Locke & Key 2×08 “Irons in the Fire” isn’t letting down from the pressure and anxiety that we experienced in the last episode. If anything, it’s turning up the heat and hurting those we love the most while showing us what love means, how anxiety can get you, and how much they need to bring Nina in on the secret of it all. The last two there are definitely about Nina because our woman needs to be brought in on the secret to better protect her family.
But before we dive into how Locke & Key is doing Nina dirty, we need to talk about the balls that Gabe has by asking Kinsey to join him versus Scot being willing to sacrifice himself for Kinsey. It could be taken as both of them loving Kinsey and fighting for that love. But like Gabe has proven time and time again, he’s incapable of that. But Scot, oh our boy Scot is absolutely capable of loving Kinsey to the moon and back.
Honestly, we didn’t see ourselves shipping Kinsey and Scot so hard. But after the events of “Best Laid Plans” where they were standing in the kitchen we were all in. Now it’s signed, sealed, and delivered into our hearts. Scot sacrificing himself for Kinsey was a purely selfless act of love because Kinsey is the hero with the family, loved ones, and capability to stop Gabe when it really comes down to it. It’s a bit sad because he is of value and matters, but the point still stands in his heart and we love him for it.
Then there are our faves Tyler and Jackie. We knew that someone was going to be turned by Gabe. And for a moment we thought it was going to be Scot because wouldn’t Gabe want that? Wrong. He wants Kinsey by his side for some reason and he probably doesn’t want to stare at Scot’s face all the time. If anything, going after Jackie hurts more because she doesn’t remember magic anymore and has chosen to live her life without it.
Jackie is going to be tragic, people. We feel it in our bones. Tyler is going to do everything he can. He’s going to learn how to make keys, he’s going to help defeat Dodge and her plans. But he isn’t going to be able to save Jackie. He can’t do it all. TV rules dictate that he can’t. And what’s more tragic than a young life, with plans of leaving Matheson behind and experiencing the world, to have that cut short so ruthlessly?
But just because we think Jackie is going to die (No spoilers from those who have watched already. We’re doing this episode by episode and experiencing this to the fullest.) doesn’t mean that she’s going to go out without a fight. Tyler will fight for her, try to save her, and she’s going to somehow fight for herself before being taken down. Now that would hurt even more and we’ve legit just spiraled into sadness because we really like Jackie.
Then there’s Nina. Dear lord, she needs to know what’s going on with her family and that was absolutely highlighted in her scene with Duncan. She feels lonely. She feels like her family is pulling away from her and shutting her out just as they were finding their way back to each other. And she’s right. They are because they’re trying to protect her. And that’s not fair for Nina. She’s the mom. She’s the one who should be protecting her kids.
And then her admission that she thought about having a drink. That’s a hard thing to admit and we’re so proud of her for sharing that with the family she trusts. And it’s even more reason for her to be in the know. Because those around her love her to the moon and back. Hopefully, she’ll see what their reasons were but tell them off (a tiny bit and in a gentle way) that she deserved to know what’s happening in her own life to make decisions on.
On a side note, because this doesn’t deserve much mention because it’s Josh. Is he really out here following the journal of a rapist and murderer who wants to open a door and unleash its evil power on the world? Boy, bye. We had hope for you for a hot second but these flashbacks in “Irons in the Fire” prove how unhinged you truly are. And then teaming up with Eden to betray what you’ve built with Nina? She deserves better and so do we.
Locke & Key season two is available on Netflix.
