text:
->'''Max:''' How do you save the world ''and not tell anybody?''\\
'''Terry:''' I can tell you. You can tell me. That's why I'm glad you found out, partner.
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E17FinalCut Final Cut]]"
Your hero has a [[{{Masquerade}} dirty little secret]] that is central to the character and the show's main plot. He might be a [[SecretIdentity superhero]], or he might have [[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory a lab in his bedroom]], or [[Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch she might be a witch]]. There will sometimes be one regular Joe who knows about the hero's secret, and will also keep it secret. The Secret Keeper can be family, though it's very uncommon for them to be [[AdultsAreUseless parents]]. It may require a SecretRelationship, if public knowledge of the relationship is a danger to the secret.
Often, the existence of a Secret Keeper is only hinted at, rather than explicitly revealed to either the hero or the audience.
The [[TropeNamer phrase originated]] in ''Literature/HarryPotter'', where the ''Fidelius Charm'' hides a secret within a living person's soul (that person would then become the "Secret Keeper"); everyone else in the world other than the chosen person would be unable to learn the secret unless directly told of it by the Secret Keeper. Even if they originally knew the secret, the details would become muddy in their minds unless reminded by the Keeper.
See also TongueTied, for when a character is ''forced'' to keep a secret. See also TheConfidant, someone who keeps non-heroic secrets. For cases in which the hero doesn't ''know'' that someone knows his secret, see SecretSecretKeeper. Frequently discovers KeepingSecretsSucks, and is witness to TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife.
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Anime/SonicX'' has Chris Thorndyke, his grandfather, and his two servants -- Mr. Tanaka and Ella -- right before everyone knows about Sonic and his friends.
* The whole premise of ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' is Tohru Honda serving as the Secret Keeper of the Sohma family if she wants to continue living with them, leaving even her [[ThoseTwoGuys two closest friends]] out of the loop -- even though one of them has Electric Psychic Powers.
* Like ''Fruits Basket'', ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'' revolves around protagonist Asahi keeping the secret that his crush is actually a vampire...and that the class rep is an alien...and more. The issue is that Asahi's reputation is being unable to keep a secret to save his life, but he's determined to keep his crush's, as it was how they became friends.
* Melchisedec and Carmichael in ''Anime/StrainStrategicArmoredInfantry'' serve as Sara's Secret Keepers despite not knowing just what her secret ''is'', only that she can synchronize with a discarded Mimic.
* Subverted with Hayate in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs''. She was fully aware of the Wolkenritter's identities, but they deliberately kept their actions a secret from her since [[DontTellMama they knew she wouldn't approve]].
** At the end of the season there's Arisa, Suzaka, and Nanoha's family discovering Nanoha and Fate's secret as {{Magical Girl Warrior}}s.
* Despite being in mysterious competition with one another, the members of the SOS-dan in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', besides Haruhi herself, fiercely guard each other's [[SecretIdentity secret origins]].
* In ''Anime/{{Kuttsukiboshi}}'', Aya is this to her friend Kiiko's [[MindOverMatter telekinetic powers]]. Well, besides being [[YuriGenre her lover]].
* ''Manga/{{Hajiotsu}}'' has Otogi reveal to Shuuko that he's aware that the whole relationship of Himari and Kai is based off of a test of courage. When she begs him to not tell Kai, that Himari should be the one to tell him, Otogi goes with it.
* In the classic anime ''Manga/KimagureOrangeRoad'', blood members of the Kasuga family all had psychic powers and a desire to keep them a secret from the general populace. This necessitates that anyone who marries into the family (such as Kyousuke's father) must become a Secret Keeper. The manga takes this to its logical conclusion that members of the Kasuga clan must reveal their powers to those they intend to marry before they can get hitched. Hopefully, if you love them enough to marry them, they like you enough not to blab your secret to the world.
** The other major secret that Kyousuke has -- his budding love for Ayukawa Madoka -- is kept by his sister Manami. In the manga, she even [[spoiler: explains it to Hikaru, with the iconic "red hat" as proof.]]
** The Master of the local coffee shop, Abcb, knows the feelings that both Kyousuke and Madoka have for each other.
* Misa, Mikami and Takada all knew Light's secret at some point and helped him in his schemes in ''Manga/DeathNote''. Ryuk and Rem knew it too, but as invisible [[TheGrimReaper shinigami]], most of the time they weren't even able to tell anyone if they wanted to.
* Dr. Agasa, Yusaku and Yukiko Kudo, Phantom Thief Kid (dubiously canon), Heiji Hattori, Ai Haibara, Vermouth, Eisuke Hondo, and much later [[spoiler: Shuuichi Akai (as Subaru Okiya)]] in ''Manga/DetectiveConan''.
** Well, actually Ai Haibara and Vermouth are ''part'' of the secret. In fact, it could be argued that they are [[spoiler: directly responsible for it]], so they may not qualify
** The trope gets invoked in a ''nasty'' manner in a {{filler}} case. [[spoiler: A girl named Shouko Utakura finds her friend Sawanami dead and, due to his {{dying clue}}s, she realises that their common acquaintance Mifune is the murderer. However, Shouko is Mifune's UnrequitedTragicMaiden and decides to keep this a secret... but commits the huge mistake of ''actually'' telling Mifune that she knew the truth, but wouldn't snitch. Mifune, who had killed Sawanami because he was involved in his girlfriend's death ''and'' now believes Shouko had something to do with it too, thinks she'll denounce him anyway ''and few days later he strangles her to death'', having a breakdown when he's uncovered as the killer ''and'' another woman explains Shoukos' true feelings.]]
