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- "There’s no "hope" about it. With our combined talents, what can possibly go wrong?"
- — Anthony Lockwood, The Screaming Staircase
Anthony Lockwood, often called Lockwood by others, is the head of Lockwood & Co., one of London's smallest and most ramshackle agencies. He is known for his elegant and mysterious personality, recklessness, calmness and enthusiasm during psychic investigations, good looks, gleaming smile, rapier skills, and the ability of Sight.
It has been suggested by the author of the books that he was 15 years old, a year older than Lucy Carlyle, when the two first met in the first book in the series. [1] [2] However, his age was never explicitly stated in the books.
On the Lockwood & Co. TV series, Lockwood is portrayed by Cameron Chapman.
Biography
Early life
Not much is known about Lockwood's childhood besides the fact it was hinted that his parents, Donald Lockwood and Celia Lockwood, had passed away, as 35 Portland Row was "left" to him. The building was implied as his "childhood" home, and his parents were "Researchers or collaborators of some sort", who traveled to many places. Lockwood mentioned their ghosts were the first he fought. His sister, Jessica Lockwood, was six years older than he was.[3] She died at the age of fifteen[3] because of an accident with one of her parent's dangerous artifacts. It is believed to be a ghost pot from Indonesia. Jessica was sorting through a crate of artifacts and the pot shattered, leaving the ghost inside free to attack her. Lockwood, when first explaining this event, lied that he hadn't been there when the ghost came. He was, actually, down by the garden door, having refused to help his sister sort through the crate she was working on. He rushed to help her but was too late. This incident was the starting point of Lockwood's formation into a reserved, detached individual, "hollow" as he has been described by himself and Lucy Carlyle. He was hollow because the gap that couldn't be filled, a gap left by the loss of his sister's love and care. Lucy is the only person he believes can fill that gap,[citation needed] and is therefore very protective of her.
Agent training
After the death of his sister, Lockwood became an agent, training under "Gravedigger" Nigel Sykes, who gave him his first job. While working for Sykes, Lockwood competed in a rapier competition during which he beat the considerably older Quill Kipps, causing a year-long mutual dislike.
The new agency
Disillusioned with the big agencies of London such as the Fittes and Rotwell agencies, Anthony Lockwood established Lockwood & Co. as an independent agency without adult supervisors. Although by no means rich, Lockwood had some money left from his parents, as well as ownership of 35 Portland Row as the only surviving member of his family. He was soon joined by George Cubbins, who was an all-rounder with a middling amount of Talent in each of the three major areas of Sight, Touch and Listening, but whose abilities at research were second-to-none. George had previously worked for the Fittes Agency, but was dismissed for expressing too much curiosity regarding sensitive matters deemed above his pay-grade. He also hired a female assistant, but quickly dismissed her, in part for addressing him as "Big A."
Anthony Lockwood interviewing Lucy Carlyle at 35 Portland Row
Following this incident, Lockwood placed an advertisement in the local papers describing Lockwood & Co. as being a "well-known Psychical Investigations agency" and stating that they needed a new Junior Field Operative, with duties to include on-site analysis of reported hauntings and containment of same. The advertisement was a lie in that Lockwood & Co. was anything but well-known, but Lockwood was desperate to find a new agent. At first, it seemed as though it might lead to nothing, as the applicants were by and large time-wasters. Lockwood was just about to end a long day of interviews when he and George were met with the arrival of an unexpected applicant: Lucy Carlyle, who had only just arrived in London that day and seen the advertisement.
To Lockwood's delight, Lucy proved to be exactly the applicant he had been seeking. She conclusively demonstrated her power, using the ability of Touch to sense the psychic residues on the objects he presented to her. Furthermore, she did not lie like certain of the other candidates when presented with an object that had no psychic residue and showed fortitude when presented with the agency's most mysterious and dangerous object: the Skull. Lockwood hired Lucy on the spot and the two quickly began going out on cases, which Lucy felt went badly, due to only being partially successful in driving out a particular ghost and destroying two others only after several further deaths Lucy felt were unnecessary.
The Sheen Road case
Lockwood and Lucy escaping the burning 62 Sheen Road
With this less-than-spotless record behind them, Lockwood and Lucy proceeded to their next case, that of the haunting of 62 Sheen Road. The two headed out despite the urgings of George Cubbins, who felt that more research was necessary into the case in order to know what they were going up against. Outside the home, they met with their client, Mrs Hope, and collected the questionnaire which she had filled out regarding the nature of the haunting, which proved mostly useless in identifying the exact nature of what they were up against.
The ultimate results proved to be a disaster. Lockwood and Lucy succeeded in finding and neutralizing the Source of the haunting, a powerful female Type Two ghost. Though they succeeded in driving back the ghost, their efforts were hampered by the fact that Lockwood neglected to bring iron chains, a powerful tool normally used in restraining a spirit of such strength. As such, they were forced to resort to the use of magnesium flares to drive back the ghost until they were able to neutralize the source with a silver net. The flares ignited the papers within the room that held the body, soon spreading and consuming the entire house. The two managed to escape, but Lockwood was ghost-touched and was taken the hospital for immediate treatment, while Lucy was left behind, shocked and confused.
Annabel Ward
- Main article: Annabel Ward Case
Lockwood speaking with the press regarding the Annabel Ward case
After being released from the hospital, Lockwood was left to drag himself back home and face his two fellow agents. He was in a mopey state all day, before finally asking George for the state of their upcoming cases, which was abysmal. Things soon went from bad to worse. The company was paid a personal visit by Inspector Montagu Barnes of DEPRAC, the Department of Psychical Research and Control. Although agencies were normally covered by insurance for such damages, DEPRAC took the position that Lockwood & Co. was not covered in this case due to the failure to take normal precautions such as using iron chains. Lockwood was informed that he was being given four weeks to pay up or face the disbandment of his agency and the loss of his home. He was forced to admit to Lucy and George that he did not have the money to pay this bill, that while he had the house, he did not have much in the bank.
