2

Locke & Key season two arrives on Netflix on Friday, and because it’s been what seems like a popular culture eternity since its first season—it was truly February 2020—we determined a crash-course refresher for this spooky, heartfelt sequence was so as. This information is most helpful if you happen to’ve already seen the sequence (and fairly clearly, it does comprise season-one spoilers), however if you happen to simply need to be ready to dive into what appears to be like like a darker, extra complicated, and gorier second season, we’ve obtained you lined.

What is Locke & Key about?

First factor’s first: Locke & Key is a live-action adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez’s IDW comedian that took a very long time to get to TV. And, in fact, there are a couple of—ahem—key variations between the 2. The present begins with a person jamming a key into his chest which units him on fireplace, and one other man being murdered. The first loss of life is a thriller that isn’t defined till manner later within the season, whereas the second loss of life—that of Locke household patriarch Rendell—is the catalyst that units the entire plot in movement. Rendell’s shell-shocked spouse, Nina, and children Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode transfer cross-country to allow them to stay in Keyhouse, the Locke ancestral residence in fictional city Matheson, Massachusetts (within the comics the city was referred to as Lovecraft). As the household learns, there’s a purpose why their father by no means talked about his childhood; not solely is Keyhouse infused with magic within the type of keys that open uncommon doorways and different objects, it’s additionally the nexus of a horrible tragedy that Rendell endured in his teenagers—the deaths of three of his greatest pals—which was a direct results of messing round with the keys and the malevolent entities which might be interested in them.

But the youngsters don’t understand that initially—particularly as soon as they get caught up within the marvel of discovering and testing all of the keys (and get distracted by a certain quantity of high-school drama alongside the best way). Important examples embrace the Anywhere Key, which helps you to journey anyplace (so long as you’ve seen it earlier than); the Head Key, which grants entrance right into a bodily manifestation of 1’s personal thoughts palace; the Identity Key, which helps you to assume one other particular person’s look; and the Ghost Key, which lets your spirit separate out of your physique if you happen to undergo a specific door in the home. The different keys variously set issues on fireplace, grant entrance right into a twisted mirror dimension, mend issues which might be damaged, unlock hidden recollections, convey folks again from the lifeless (sorta), and allow the consumer to manage one other particular person’s actions. The Locke youngsters amuse themselves (for a time, although lots of their experiences quickly skew extra towards terrifying and/or emotionally wrenching) attempting out the keys—till their quest leads them to a very powerful key: the Omega Key, which opens the Black Door, which in flip permits demons to move into the human world. But because the story beings, there’s a demon who’s already within the human world and so they’re hellbent on getting their arms on these keys: the supremely nasty Dodge, who takes a couple of completely different varieties because the season progresses.

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Who are the principle characters on Locke & Key?

Nina Locke (Darby Stanchfield): The mom of Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode, she strikes the household from Seattle to Matheson in order that they’ll stay in Keyhouse. An artist/restorer and recovering alcoholic, she helps her youngsters despite the fact that she (like all different adults) can’t perceive the magical predicaments they discover themselves in—one thing that quickly dissipates when she briefly falls off the wagon—and he or she spends lots of time puzzling into the tragedy in Rendell’s previous that finally ends up informing the occasions of season one. Toward the top of the season, she sparks with Detective Matuku (Martin Roach), so it’ll be attention-grabbing to see if a relationship develops there.

Tyler Locke (Connor Jessup): The oldest Locke sibling, Tyler would simply as quickly go about life in his consolation zone—he’s fashionable, performs hockey, and has a budding relationship with classmate Jackie (Genevieve Kang). But like all of the Lockes, he’s nonetheless having bother coping with the aftereffects of his father’s violent loss of life (Tyler, specifically, feels excessive guilt about it, since his father’s killer was a college acquaintance), and he feels an obligation to guard the household, even when it means getting entangled within the supernatural.

Kinsey Locke (Emilia Locke): The center baby, she’s an aspiring artist who’s extra of an outsider than Tyler, although she does shortly befriend “the Savini squad,” a gaggle of horror movie-obsessed classmates led by Scot Cavendish. In season one she overcomes her fears, actually, when she goes inside her thoughts utilizing the Head Key and buries the Kinsey-like creature that represents every little thing she’s afraid of. But her lack of concern additionally makes her a little bit of a harmful risk-taker too.

Bode Locke (Jackson Robert Scott): The youngest by a number of years, he’s a curious, precocious child whose explorations round Keyhouse and its grounds lead him to find a number of of the keys, in addition to stumble throughout Dodge’s hiding place inside Keyhouse’s deserted properly. He befriends Ellie’s son, Rufus (Coby Bird), however we don’t see an excessive amount of of Bode outdoors of his Keyhouse adventures.

Rendell Locke (Bill Hecke) and Duncan Locke (Aaron Ashmore): Rendell dies earlier than the story begins, however we get to know a bit about him in flashbacks; he was a form, loving husband and father whose solely flaw appears to be protecting quiet a couple of very darkish historical past. His youthful brother, Duncan—who lives in close by Boston, and helps his sister-in-law and her youngsters get settled in Matheson—can’t keep in mind what occurred of their childhoods or something concerning the keys, because of a form of magic-induced amnesia. And since he’s an grownup, Duncan’s unable to grasp the existence of magic when he visits Keyhouse within the current day.