** It's strongly implied that [[spoiler: Rei aka Tooru Amuro]] is in his way to learn Conan's secret identity. At very least he already knows that Conan is behind Kogoro's success.
* Rin Sawamura, Shiro and Nao Makinoha, Shuichi Takamizawa, Kota Shingyoji, Hisashi Sakisaka, and Lucy Winladd in ''Manga/MidoriDays''.
* The Tendo family, Ryoga, Shampoo and her grandmother, Mousse, Ukyo, Konatsu, and Nodoka in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''.
** This is only in the anime -- in the manga, it's easier to list those who '''don't''' know Ranma's "secret."
* ''Manga/InuYasha'':
** Kagome's mother, brother and grandfather keep Kagome's time-traveling a secret. This leaves Souta to pick up the slack for Kagome at school (ensuring she knows when exams are and what homework she needs to do) and her [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} grandfather]] creating hilarious and embarrassing medical conditions to both excuse her from school and prevent her friends from visiting her.
** [[UltimateBlacksmith Toutousai]]. Although it was obvious he knew the truth about [[InfinityPlusOneSword Tessaiga]] what had been hidden much better were the secrets he was keeping about [[SituationalSword Tenseiga]] and [[MoreThanInfinite Bakusaiga]].
%%* Misaki in ''Manga/FutabaKunChange''.
* The characters who know that Kiri is the male model, Tatsuki, in ''Manga/NeverGiveUp'' are her mother, Tohya, and her best friend, Natsu.
* Tomoyo Daidouji, Syaoran Li, Meiling Li, Toya Kinomoto, Kaho Mizuki, and eventually Yukito Tsukishiro in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''.
%%* ''Manga/KamikazeKaitouJeanne''.
%%* Seira Mimori and Asuka Jr. in ''Manga/KaitouSaintTail''.
%%* ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' has Kaoru, Miyuki, and later in Episode 45, the trio's parents and friends.
%%** ''Anime/HeartCatchPrettyCure'' has Tsubomi's grandmother, Kaoruko. [[spoiler:It also helps that she was a former Cure herself]].
** The ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars'' movies reveal that each of the teams know of each other's identities. Except for the new team, which quickly becomes moot after awhile.
** In ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'', it would seem that Sebastian is the only human who would know the Cures' true identities. That is until in episode 41 that Alice's friend/rival, Reina, becomes one. If that wasn't enough, [[spoiler:the Cures' family and friends get the chance to find out when Cure Heart ends up revealing who she is]].
* ''Manga/HimechanNoRibon'' has Daichi become the secret keeper for Hime-chan about her ability to magically transform after she had to do it in front of him to save somebody.
* In ''Manga/AiToYuuriNoPigGirlTondeBuurin'', Karin reveals herself as Buurin to her classmates, Kouichi, Masami, Kashiwagi, Kaoru, Jimmy, Kyoko, and Takuma in Episode 50.
* Kazumi and Tatsuya in ''Manga/DevilmanLady'' are the only ones who know that Jun is becoming a demon.
* Fakir becomes this for Ahiru in ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' when he discovers she's the titular MagicalGirl. She later also tells him that she's really a duck that can transform into a girl.
* Manga/{{Bleach}}:
** Both Isshin and Karin are aware of Ichigo's activities as a shinigami, but don't let on. Isshin later reveals his knowledge to his son.
** Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro [[spoiler: and Chizuru]] are also aware that something is happening but tell nobody outside their circle. Eventually, Ichigo admits everything to them.
** Kon became a reluctant secret keeper for Isshin. He found out hundreds of chapters before Ichigo that Isshin was a shinigami, but Urahara and Isshin both swore him to secrecy.
** Yumichika, Renji, Keigo, Komamura, Iba, [[spoiler:Akon, Mayuri and Ichigo]] are all secret-keepers for Ikkaku's bankai. [[spoiler: Mayuri's a subversion: [[SayingTooMuch he accidentally told Ichigo before remembering it's a secret]], and doesn't care he revealed it. Ikkaku doesn't know Ichigo knows.]]
** Hisagi is the sole living person who knows the truth about Yumichika's abilities. [[spoiler: Though the later manga implies that Ikkaku is also aware of them -- otherwise, Yumichika would ''not'' release said abilities ''in front of solely him and the enemy they're fighting''.]]
** The Ishida family is such an unknown to the Vandenreich that Yhwach used ExactWords to lie with the truth, ensuring the Stern Ritter learned only of Uryuu Ishida's existence. While it's implied Haschwalth knows about the family, it's confirmed that Quilge Opie definitely knew all about Souken and Uryuu Ishida, and the mysterious Ishida family secret.
* Athrun Zala in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' is a Secret Keeper for Meer Campbell, the BodyDouble standing in for his ex-girlfriend Lacus Clyne.
* In ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'', the whole Host Club keeps Haruhi's real [[WholesomeCrossdresser gender]] a secret since she's working as a Host to pay back her debt.
