Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom #6 is the twenty-fourth issue of the series.
Plot[]
Detectives - Part 2[]
Five days before the end of the previous issue, Daniel Mutuku is investigating Joe Ridgeway's home when his partner points out that Ellie Whedon stops by to pay her respects to Ridgeway, as she does every night. He's also told Ellie's mother died a year earlier. Two days later, Daniel learns that the x-rays of Candice's broken neck are extremely similar to that of Sam Lesser's. The doctor believes it was caused by the same murderer.
Another two days later, Daniel calls the Whedon residence when Rufus Whedon answers. Rufus tells him that Zack Wells doesn't let him talk to the police, leaving Mutuku suspicious.
Continuing where the previous issue left off, Daniel is visiting the Whedons regarding the death of Joe Ridgeway. When Mutuku mentions Ellie's mother, Zack understands and strikes him with his sword. When Ellie comes to stop him he pierces her with it too. Detective Mutuku knocks Zack down. He flees upstairs, grabbing Bode Locke as a hostage on the way into his bedroom where he commands Tyler Locke still under the spell of the Music Box to "take out the first person to come through that door." Tyler breaks the jar of Lucas/Dodge memories over Mutuku's partner and tackles him. Meanwhile, Zack's jumped down with Bode
Back at Lovecraft Academy, people are still waiting for Zack to return for another fight. Kinsey Locke calls him, but Rufus, trying to comfort his dead mother, answers it instead. Rufus explains what Zack's done and Kinsey understands.
Zack uses the Anywhere Key to get him and Bode into Keyhouse where he tells Sam's ghost he's going to give him his body and he'll take Bode's. Zack then opens the Ghost Door and enters it with Bode, where their bodies are swapped.
When Sam is in Luke/Zack's body, and Dodge is in Bode's, Sam quickly grabs Dodge and carries him to the Wellhouse, but finds the pouch doesn't hold the Echo Key. Kinsey suddenly ambushes him. Kinsey is eventually pulled off him by Mutuku's partner, but Sam/Zack is already dead.
The book ends with the Locke children, Mutuku, and his partner think it's all finally over.
Trivia[]
- The Death's Head Moth appears on page 6, wherein a child outside of Daniel's office is flying a Death's Head Moth kite.
- Page 7 and 8, where Zack stabs Ellie and bites off her lower lip, is mirrored in Locke & Key: Clockworks #5 page 22 and Locke & Key: Clockworks #6 page 1, even echoing the dialogue directly.
- on page 20, Sam mentions that Dodge taught him how important it is to keep a promise. This was also something important to Luke.
Analysis[]
Ellie remembering Lucas Caravaggio despite having no memories of him, and him appearing for a few seconds might be similar to how Luke was still corrupted after his friends plucked all the madness out of his head. It wasn't just in their head, but in their heart or souls as well.