Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Back in Action!
A powerful key is at the center ofBack in Action’sspy storyline, and here is what the key does and why the villain needs it, explained. Like many other spy stories, thenew Netflix Original comedy movieBack in Actionis full of twists and turns, with the true villain and his plan not being known until the very end of the film. However, once Chuck’s master plan is revealed, it raises a lot of questions as to why he is doing what he is doing. Thus,Back in Action’s powerful key may need some explaining.
Cameron Diaz has finally exited her acting retirement forBack in Action, with this being the actress' first film since 2014’sAnnieremake.ch, with the duo playing a married couple of retired spies. After having their identities leaked, however, enemies from their past come back to haunt them, with the duo even discovering that some old friends are now bitter enemies. All of the villains inBack in Actionwant the key that Emily and Matt have held on to for 15 years, and here’s why.
What Is The Key & Why Is It So Valuable?
It Is Incredibly Dangerous
Back in Actionopens 15 years before the main events of the film, showing a mission that Emily and Matt go on under the leadership of Kyle Chandler’s Chuck. The mission is to infiltrate the party of a powerful criminal named Balthazar Gor, get upstairs, steal a mysterious key, and get out unnoticed. Emily and Matt manage to get the key, but they have to fight their way out of the house. Later,they realize that their plane home is also full of assailants, with them crashing the plane, going into retirement, and deciding to keep the key.
Fifteen years later, Chuck turns up on Emily and Matt’s doorstep, pretending to be a friend. Although Chuck is seemingly assassinated bythe villains ofBack in Action, it turns out that he faked his death, with him being the true mastermind behind it all. After getting the key, Chuck decides to sell it to the highest bidder, with him traveling to London and holding an auction with a small group of some of the world’s most powerful criminals. This is where he reveals what it actually does.
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Balthazar Gor’s key somehow has the power to hack almost any electrical grid, with it first being demonstrated that it can knock out the power to the entirety of London. Next, Chuck shows that it has the ability to open up the Thames Barrier, giving Chuck the power to flood London. This gets the buyers interested, and while an agreement for $250 million is made, Emily and Matt stop Chuck before the key can get into the wrong hands.
Why Chuck Turned Against Emily & Matt
He Is Seeking Revenge Against The Spies
Although Chuck used to be an ally of Emily and Matt, with him working for the CIA 15 years ago, he is their worst enemy by the timethe story ofBack in Actionrolls around. As he explains it, Emily and Matt’s disappearance from the CIA meant that the plane fiasco had to be blamed on someone, and the Agency chose him. Chuck mentions that he lost his job, pension, and dog because of Emily and Matt’s actions, with him seeking revenge on the couple ever since they disappeared.
However, this wasn’t Chuck’s only motivator. In fact, he says it wasn’t even his main motivator. While Chuck says that he will enjoy killing Emily and Matt,there is another reason that he is carrying out his villainous plan: money. Chuck knows that he can make an immense profit off of selling the key, and he would try to do that whether Emily and Matt were involved or not. The fact that they are involved is just a happy coincidence for Chuck, with him hoping he can kill the spies and pocket the money.
Why Did The Villains Attempt To Flood London?
Chuck Was Showing The Key’s Potential
The climax ofBack in Actionis centered around the aforementioned demonstration of the key’s abilities, with the most dangerous part being Chuck’s ability to flood London. While demonstrating the abilities, Chuck has his co-conspirator open the Thames Barrier, with them hacking into the system and overpowering the barrier’s employees. Emily and Matt have to act fast in order to stop London from being flooded, but the reason that Chuck chose to do this is a bit strange.
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It seems like Chuck had no motivation to flood London besides showing off the abilities of the key, making this decision an odd one. With the exception of Emily and Matt, Chuck doesn’t seem like he wants to kill people for the sake of it, with him only being motivated by money and revenge. Flooding London would undoubtedly destroy the city and cause a massive loss of life, and since it would put all kinds of attention on the key, it is weird that he would do a stunt this big before even selling the item.
Back In Action’s Villain Story Isn’t Over
Chuck May Still Be Alive
WhileEmily and Matt may have foiled Chuck’s first plan,Back in Action’svillain story actually isn’t over. In the final scene of the film, Emily and Matt discover that Baron is in their car, with him explaining that they are needed for another mission. Despite it seeming like Chuck was killed when his boat crashed into the Thames Barrier, his body was never recovered, leading to the CIA believing that he is still alive. Thus, Emily and Matt will most likely be tasked with hunting their friend-turned-enemy down.
However, the CIA doesn’t think that Emily and Matt can do it alone. For an unexplained reason, Baron tells the couple that they are going to have to recruit another spy: Emily’s father. The firstBack in Actionprominently featured Emily’s mother, exploring their relationship, andBack in Action 2could pull off a similar feat with Emily’s father. While the firstBack in Actionmay be over, there is still another story to tell in the franchise’s universe, and hopefully a sequel will wrap up Chuck’s plan from the first movie.
Back in Action
Cast
Back in Action follows former CIA operatives Emily and Matt, who are thrust back into espionage years after retiring to raise a family. Released on Jul 23, 2025, the film unravels their return to the clandestine world when their identities are exposed.