* Ito and Akane in ''Manga/WJuliet'' guard the secret of Makoto's real [[WholesomeCrossdresser gender]] though a few other people eventual figure it out [[SecretSecretKeeper and they have much more passive roles.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Genshiken}}'' it is implied that Ohno knows about Madarame's crush on Saki, as she tries to covertly give him pictures of Saki in cosplay outfits.
* Sena's title ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' is kept by Hiruma, Kurita, Panther, Shin, the Ha-Ha Bros.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
** Since C.C. gave Lelouch his Geass and later [[PrettyFreeloaders installed herself in his bedroom]], she is a Secret Keeper (and sometimes BodyDouble) for him and him Zero activities.
** Lelouch gains many more Secret Keepers as the second season progresses with the likes of Kallen and his own maid, Sayoko, but after the GrandFinale, only a handful of people in the world know that Zero [[spoiler: has been replaced by Suzaku Kururugi]] (including Kallen, [[spoiler: Nunnally]], and probably others like [[spoiler: Ohgi, Kaguya and the rest of the highranked Black Knights]]) .
** On another level, Milly Ashford and Suzaku Kururugi are the only ones of Lelouch's friends who are aware of his and Nunally's royal heritage, since the former's family are the ones sheltering them and the latter lived with them during their initial exile.
* A case shows up in ''Manga/OnePiece'', regarding [[HeroicSacrifice what really happened]] between Zoro and Kuma. Aside from Zoro himself, only three members of the crew know the truth: Brook, who saw it happen (since it's next to impossible to tell if a skeleton is conscious or not); Sanji, who heard it from the Risky Brothers and told them not to tell anyone else; and Robin, who used her powers to eavesdrop on that conversation. And Zoro only knows that Brook knows; the other two [[SecretSecretKeeper keep the knowledge to themselves]] because it would devastate Luffy if he found out, and Zoro didn't do it to be praised anyway.
** Also, the Gorgon Sisters would sooner die than let anyone find out that they were ever [[spoiler: slaves to the World Nobles]]; only four known individuals have been trusted with the secret. The first three are [[spoiler:Silvers Rayleigh]], [[spoiler:Shakky]], and their surrogate mother Elder Nyon, who helped them get back to Amazon Lily after they escaped. And the fourth is Luffy, Hancock's love interest.
* A handful of one off characters in the ''Anime/SailorMoon'' anime find out about one or more of the Sailor Senshi's identities, but they usually only show up in an episode each. The [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] has a few more recurring characters learn of the masquerade (most notably Motoki). It is implied in both ''R''/the ''Black Moon'' arcs that Naru does know Usagi is part of something unusual and important but is aware Usagi doesn't want her to ask about it, so Naru complies and doesn't pressure Usagi about it.
* In ''Manga/{{Karin}}'', [[FaceOfAThug Kenta]] [[NiceGuy Usui]] ends up pretty much strong-armed into becoming one for the Marker family when he learns that their middle daughter Karin is a [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire vampire]].
* In ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', Ronnie Schiatto serves as [[TheOlderImmortal Maiza's]] secret keeper and only constant companion up until [[spoiler:''everyone'' in the [[TheMafia Martillo family]] winds up immortal, and Maiza catches on that that Ronnie is [[EldritchAbomination a lot less human]] than he originally presented himself as]], at which point the roles reverse.
* In ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'', Moritaka Mashiro, after finding out that his fiancee Miho Azuki's mother Miyuki once loved his uncle, Nobuhiro, and that Miho is unaware of this, asks Miyuki not to tell her. She agrees and asks Moritaka's partner Takagi to do the same. This comes back to haunt Moritaka later, as Miho becomes angry with him for keeping it from her, and does not believe they should have secrets between them.
* In ''Anime/MaiHime'', Takumi becomes one for Akira when he first finds out that Akira is the "secret ninja" protecting the school, [[spoiler:and later when he finds out that Akira is female]].
* ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamThePlotToAssassinateGihren'' reveals that [[TheBaroness Cecilia]] [[SexySecretary Irene]] was the keeper of the keys for BigBad [[TheEvilPrince Gihren]] [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans Zabi]]. She knew all his dirty secrets, ran black operations for him, and kept a lid on anything that might hurt his public image.
* In ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'', Sorata is asked to keep one from Misaki regarding Jin. [[spoiler: He finds out Jin wants to go to a university in Osaka, not a local one nearby where Misaki was going. Jin says he's going to tell her at some point, and asks him not to tell her about it.]]
** Then [[spoiler:Misaki finds out about it anyway in episode 11, although it was Fuuka, Misaki's sister, casually mentioning it to Jin, who says she heard it from his mother. Although Sorata comes clean about knowing the secret, Misaki seems more excited by the fact that he turned down her sister, which mean she still has a shot with him.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Sekirei}}'', a majority of the [[BornWinner Single Numbers]] (with the exceptions of Tsukiumi and [[spoiler: Akitsu]]), as well as Uzume, Seo, and the twins Hikari and Hibiki, are sworn to secrecy about the identity of the mysterious #01. [[spoiler: It is HaremNanny Miya Asama.]] The secret is kept primarily because they are ''terrified'' of what she will do to them if they let it slip. Even the BigBad honors the secret, and leaves her alone.
