Locke and Key Ending, Explained

Netflix’s ‘Locke and Key’ tells the story of three siblings who discover their family secrets and have to take charge of battling the evil that comes in search of it. The story is adapted from the comic book series of the same name by Joe Hill, and the television adaptation does a great job of bringing the fascinating keys and the scary shadows to life. It is an adventurous story with a lot of twists, and even more secrets, that leave you guessing at every turn. If you haven’t yet seen the show, head over to Netflix. Here we break down the twist ending and what it means for the Locke siblings. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Plot Summary

Three months after the death of their father, Locke siblings are forced to leave their life in Seattle and move to Matheson where they have a family house. Called Key House, as a pun on the family name, the place has been neglected for a long time. Their father never talked about it and their uncle doesn’t remember much of his childhood, which means that the siblings, as well as their mother, know nothing about what happened here and why it is considered the most haunted house in the town.

Things get interesting when the youngest, Bode, starts hearing whispers from different parts of the house. Curious, he follows them and finds himself in the possession of the keys that seem to have magical powers. In the Well House, he becomes acquainted with something that calls itself Bode’s echo. At first, he believes her to be his friend, but she turns out to be a terrifying enemy.

Where did Dodge come from?

Dodge came out of the other side of the Black Door and latched on to Lucas. She had found herself in the middle of all the keys but was still too new to the world to be patient and plan accordingly. Her actions led to the death of Lucas and two other members of Rendell’s friend circle, and Dodge herself had nowhere to go. If it hadn’t been for Ellie’s desperate attempt to reunite with Lucas, Dodge would have never returned.

Why she pops up on the paintings and pictures of the Well House can be explained by the fact that it was in the Well House that she had been resurrected. She needed Anywhere Key to go around and she didn’t find it until Bode handed it to her. Later, we discover that it is the Omega Key that she is really after and it was the trickiest to get. But she had learned her lesson. She had to plan beforehand and keep herself close to all the options, any of which could eventually lead her to what she wants.

The Ending: Dodge’s Real Plan

Bode is a kid, but it didn’t take him much to accept that Dodge was not stupid. She was not just manipulative and dangerous, but also a great planner. By the end, we discover the true extent of her influence on Matheson. She had exerted it in the past, and in the present, her plan has become multi-faceted. She not only has the back-up to her back-up but also has several other plans in place to get what she wants. She might have seemed very desperate at getting all the keys, but she will wait if she has to. Her calculative nature truly comes out with the final scene of the series.

I didn’t pay much attention to Gabe when he first showed up, but as soon as he got involved with the keys and became a more prominent presence in Kinsey’s life, I started having my doubts. Where did this kid suddenly come out of? Why was he so easy to convince about the magic and how did he suddenly insinuate himself so well in Kinsey’s life? Also, while Scot and the Savinis were trying to rein in Kinsey’s curious nature that almost got them killed, Gabe was the one who not just supported her but also encouraged her to go further. Something didn’t feel right about him, and in the end, my suspicions were not misplaced at all.

Sam Lesser, who killed Rendell Locke, seemed like the first one to be manipulated by Dodge, but it turns out to be Ellie. Using the Echo Key, she thought she had brought Lucas back, but it was actually Dodge. She made Ellie do her bidding. Unlike Bode, it took a lot of time for Ellie to figure out that Dodge was no good, but by then, she was already under her thumb. Meanwhile, Dodge got hold of Sam as well. But the real game started when the Lockes came to Matheson. Three kids meant three opportunities for Dodge to get what she wanted.

It started with Bode. The kid got far enough to get her Anywhere Key, but he was smart enough to sense how dangerous she is. A while later, we found her trying to get close to Tyler, but by then, he already knew about the keys and ran away just in time to save himself as well as his family. This leaves Kinsey.

Dodge knows how to play on someone’s weakness, and all Kinsey needed was a friend, someone she could trust and share her secrets with. Scot beat Dodge to it, but she finally found her opening and placed herself with Kinsey in a very profitable position. If Rendell had entrusted the secret of Omega Key to his girlfriend, wouldn’t Kinsey do the same with hers?

Because Dodge can’t take the keys for herself, she needs a plan where the Lockes willingly give it to her. This will only happen when they trust her, and hence, the plan to be friends with them. Moreover, she also has a friend now, who escaped while they were busy throwing Ellie, with the face of Dodge, through the Black Door. The new Keeper of the Keys gang is formed by the end, and with two demons in it, the chances to put their evil plans into action are doubled. In the second season, if Eden tries to get in between Tyler and Jackie, it wouldn’t be a surprise.

Read More: Where Was Locke and Key Filmed?

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