Lockwood was forced to bank the agency's future on the hope of one or more cases that could provide the money needed to pay such a huge debt. Things became complicated when Lucy came to Lockwood late at night, informing him that the ghost of the woman that they had previously faced, whom they had identified as a socialite named Annabel Ward, had manifested in her own bedroom. Lockwood was dubious of the claim, but it turned out to be true, and the reason was that Lucy had, almost without thinking, removed a locket belonging to Ward from the scene. They had believed Ward's body to be the Source of her ghost, but it was, in fact, the locket that was the source.
Lockwood and George were at first furious with Lucy for removing such a dangerous object from the scene of the case and then bringing it into their home. Lockwood, however, recognizing the connection that Lucy had made with Ward's ghost, sensed an opportunity. There were many wealthy individuals within London who had nothing to do bit sit around all day and read stories of old mysteries, ones that reward them handsomely if they were to resolve an unsolved mystery such as the death of Annabel Ward. Ward had died under violent and mysterious circumstances and although the police had arrested a man named Hugo Blake in association with her death, they were forced to release him due to lack of evidence of his involvement. Lockwood went to a local paper, giving an embellished accounts of the agency's efforts and describing how George had identified the victim as Annabel Ward. He talked up Lucy having communicated with Annabel Ward's spirit and promised that the agency would soon reveal the truth behind the tragedy.
An offer of salvation
- Main article: Annabel Ward Case
Lockwood, Lucy and George head to Combe Carey hall, site of the case that will make or break them
Lockwood's gambit did not have quite the effect that he intended. Instead of resulting in an immediate spate of new cases, it instead drew the attention of DEPRAC, who were interested not in him, but in Lucy Carlyle. They had once again arrested Hugo Blake and had Lucy conduct a viewing of him behind a protective blind in the hopes that she might pick up hard evidence that would finger him as Annabel Ward's killer. This, however, was not how things worked and Lucy came up with nothing. Lockwood tried to join her, but was forced to wait downstairs, told that if he attempted to press the matter that he would end up waiting in a cell instead. In the aftermath, he was forced to deal with Lucy's anger, furious with Barnes for having pulled such a gambit and Lucy mad at him for letting the whole world know that she was considered central to the case.
Following this, the group arrived home to 35 Portland Row, only to discover that there was someone already there and ransacking their house. The group succeeded in fighting off the individual, but in the aftermath, Lockwood and George discovered that they had apparently made off with their intended target - Annabel Ward's locket. It was then, however, that Lucy revealed that things were not as they seemed: the thief had not been successful because she had personally taken to wearing the locket in a silver-glass case from a pendant upon her person.
Unsurprisingly, Lockwood and George were once again gobsmacked by Lucy's seemingly dangerous action. Lucy tried to explain the psychic connection that she had felt with Annie Ward, how she felt what Ward had felt. Lockwood warned her that this was the danger of her Talent, that she risked getting too close to the ghosts. He warned her that she was keeping secrets again and that there was no room on his team for those who couldn't be trusted, but softened by noting that her actions had saved them. The group decided to examine the locket more closely and discovered an inscription upon it that seemed to point to Hugo Blake as being the killer. Before they could consider the matter further, however, they received an unexpected visitor: John Fairfax of the Fairfax Iron Company.
Fairfax makes no secret of the fact that he is aware of the debt hanging over Lockwood & Co. and presents an unusual offer. He asks the company to visit Combe Carey Hall, a property that he claims he is looking to unload, and rid it of its hauntings, which are known to include the Screaming Staircase and the Red Room. He informed the group that a team from the Fittes Agency had previously tried and failed to solve the case. He presented an irresistible offer: £60,000 simply for showing up to investigate the case, plus an additional payment of twice what Lockwood quoted as his standard fee upon solving the case.
Lucy and George were dubious about the whole affair, particularly when it came to two of the terms that Fairfax forced them to agree to: that they had only two days to prepare for the case and that they were not to bring any type of flares or explosives. Lockwood, however, insisted that this was a case they had to take. Besides the fact that it would solve their financial problems in a single swoop, he was beside himself with excitement in that it was exactly the sort of thrilling case that he had been longing for, a mission that he felt was worthy of their combined talents.
Combe Carey Hall and the truth revealed
- Main article: Annabel Ward Case
Lockwood and George inside the horrifying Red Room
Putting what reservations they had aside, the team proceeded to Combe Carey Hall. Against Fairfax's orders, they packed some magnesium flares, but these were quickly discovered when Fairfax had their bags inspected. He chided them for not following the terms, but nevertheless allowed them to proceed with the case. After he and his assistant Starkins left the premises, Lockwood revealed to Lucy and George that he had pulled a bluff on Fairfax. The flares on their persons were there to get Fairfax to drop his guard, but he had secretly hidden a set of seven of Satchell's best flares, plus a new type of industrial strength bomb flare. He stated that Fairfax had set the rules until then and it was time to start turning them in their favor.
The three proceeded with the case and quickly discovered that all was not as it seemed. They focused on the Red Room, reputed for wall which seemed to drip blood, as the source of haunting. They unexpectedly found themselves locked in, despite the doorstopper which Lockwood had purchased. They managed to escape and proceed to the Screaming Staircase, eventually discovering that the true source of the haunting was a well within the property that contained the spirits of a group of monks that had been violently executed, supposedly for engaging in demonic acts.