* In ''Manga/TonariNoKashiwagiSan'' Yuuto finds out about Kotone secretly being an otaku, which is what kicks off the plot. Sayaka, a ChildhoodFriend of Kotone, was already in the loop, and eventually more characters find out. Tina figures it out herself almost immediately when she notices the phone strap Kotone has, and Yuuto tells her to keep it a secret.
* In ''Manga/PrivateActress'', very few people know that Shiho Kobayakawa is the [[HeroicBastard secret daughter]] of the famous actress Sayuri Nagasawa: her nanny Makiko Mouri, her boyfriend and fellow P.A. Tomoomi Hanamura, [[spoiler: the IntrepidReporter Hiroki Matsumae]], [[spoiler: fellow aspiring actress and illegitimate child Mariko Soriarno]] and [[spoiler: her EvilCounterpart Kana Juumonji/Satoka Ryoudou.]]
* At the start of ''Manga/BokuGirl'', Mizuki's best friend Takeru is the only person who knows he's been {{Gender Ben|der}}t into a girl. Later, Takeru's sister Mei is brought in on the full secret. Mizuki's roommate Yamada knows Mizuki is physically female, but thinks he's a girl masquerading as a boy. As far as Mizuki knows, the same is true of classmate Loki, though in that case Loki is the ''cause'' of the Gender Bender. As of chapter 38, [[spoiler:Mizuki's crush Fujiwara]] has also been told the full truth.
* ''Anime/CaptainTsubasa'':
** In the anime version of the junior high arc, Sanae becomes [[spoiler: Takeshi and later Hyuuga]]'s secret keeper in regards to [[spoiler: Hyuuga being benched by his coach, rather than injured or ill.]] This is because the first directly told her in hopes to [[spoiler: have her talk to Tsubasa so he'd intervene (but she refused, since she saw it as something Tsubasa shouldn't be concerned about, and Takeshi apologized for potentially putting her in a very awkward position)]]; later [[spoiler: Sanae and Hyuuga bump into each other and she tells him what happened with Takeshi, Hyuuga takes it well and neither says anything to others.]]
** Tsubasa becomes this in the ''Shin'' manga and OAV's, when [[spoiler: Wakabayashi tells him that his [[TookALevelInJerkass unexpected harshness]] towards the Japanese team in the mini-tournament they're in is a mix of ToughLove and JerkAssFacade. Tsubasa promises to not say anything and keeps his word until Hyuuga, who had become a SecretSecretKeeper, reveals the deal before the final match.]]
* In the start of ''Manga/WanderingSon'' only Takatsuki and Nitori know each other are {{transsexual}}. Over the span more of their friends begin learning and eventually both just out themselves in middle school [[spoiler:when Takatsuki begins wearing the boy's uniform to school and Nitori tries (and fails) to wear a female uniform to school.]]
* Tamura and Ryousuke from ''Manga/BokuraNoHentai'' crossdress for various reasons. Ryousuke threatens Marika's life in the second chapter for her to keep his secret. Later in the manga Ryousuke's secret becomes known to [[spoiler:his girlfriend, who asks him ''why'' he does it. This leads to his mother getting sent for mental health treatment, as his reason for crossdressing is because he's pretending to be his deceased sister for her.]]
* ''Manga/UchiNoMusumeNiTeODasuNa'': At the end of ''"Honey, Hold me Tightly!"'', a flashback shows Mei has known about [[BestFriend Clara's]] secret identity as [[{{Superhero}} the Eighth Wonder,]] from the beginning. Clara had received a call sign on her smartphone and ran out of class, so Mei followed her into the hallway, where she saw her changing into her costume. From then on, Mei kept her safe by not telling anyone.
* In ''Manga/Classi9'', Mozart is the only one to officially know about Rentarou's true gender, and if anyone finds out, he will be expelled with Ren.
* ''Manga/OmujoOmutsuJoshi''
** The plot kicks off with Shouta's discovery that his classmate Ichigo wears diapers. While no explicit agreement is made between them, Shouta keeps quiet about it and frequently covers for her when a situation stands to embarrass or expose her.
** Shouta thinks he's also doing this for his childhood friend Morei, after she confesses a secret long held love of diapers to him. This situation is a bit more complicated, as Morei was confessing her secret, long held love for ''Shouta'', and after seeing him with Ichigo thought ''he'' had the fetish. She tried to exploit it and doesn't realize the misunderstanding this has caused.
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Franchise/{{Superman}}'s secrets have a surprisingly large number of protectors:
** In the ComicBook/PostCrisis era, ComicBook/LoisLane discovered Clark Kent's secret identity around the time they got engaged. Afterwards, Lois was a very able Secret Keeper. In the ComicBook/{{New 52}} books, however, Lois, like her Pre-Crisis counterparts, doesn't know.
** [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]] is also one of Clark's Secret Keepers (as is Clark for Bruce). This led to an amusing sequence when Bruce assumed Lois knew ''his'' secret, because he didn't expect Clark to keep secrets from his wife, whereas Clark felt it wasn't his secret to share. By the end of the story Lois has become another of Bruce's Secret Keepers.
