In the universe of
Locke & Key, there are many keys created from whispering iron that have different magical properties. Some of them are extensively featured in the series, while others are featured very briefly. The known keys are: •
Alpha Key: Created by Tyler Locke. Removes demons from possessed people's souls when inserted into their chests. It instantly turns a demon into whispering iron, so if the demon is still inside the host, the key's effect is fatal. •
Angel Key: Gives the user control of a winged harness that grants the ability to fly. •
Animal Key: Used on the right door in Keyhouse, it allows the user to travel through the door and transform into an animal. It is unclear whether they have a choice in the matter. It appears that the key assigns the animal according to some spiritual affinity. Returning through the door transforms a person back into a human. This works for human ghosts that have possessed animal bodies. Animals may also transform into humans if they enter through the opposite side of the door. •
Anywhere Key: Opens a door to anywhere the bearer can visualize in their mind. It is also capable of allowing Echos to leave the well house unharmed. •
Chain Key: A large chain, ball, and shackle-shaped key. Controls the Great Lock, which guards the catacombs with entangling chains. •
Creation Key: Resembling a pencil, this key causes anything drawn with it to become real, living, or otherwise. These things can also be erased by touching the other end of the key to them. •
Demon Key: When held against the spine of a person, a lock will appear. Upon being inserted, the victim becomes possessed by a demon. •
Echo Key: Allows entry to the Keyhouse wellhouse and, with the Echo Key in hand, allows a person to return a spirit from the dead to the world of the living. Leaving through the wellhouse door, however, banishes the spirit back to wherever it came from. This also applies to spirits that have possessed living bodies using the Ghost Key. •
Enigma Key: The purpose of this key seems to be intentionally unknown. •
Gender Key: Unlocks a half-sized door between rooms, which changes the sex of a person who enters it. •
Ghost Key: When used in the right door in Keyhouse, it separates the soul from the body of whoever travels through the door. The body falls dead while their ghost is free to roam the Keyhouse grounds. Ghost souls can inhabit any other bodies nearby and clash with other ghosts. If the door is closed while the user is a ghost, they will become permanently separated from their own body. If the user is possessed by a demon, the demon will become visible when the user is a ghost, appearing to be physically attached to their spine. •
Giant Key: This physically large wooden key, once inserted into a keyhole-shaped window in Keyhouse, transforms the bearer into a massive giant. •
Grindhouse Key: Transforms whatever door it opens into a giant fanged mouth that consumes whatever enters it. •
Harlequin Key: Unlocks the Harlequin Wardrobe and allows objects not normally inside to be seen. •
Head Key: Inserted into the base of someone's head, it allows one to peer inside the mind of a person, where memories and mental concepts (including "sanity" itself) are represented as tiny beings. The memories can be removed and swapped between people. Books inserted into a head with the Head Key transfer their contents to the bearer of the key, though in such a situation, the knowledge of the text is accurate but superficial. •
Hell Key: The bearer is automatically the Lord of Hell and can open the gates of Hell. •
Hercules Key: Embedded in a necklace, it grants the bearer considerable strength and bulk. The necklace was replaced by a belt in the Netflix series. •
Identity Key: Upon inserting into the base of one's chin, the bearer can change any aspect of their appearance, including clothes, body, or even gender. Also allows a bearer to forcibly change the appearance of others. However, the new appearance cannot match that of any existing person, and the user has to create a new face in their mind. •
IDW Key: Opens an outhouse in the woods bearing the eye of the IDW Comics logo. Once opened, the outhouse summons characters from other IDW comic books. •
Keyhouse Key: A large hammer-shaped key that fits into a stone slab and regenerates the Keyhouse after it is destroyed. •
Matchstick Key: Creates fires when inserted into a door or touched to an object, including a body. Shaped like a burning matchstick. •
Mending Key: Opens a magical cabinet in the Keyhouse into which a broken object can be placed (the cabinet can resize itself to the size of the object). Once the object is locked inside the cabinet, it is repaired. While it can heal severely wounded people to some extent, it apparently cannot resurrect the dead. •
Mirror Key: When inserted into a mirror, it allows the user to open a doorway to a parallel-pocket universe, called the Prison of the Self. This key affects a mirror's reflection if it is held toward a mirror, as it makes the reflection eerily pleasant and beckons the person to enter. The user is then enticed to come into the mirror by their reflection, and upon entering, they find themselves in a dark, empty abyss. •
