Secret Secret Keeper

"Static: Mr. Hawkins, I'm glad to see you're okay. Mr. Hawkins: You can drop the act, Virgil. Static: You know? Mr. Hawkins: Wasn't hard to figure out. Why else kidnap me to get to Static? And maybe, maybe in the back of my mind, I've always known."

- Static Shock

We all know about Secret Keepers: One or two people that The Hero trusts enough to tell about his superpowers. However, there are also "secret" Secret Keepers who figured out the character's secret on their own, and instead of confronting the hero about the secret, decide to keep things quiet. They then almost always take it upon themselves to help the hero secretly from the sidelines by creating distractions to allow the character to slip away to change unnoticed, letting the hero know about dangers or problems that need the hero's attention, and so on.

If a reason why they don't just tell the hero, "I know," is given, it's usually pretty flimsy.

Sub-Trope of Secret Keeper. See Also: I Know You Know I Know

Anime

 * An occult Otaku character in the Vampire Princess Miyu TV series is an an asymmetric Secret Keeper.
 * In Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, Miyako kept her knowledge of Maron's secret until she is ready to tell her.
 * In Tokyo Mew Mew, Ichigo worries on a regular basis about people discovering her secret, and on many an occasion, her worry works her up enough to almost let it slip. However,
 * Honoka's grandmother, Sanae, in Futari wa Pretty Cure. It's unclear just how much of the secret she knows, though. She seems to enjoy being mysterious about it.
 * Daisuke Suwa, the male lead of Bitter Virgin, knows of the traumatic events in Hinako's past. However, Hinako, who told it to a "priest", whom she couldn't see, has no idea of his knowledge.
 * Euphemia for Lelouch in Code Geass; at least, for a little while. She's the first person to figure out Zero's true identity, but keeps this to herself until the two are able to meet privately.
 * Shirley is briefly this after.
 * There are several of those in Sakura Gari, and they all guard extremely creepy secrets:
 * Near the end of Sailor Moon R, it is heavily implied that Usagi's  had figured out Sailor Moon's secret identity on her own  before confronting the season's Big Bad. However,
 * During the Desperate Revival arc of Detective Conan, Ran had figured out Conan was Shinichi, but didn't confront him about it because she was waiting for him to tell her. As you would expect, she's thrown off once again by the end of the arc and no longer has this role.
 * In Tiger and Bunny, Vigilante Man Lunatic/ knows Wild Tiger/Kotetsu T. Kaburagi's secret identity and decides to keep it to himself. Despite the antagonistic relationship between them, this actually works out for Kotetsu, as . It isn't made clear as to whether or not he is able to discover Kotetsu's identity himself, or if he.
 * For the first few episodes of Sonic X, Chris and his Grandfather were this for the Sonic characters. Then came just one subversion after another as Tanaka the butler reveals he worked it out ages ago, Chris TRIED to tell his mother but she is quite frankly being mind numbingly clueless about it and they realize that they're upsetting the cleaner so much by trying to keep it quiet that they let her in on the secret - and she ends up fussing enormously over Cream and playing a substitute mother figure.
 * During the Desperate Revival arc of Detective Conan, Ran had figured out Conan was Shinichi, but didn't confront him about it because she was waiting for him to tell her. As you would expect, she's thrown off once again by the end of the arc and no longer has this role.
 * In Tiger and Bunny, Vigilante Man Lunatic/ knows Wild Tiger/Kotetsu T. Kaburagi's secret identity and decides to keep it to himself. Despite the antagonistic relationship between them, this actually works out for Kotetsu, as . It isn't made clear as to whether or not he is able to discover Kotetsu's identity himself, or if he.
 * For the first few episodes of Sonic X, Chris and his Grandfather were this for the Sonic characters. Then came just one subversion after another as Tanaka the butler reveals he worked it out ages ago, Chris TRIED to tell his mother but she is quite frankly being mind numbingly clueless about it and they realize that they're upsetting the cleaner so much by trying to keep it quiet that they let her in on the secret - and she ends up fussing enormously over Cream and playing a substitute mother figure.

