The Phoenix Rises Again
avearia
Keys to locked dungeon cells will always be placed in the room, hanging on a hook visible to the hero. The villain is not smart enough to take it with him. And, don't you dare do something original, like, say, have the key hanging on said hook be the one to the prison door, not the cell cage.
((That would be insanely funny, though. I mentioned this to someone, and they said 'but the villain has to hang the key just out of reach, to taunt the hero in the cell!" and I said, "Well, okay, but what if the heroes go through the hour-long, multiple attempts at getting the key, to realize that it's not the one that opens the door?))
((that would be funny))
No one ever uses a padlock or passwords. It's always key, keycards, or scans.
No, no, there ARE passwords but they're never difficult. Your hero can always figure it out because the password ends up being something a five year old could figure out.
And padlocks, yes they do have them. But a spare key is always found/stolen. If not, the lock is opened with magic. Because magic can do that. Magic can do ANYTHING - even make a straight character gay.