Moon Key: Allows the user to reach and open the Moon like a door, which allows the user to pass on to the afterlife peacefully. Inhabitants who cross the door see the living world like a stage they can observe, and the afterlife like the backstage of a theater. •
Music Box Key: Inserted into a magical music box, it will cause the box to play a song that compels whoever is listening to obey its lyrics. Whoever turns the key can supply the commands. Commands are carried out so long as the music is playing and the listener can hear it. •
Omega Key: Opens the lock on the demonic door. The first key to be created. •
Orchestra Key: Inserted into a gramophone, this harp-shaped key will summon an orchestra composed of miniature humans. •
Owl Key: Gives the user control of a mechanical owl. •
Philosophoscope Key: Gives access to a device that allows viewing of various people and places, including concepts such as the user's truest love, greatest enemy, and future place of death. •
Reali Key: Allows passage to alternate dimensions. •
Shadow Key: Allows its wearer to control shadow creatures, and even the shadows of other people. Shadows are capable of interacting with the material world (often violently) but can be rendered immaterial by bright light. Embedded in a crown, the key is a tremendous source of power for the wearer. •
Skin Key: A key with a gazing mirror on its handle, it can change the ethnicity of whoever is using it. •
Small World Key: Unlocks a dollhouse replica of Keyhouse, allowing the user to see anything in Keyhouse in real-time. Any interaction with the unlocked dollhouse also occurs within the actual house, such as a house spider entering the dollhouse, magically emerging as a giant spider within the real house. •
Snow Globe Key: Traps the user inside a snowglobe resembling Keyhouse. •
Splody Key: Resembling a cartoonish stick of dynamite, this key causes explosions in any building it is used within. •
Squirrel/Undertree Key: Controls squirrels. •
Stamp Key: Allows the bearer to send postage through alternate dimensions and timelines. •
Sword Key: When inserted into the handle of any sword, it allows the sword to cut through any object. •
Tempus Fugit Key: Can turn the bearer into an older version of themselves, possibly other ages. •
Timeshift Key: Operates a grandfather clock that allows a user to observe (but not interact with) past events. The clock is limited to a specific time period: the earliest date one can visit is January 13, 1775, and the latest is December 31, 1999. •
Teddy Bear Key: Animates and controls stuffed teddy bears. •
Thorn Key: Controls plants, including for offensive purposes. This Key was redesigned and renamed the
Plant Key for the Netflix series. The Memory Key also bestows the user with the ability to remember magic in adulthood if inserted into their clavicle. •
2" Key: Shrinks the bearer down to two inches tall.
Keys with unknown purposes These keys have not made an appearance in the official comics but appear in merchandise, promotional tie-ins, and/or non-canon materials. They may have also appeared in concept art. Regardless, their purpose or abilities are unknown. •
Ankh Key •
Audible Key •
Biblio Key •
Compass Key •
Freemason Key •
Illuminati Key •
Jetpack Key •
Phoenix Key •
Scepter Key •
Snow Angel Key •
Toy Key •
Trident Key •
Yin-Yang Key Locks that hint at potential keys These are locks that are seen in the art that could hint at the existence of potential Keys. Names are not official. •
Cat Key: (Lock seen in Small World). A lock can be seen on the collar worn by Jean and Mary Locke's pet cat, Tiberius. •
Gauntlet Key: (Lock seen in Keys To The Kingdom #3) A gauntlet with a lock on it can be seen in the Harlequin Wardrobe when it is first opened by Bode. •
Keys to Omega Doors #1-#10: (Locks seen in Crown of Shadow #2: "In the Cave" & Clockworks #4: "The Whispering Iron"). While exploring the Drowning Caves, Kinsey Locke and her friends encounter an Omega Door marked with a #1 that they cannot open. This is shown to be a door separate from the Black Door, as the Black Door is deeper in the caves and is marked with a #11. This door reappears in a flashback to Rendell Locke and the Tamers of the Tempest on their way to the Black Door. Omega Doors marked with a #5 and #3 are also seen. This implies that there are at least 10 Omega Doors (not counting #11) in the caves, which may have their own Keys. It is unknown if the Omega Key has anything to do with these doors. •
Penny-farthing Key: (Lock seen in Golden Age 9: "Hell & Gone #2"). One of the items in the Harlequin Wardrobe in 1927 was a Penny-farthing bicycle with Keys as its wheel spokes and a lock on its handle. •
Radio Key: (Lock seen in Dog Days). A keyhole shape can be seen on the old-fashioned radio that the two sons of Mary Locke listen to with their dog. •
Stained Glass Key: (Lock seen in Omega 2). Assuming the keyhole on the Glass Ceiling is an actual keyhole and not just an image. Much like how the keyhole for the Giant Key was also a glass window.
