If Netflix’s supernatural family drama,Locke and Key, has taught viewers anything, it’s that some doors should never be opened, and most importantly, some keys should never be used. In its final season, Locke and Key, delivers a thrilling supernatural adventure that brings the story of the Locke family to a satisfying conclusion.
The Story So Far
Season 1
The devastating murder of their family patriarch, Rendell Locke, resulted in the Locke siblings: Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) moving to Matheson, Massachusetts for a fresh start with their mother (Darby Stanchfield). The family moves into Rendell’s ancestral home, Key House, and discover the magical and deadly legacy that their father left behind. For generations, The Locke Family have been the keepers of a collection of extraordinary keys capable of performing various supernatural feats.
As the three siblings unravel the mysteries of Keyhouse and the magical keys, they find themselves targeted by a deadly, shape-shifting demon by the name of Dodge (Laysla De Oliveira). As the season unfolds, the siblings discover the tragic history surrounding their father, his friends, and how Dodge came to be. Season 1 culminates with the siblings tossing who they believe to be Dodge through the Black Door (a portal into the realm of demons) and seemingly ending the threat to their family. The season ends with the startling revelation that the real Dodge used the Identity Key to give Locke family friend and ally, Ellie Whedon (Sherri Saum), her human appearance. The final moments of season 1 reveal that Kinsey’s new friend, Gabe (Griffin Gluck), is one of Dodge’s forms.
Season 2
When Season 2 begins, Gabe aka Dodge is determined to bring more demons through the Black Door and coerces Locke family uncle, Duncan (Aaron Ashmore), into creating the Demon Key. Uncle Duncan eventually becomes a powerful ally to his niece and nephews once his memories of magic have been restored. Kinsey ultimately realizes that Gabe is really Dodge and the siblings band together to take the nefarious demon down once and for all. Unfortunately, there are casualties like Tyler’s girlfriend, Jackie, who dies when the demon placed inside of her by The Demon Key, is killed by the Alpha Key.
The season ends on a bittersweet note with Tyler, who is nearing the age of eighteen, forgetting about magical adventures that have unfolded over the past two seasons. Conversely, Nina Locke, who has been oblivious to magical forces that surround her family, uses the Memory Key to retain her memories of magic.
Season 3
The final season opens with Bode and Kinsey testing out new keys and worrying about their older brother. Tyler left town after the death of his girlfriend and texts his family just enough so that they know he’s alive. He’s distant both geographically and emotionally. Nina Locke is finally in on to the magical secrets her kids have been hiding from her, and thinks she sees magic at every turn.
Ellie is back from the other side of the Black Door and in her own body. She’s trying to move on with her life, but rumors about her sudden disappearance and memories of her time in the realm of demons haunt her.
Our new antagonist, Gideon (Kevin Durand) is a demon that even Dodge fears. He’s an ancient enemy of the Locke family. While Dodge’s goals were to possess the keys and utilize their power to rule the mortal world, Gideon’s plans are much more grand. He wants to use the keys to breakdown the barriers between the demon and mortal worlds. In their final season, it will take the Locke family and all of their allies to stop a catastrophic merging of the two worlds.
The Characters
I have to start out by praising Jackson Robert Scott. Although the series features an ensemble cast, each season tends to give one of the Locke siblings the spotlight. It was Tyler in Season 1, then Kinsey in Season 2, and in their final outing, Bode Locke takes center stage. Jackson Robert Scott is an immense talent who really gets to flex his acting chops here and he nails it every time. There’s a major twist with Bode’s character this season, and it gives Scott a chance to absolutely shine. I’m looking forward to seeing what roles he pursues in the future.
Jessup and Jones are still present and great as the eldest Locke siblings. Jessup brings a sense of palpable grief to Tyler this season that harkens back to Season 1. He spends most of his time trying to figure out what his family is hiding from him, and although he’s tempted to leave again, he knows deep down that he must remain to protect his family. In the show’s lore, a person forgets magic when they reach the age of eighteen. Bode and Kinsey know it would be best to restore Tyler’s memory, but are conflicted because they want to respect his wishes.
Jones, as always, does an excellent job portraying the strong and resilient Kinsey. Although she doesn’t get as much to do here as last season, when her character was the focal point, she has some great moments. Jones even sings a couple of times throughout the season, which fans of her performance in the Oscar-winning film, CODA, will appreciate.
Stanchfield is fun to watch as the no longer oblivious Locke family matriarch, Nina, She’s a lot more useful now that she’s in on the secret, and the series revisits the previously implied drinking problem she had from Season 1. Although the storyline doesn’t have a complete resolution, it was a nice attempt at character development. Her love interest from Season 2 returns, and helps provide the possibility of a happy ending after the tragic loss of her husband.
Final Thoughts
I was sad to discover this would be the final season of Locke & Key, but curious to see how the third season would unfold. In the comics, written by Joe Hill and drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez, Dodge is the primary villain for all six volumes. The television show wisely decided to wrap up the Dodge arc after season 2 (although you shouldn’t rule out a substantial cameo this season.)
Season 3 charted new territory by introducing Gideon, a demon that even Dodge feared and a villain who really upped the stakes for the series. Although I feel like the season would have benefited from its usual length of ten episodes, instead of the eight we get here, the season delivers a satisfactory story overall.
Locke and Key had a long journey to the small screen, with failed pilots produced at Fox in 2011 and Hulu in 2017. When it finally arrived on Netflix in 2020, I was excited to see what the series would do with the adaptation, and overall, I’ve been pleased. Although this was never a wildly popular coming-of-age supernatural drama, it stood out amongst its peers as something unique and clever.
The final season of Locke and Key delivers a satisfactory and exciting conclusion to the story of the Locke family.
The final season of Locke and Key is now available to stream on Netflix.
Locke and Key, delivers a thrilling supernatural adventure that brings the story of the Locke family to a satisfying conclusion.
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Writer. Video Essayist. Film/TV Critic. Pop Culture Enthusiast.
When he isn’t writing for Geek Vibes Nation or The Cinema Spot, Tristian can be found typing away at one of the novels or screenplays he’s been working on forever.