** ComicBook/LanaLang, in pre-Crisis what-passed-for-continuity, sometimes knew Clark's secret and sometimes didn't. In some stories she knew it but was hypnotized to only ''remember'' it in certain circumstances (such as, for example, being in the 30th century as Insect Queen... yeah, the Silver Age was like that). One 1958 story even {{Deconstructed}} why (Silver Age) Lana would make a poor SecretKeeper when she tried to cook up a new secret identity for an amnesiac Superboy as her 'cousin Andy'. Unfortunately her attempts to cover for 'Andy' backfired badly and she later ruefully concluded she just wasn't "smart enough" to hang onto the secret without blowing it. ComicBook/PostCrisis onward, Lana definitely knows since Clark told her and has been a special confidant to him ever since.
** Jonathan and Martha Kent started keeping Clark's secret long before he knew about it himself.
** ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' knows her cousin's secret in all eras, and Superman also knows her Secret Identity. In the Pre-Crisis universe, Kara often helped him protect his Clark Kent persona.
** Pete Ross discovered Superman's secret ID back when he was just Superboy during a camping trip. A convenient flash of lightning revealed Clark changing clothes, and Pete kept it secret, not even letting Superboy know that he knew. He once even used his knowledge to become an honorary member of the Legion of Super-Heroes by claiming he had telepathy and knew Superboy's secret ID. Writing the identity on a lead tablet so Superboy couldn't see. Superboy assumed Pete was bluffing and that everyone else was just going along with the joke.
** In the New 52's ''Superman'' #38, [[spoiler:Clark reveals his secret to ComicBook/JimmyOlsen.]]
** In ''Comicbook/SupermanVsTheAmazingSpiderMan'', it is implied although not outright stated Clark and Peter figured each other's Secret Identities:
--->'''Clark:''' [shaking hands] It seems we covered the same event, Parker though I don't recall seeing '''you''' there.\\
'''Peter:''' I stick to the '''shadows''', Kent... apparently just like you.
** In ''Comicbook/KryptonNoMore'', villains Protector and Radion kept each others' existence secret for years.
* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'''s secret identity has a good number of protectors:
** In the Pre-Crisis era, her Secret Identity is Linda Lee Danvers. Her cousin Superman, her foster parents Fred and Edna Danvers and Barbara Gordon ''Comicbook/{{Batgirl}}'' know this. In 2004 it was revealed that her childhood crush Dick Malverne always knew, but he kept mum.
** In the Post-Crisis era, Superman, Comicbook/LoisLane, Pa and Ma Kent and Comicbook/LanaLang know that Linda Lang is Supergirl. Lana actually helped Kara set it up, pretending that she is her niece. ''[[Comicbook/{{Batgirl 2009}} Stephanie Brown]]'' -the third ''Comicbook/{{Batgirl}}''- knows Kara's secret identity and vice versa.
** In ''Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth'', only Supergirl's foster parents -Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers- and her boss -Director Cameron Chase- know who Kara Danvers is.
** In ''ComicBook/ElseworldsFinestSupergirlAndBatgirl'', Supergirl and Batgirl -Barbara Gordon- figured out each other's identities.
* More people are in on [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne's]] secret than one might expect:
** Alfred Pennyworth is his primary Secret Keeper. He knows things about Bruce that even Dick Grayson doesn't know.
** Lucius Fox is sometimes portrayed as most likely knowing that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one and the same, but not telling anyone, not even Bruce, this knowledge.
** In "Hush," The Riddler reveals that he deduced Batman's SecretIdentity while taking a dip in a Lazarus Pit. However, Batman convinces him to keep it secret for two reasons: first, having such a secret is no fun for an obsessive puzzler like him if every one knows it; second, it would give the owner of the Lazarus Pits, the BigBad Ra's Al Ghul, a vital clue that the Riddler used a pit without permission, and he would have his League of Assassins kill the Riddler no matter where he is. More recently, the Riddler has developed a mental block preventing him from remembering this.
** "Hush" actually showed a ''lot'' of Batman Secret Keepers: the Robins, Superman and Lois Lane, the Huntress, Leslie Thompkins, Zatanna, Batgirl, Catwoman, Ra's and Talia Al Ghul...
** Jim Gordon is generally portrayed as being a good enough detective to have found Batman's secret, but reserved enough not to tell anyone, even Bruce, likely because it would put him in an uncomfortable legal position. In ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'', Batman, while noting the same thing about Superman's Perry White, reveals that he's aware that Gordon most likely knows. In ''Batman: Year One'', after an unmasked Bruce saves his son's life, Gordon is clearly blatantly lying when he says his lack of glasses prevents him from recognizing the man, who he has met before, standing less than two feet away from him in broad daylight.
** In the New 52, it's revealed that Harvey Dent has known that Bruce was Batman for a long time, but has to constantly fight himself in order to convince himself not to kill Bats or out him.
** It's been shown (primarily by Amanda Waller) that at least some people in the government are aware of who Bruce really is, but allow him to carry on generally because they don't see Batman as a threat to them. Or possibly because multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, with his power and connections, ''is'', so it's better to let him spend his money on toys to fight crime and other threats than to turn it on them.
