Key

**The Key** is a highly powerful magic relic used to open the connection between the Human world and Centaurworld.

**Spoiler warning:** This page contains many spoilers for the series finale. If you want to avoid spoilers, be wary of this.

## Pieces of the Key

### First piece

Originally retrieved by Rider from a human world castle, it was later recovered by Horse before magically sending her to Centaurworld. It resembles a horseshoe. It serves as a containment guard framing the completed Key's core. Before Horse discovered its purpose, she and Rider both referred to it as "the artifact".

Interestingly, this piece alone was capable of sending Horse to Centaurworld. The reason for this is unknown.

In The Last Lullaby, it is revealed that it was one of two original pieces of what later became the Key, having been magically fused with the Second piece by the Woman. It was created using materials found in the Human world.

### Second piece

    Kept by Waterbaby. Despite being the second piece the herd found, Waterbaby only agrees to give it to Horse once she has gathered all the other fragments from the rest of the Shamans and traveled to meet her at The Rift. It resembles a round flower bulb or seedpod. It serves as the core heart of the completed Key.

In The Last Lullaby, it is revealed that it was one of two original pieces of what later became the Key, having been magically fused with the First piece by the Woman. It was created using materials found in Centaurworld.

### Third piece

Kept by the shaman Big Tree. Horse was able to collect it only after she kicked the shaman apart to find the piece inside the treetaur's trunk.

It serves as the neck of the completed Key.

### Fourth piece

Kept by the moletaur shaman Judge Jacket.

It serves as the midsection of the completed Key.

### Fifth piece

    Kept by the cataur shaman Johnny Teatime.

It somewhat resembles a bell. It serves as a counterweight and the tip of the completed Key.

### Sixth piece

    Kept by the Whaletaur Shaman.

It resembles a whale's tail. It frames the top of the completed Key.

## Completed Key

When all six pieces of the Key are combined, it realizes its completed form.

In this form, it can perform a variety of functions, such as opening and closing the Rift's connection between worlds, and transforming into a spear-like staff weapon that can be used to destroy powerful creatures such as the Nowhere King.

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## History

### Season 1

#### Hello Rainbow Road

In the series opening, Horse and Rider retrieved the first piece from a castle guarded by minotaurs and make their escape. The castle was later revealed to be the former home of the princess which was eventually usurped and taken over by the Nowhere King. After an intense struggle with the minotaur army, Horse was separated from Rider and fell off a cliff with the key piece in her grasp. The key piece glowed and she was soon transported to Centaurworld.

#### The Key

The herd managed to find Waterbaby, the first shaman, who told them that the key piece was once a part of a larger key relic that was used to connect Centaurworld and the human world together. She sent them on a quest to retrieve the remaining pieces from each shaman of Centaurworld and to regroup with her at the the Rift in order to claim the final piece and reopen the Rift's connection so that Horse could finally reunite with Rider.

At the end of the episode, the Woman made her first true appearance. Her conversation with Waterbaby implies that each shaman including Waterbaby were part of an arranged agreement to keep the key pieces safe.

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### Season 2

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## Trivia

* Horse's journey to collect all of the key pieces follows an interesting pattern, from physical struggle to a more passive one:
	+ The First piece was won after a physical struggle against the minotaurs
	+ The Second piece was freely given, but on Waterbaby's conditions
	+ The Third piece was won after a physical struggle against the tree shamans
	+ The Fourth piece was freely given, but only after passing Judge Jacket's trial
	+ The Fifth piece was won after a physical struggle in Johnny Teatime's Be Best Competition
	+ The Sixth piece was freely given, but only collected once Horse came to terms with her changes
* As revealed in The Last Lullaby, the main two parts of the Key were created using materials found in both Centaurworld (magic) and the Human world (technology).

## Gallery

### Production art

Key color design by Kimberly Knoll, Art DirectorKey Spear prop design by Evan Palmer, Lead Character DesignerKey pieces prop design by Evan Palmer, Lead Character DesignerHorse's Key piece prop design by Evan Palmer, Lead Character DesignerKey spear design by Bill Cleveland, Prop designer