With the group badly singed but alive, it was here that Lockwood revealed what he had pieced together regarding the entire nature of the combined case they had all found themselves in. He told them that they were all lucky to be alive, apologizing for his failure as a leader. He explained that everything was connected, that the whole affair had, in fact, been orchestrated by their seeming benefactor, John Fairfax. He had found Fairfax suspicious from the start, and therefore secretly paid the village of Combe Carey a visit undercover, learning some interesting facts, including the fact that Fairfax had been using the hauntings of Combe Carey Hall as a means of safety-testing new Fairfax Iron products. It therefore didn't make sense that he would suddenly want to unload the property.
While these things were quite enough to make Lockwood suspicious, it was something provided by Lucy that led Lockwood to the real breakthrough. She had shown the ghost of Annabel Ward a photo of her with Hugo Blake at a party for a performance of Hamlet, believing Ward to have reacted badly to seeing Blake in the photo. What she didn't realize was that a young Fairfax was also a part of the photo and it was, in fact, him that Ward had reacted to so badly. What Lockwood didn't realize was the lengths that Fairfax would go to try to get rid of them. With these things in mind, the group decided to try to make a hasty escape from the property while they still could.
Resolutions
Lockwood, Lucy and George home at Portland Row following the end of the Combe Carey Hall case
Before Lockwood & Co. could get very far, however, they were confronted by Fairfax himself, . Fairfax, as it turned out, had chosen to remain on the grounds, not trusting that the hauntings of the property would be enough to finish off the group. Playing it cool, Lockwood introduced Fairfax to Lucy and George as the murderer of Annie Ward. Not impressed, Fairfax had another his assistants, Percy Grebe, point a revolver at Lockwood's chest. He revealed that it was, in fact, Grebe, who had broken into 35 Portland Row the other night. Grebe, however, did not fire the weapon and Lockwood suspected he knew why, that Fairfax wanted to talk. Sure enough, Fairfax asked that Grebe escort them all into Combe Carey Hall's library, telling him to shoot Lucy if anyone tried anything.
As it turned out, Fairfax was determined to get Annabel Ward's locket, as he knew the inscription it bore would be enough to implicate him in her murder. He explained that he had personally commissioned it and his biggest regret in the whole affair was not disposing of such a key piece of evidence before hiding Ward's body. He revealed that the inscription on the locket referred to an important passage from William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the play in which he and Ward had once performed in. He admitted to having had a tumultuous relationship with Ward and having snapped her neck in an instant upon striking her down to the floor during an argument over Hugo Blake. He demanded to know the location of the locket and when Lockwood still refused to answer, he instructed Grebe to shoot Lucy.
Anthony and George shouted at him to wait, but it was Lucy who shouted that she would tell him. He stated gleefully that he thought she would be the one to crack, but Lucy had a shocking surprise in store for him. "I've got it here," she told him, and she revealed that she had once again secreted the locket in the silver glass case on her person. "All yours," she declared, as she released the locket from the silver glass. With this, the ghost of Annabel Ward manifested. It drifted toward him and drew him into an embrace. Fairfax emitted a single cry, then died, fatally Ghost-Touched.
In aftermath of the affair, George captured Grebe, just as DEPRAC were arriving at Combe Carey Hall, having been summoned by Lockwood. Lockwood was forced to deal with the recriminations of Inspector Barnes, but maintained that he had done nothing wrong, as the actions he took were necessary to save his agency, due to the position DEPRAC had taken.
The Combe Carey Hall affair resulted in a highly favorable write-up for Lockwood & Co. Although Lockwood was pleased at the attention the case had brought the agency, he was disappointed by certain aspects, particularly the fact that DEPRAC forced him and the others to keep quiet regarding Fairfax's true role in the affair, making it sound as if as if Fairfax had "bravely" entered the hall against their advice. As Lockwood, George and Lucy enjoyed a celebratory breakfast, Lockwood asked Lucy how she had known that the ghost of Annabel Ward would not attack them as well when she released it. She admitted that she did not, but felt it a risk worth taking, given that Fairfax himself definitely planned to kill them. He told her that he didn't understand her, that she didn't seem frightened at all when she held the necklace out. She explained that it hadn't been hard to guess that the ghost would focus on Fairfax, though the ghost didn't tell her this as such, she could sense something of its intentions. he told her that he trusted her and her Talent and he was proud to have her on his team.
Building a company
Following the Combe Carey Hall affair, Lockwood & Co. underwent a period of around seventh months during which they attracted a steady stream of decent cases, building up the company and its reputation. These included such affairs as exorcising a Dark Spectre from a remote portion of Epping Forest and cleaning a rectory in Upminster of a Shining Boy. This time was also marked by increasing competition with Lockwood's longtime adversary Quill Kipps and his team from the Fittes Agency. Kipps's team often seemed to turn up at the same place as Lockwood & Co., ending up getting the credit for their cases. Things came to a head during the case of the Wimbledon Wraiths when this happened once again. Frustrated, George Cubbins stated that the Kipps's agency would never win in a proper head-to-head competition between the two of them. Agreeing, Lockwood decided to make it into a proper bet. If the two of them were ever to get a joint case again, the winner would be the one who solved it. The loser was to place an advertisement in the Times publicly admitting defeat and declaring the winner's team infinitely superior to theirs.
The Bickerstaff case
Lockwood discussing the Bickerstaff case with Saunders
Following this incident, Lucy asked Lockwood why Kipps hated them so much and Lockwood was forced to share something of his past with Kipps, how he had once beaten Kipps in a rapier competition. After disarming arm, he had given him a quick prod, amusing the audience, but causing Kipps to be insanely vindictive towards him ever since.
The members of Lockwood & Co. were soon approached by Paul Saunders and Albert Joplin, representatives of the company Sweet Dreams Excavation and Clearance. Sweet Dreams was one of several companies that had recently been contracted by DEPRAC as part of their new policy of seeking out active remains - sources within graveyards that might cause unexpected trouble - and making them safe before they could do so. Their most recent project was the Kensal Green Cemetery in northwest London. They had already examined a number of graves and found nothing especially dangerous when they came upon an unexpected headstone, one which was not indicated on any of the official records, marked as belonging to Edmund Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff was doctor reputed to be involved in dodgy occult research who died under mysterious circumstances.
