Hello, Multiversity readers; back for the penultimate episode of Locke and Key. Last time we’d checked in The Lockes, they were being let go by Sam, now in Bolton’s body, and Ellie being held hostage by Gideon. Things have just continued to go downhill for The Lockes, so let’s see if they can finally get a win in the episode “Curtain.”
1. Flashback
This episode starts with a flashback of when Rendell Locke was a teenager with his friends getting ready for a local play. The point of this scene and flashbacks throughout are to help explain the relationship between Rendell’s crew with Gordie Shaw. As I mentioned in the previous article, his character is suddenly thrust into an essential role of standing between Gideon and the portal of his world to ours. While it does give the audience some empathy for Gordie, it’s because Rendell was the cause of his high school problems. Rendell may have been trying to keep the magic a secret, but he did it by tricking Gordie into allowing him to use the Head Key and then taking the memory to protect himself.
2. Nina’s Realization
Once The Lockes are freed from the pantry thanks to Sam in Bolton’s body, Nina is taken aback and weary of any help he can offer them. However, Bode stands up for him because he knows they’d both still be stuck without Sam’s help in the ghost plane. Kinsey and Tyler want to agree with their mom, but after Bode mentions that Sam helped them find a key, they realize they could use more help. No one is offering forgiveness, and Sam isn’t looking for it because he knows what he took from them, but he only has good intentions. Moments like this bring a full circle vibe to the show because this being the penultimate episode, it reminds the audience of the cause of how they ended up in Matheson in the first place. It’s also almost like a prison-release program for Sam as he may be out of the ghost plane, but he still has plenty to work on and make amends for with his release.
3. The Chest
On the more goofy side of the episode, Nina and Bode stay at Keyhouse to try and get the Harlequin Chest open that contains all the other keys that Gideon left behind. This still baffles me because this guy has a ton of power on his own, nearly has all of the keys at his disposal, and only takes two or three with him. Anyways, the duo tries to use power tools and other stuff found around the house to try and break through the chest but no luck. A couple of creative thoughts come from trying to set it on fire and leave it in the Wellhouse so Gideon couldn’t enter. However, because it is magical, the chest has ways of defending itself. It’s a comical moment to see a little rain cloud appear overhead when the fire gets heavy, but for Nina and Bode, it’s another problem they still can’t figure out.
4. Gordie’s Head
Now for the meat of the episode, Kinsey, Tyler, and Sam/Bolton go after Gideon and Ellie inside of Gordie’s head as he lays on the ground unconscious after being stabbed. The room inside his head had morphed from when he was a teenager but still stuck with the theater theme moving from the backstage area to a series of theaters filled with various memories. While everyone is trying to figure out where the key is, Ellie has already started her plan to trap Gideon so she can get the key and escape. While the theater maze was something that kept me entertained and gave me a taste of the magic from previous seasons, it goes back to the fact that Gordie is being used just as a character to move the story along. The more exciting thing that came from this is during his flashbacks from when he was a teenager to current dealing with the truth of his sexuality and forced to explain himself to a close-minded mother, and never finding the success or love he wanted. All of these flashbacks are happening on the walls of his theater maze, but of course, the kids and Ellie are more distracted by everything going black since he is dying in the real world.
5. Poor Rufus
During the hunt for the last key inside of Gordie’s head Rufus is in the real world trying to keep Gordie alive. Since he’s still only a teenager, he has no choice but to call 911 to get the proper help he needs, and it’s still a lot of stress and importance to put on him. Then mixed with magic, there are two Gordie’s in the house. One is the real Gordie, and the other is created from the Head Key. Once an ambulance shows up, Rufus is forced to try and figure out the difference between the two so the EMTs can help keep him alive, but he is also forced to hide one in a different part of the house. By the end of the episode, we’re reminded that Rufus is only a teenager because the cops show up after Gordie is taken away, and he’s covered in blood with no correct answer to avoid going in the back of a police car.