Comic Books

 * In Pre Crisis Superboy, Pete Ross is Clark Kent's Secret Secret Keeper. Later, his son discovers Superman's secret identity and, not knowing his father knows, doesn't discuss it with him.
 * Iris West, the wife of the second Flash, for a year after they got married (it turned out he talked in his sleep...); she didn't mention it because it seemed so important to him that it be a secret.
 * becomes this for Wally West, the third Flash, after a Cosmic Retcon that caused everyone to forget his secret identity (previously it had been openly known, before that knowledge caused his wife Linda to be attacked). This gains special significance because.
 * What makes the above example interesting is that the character doesn't put two and two together on their own. To whit:.
 * In Spider-Man, both Mary Jane and Aunt May were eventually revealed to have been secret secret keepers for years (with Aunt May largely in denial), though this was not known to the reader.
 * "Peter, what is it like to fly?"
 * It's occasionally implied that "Robbie" Robertson figured out Spider-Man's identity a long time ago. If he acknowledged it, then he would be obligated to tell J. Jonah Jameson that Peter Parker was selling pictures of himself.
 * Captain George Stacy was this for Spidey as well. When he was mortally wounded during a fight between the web-slinger and Dr. Octopus, he revealed his knowledge of Peter's dual identity even as he died in the hero's arms.
 * In Ultimate Spider-Man, bully and Flash Thompson's friend Kenny McFarlane was convinced Peter Parker was Spider-Man when his personality change occurred after he was bitten by a genetically-altered spider (Kenny stepped on the spider after that). He was "proven wrong" when Kenny kicked Peter to demonstrate his reflexes, but Peter caught on and took the hit, even forcing tears. Despite that, he still believed Peter was Spider-Man and kept it to himself until, at which point he let Peter know that he knew.
 * In Marvel Adventures Spider-Man Emma Frost and one of her friends find out that Peter's Spider-Man due to Emma's psychic powers. Cue Peter Parker Held Hostage where she psychically manipulates a group of thugs to assault Peter's high school. She later decides not to blab once they find out that the reason Peter's Spider-Man is because of his tragic past.
 * In a classic Frank Miller Daredevil arc, Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich discovered Daredevil's secret identity of Matt Murdock, and considered reporting it. He ultimately decided that New York needed Daredevil more than he needed a Pulitzer. This subplot was also featured in the movie.
 * Later, in Brian Michael Bendis' Pulse, Urich revealed to Peter Parker that he had deduced his secret identity of Spider-Man.
 * It is sometimes suggested (but never outright stated) that DC Comics' two most prominent heroes have supporting characters who know, or strongly suspect, the hero's secret identity. It's implied that they know, and that the heroes know they know, but that no good would come from any of them actually speaking about it openly:
 * Comissioner Gordon, a skilled veteran detective, for Batman.
 * At the end of Batman: No Man's Land, Bruce takes off his mask in front of Gordon to regain his trust. Gordon refuses to look at him and says "If I wanted to know, I could have discovered it ten years ago. And for all you know, I did. But that's not the point."
 * Perry White, a crack investigative reporter, for Superman.
 * In Spider Girl, one of May Parker's classmates thinks he's a secret keeper for Spider-Girl, but he picked the wrong girl!

Film

 * In the film Gattaca, the hero Vincent Freeman steals the identity of another man in order to avoid the inevitable genetic discrimination that would bar him from his dream mission of flying to Saturn's moon, Titan. He forges urine samples, blood tests, and physical exams for years when a surprise exam reveals that.

Literature

 * The Deryni Duncan McLain continued the secret begun by his grandparents: his mother Vera was the fraternal twin sister of Alaric Morgan's mother Alyce deCorwyn. In 1121 he thinks only himself, Alaric and King Kelson know this, so he's shocked when a stranger who looks like Saint Camber greets him on the road to Coroth with the words, "Hail, Duncan of Corwyn."
 * Vorkosigan Saga: It is revealed in his parting words to Miles, after announcing his retirement in Brothers in Arms, that Ky Tung has figured out who Admiral Naismith really is. Bel Thorne also reveals in Mirror Dance that it's known for some time too.
 * In Harry Potter, Hermione manages to figure out Lupin was a werewolf, but kept it to herself,

Live Action TV
"Alex Mack: You knew, didn't you? You knew this whole time that it was me, but you didn't say anything because you knew I didn't want you to. Dave Watt: Yeah. Alex: Thanks. Dave: You're welcome. (Alex gives Dave a hug in gratitude)"
 * In the old Batman series, Alfred discovered who Batgirl was; he promised Barbara he'd keep quiet about it.
 * In Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Yuka Yamazaki, the love interest of red ranger Kai, starts the series as his crush before getting her own crush on Magired a few episodes in. During The Movie that takes place a little more than halfway through the series, she figures out that Kai and Magired are one and the same, but never admits it to him over the course of the rest of the show. She simply makes occasional vague jokes, turns on the flirting a bit more, and quietly prays for his safety in the more dangerous battles.
 * Tensou Sentai Goseiger has Nozomu Amachi as the team's official Secret Keeper, with his father, Professor Amachi, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Alata and his friends are Gosei Angels. Towards the end of the series, however, when Eri must use her Magic Music to heal Nozomu's injuries, Amachi reveals that he has known for some time who the Goseigers really are.
 * In Smallville Chloe plays this for the second half of the fourth season.
 * Lois is one of these from the season nine finale until episode five of season 10. During a good portion of season ten (even after he finds out that she knows) there's a hilarious level of Lois trying to hide Clark's identity from characters who already know it, like Chloe and Tess.
 * In the finale of The Secret World of Alex Mack, Alex learns that the truck driver who doused her all those years ago actually knew who she was, but never said a word.