When Saunders and Joplin first arrived, Lockwood was at first dubious about their proposal, indicated by his air of polite disinterest. Things changed, however, once he heard the full details of the case and realized just sort of visitor they were dealing with. He happily accepted the case and that evening he, Lucy and George traveled to Kensal Green Cemetery to undertake the case. At first, things seem to go well and in a fairly standard fashion. The three sealed the contents of the coffin with a silver net, succeeding in neutralizing the source. However, in the aftermath, George ended up returning to the coffin, compelled by a voice Lucy heard as well, which started "Look! Look! I give you your heart's desire!" The voice seemed to be coming from a strange artefact found within the coffin, some sort of mirror. The group, as well as Albert Joplin, who had joined George, was faced with the terrifying ghost of Edmund Bickerstaff and only saved by Lucy throwing her rapier, driving back the ghost until they were able to again restrain the source with the silver net.
Lockwood was restrained at first, but in the aftermath turned his fury on George. He asked George how he could have put their lives at risk, let alone that of Joplin, it being against all rules to allow a nonagent near an active Source. Although George tried to excuse it a historical fascination, Lockwood told him that it was no longer their concern, that it was a matter now for DEPRAC and Inspector Barnes. He scolded George for missing vital info that could have helped them in the case of the Wimbledon Wraiths, before apologizing, admitting that he had gone too far and been unfair.
The stolen artefact and the Relic-woman
Lockwood and Lucy discussing affairs with Flo Bones at a cafe
Lockwood, however, was quite wrong about this being the end of Lockwood & Co.'s involvement in the case. Not long after this, Lockwood received a call from Saunders, informing him that a Night Watch kid had been hurt and the mirror from the coffin stolen. Just four hours later, when they were all attempting to sleep, they were summoned to Scotland Yard by Montagu Barnes. He informed them that he was putting both them and Kipps's team on the case. Although Lockwood was unhappy about this, he sensed an opportunity and declared this their opportunity to go head-to-head as agreed in the terms of their bet. They shook hands and the bet was on.
Lockwood & Co.'s investigation soon led them to discover the body of a relic-man named Neddles. Neddles, however, was rumored to have an associate named Jack Carver. In the hopes of finding him, Lockwood decided to seek out the services of a relic-woman, one Flo Bones. Lucy was aghast, noting that it was against DEPRAC rules to associate with relic-men, but Lockwood pointed out that none of them had ever exactly stood much store by DEPRAC rules and the case was bigger than they thought. Employing his trademark charm and licorice, Lockwood managed to convince Flo to help them locate Jack Carver. First, however, he and Lucy were forced to help her with her own case.
Flo informed Lucy and Lockwood that the man they were looking for was somebody who "wore the threat of violence around him like a cloak." She told Lockwood that she was helping him because his company's successes drove DEPRAC up a wall. She advised them of a man named Julius Winkman whom Carver would likely attempt to sell the mirror too, then hold a secret auction. She warned them to not cross him, but nevertheless provided the address of his business, the Bloomsbury Antiques Emporium.
Despite Flo's warnings, Lockwood and Lucy decided to visit the antiques store undercover, Lockwood figuring that it was likely that Carver may have already passed the mirror on to Winkman. They also left a note directing Carver to come to 35 Portland Row. The two of them decided to pose as tourists, but their cover was blown by the calluses on their hands that identified them as agents. Winkman warned them that just this once he would let them off "lightly," tossing them out his shop bodily and leaving them heavily bruised. The two were left to crawl back home, where they learned about what George had discovered in his research. This had led them to the story of Mary Dulac, who was associated with Bickerstaff, but was committed to an insane asylum after living wild for many years. Lockwood decided that George was to continue researching this, while he and Lucy tried to pick up the trail of Jack Carver. Before, they could settle in for the night, however, there was an unexpected knocking at the door, which turned out to be Jack Carver himself.
The Skull's revelations
Jack Carver, dead on the floor of 35 Portland Row
However fearsome a man he may have been, Jack Carver was dying. As he entered 35 Portland Row, he fell forward, a knife in his back. As he lay dying, he muttered certain phrases, which Lockwood strained to catch, shouting to George to write them down. These phrases included "Bone glass," "Seven from it. Seven not one," "You see things, such terrible things" and "Julius." Lucy stated that he also said "Please come with me," but neither Lockwood nor George heard this and it may have been said after the man died. Lockwood had George search the man's pockets and they discovered a large amount of money, indicating he had likely been paid for the mirror, as well as the crumpled remains of the note addressed to him. Lockwood recognized the knife in his back as being a Mughal dagger, which always came in pairs.
Following another visit from DEPRAC, the group was left to speculate over the case and how things how played out, so many years ago with Bickerstaff. George noted that what he saw in the mirror made him want to look again and Lucy speculated that whatever you see causes you to die of fright if you look properly. She suggested that Bickerstaff too had looked and it had made him go mad and shoot himself. Lockwood agreed that maybe this was so, but just then, a voice came stating "No. That wasn't the way it happened."
The voice was that of the Skull, the mysterious object that Lockwood had tested Lucy with so long ago. It was a Type Three ghost, the most powerful and unusual of ghosts which had the power to communicate with powerful Listeners. He told Lucy that he knew that this was so because he was there. As neither Lockwood nor George were able to hear this, she was left to communicate this to them. Lockwood called it impossible and the Skull stated that "You're not the only one who has secrets," a reference to the secret door in 35 Portland Row that Lockwood always kept locked, refusing to inform either Lucy or George of what lay beyond it.
