Mary Locke’s quest to save her brother’s soul has put her up against two classic Sandman Universe villains — and she just defeated them both.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Sandman Universe/Locke & Key: Hell & Gone #2, available now from IDW and DC.
The finale of the Locke & Key and Sandman crossover is here, and with it comes the end of Mary Locke’s terrifying trek to Hell and back. Saving her brother’s soul was never going to be an easy task, but things have been far more treacherous than Mary could have ever anticipated. Luckily, she just so happens to have everything she needs to see her journey through and wits enough to figure out just how to use them. Not only has Mary Locke just taken on the Corinthian and won, but she can say the same about even Lucifer himself.
Mary’s trip into the Dreaming was just as fantastical as she expected, though still far more horrifying than she was prepared for. Even worse was the fact that Lucien, the Dreaming’s head librarian, had been violently supplanted by the villainous Corinthian, leaving Mary completely unaware as she walked right into the deadly web he had woven. Of course, Mary Locke was quick to catch on to the Corinthian’s ploy, yet on her own was not enough to take him. Luckily enough, Mary just so happened to be armed to the teeth courtesy of the young Alex Burgess. With some fast thinking, she turns Dream’s own articles of power against her assailant. With the Helm, Ruby and Pouch of Morpheus himself, Mary cast the Corinthian away to places unknown, bringing an end to the first part of her impossible journey before opening the door for her to take the next terrifying step.
With the library freed from the Corinthian’s grasp, Mary Locke is finally able to speak with the real Lucien about the task at hand. With his help, she uncovers the means to craft her own Key to Hell in the pages of Sandman Universe/Locke & Key: Hell & Gone #2 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, Jay Fotos and Shawn Lee. It’s an incredible step, yet somehow it pales in comparison to the one that lies ahead. After summoning the demon Etrigan to escort her into the depths of Hell, Mary finds her brother Jack trapped in a loop of infinite torment. Soon after, her interference piques the interest of Lucifer Morningstar himself. As the ruler of Hell as well as the most prominent fallen angel in the entire DC Universe, Lucifer is the ultimate line to cross in rescuing Jack’s soul.
With Jack and the sentient part of the Dreaming known as Fiddler’s Green at her side, Mary is prepared for a fight, even if it doesn’t look like she is equipped for one against the endless legions of Hell. Her allies aren’t the only forces fighting at her side, however, and Mary knows just how to turn the tide of the battle before it begins. Tossing the Crown of Shadows to Jack, she proclaims that devils are merely “the shadows of angels,” ones which she and her family are all too familiar with commanding. In an instant, the battlefield erupts with shadow creatures that tear through Hell’s army, buying Mary and Jack the precise opportunity they have been looking for to finally escape the pits of Hell.
Mary’s mission to save Jack’s soul was easily the most awe-inducing entry into the Locke & Key universe yet, with the sight of Mary overcoming Lucifer himself standing out as one of the most memorable moments in the series’ history. From the comic book page to the silver screen, Lucifer Morningstar has always been an incomprehensible figure. That he didn’t even stand a chance against a mere mortal and her collection of mystical artifacts might be unbelievable for many fans, though Mary Locke has proven that she is anything but normal. At this point, she might even be the greatest hero that the Locke family has ever known. Considering her record when it comes to the battles she’s fought, it’s hard to think she won’t be holding that title for a very long time.
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