When facing an enemy that can turn one’s friends and family into demons by just turning a key and can use the Identity Key to turn into anyone, people have to be very smart to win, which was shown in Netflix‘s Locke & Key.

That is why the Locke children and their friends were forced to grow up quickly when they moved into the Keyhouse. When it came to survival for the smartest, the Locke siblings won the battle, but the same cannot be said for all the characters in the show.

They all underestimated the threat that Dodge posed in the beginning, but after Sam’s escape from prison and attack on the family, everyone became vigilant. Locke and Key had to squeeze the rapid advancement of the characters into just three seasons, which forced every protagonist to advance quickly and keep up with the villains.

11. Eden

Eden had terrible judgment even before she got possessed by the demon. The possession didn’t change her either, as she got used by Dodge and ended up being thrown in the well by Gideon. She only enjoyed the attention of the other kids at school and didn’t seem to figure it out when Kinsey used the Music Box Key on her either.

She even took the photo of the unconscious Ellie as Tyler and Kinsey called in the group to dispose of the body when they thought they had killed Dodge. She managed to fool Josh into following her to the caves though which was probably the smartest move she ever pulled off.

10. Gideon

Captain Fredrick Gideon was a cold-hearted killer in 1775, but he never improved even after he got trapped in the Well. He managed to outwit Eden and shove her into the Well, but that is as far as his intelligence went. He was unable to use his knowledge of the keys and his strength as a god of the demons to defeat Dodge and the Lockes.

He actually tried to merge the human and the demon world, which would have made it impossible for one side to survive as it would have caused a paradox. He underestimated the Lockes and got shoved back into his portal by Nina.

9. Ellie

Ellie was one of the unluckiest characters in the show, as most of her efforts were undermined by her own compassion for people. She could never let go of Lucas and also overlooked the fact that he was still possessed by Dodge and ended up housing the most dangerous demon in the show.

Ellie also failed to team up with the Locke children early enough and even gave the Crown of Shadows to Dodge, allowing her to raise an army. In the end, Dodge outwitted her and got her imprisoned behind the Black Door. She was lucky to have the Locke kids around as they saved her using the Identity Key.

8. Nina

Nina could have made a better mother if she had only chosen to listen to her children from the beginning. She couldn’t remember magic, but she should have at least noticed the stress that Duncan, Erin, and the children were under all through the first and second seasons.

She even lost herself and started drinking again, which was one of the worst decisions she ever made, especially being a single parent. She eventually managed to save the day when she shoved the dying Gideon into the portal. She also figured out that Dodge was in Bode’s body, which helped save the little man.

7. Duncan

If the show started 23 years earlier when Dunc was the Keymaster for Rendell, Erin, and the rest of the old keepers of the keys, his contribution would have been appreciated better. With no memory of magic and struggles with a lost past, Dunc made a dull character in the first season.

When he got his memories back and realized the danger Dodge posed to the family, he became a father figure to Tyler and Bode and stood up to the threat. He helped the children defeat the Demon army and also helped them retrieve the Alpha key which made all the difference in the end.

6. Scot

If Kinsey understood Scot’s feelings for her earlier than she did, she would have avoided most of the problems Gabe caused the family. Scot was always a gentleman, willing to follow his passion and give Kinsey the time and space she needed.

Scot also decided to stick around longer to help the Lockes defeat Dodge putting his life in danger because he truly loved Kinsey. He should have worked harder at helping Kinsey see the truth about Gabe and saved her from the suffering she went through in the end.

5. Erin

Of all the adults that had dealt with the keys in the past, Erin was the most helpful to the Locke siblings, at least before Dodge killed her. She understood Duncan’s loss after realizing he couldn’t remember most of his childhood and thus helped recover his memories which saved everyone in the end.

Choosing to use the head key while a housekeeper was in the house 23 years earlier was a big mistake, though, as it got her trapped in her own head all those years. Finally, Erin’s biggest mistake was going after dodge on her own. She should have learned her lesson after that attempt went wrong when they were younger.

4. Gabe/Dodge

While Gideon was a stronger villain than Dodge, he wasn’t nearly as intelligent. Dodge figured out a way to keep herself in the human world for as long as she did without getting herself destroyed. She also seemed to have an unlimited number of ideas on how to disguise herself.

From using Lucas’ body to take advantage of Ellie to taking Gabe’s body to become Kinsey’s boyfriend, Dodge was always a step ahead of the Lockes. She underestimated the ability of the Lockes, though, and also became too greedy when she chose to create a demon out of everyone.

2. Bode

Young and intelligent are the two words that summarize Bode’s character. He was the first person to discover the Magic Keys and didn’t hesitate to try out every key, using himself as a specimen. The little boy made lots of mistakes while handling Dodge, but he also exercised a lot of caution considering his young age.

Bode and Rufus figured out that Ellie had been thrown into the caves after Dodge used the Identity Key on her. Bode also helped Nina understand magic which made her a member of the team in fighting against Dodge and Gideon.

2. Kinsey

Kinsey was the most daring of the Locke siblings but not the most intelligent because she was played into dating Dodge for all that time. Kinsey also failed to notice Scot’s feelings for her at the beginning and treated him badly, which allowed Dodge to take advantage of the both of them. Kinsey was still a brave girl that knew when to attack and when to strategize.

Her sharp thinking helped the group defeat Dodge and also save Bode after his body was possessed by Dodge. Kinsey also understood the need to trust Dodge for a while when Gideon was revealed to be a greater threat and that helped them mount a better resistance to the God of the Demons than they did against Dodge.

1. Tyler

Tyler’s poor judgment got the better of him sometimes, but he is the one character you could count on to make the right decision in the toughest of situations. Tyler understood that everyone needed to practice caution when dealing with the keys and warned Bode and Kinsey against using them for fun.

Tyler was also part of every success the Lockes had, including destroying the shadows and getting the team to help dispose of what they thought was Dodge’s body. It was Tyler who always stood up to protect the family and always tried to keep everyone safe, including Jackie. He figured out how to get the memory key and restore Dunc’s memory, made the most of the Alpha key, and eventually destroyed both Dodge and Gideon.