* In one issue of ''ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey'', Barbara Gordon revealed her operations as Oracle to her father, who was initially stunned but ultimately proud of his daughter. Barbara then pulled out her old Batgirl costume, saying, "I'm so glad that you're handling this so well, Dad, because there's more to it, I'm afraid." Jim Gordon's response: "Okay, this part I knew."
* ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} has her dad, Colonel Kane, who is also her main source of logistical support. Also, [[ComicBook/TheQuestion Renee Montoya]] and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} deduce her identity in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' (the former knows her quite intimately, while the latter comments that she has been leaving him clues on purpose as a sign of trust).
* Mary Jane Watson is the most well-known of ComicBook/SpiderMan's Secret Keeper. Her ComicBook/UltimateMarvel counterpart was the first to be told (Peter told her soon after acquiring his powers).
* Aunt May until that entire "One More Day" thing happened.
** In ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', former bully Kenny [=McFarlane=]. [[DumbMuscle Kenny]] actually figures it out on his own, staying up late at night, thinking about Peter's new awesomeness (ie: he flipped Kenny once, broke Flash's hand, replaced Flash on the basketball team, etc.) and Spidey's apparent availability at Midtown High School. Then he tests it. Cue the subverted BruceWayneHeldHostage.
--->'''Peter Parker''': (to himself, while he's loading books in his locker) What the-? Oh, come on... My Spider-Sense is going off at school. That can only mean one thing. And the Academy Award for best performance by an amateur super hero trying desperately to hold onto his secret identity goes to...\\
'''Kenny''': ''[kicks him into the locker]''\\
'''Peter Parker''': Ow! Owy ow! Why did you- ow! What is wrong with you!!?? Ow- Owww!!
** Miles Morales, the new ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', shared the secret of his powers with his friend Ganke.
** Aunt May seems to play this role in the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' movies, particularly the second movie, where she gives Peter a speech seemingly directed at Spider-Man, which helps him decide to become Spider-Man again.
** Aunt May definitely plays this role later in ''Ultimate Spider-Man''. With that awesome matriarchy, Aunt May subverts ThereAreNoTherapists. At one point, she pulls a [[GunsAreWorthless gun on a recognized supervillain]].
** Daredevil and Spidey knew each other's identities for a long time. Currently, neither remembers the other's identity due to some shenanigans both pulled on separate occasions; Spidey made a DealWithTheDevil and Matt did some unexplained trick.
* Over in the ''ComicBook/SpiderGwen'' universe, Gwen Stacy revealed her identity as Spider-Woman to her father.
* Jaime Reyes, the current ComicBook/BlueBeetle, was thrown a year into the future after ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. His family, naturally enough, [[FreakOut freaked out]] on his return, so Jaime decided to prove his story about what had happened to him by revealing his secret identity. His family and friends know, but keep it a secret outside of that.
** The second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, had his girlfriend Tracy as a Secret Keeper during his Charlton incarnation.
* It's revealed in DC Comics' ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', that all the superheroes (the ones whose identities remain a secret) know each other's identities.
** Whether or not the superheroes' secret keepers are aware of the others are open to debate. Especially considering that Jean Loring knows Tim Drake is Robin, despite Tim having his identity a deep secret even from Bruce's allies.
* Wesley Dodds' girlfriend Dian Belmont knows he is [[ComicBook/SandmanMysteryTheatre the Sandman]], and occasionally helps him in his cases.
* Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan's first Secret Keeper was his airplane mechanic, Tom Kalmaku. When Tom accidentally learned Hal's identity, he respected GL enough to offer to let him erase the memory from his mind--but the offer convinced Hal that Tom was trustworthy, so he let him keep the knowledge and they became close friends.
* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}''
** In a villainous example, the Kingpin kept Daredevil's secret for years, to the point that among his goons, it was well known that he knew exactly who DD was. However, a no-name criminal decides that this is unacceptable, since Daredevil still ruins criminal operations, and thus, Kingpin is indirectly responsible for the losses other gangs have suffered. Thus, the upstart turns all of Fisk's goons against him.
** Foggy Nelson is a longtime secret keeper. In the AllNewAllDifferentMarvel run, after Matt somehow forces the worlds to forget that he's Daredevil, he allowed Foggy to remember, thus making Foggy Matt's ''only'' secret keeper.
* In ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' story "Pastoral", all of the CloseKnitCommunity in which he works knows Roustabout's SecretIdentity but hide it. Indeed, they feign ObfuscatingStupidity to the point where it looks like an ExtraStrengthMasquerade.
[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''FanFic/ABriefHistoryOfEquestria'': Prior to the birth of Pansy's son Plow Blade, the only pony who knew about her relationship with the Earth Pony Trencher was her friend Shield Skin, who they even used as a secret messenger. This lasted for years, until Plow Blade's birth -- since he was an Earth Pony like his father, Pansy was forced to admit the truth, leading to [[OverprotectiveDad Hurricane trying to arrest and kill Trencher]], which kicked off [[MeleeATrois the Winter War]].
* ''FanFic/AGrowingAffection'':
** The five Kages and the leaders of three Kekkei Genkai clans (one of which is Hiashi, the other two are unrevealed) hold the secret origins of bloodline traits.