The ghost was foul and rude towards both Lockwood and George, leaving Lucy to reluctantly pass on these messages. They decided to just get to the point, this being what it was that the Skull knew about Bickerstaff. It told Lucy that Bickerstaff had been its master. They wondered if the Skull could have been either Simon Wilberforce or Mary Dulac, the two names that George had uncovered in his research, but it told them that it was neither. It described Bickerstaff as being a great man, a visionary who came to a sad end. It told them that the Bone Glass was something that gave enlightenment, but they were all too blind to see it.
Going on a hint from the Skull, the group decided to visit Hampstead Hill, where Bickerstaff once resided. Though they succeeded in securing the papers that the Skull had hinted were contained in the house, the affair nearly cost them their lives due to the terrible danger in the property. Afterwards, Lucy was in such a rage that she wanted to take the Skull to the Fittes furnaces and burn it immediately, but Lockwood pointed out that this might not be the most practical thing and that it did lead them to the papers. Realizing that it was the Skull who had lured Bickerstaff's associate Simon Wilberforce to his doom, Lucy tried to get more information out of it, but it refused to talk for Lucy having been rude to it. Lockwood then decided that they were all better off with some time without the Skull and covered it up.
The Bickerstaff papers and the Fittes Ball
Lockwood & Lucy at the Fittes ball
With this decided, the group turned to the papers they had recovered. Lockwood quickly realized that they were likely to get little out of them due to them being in another language and reluctantly accepted George's suggestion that they get Albert Joplin to help. They then turned to another set of papers which proved more likely to be immediately revealing, as their contents were drawings. They realized that they depicted grave-robbing as well as the Bone Glass, which they now realized was intended not as a mirror, but as a window to the Other Side.
Their musings were unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival of Flo Bones outside. They let her in and it was clear that she was ill-at-ease, not used to being up at such hours and inside such a place. She informed the group that Winkman was indeed in possession of the Bone Glass and that he had set up a midnight auction for it. The auction was on the same evening as the upcoming Fittes Ball and Lockwood decided that they would make it a dual affair - attending the ball first and then following it up with the auction.
The three made what preparations they would for the ball. Lucy, having no formal clothes, was forced to go shopping and returned with a dress that Lockwood described as delightful and which he complemented by providing her with a necklace that had once belonged to his mother. Meanwhile, he himself was dressed in a dapper tuxedo and black bow tie. George, however, while not great, had nevertheless made what passed for an effort.
Lockwood considered the ball an opportunity to relax and mingle, and most importantly to meet with important people from government and corporations who might one day bring big cases the company's way. However, upon mention of the Fittes House's famous Black Library, his focus suddenly changed. He recalled how George had mentioned that the Black Library was home to a copy of the Confessions written by Mary Dulac, of the Bickerstaff affair.
This conversation was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Penelope Fittes herself, who made straight for them. Lockwood hastened to make introductions, but Fittes informed him that she already knew all their names. She complimented them for the handling of the Combe Carey Hall affair and expressed her gratitude for retrieving the body of her friend who had died in a previous attempt to pacify the hall of its hauntings.
Following this, the three made their way for the Black Library. Lockwood declared that they would have just a quick look, as while it was true that most that would enter it were likely too busy with the party, it would not do to linger long. They succeeded in locating the library's index and then the Confessions book itself, but had a close call when Penelope herself and a man named Gabriel entered the library.
Auction and escape
Lockwood and Lucy disguised in cloaks and hoods at Winkman's auction for the Bone Glass
After exiting the Black Library, Lockwood & Co. had an unfortunate encounter with Montagu Barnes, who had been tipped off regarding the papers they located at the Bickerstaff house. Though they succeeded in putting them off, they know that this meant that Kipps's team would likely be on their trail as they made their way to the secret auction. They were forced to pull some stealthy moves to shake them off and make their way to the auction.
Upon arrival, the three met with Flo Bones, the plan being George to wait outside with her in case they needed to make a hasty escape. George tried to argue the point that he should be allowed to go in with them, but Lockwood put a stop to this, telling him that they needed him outside and it was too late to change plans. Later, though, as Lockwood and Lucy were making a perilous climb, Lucy warned Lockwood that he would need to have a word with George later, that George was feeling left out, often left behind while they did this sort of thing. Lockwood told her they all had their talents, and that George had his own vital role to play.
Donning ski masks, the two proceeded to the auction, which moved at a rapid pace, the audience having little interest in anything except the main attraction that they had heard so much about: the Bone Glass. As Winkman called forward psychic children to examine the artifact to prove its authenticity, Lockwood warned Lucy to be ready. As Winkman called for the bidding to begin, there was a cue from outside. A magnesium flare came through the window and the melee was on. In the pandemonium, Lockwood swiped the Bone Glass, sealing it in a lavender bag. Though Winkman and his man threatened him and Lucy with death, they succeeded in a creating a new distraction by swiping sources, using them as ghost bombs to drive back their pursuers. Lockwood tossed the Bone Glass down George waiting down below.
It was then that the two found themselves confronted by a blond man whom they had seen with Penelope Fittes and who had expressed interest in the Bone Glass. He demanded the object from Lockwood, only for Lockwood to tell him that he had thrown it in the Thames. At this, the man seemed ready to fight them. At this, Lockwood looked towards the river. Knowing what he was thinking, Lucy made him promise that it would be the last time. The two leapt, the water sweeping them away.
The missing agent
Lockwood and Lucy realize George should have been back by now
Following their daring escape, Lockwood and Lucy returned to 35 Portland Row. With a 2:45 A.M. breakfast of eggs and toast cooking, showered and warm, the two were surprisingly back to feeling like themselves again. Lockwood shared with Lucy what he had learned from The Confessions of Mary Dulac. He told her that most of it was nonsense about forbidden knowledge and seeking out the mysteries of creation, but there was one particularly important passage. This described that Bickerstaff had promised her and the others enlightenment, but instead brought them to ruin. After witnessing him kill Simon Wilberforce with the Bone Glass, claiming that it would show him Heaven, she too was nearly made to look inside. After catching only half a glimpse, she shot Bickerstaff in the head, then did her best to constrain both him and the device.
