Ostentatious Secret: Difference between revisions

Sometimes ostentatious secrets are eventually [[The Reveal|revealed]], and sometimes they stay that way forever. This can be just a [[Running Gag|running gag]], or it can be source of dramatic tension as a [[MacGuffin]]. In fact, their primary use is as a MacGuffin, reserved for use in a [[Two Lines, No Waiting|B-Story]], or possibly even a "C"-story, a narrative thread that is around just to build continuity.

One problem is that secrets tend to build up to a Secret Critical Mass. After this point, the obsession of others to discover the secret far outweighs any potential dramatic payoff from [[The Reveal]], and it requires some extremely deft [[Playing Withwith a Trope]] to avoid an [[Anticlimax]].

** According to [http://www.cracked.com/article_19138_7-hotly-debated-movie-questions-that-totally-have-answers.html this article], it was originally just diamonds, but they decided that a [[Ostentatious Secret]] would be more interesting.

* This is apparently one of [[Norse Mythology|Odin's]] powers. As [[Neil Gaiman]] put it in ''[[American Gods (Literature)|American Gods]]'': "And I know an 18th charm & that charm I can tell to no man, for a secret that nobody knows but you is the most powerful thing of all."

* In ''[[The Order of the Stick (Webcomic)|Order of the Stick]]'', the unnamed and unidentified "monster in the darkness" is a living Ostentatious Secret. The main villain of the series keeps him shrouded in darkness, despite its constant objections. He is kept shrouded in order to keep him a secret before his final climactic confrontation with the heroes.

* ''[[SpongebobSpongeBob SquarePants]]'', "The Secret Box": SpongeBob tests his friendship with Patrick to the limits when he tries to learn the contents of Patrick's "secret box", and eventually resorts to sneaking into Pat's house in the dead of night. It turns out to be... {{spoiler|1=a string. After SpongeBob leaves, it turns out that pulling the string opens a secret compartment, with an embarrassing photo of SpongeBob in it, specifically from the Christmas party (which is actually one of the guesses Spongebob made at the contents of the box).}}.

* Robin's incredibly important stolen briefcase in ''[[Teen Titans (Animationanimation)|Teen Titans]]'' is revealed to contain {{spoiler|[[The Un-Reveal|_____________]]}}.

* A meta-example for ''[[Gargoyles (Animation)|Gargoyles]]'' is whatever Titania whispers to Fox at the end of "The Gathering." Creator [[Greg Weisman]] [[Word of God|has said]] that he wants to keep it secret in case he ever gets to make the series again and use it, but admits that it's [[Anticlimax|not as great as people are probably hoping]].

{{quote| ''''Boxer' Carvalho (uneasily):''' What's in there?<br />