"Dave: [watching from a distance] Don't worry, Alex. Your secret is safe with me."
 * Dave is actually lying. He didn't know the whole time: there was an earlier A Day in the Limelight episode where Dave manages to figure it out but decides to keep the secret.


 * In one episode of Disney's Zorro, Diego is waylaid by a Zorro impersonator. When he defeats and unmasks the impostor, he discovers it's his father, Alejandro, who admits he's known the truth about his son's secret identity for a long time - and just stopped him from making a terrible mistake.

Video Games

 * Sifu Kwok in Sleeping Dogs refuses to train Traid members at his martial arts school, yet will teach the protagonist Wei Shen new special moves despite him being a known Triad member. After Wei has learned most of Kwok's moves (due to the way the Collection Sidequest required is set up this can only occur in the end-game), Kwok will note this and cryptically imply he's well aware Wei is an undercover cop.

Web Comics

 * Non-Supers example: Haley and Roy from Order of the Stick have both caught on that Belkar, but have agreed not to call him out for it, preferring how he acts now.
 * From El Goonish Shive, Nanase's mother knows quite a bit about Nanase's magical ability, but doesn't want this knowledge to become known, even going so far as to have a government agent convince Nanase to continue keeping magic a secret from her family.
 * Girl Genius had this expanded to the point where one character finds himself Locked Out of the Loop when the secret that never was discussed is finally disclosed.

Western Animation
""MOOOOOOOOOOM!!!""
 * Danny Phantom: Danny's sister Jazz kept her knowledge of his powers secret from him for a while, and believed that Danny would tell her when he was ready. This led to such lines as "You go... somewhere I can't see you and get help!"
 * Juniper Lee's brother Dennis knows of the magical world all along.
 * Until "Sealed With a Fist", he hadn't believed it or known about his sister's role.
 * In Hey Arnold!, Brainy stalks Helga whenever she goes, and thus knows all of her secrets. However, Helga doesn't seem to realize it, despite talking openly about her secret love in front of him. Nevertheless, Helga keeps punching him in the face. Running Gag much?
 * It's been implied once or twice that he may or may not think she's actually talking about him.
 * Greta, Zick's mother, is this in Monster Allergy when she doesn't tell Zick that she can see monsters also until she is ready to.
 * In The Spectacular Spider-Man, it's become increasingly obvious over the second season that Captain George Stacy knows that Peter is Spider-Man and is covering for both identities when necessary. A borderline case of Secret Secret Keeper as Peter has by now been given more hints than he needed to figure that out for himself, but neither of them have gone so far as to say it outright.
 * Subverted with Candace from Phineas and Ferb... sort of...


 * Actually, the boys don't even realize there's a secret that requires keeping.
 * In X-Men: Evolution, Amanda Sefton sees Kurt with his image inducer turned off and using his teleporting powers once. This increases her interest in him and she tries to pursue him romantically. She later admits she knows about him, and then just becomes a regular Secret Keeper for the existence of the mutants until.
 * Virgil's dad at the end of Static Shock.
 * Queen Marlena in He Man and The Masters of The Universe. Several episodes of the 80s cartoon hint at her knowing Prince Adam is He-Man but she never quite comes out and says it. On at least two occasions she has deliberately put her son in a position where he can help people as He-Man.
 * Twist to the formula in Young Justice. Instead of a civilian keeping the superhero's secret, Artemis has her superhero teammate, Robin, keeping the fact that her immediate family is all supervillains and that she's not really related to Green Arrow secret. This does not, however, stop him from trolling her with the knowledge. Artemis is actually terrified of what everyone will think of her if her secret comes out, so its pretty cool of Robin that he's known all along but has trusted her completely from the beginning.
 * Red Arrow knows that she isn't who she claims to be, but has let her know this and says that though he doen't trust her, he does trust Batman and Green Arrow (who obviously know everything, possibly so do the rest of the League) and won't tell the team.
 * In Batman the Animated Series, Barbara Gordon attempts to come out to her father as Batgirl. Before she can state it outright, he heavily implies that he already knows, is proud of her, and doesn't want to "officially" know.
 * Miraculous Ladybug; As of the episode "Dark Owl", Tiki knows Cat Noir's identity, and Plagg knows Ladybug's, but both have, to date, kept this a secret from their actual hosts.