Lockwood told Lucy that Dulac had gotten one thing right - that everyone seemed to be obsessed with the glass, paradoxically, since it seems to kill whoever looks at it. He stated that Joplin had been hounding them to have a peek and that George was scarcely any better. He then realized that Lucy didn't seem to be listening and asked her what was up. As it turned out, Lucy had noticed an inscription on their Thinking Cloth - "Gone to see a friend about the mirror. Back soon. G." They realized that George had gone to see Joplin and what was more, the Skull in the jar knew and had been sitting there, watching and listening to all. Lucy turned the knob that allowed the Skull to speak and it told her that George had done something very stupid. Lucy told it to tell them everything it knew or they would make things very unpleasant for it. It asked just what they could do and Lucy, coming to a realization, told it that if it didn't cooperate, they would bury it somewhere where it would never be found.
Lockwood, whom Lucy had been muttering the Skull's words to, told the Skull to get on with things. It informed them that both George and Joplin were there and that George still seemed to be fighting against the Glass's influence, but that Joplin was long gone. Lucy was surprised that they hadn't realized it sooner, but Lockwood said that George was always like that, that he had always been obsessed with relics and old stuff. He asked Lucy if she really thought he had been affected in such away and Lucy agreed that he was in mortal danger. They realized that George and Joplin were most likely in the underground catacombs of the Kensal Green Cemetery, Lockwood realizing that Joplin always had grave dust from these catacombs in his hair. Lucy, meanwhile, realized that Joplin most likely had the other dagger of the pair of Mughals and therefore was Carver's murderer. As Lockwood declared George was likely in even more trouble than they thought, the Skull cackled that they should give their regards to George, or whatever, was left of him. Lockwood, however, grabbed up the jar, telling it "You needn't look so smug. You're coming too."
Rescuing George
Lockwood and Kipps's team prepare to face off against Winkman's thugs
Lockwood and Lucy hastily made their way to Kensal Green. The place had been largely abandoned, Sweet Dreams having completed their work there. As the Skull predicted that George was already dead, the two conducted an examination of the area and the Skull said that it felt the nearby presence of its master. Lockwood lamented their stupidity, realizing that Joplin had been so close to them the whole time, yet until now they had failed to glean his true motivations. He scrambled for a way to descend into the catacombs, but the search was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the members of Kipps's team, sans Kipps himself, who demanded to know what Lockwood and Lucy had done with Kipps.
Putting their heads together, the two groups quickly realized that both Kipps and George were in grave danger. They discussed the matter of how to get down to the catacombs, but before they could formulate a plan of action they were interrupted by another unexpected arrival: a group of thugs that Lockwood suspected had likely been sent by Winkman. With this, Lockwood told Lucy he wanted her to, without argument, find the lever to the catafalque to descend into the catacombs and get George while he remained behind with the others and fought. Though Lucy nevertheless tried to argue, she ultimately followed his instructions, noting that there was no arguing with him when he took such a tone.
So it was that Lockwood remained above while Lucy made her way down below. There, she learned that Kipps had discovered Joplin and George fighting outside and tried to intervene, only to be taken custody by him as well. Lockwood fought desperately above, arriving just in time to discover the aftermath of the affair in which George had pretended to die from looking in the Bone Glass as a ruse to throw off Joplin. With Lucy having destroyed the Glass thanks to some timely intervention from the Skull, Lockwood arrived just in time to discover a distraught Joplin pointing an enormous flintlock pistol at Lucy. Covered in grave dust and cobwebs, he simply stood there coolly, ignoring Joplin's warnings to step back.
As Joplin continued to shout, Lockwood merrily explained to Lucy that the pistol was an ancient model, phased out by the British army after two years and not very accurate. "It needs to be kept somewhere dry, not in a damp catacomb," he explained, and, sure enough as Lockwood moved toward Joplin, he fired, only for the pistol to do nothing but click in response. Disgusted, he tossed it to the floor and tried to run, only to disturb the iron chains that had been used to restrain Edmund Bickerstaff's body and be fatally Ghost-Touched.
Aftermath
Lockwood preparing to reveal the contents of the secret room to Lucy and George
In the aftermath of the affair, a DEPRAC cleanup was quickly brought in. They patched up everyone involved and Lockwood related an account of the battle with Winkman's thugs, a total of six. The attackers had battled fiercely with clubs, at times getting the upper-hand, but ultimately the agents' swordplay won out. Lockwood handed a disappointed Barnes the broken remains of the Bone Glass. He then discussed affairs with Kipps, telling him that Barnes had awarded Lockwood & Co. the case, but he had proposed a 70/30 split between their two teams. He told them that things now came to the matter of their bet, outlining the terms and asking Kipps what he had to say about it. "All right," agreed Kipps.
Lockwood told him that it was all that he needed to hear, that the whole thing had been a silly idea. Kipps seemed conflicted, but nevertheless agreed, stalking away. This, therefore, left the matter of George. Although Lockwood wanted to kill him for running off, he was forced to admit that he had been snappy with him and hadn't properly taken into account how he had been affected by the Bone Glass. This just left the question of how George had seemingly looked into the Glass but not died. At this, George showed the two of them his glasses, explaining that they had been knocked off in his confrontation with Joplin, but Joplin failed to notice. When he looked into the Bone Glass, it was without his glasses, so he didn't see a thing.
