Honestly, a lot happened in the first season of Locke & Key and you might need a quick refresher if you don't want to keep saying "wait, who's this again?"

Netflix's Locke & Key is based on the comic book series of the same name by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. The supernatural drama series follows the Locke family after the tragedy of their father's death as they move into their ancestral home and discover magical keys that have a dark history and are being tracked by a demon.

You definitely remember the major protagonists - Tyler (somewhat popular high school jock), Kinsey (former recluse nerd, now cool(?) nerd) and Bode (the adorable curious 10-year-old). 

Other characters you might not so quickly remember are:

Locke and Key's Sam Lesser. Played by Thomas Mitchel Barnet. Behind - Rendell Locke

Sam Lesser

Sam is a 'misunderstood teenager' who under Dodge's manipulation, killed Rendell Locke for the location of the keys and then tried to unalive the remaining family members.

He unknowingly walks through The Ghost Door while it's ajar and a police officer, thinking he's dead, closes the door and he essentially dies and becomes stuck in the ghost realm. 

The Ghost Door?

When attached to a door, the Ghost Key allows the soul of the user leave their body and explore the Manor as a ghost. They can also commune with other ghosts on the manor like Tyler Locke's great-great-grandfather - Chamberlain Locke.


Locke and Key's Scot - played by Petrice Jones

Scot

Scot is friends with Kinsey and is also an aspiring movie director. He has a club of fellow movie enthusiasts - they call themselves the Savini Squad. Kinsey later joins the Squad (after Eden quits on his movie) and both develop a will-they-won't-they relationship until Kinsey chooses Gabe as her boyfriend.


Locke and Key's Gabe (R) - played by Griffin Gluck and Kinsey (L)


Gabe

Gabe kind of falls into the tight we-know-about-the-keys circle when he walks in on Kinsey and Scot using the Music Box Key to humiliate Eden. He takes the humiliation club even further by making Eden do more embarrassing things - like climb on the cafeteria table and pour condiments all over herself - a display that goes high school viral. 

Moral Lesson: bullying is bad - unless you're continuing the cycle of bullying by bullying a bully. In which case, have at it.

Gabe later gets close to Kinsey and they start a relationship. The thing is, Gabe is Dodge.

Music Box Key?

Together with the Music Box, the Music Box Key allows the holder control anyone they want. Simply call the victim's name and repeat all the villiain-y things you want them to do. 

Locke and Key's Dodge - played by Laysla De Oliveira


Dodge

Dodge is the demon that the Keepers encounter when they first open the Black Door and one of their own, Lucas is possessed by a flying bullet/demon. When the keepers discover Lucas is possessed (after he goes batshit and kills two Keepers), Rendell Locke kills him and the Keepers create a coverup story.

Later, in a bout of loneliness, Ellie (one of the Keepers) uses the Echo Key to summon her young love (Lucas) but instead, she summons Dodge and so begins their reign of terror.


The Black Door?

The Black Door is a barrier between the world as the Lockes know it and a world where demons live and keep trying to escape. Once the door is opened, bullet-like projectiles fly out and if they hit someone, that person becomes possessed. If it falls on the floor, it becomes Whispering Stone.

The Black Door can only be opened with the Omega Key

Keepers?

The Keepers of Keys is the nickname Rendell Locke (Tyler's father) and his friends give to themselves as protectors of the keys. Their primary goal is to keep the keys from Dodge.

Echo Key?

The Echo Key can bring back the dead at The Well House - but not completely. The revived person only comes back as an echo of themselves and according to the first season, echoes cannot be killed, only trapped at the Well House.

Locke & Key's Ellie - played by Sherri Saum


Ellie

Ellie is one of the living keepers and she later allies with the Lockes to keep the keys from Dodge. Dodge, in the form of her young love Lucas, walks back into Ellie's life and manipulates her into stealing the Crown of Shadow from the Keyhouse and makes her an accomplice in the killing of Mr. Ridgeway (English teacher at Matheson Academy).

Lucas later reveals himself as Dodge and uses the identity key to change Ellie's appearance to Dodge's. An unconscious Ellie/Dodge is then planted in the Keyhouse after a battle and thrown through The Black Door leaving her (probably autistic son) Rufus alone.

Crown of Shadow?

With the Shadow Key and Crown of Shadows, the crown wearer can summon shadows to do their bidding. The shadows are dispelled by light.

Identity Key?

The Identity Key allows the user change into anyone they want. 

Locke and Key's Jackie - played by Genevieve Kang

Jackie/Jack

She's one of the popular girls at Tyler and Kinsey's high school, best friends with popular mean girl Eden and she immediately becomes Tyler's crush, they later become close and start a relationship. 

Their relationship is a bit questionable because, in Season 1, Eden and Tyler almost have sex and Tyler lies to his 'boys' that he did sleep with her just to gain some cool points. Even though Jackie asks him to come clean, he never does.

Side note: Tyler also kind of made out with Dodge in Season 1.

Locke & Key's HBIC,  Eden - played by Hallea Jones

Eden

Eden is the stereotypical blonde popular high school girl who does mean things - like pick on Kinsey.

In Locke & Key Season 1 finale, the Lockes are looking for backup to help throw Dodge back behind The Black Door and Eden joins in because 'the FOMO was real'. The FOMO ended up getting her possessed by a demon when she goes to the door and she essentially becomes Dodge's/Gabe's lackey.

Erin (in the wheelchair) and Dodge

Erin

Erin is one of the remaining living keepers and also the ex-girlfriend of Rendell Locke. Living is kind of a strong word for her because, for most of Season 1, she's in a catatonic state.

Other relevant keys

Anywhere key 

Use it on any door and it will take you anywhere you're thinking of. You have to have visited the place before.

Head Key

The Head Key can be used to access the content of a person's head - memories, traits, etc. Tyler uses it as a kind of hack by throwing books into the space opened by the key (technically his head) and then immediately learning the contents of the book. The Locke kids use it to access memories of their late father and Kinsey uses it to remove her fear.


Seasons 1-3 of Locke & Key are streaming on Netflix.