Dodge (Laysla De Oliveira as “the Well Lady,” Felix Mallard as “Lucas,” Griffin Gluck as “Gabe”): An influence-hungry (and food-hungry… Dodge can eat!) demon who would dearly like to get their mitts on all of the Locke keys, and can cease at nothing to get them. We discover out in season one which Dodge manipulated troubled teen Sam Lesser (Thomas Mitchell Barnet) into killing Rendell, however Dodge can be moderately kill-crazy on their very own; at one level they use the Anywhere Key to open a door to a subway platform simply to allow them to casually shove a child in entrance of an incoming prepare. That’s simply one instance. Dodge, who ultimately snags nearly all of the keys and the sinister Crown of Shadows, takes varied human varieties—together with that of an exquisite lady, Ellie’s high-school boyfriend Lucas, and Kinsey’s high-school boyfriend Gabe.

Scot Cavendish (Petrice Jones): Head “Savini” Scot befriends Kinsey when she first arrives in Matheson. Kinsey joins the solid of The Splattering—Scot’s creature characteristic a couple of native lobster monster—and so they have a quick romance till her reckless conduct causes him to tug away. After that, Kinsey begins relationship one other film-club member, Gabe, who says all the best issues to win her over… as a result of he’s possessed by Dodge. Despite this, because it stands Kinsey and Scot are nonetheless pals.

Ellie Whedon (Sherri Saum): A high-school good friend of Rendell’s, and one of many few individuals who is aware of the true story of the tragedy, Ellie initially befriends Nina when she arrives on the town. They have a falling-out after Nina low-key accuses Ellie of being concerned within the homicide of Matheson Academy trainer Joe Ridgway (Steven Williams)—which she did witness, although it was truly Dodge who killed him. While Ellie is usually a superb particular person, the secrets and techniques she retains (particularly concerning the mysterious return of her long-dead high-school love, Lucas… who’s actually Dodge in disguise) find yourself sealing her destiny on the finish of season one.

Eden Hawkins (Hallea Jones): Matheson Academy’s resident Mean Girl. She’s struck by a demonic bullet on the finish of season one, so she gained’t fairly be herself (presumably she’ll nonetheless be imply, however in a extra supernatural manner) in season two.

What occurred on the finish of Locke & Key season one?

With Ellie’s assist, Dodge will get their arms on the Crown of Shadows—which, when used at the side of a particular key, permits the wearer to conjure highly effective shadow creatures. Dodge, naturally, makes use of them to terrorize the Locke youngsters to attempt to get the Omega Key. The Lockes handle to knock Dodge out, then summon their friends Jackie, Scot, Eden, and Gabe to assist carry the demon’s physique to the Omega Door, assuming in the event that they toss Dodge again into no matter supernatural realm is behind it, their troubles will likely be over.

But there’s a grander arc to Dodge’s plan than anybody, together with the viewers, has realized—and Locke & Key does a rewind and point-of-view change-up to fill within the blanks. But first, we additionally get the complete story of what occurred to Rendell and his pals, because of a repentant Ellie: after they had been teenagers, they opened the Omega Door, and three of them had been hit by demonic bullets that got here crusing by way of. They turned possessed. Dodge was Lucas’ nickname, in order that’s the place that got here from. Things obtained violent; the three possessed teenagers had been killed, and the survivors swore an oath to guard the keys. In the current day, we study {that a} lonely Ellie used the Echo Key to convey Lucas again—albeit trapped for a time within the Locke properly—thereby bringing Dodge into the human world, an act which introduced concerning the manipulation of Sam and Rendell’s homicide, and every little thing that adopted. (The purpose Dodge appears to be like like an exquisite lady more often than not is as a result of, as we’ve seen, the demon will do or say nearly something to get what it needs.) We study that Gabe is Dodge utilizing the Identity Key. We study that Eden was struck by a type of bullets. And we study that the “Dodge” the youngsters pushed out the Omega Door was truly Ellie.

Why do you have to watch season two of Locke & Key?

Beautifully shot, acted, and plotted, Locke & Key tells a compelling story that straddles the road between horror and fantasy with characters you truly develop to care an terrible lot about. The stakes are excessive sufficient to trigger actual hazard—as talked about, Dodge has no hesitation about murdering anybody who will get of their manner—and season one managed to really feel satisfying even with these free threads left dangling within the occasion of a second season, which it fortunately acquired. (There’s additionally a 3rd one on the best way.) With Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez’ comedian sequence obtainable for inspiration, and the present’s personal gifted writing staff shaping issues, there’s lots of room for Locke & Key to broaden its story and mythology whereas nonetheless staying true to the dark-fairy-tale vibes that made its first season so persistently entertaining.

Locke & Key season two arrives October 22 on Netflix.

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