The three returned home to 35 Portland Row. Three days later, the three took a lunch and reveled in their success, including the check from DEPRAC which had just cleared. They reviewed newspaper coverage of the affair, which was second only to the Fittes party in terms of newsworthiness. Overall, they were quite pleased with their writeup, though Lockwood noted that thanks to Barnes, they were once again forced to keep quiet about certain topics, particularly the nature of the Bone Glass. Lucy wondered what the real truth about the Glass was and Lockwood said that the paradox of the whole thing was that you couldn't find out the truth without looking into it, but doing so tended to kill you. George speculated that maybe a bigger collection of Sources could actually open a whole to the Other Side, but his theorizing was quickly shot down by Lockwood, who felt it was best not to speculate on such things, lest one become obsessed.
Discussion turned to the Skull and Lockwood asked Lucy what she wanted to do with it, noting that it was foul and had tried to kill them, but at the same time had perversely helped them. She told him that she didn't want anyone else finding out about her connection with it, but at the same time, she didn't want it destroyed either, that her Talent was getting stronger and one day it could be properly useful to them. At this, Lockwood and George went quiet and the conversation turned to Flo Bones, who was coming over for dinner.
After a bit more conversation, Lockwood told Lucy and George that there were friends and that there was something that he wanted to say. He told them that after everything that had happened, he had learned that secrets cause nothing but trouble. He told them he had something he wanted to show them and brought them to the landing containing 35 Portland Row's forbidden door, the one he had told them never to open. He told them to open the handle and just walk right in. George wondered if there wasn't some sort of secret lock, but Lockwood told him that there wasn't, that he had always trusted them.
Lucy told Lockwood that he didn't have to if he didn't want to, that there was no reason why they had to know if he wasn't comfortable with it. He, however, said that he had been thinking about doing it for a while now and when the Skull started whispering to Lucy about it, he knew the time had come. So he pulled open the door and within it Lucy and George saw silver charms, then something else that cause Lucy to feel as if the floor were pitching under her. "Your parents?" she asked. "Close," Lockwood told her. "My sister."
Characteristics
Personality
- "This was classic Lockwood. Friendly, considerate, empathetic. My personal impulse would have been to slap the girl soundly round the face and boot her moaning backside out into the night. Which is why he’s the leader, and I’m not. Also why I have no female friends."
- —Lucy Carlyle about Lockwood, The Whispering Skull
Lockwood is charismatic by nature. He is commonly seen with a smile on his face and will be the first to diffuse a situation or meeting the quickest way possible. When working, he is tireless, passionate, and driven by a level of ambition which isn't fully understood as of yet. With a quick wit and even quicker reflexes, Lockwood takes on the position of leader easily. It's been noted that his calm and confident demeanor has the ability to assure even those most fearful around him. Despite this, he's also equally flighty, prone to changing subjects he finds uncomfortable, and is even described by Lucy as having no other joy or hobbies outside of his work, usually found listlessly laying about or reading gossip magazines during days off.
Anthony Lockwood is also very secretive about his parents and his past, often cutting conversations short and even leaving a room should the subjects be brought to his attention. He is smart and works to rid the city of ghosts, not bothering to try to understand them (which he considers to be a waste of time). His goal is to become the owner of one of the three best agencies of London, and his competitive spirit is shown frequently when proposed a challenge. Cool, polite, and kind in almost every situation, he is described as "dashing" and "a bit reckless". However, he often gets in trouble, despite his good intentions. Though the well-being of his team is always his top priority, sometimes his drive to complete a task blinds him to the potential dangers involved.
Perhaps because of the early loss of his parents, Lockwood did not always relate well with adults, at times displaying an almost devil-may-care attitude when addressing clients. In spite of being the leader of the agency, when he and Lucy visited 62 Sheen Road, Lucy had to remind of the "new rules." These included not blabbing about everything he saw, openly speculating about who killed who, when or where, and not impersonating clients to their faces.
Despite his charismatic and empathetic streak, his courageousness tends to blend with his recklessness and sometimes near-suicidal nature. There is a part of him that is seemingly empty and has a death wish, due to the losses he has suffered in life. His secretive tendencies have in the past largely succeeded in keeping others at a distance, though his time with George and particularly Lucy has greatly changed him, such that he once more feels as though he has something to live for.
Physical attributes
- "Anthony Lockwood stood there. He was covered in grave-dust, and there were cobwebs on his collar and in his hair. His trousers were torn at the knees, his fingers bleeding. He’d looked smarter in his time, but I can’t say he’d ever looked better to me. He held his rapier casually in one hand."
- —Lucy Carlyle about Lockwood, The Whispering Skull
Lockwood is tall and slim and is almost always seen wearing a long coat, and business-casual attire underneath. Both Lucy and Flo have also noted his preference for slightly too-tight suits As an agent, he is usually seen carrying a rapier by his at his side.
Lockwood is described as pale and has dark eyes. One of his most often mentioned and distinctive features is his smile, which he often uses to his advantage when attempting to gain information, or soothe a crowd. It is implied that he can easily modify his smile according to the situation, for example using a slightly less intense version to reassure frightened clients[4] and positively beaming at other times.
His hair is dark brown and the Skull alleges he spends a lot of time styling it in the bathroom.[5]
Abilities
Sight
Lockwood has exceptionally good Sight, being able to visually detect death-glows, residual energies, and so far, all Types of Ghosts. Despite his older age, his talent has yet to diminish.
Fencing
Lockwood is a well-seasoned and highly skilled fencer; as he made it to the finals during the fencing championships when at a very young age. He able to defeats Quill Kipps, but subsequently losing in the final to another competitor. It is later revealed that that competitor was Florence Bonnard.[citation needed]
Charisma
Lucy would say his charisma is a super-power of its own.
Trivia
- He had a toy mobile with tiny iron animals, of which his favorite was the smiling giraffe.[citation needed]
- He dislikes being called "Tony", "Big A", or "Ant."[citation needed]
- He likes Parma Ham and orange juice with pulp because straining it through his teeth makes him feel like a baleen whale.
