Locke & Key season 1, episode 2 recap – “Trapper / Keeper”

This recap of Netflix Series Locke & Key Season 1, Episode 2, “Trapper / Keeper” contains significant spoilers.

• Read the Season 1 review.
• Read the recap of Episode 3.
• Read the recap of the previous episode (1).
• Access the archive of all the episode recaps.

Locke & Key Season 1, Episode 2, “Trapper / Keeper” continues to set the foundations to the story. Episode 2 opens up with Bode showing Kinsey her evil reflection using the Mirror Key. A concerned Tyler asks Bode if this is the only key — Bode tells a white lie, explaining that he lost the Anywhere Key.

You get the feeling that Bode’s willingness to hide the truth regarding Echo will come back to bite later.

And there are more keys in “Trapper / Keeper”. Bode finds a new key in a dirty hoover bag after hearing indistinct whispering that gets louder and louder as he got closer to the hoover. Later, Bode bumps into Rufus who seems to be a weapons expert. Bode asks for advice against an unknown enemy, clearly referencing Echo. When Bode asks a hardware store owner about his new key, he noticed a lock appeared at the back of the owner’s neck. The promo poster is starting to make sense.

The audience is then randomly introduced to a new character called Ellie Whedon who speaks to Nina — her son Rufus looks after the ground of their ancestral house. Ellie Whedon used to work with Rendell. Nina gets out an old photo that features both a younger Ellie and Rendell, with all their friends. Episode 2 opens up moments in Rendell’s life that she had no idea of.

The first flashback of Episode 2, “Trapper / Keeper” shows Tyler speaking to his father Rendell about Sam Lesser — his father was a guidance counselor at his school. Rendell asks Tyler to reach out to him. Tyler is frustrated about this request due to his social status at school.

Episode 2 confirms Tyler is very much about his reputation which impacts others.

Nina continues to learn about her deceased husband Rendell. At school, a teacher tells Nina about Rendell’s friends and says it is “such a tragedy what happened to them”. When she speaks to Ellie about this tragedy, Nina learns that a few of Rendell’s friends drowned at a sea cave when they were celebrating. They were unaware of the rising waves. Nina is wondering why Rendell never told her about this. When she confides in Uncle Duncan (Rendell’s brother) she asks why she was never told about the drownings. Duncan claims he can barely remember the events of what happened and that he does not know about Sam Lesser either.

Duncan clearly knows more than he’s letting on.

Bode is showing his resourcefulness in “Trapper / Keeper”. After consulting with Rufus, Bode returns home with a device that brutally traps people with sharp metal teeth. He purposefully covers it and displays a key on the top of it in the hope that it traps Echo. The scene also reveals that Bode now has a keyhole at the back of his neck.

A slowly degenerating Tyler heads out with Javi and his friends who are clearly a bad group to be with. The group steals alcohol and push over the elderly store owner. Tyler expresses he does not want to be involved and helps the store owner up and Logan helps him out of an awkward situation by buying the alcohol. It is clear that Logan does not like Javi as Tyler caught him keying his car earlier in the episode.

It’s abundantly clear Tyler is curious about Logan and his appearances at random times.

Echo shows up in Bode’s room and it comes as no surprise that the trap does not work. Echo threatens Bode and tells him to find more keys. Our young character has a genuine enemy at hand, and his siblings are still completely unaware.

Another flashback reveals Rendell’s love and influence on his children. He gives Kinsey a middle school graduation present — it’s the bracelet with the key embedded inside that Bode found in Episode 1. Rendell tells Kinsey that they are all the family he needs. In the present-day, Kinsey sobs at the memory of her father.

As we edge closer to the end, Bode decides to bravely insert the key in the keyhole at the back of his neck. He freezes and remains still and another version of Bode appears. In his room, Bode opens a big wooden box that flashes.

Locke & Key Season 1, Episode 2, “Trapper / Keeper” closes with Kinsey telling Tyler that she covered for him after his antics with his hockey friends. The siblings argue and Kinsey expresses that she’s frustrated that Tyler will not open up to her. Suddenly, Kinsey notices Bode standing still in his room with the key in his head. The other Bode opens the box and tells his brother and sister to follow him.

Additional Notes:

• Javi tells Kinsey and Tyler about stories he’s heard about their house.
• Nina is getting chased for tuition payment plans.
• Echo is extremely hungry at a cafe. She puts her finger in boiling tea that doesn’t hurt her. She indulges with her Anywhere Key, stealing clothes and expensive jewelry. She chokes a man during sex.
• Scot apologizes to Kinsey about the Day of the Dead night.
• One of the flashbacks reveals Nina struggling on the floor with a hammer — she hits Sam at the back of the head.
• Scot asks Kinsey if she could help out on set for short film The Splattering so she reads the script. Kinsey heads to Scot’s house to help with the short film. Eden kicks off about getting hit by the fake blood and leaves. Kinsey offers to take on the role instead. Kinsey suffers flashes when the blood hits her and because she does not scream, they will need to reshoot. Another example of trauma.