Keys to the Classics These keys were designed as merchandise and are based on several famous novels and fairy tales. They were created as a limited series by Skelton Crew. Skelton Crew is solely responsible for making all purchasable replicas of Locke & Key keys. These specific keys do not appear in the comics or the Netflix Series. • '''Key to Ahab's Quarters'
: Based on the book Moby Dick'' by
Herman Melville. •
Key to Atlantis: Based on the story
Timaeus by
Plato. •
Key to the Brick House: Based on the short story
The Three Little Pigs by
Joseph Jacob. •
Key to Castle Frankenstein: Based on the novel
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by
Mary Shelly. •
Key to the Churchyard: Based on the story
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by
Washington Irving. • '''Key to Dracula's Castle'
: Based on the book Dracula'' by
Bram Stoker. • '''Key to the Falcon's Nest'
: Based on the novel The Swiss Family Robinson'' by
Johann David Wyss. • '''Key to Geppetto's Workshop'
: Based on the novel The Adventures of Pinocchio'' by
Carlo Collodi. • '''Key to the Giant's Castle'
: Based on the fairy tail Jack and the Beanstalk'' by
Benjamin Tabart. •
Key to the Glass Coffin: Based on the fairy tale
Snow White by
The Brothers Grimm. •
Key to the House of Pain: Based on the book
The Island of Doctor Moreau by
H.G. Wells. •
Key to the Hundred Acre Wood: Based on the book series
Winnie The Pooh by
A.A. Milne. •
Key to the Ice Palace: Based on the short story
The Snow Queen by
Hans Christian Andersen. • '''Key to Dr. Jekyll's Laboratory'
: Based on the book Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' by
Robert Louis Stevenson. •
Key to the Labyrinth: Based on the book
Life of Theseus by
Plutarch. •
Key to the Looking Glass: Based on the book
Through The Looking Glass by
Lewis Carroll. • '''Key to Marley's Chains'
: Based on the story A Christmas Carol'' by
Charles Dickens. •
Key to the Nautilus: Based on the novel
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by
Jules Verne. •
Key to Neverland: Based on the novel
Peter Pan and Wendy by
J.M. Barrie. •
Key to Oz: Based on the novel
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by
L. Frank Baum. •
Key to the Ruined City: Based on the book
The Jungle Book by
Ruyard Kipling. • '''Key to R'Lyeh'
: Based on the short story The Call of Cthulhu'' by
H.P. Lovecraft. • '''Key to the Sea King's Castle'
: Based on the story The Little Mermaid'' by
Hans Christian Andersen. •
Key to Sherwood Forest: Based on the story
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by
Howard Pyle. •
Key to Skull Island: Based on the book
King Kong by
Delos W. Lovelace. •
Key to Slumberland: Based on the novel
Little Nemo in Slumberland by
Winsor McCay. •
Key to the Steamboat: Based on the cartoon short
Steamboat Willie by
Ub Iwerks. • '''Key to St. Nick's Workshop'
: Based on the short story Twas the Night Before Christmas'' by
Clement C. Moore. •
Key to Tik Tok: Based on the book
Ozma of Oz by
L. Frank Baum. •
Key to the Witches House: Based on the story
Hansel and Gretel by
The Brothers Grimm. •
Key to Wonderland: Based on the novel ''
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland'' by
Lewis Carroll. •
Key to Toad Hall: Based on the novel
The Wind in the Willows by
Kenneth Grahame. •
Key to the Tripod: Based on the book
The War Of The Worlds by
H.G. Wells. •
Key to 221B Baker Street: Based on the novel
A Study in Scarlet by
Arthur Conan Doyle. ==Story arcs==