- In both the audiobooks and Netflix television series, when stated out loud, his first name is pronounced as "An-tuh-nee," with the "h" being silent.
Behind the scenes
Though perhaps not as pronounced as with either Lucy Carlyle or George Cubbins, certain changes are made to the personality, circumstances and actions of Lockwood for the Netflix Lockwood & Co. television series. In the television series, it is stated outright that it was illegal for him to have hired Lucy without her having received her Grade 4 certificate. In the novels, it is implied that this unusual but not illegal, meaning that Lockwood takes a greater risk in the television series. In the original novels, following the Sheen Road affair, Lockwood is taken to the hospital and then Barnes arrives at 35 Portland Row to present the company with the news of the bill for burning down the house. In the television series, Lockwood is taken directly to the headquarters of DEPRAC following the burning of the house.
Whereas in the novels, Lockwood goes to the newspapers to report Locwood & Co.'s investigation into the Annabel Ward disappearance, in the TV series he instead goes to a local television station. Following this and Lucy's being taken to DEPRAC to try to finger Hugo Blake, Lucy tries to quit the company, her telling him that he treats her like an asset. She tells him that she feels like she'd be better off dead and he admits to having had the same feeling too. He tells her that they can't let her go, that they need her, and as more than just an asset.
During the Combe Carey Hall affair, there is no mention of Lockwood having visited the town beforehand to scout things out. Lockwood is indicated to have figured out Fairfax's connection to Annabel Ward pretty much entirely from the photo of him with her. Additionally, following the affair, Lockwood and the others are nearly arrested and forced to keep entirely quiet about all aspects of the case. As such, they do not receive any publicity from the affair and events continue immediately from this, without the seven month timespan of building up the company seen between The Screaming Staircase and The Whispering Skull.
The events of the Wimbledon Wraiths incident seen in The Whispering Skull are adapted out. As such, the bet between Lockwood & Co. and Kipps's agency is only made after the two groups are assigned to work together on the case by Barnes at the end of "Sweet Dreams." Furthermore, instead of being suggested originally by George, the bet is entirely Lockwood's idea and is the source of much consternation for both Lucy and George, who feel that he made it in haste. Additionally, in the episode, Lockwood proposes the original terms of the bet as described in the book, for the loser to admit their defeat and take out an ad in the Times congratulating the winner. Kipps, however, proposes a different term that Lockwood agrees to: that the losers must quit and never work in the industry again.
In the novel, Lockwood's main objection to believing Lucy's claim regarding the Skull talking to her at first is her stating that it whispered about him keeping the secret behind the door. In the TV series, however, after admitting he believed her from the start, he tells her that the real reason for claiming not to believe her at first is a tendency of always wanting to be in the limelight and not wanting to be second-best.
In the novel, Lucy and Lockwood pay a visit to Julius Winkman's undercover during the day, get discovered as agents and get thrown out bodily. In "Death Is Coming" from the television series, however, they decide to sneak in at night. Lockwood is caught and tortured electrically, but holds out for a long time. When Lucy is captured as well, he tells them they can do whatever they want with him so long as they let her go. After Lucy rescues him from the situation, she chastises him for being ready to die. In the novels, Lockwood's death wish is not explored in more details until latter installments.
In "You Never Asked," Lockwood and Lucy attend the Fittes ball together without George, as opposed to the novel, in which George attends with them. This is likely done both to emphasize the growing relationship between Lucy and Lockwood, but also to emphasize George's growing isolation, which is punctuated by the fact that he remains at 35 Portland Row with Joplin, who is Pamela Joplin in the TV series. Furthermore, because of this, in the TV series Lockwood and Lucy attend the ball with the intention of acquiring Mary Dulac's Confessions book from the start, whereas in the novel it is more of an afterthought.
In The Whispering Skull, an unnamed individual is present with Penelope Fittes at the Black Library and later at the Winkman auction, showing interest in the Bone Glass and later giving chase Lockwood and Lucy. This man is identified in future installments as Rupert Gale. In the TV series, this character is instead the Golden Blade, although since this is not his real name, it is possible the two could be one and the same. In "You Never Asked," this character battles with both Lucy and Lockwood upon discovering them in the Black Library, where as in the novel, they are not discovered.
In "Mesmerised," when infiltrating the Winkman auction, Lockwood and Lucy encounter an undercover DEPRAC agent known as "Cutter" who tries to get them to leave and save themselves, but ignore his advice. When the agent is later killed helping them, Lockwood briefly goes into a near-catatonic state, believing himself to be responsible for the man's death, before being snapped out of it by Lucy. The Blade later informs him that Julius Winkman already knew of Cutter's nature and was planning to kill him anyway.
In "Not The Eternal," Winkman personally accompanies the thugs that he sends to Kensal Green and seems to bear a personal grudge against Lockwood. Due to the series not being locked into the first-person perspective of Lucy, several scenes are shown of Lockwood and the agents of Kipps's team fighting against Lockwood and his men. At the end of the episode, Lockwood opens the door to the secret room, but nothing is shown past this. As such, it is left nebulous as to whether the secret it holds is the same as that of the novels.
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBIieqUDSXE at 10:00 of the video, Stroud may have confirmed another age elsewhere.
- ↑ Q&A with Jonathan Stroud on Goodreads
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Hollow Boy, II: Whitechapel Nights, Ch. 5
- ↑ The Hollow Boy, II: Whitechapel Nights, Ch. 6: 'He flashed her his fifty-percent smile, the reassuring one.'
- ↑ The Hollow Boy, VI: A Face in the Dark, Ch. 26: 'You know that tousled bed-head thing he's got going on? Takes him hours at the mirror to get that fixed just right."