** Tsunade and Jiraiya, with Kakashi and Shizune as backup, keep the secret of Naruto's father's identity.
* ''Fanfic/AHairierProblemRiseOfTheFurball'': The Cutie Mark Crusaders initially become this for Apple Bloom when they witness her first transformation into a werewolf. Babs Seed later is introduced to the secret after accidentally witnessing it herself, and Silver Spoon has to keep it as well following her HeelFaceTurn. The other new lycanthrope, Lightning Dust, has keepers in Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight, but thanks to a slip-up by Rainbow on Nightmare Night Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike learn her secret as well.
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': Sakura and Nozomi know about her brother and her middle sister (respectively) and other people being time-travelers and are keeping it secret... despite Sakura being very loud and indiscreet.
* In ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'', [[spoiler:Rika and Kyon are this to each other]], [[spoiler:Miyoko/Miyokichi]] inadvertently became one, and Kyon's sister wants to become one.
** So far, quite a few members of the extended SOS Brigade trust Kyon's sister, but Kyon himself doesn't trust her.
* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': In the original story [[spoiler:Shinji reveals his identity to Asuka.]] In the rewrite [[spoiler:Fuyutsuki knows since the beginning. Asuka, Misato and Ritsuko find out later and keep it a secret.]]
* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' SelfInsert ''FanFic/MassVexations'', Tali eventually becomes [[AuthorAvatar Art's]] secret keeper.
** He gets a lot more secret keepers in the sequel: as of the moment, Garrus, [[spoiler:Madison]], Thane, Kasumi, and Shala'Raan have all found out.
* In ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'', Kaji is the only major character who knows that Shinji's a time traveller.
* ''FanFic/ElementalChessTrilogy'': It is revealed that Maes Hughes was this for Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, before and during the early part of the ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' canon. Hughes, who was Mustang's best friend, was the only one who had absolute confirmation of the actual SecretRelationship between the two (though plenty of other people guessed).
* In ''Fanfic/HopeForTheHeartless'' (which takes place shortly after the events of ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron''), the {{resurrected| For A Job}} [[VillainProtagonist Horned King]] imprisons a peasant girl named [[PluckyGirl Avalina]] -- who stumbles upon his castle during one stormy night -- to keep his return a secret from Prydain. He threatens to kill her and her loved ones should she try to escape, but grants her request to say the proper farewells to her family. During her short stay with her mother and brother, she asks them to keep everything a secret to prevent mass panic from erupting due to the Horned King's resurrection. They eventually agree reluctantly, realizing that they can't possibly do anything without potentially endangering Avalina's life.
** Months later (with [[LimaSyndrome the Horned King]] and [[MoralityPet Avalina]] having grown closer during that time), the lich and the girl stumble by chance upon Taran the pig-keeper and Princess Eilonwy (who are Avalina's friends) while being outdoors. The vengeful lich almost kills them, but Avalina [[GoThroughMe manages]] to change his mind and they depart. Taran and Eilonwy tell of this encounter to [[TheMentor Dallben]]. After gaining a confirmation from [[WaifProphet Hen]] [[NonHumanSidekick Wen]] about Avalina's account of the events leading there, the trio decide to remain silent for the same reasons as Avalina's family.
* ''FanFic/JusticeLeagueOfEquestria'':
** ''Mare of Steel'': The rest of the Mane Six, Princess Celestia, and Rainbow Dash's mother Firefly become this for Dash when she becomes [[{{Superman}} Supermare]]. [[spoiler: [[LoveInterest Thunderlane]] joins the list when he figures out her identity during her final fight with ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}.]]
*** In one of the side stories, she and [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Batpony]] become this for each other when he deduces her identity, and she uses her XRayVision to see that he's [[spoiler: the ''real'' Prince Blueblood (who was kidnapped and replaced by [[DiscOneFinalBoss Zod]]]].
* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', [=ProtoMan=] is this for the fact that Nomad's alive.
** Cut Man, Guts Man, and Magnet Man are this for [=ProtoMan=] meeting with Nomad.
* ''[[FanFic/MLPNextGenerationKnowFear MLP Next Generation: Know Fear!]]'': Sunny Skies is the first pony to find out Starburst's SecretIdentity as the Fear Lantern, and agrees to stay quiet on it both out of respect to their friendship, and because she feels she owes Star for saving her life in Stalliongrad. [[spoiler: This ends up becoming a moot point, when Starburst ends up outing herself as the Lantern while in her rush to save her mother.]]
* ''FanFic/OriginStory'': Many people think they know Superwoman's SecretIdentity. She gets called "Karen Starr" all the time by various people. Thing is, Superwoman's real name isn't Karen Starr... its Alexandra Harris. Alex's domestic partner Louise and the members of ComicBook/TheRunaways function as Alex's {{Secret Keeper}}s.
* ''Fanfic/SecondWind'': In Chapter 24, Ace becomes the only one who knows that Luffy and Zoro are from the future. [[spoiler:He was specifically told first because of his death in canon]]. They later agree to inform Whitebeard also.
* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': Emil Hamilton to Asuka. Later, [[spoiler:Kaji and Shinji learn she is Supergirl.]] Asuka also [[spoiler:reveals her identity to Hikari.]]
* ''WebVideo/SuperTherapy'': Dr. Lynn Matthew knows most secret identities of her patients (not hard with Spider-Man considering he signs his checks with "Peter Parker"). Of course, she's tied up by doctor-patient confidentiality.
* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': At the beginning very few people knows Asuka is pregnant (Shinji, Misato, Rei, Ritsuko, Gendo, Fuyutsuki, Hikari) and they keep it secret.
* ''Fanfic/TheElementsOfHarmonyAndTheSaviorOfWorlds'': Celestia and King Spykoran are the only ones aware that [[spoiler: Spike is Spykoran's long-lost grandson]]. They agree to keep the secret for the time being, because [[spoiler: they can tell he's quite happy with Twilight]].
* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'':
** Prior to TheReveal in Chapter 14, Soundbite was the only one who knew that Cross knew a lot more than he was letting on, but even he didn't know everything; it seems that somehow his knowledge from the Internet doesn't extend to ''One Piece'' itself.
** Post-Reveal, the crew keeps his secret; the only outsiders to learn the truth about Cross thus far are Vivi's family and Ace.
** Zoro and Nami also serve as this; whenever there's sensitive information that needs to be handled properly, Cross shares it only with the first and second mate and Soundbite, of course.
*** In Chapter 24, as part of penance towards Vivi, Cross agrees to let her in on it as well.
** In Chapter 28, Cross writes down all of his relevant knowledge for the Skypiea arc, knowing that he won't be able to speak freely while Eneru is around. He asks Robin to help him out, because she's the one with experience in being discreet when one slip-up could mean death, because her powers will help him write faster...and because she'd just peek at his notes anyway.
* ''Fanfic/TravelsOfTheTrifecta'': There are two secrets being kept by both Paul and Conway after the two of them part ways in Chapter 10, and each of them has at least one Secret Keeper. [[spoiler: Candice and the Nurse Joy from Snowpoint City are the two people who know that Paul is terminally ill, and Maylene is the only person who knows that Conway is still alive and didn't die when he fell out of the helicopter.]]
* ''Fanfic/{{Wonderful}}'': Before [[TheCape Wonder Red]] revealed her existence to the world and her SecretIdentity to the PRT, Emma and Sophia knew that she was Taylor Hebert.
* In ''Fanfic/CodeGeassThePreparedRebellion'', Milly and her grandfather are two of the very few people who know Lelouch is Zero.
* When he manages to guess the identity of Harry's father in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8182529/1/Prince-of-Death Prince of Death]]'', Chiron decides to keep it secret and recommends that Harry to do the same, fearing that the kid would be ostracized and subjected to murder attempts if it were known he's a son of Hades.
* In ''[[Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge All This Sh*t is Twice as Weird]],'' Victoria becomes this with regard to Cullen's DarkAndTroubledPast as a young Templar. The other Inquisition leaders know that he's deeply troubled by the way the Orlesians treated him at the Halamshiral ball, but she's the only one who knows ''why''. (It's implied that [[TheEmpath Cole]] also knows, but he won't speak of it to anyone but her.)
* In ''Fanfic/TimeFixersNicktoonsOfTheFuture'' when [[BrainyBaby Max]] reveals that he is a genius like his parents, [=SpongeTron=] promises him that he will keep it a secret from everyone else.
* Nino in ''Fanfic/WontTellASoul'' serves this to Marinette/Ladybug and later to Adrien/Cat Noir.
[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', Astrid briefly takes on this role after Hiccup first shows her Toothless and they discover that the dragons are being forced to attack Berk by the Green Death.
[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Patrick and Grace Winslow play this role in ''Film/TheSmurfs'' regarding their little blue visitors from another time and place, because, hey... who would believe them in a world that seems to regard the Smurfs as [[RecursiveCanon a mere legend documented by a Belgian cartoonist?]]
* In ''Film/TheUnknown'', Cojo the midget knows Alonzo's secrets (that he is a murderer and that he [[ObfuscatingDisability is not really armless]]) and helps him maintain his cover in the circus.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': The Kents, obviously. [[spoiler: Lois becomes one, being the only person at the Daily Planet to see Superman up close. She even jokingly welcomes him to the "Planet" when she sees him at the end.]]
* In ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', Clark and Bruce quickly figure each other's SecretIdentity out and become mutual Secret Keepers. [[spoiler: Lex Luthor is revealed to have been a SecretSecretKeeper all along (along with knowing the identities of [[Franchise/TheFlash Barry Allen]], [[Franchise/WonderWoman Diana Prince]] and [[ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} Arthur Curry]]) and has been using his knowledge of their real identities to manipulate them.]]
* In ''Film/SuicideSquad'', Bruce and Amanda Waller become mutual Secret Keepers, Bruce knowing about Task Force X and Amanda's involvement [[spoiler: in the destruction of Midway City]] and Amanda knowing Bruce is Batman.
* In ''Film/NowYouSeeMe'', [[spoiler: at the end, after finding out Dylan was the fifth Horseman, Alma locks the secret up and throws away the key.]]
* In ''Film/AboutTime'' [[spoiler: Tim reveals his secret to his sister and actually takes her back time traveling with him. She only knows briefly however; due to other circumstances Tim ends up eradicating this moment from the timeline.]]
* In ''Film/KickAss'' Katie knows Dave is Kick Ass for most of the movie.
* Parodied in ''Film/JohnnyDangerously'', when Johnny Kelly's mother and brother are the only people who '''don't''' know he's the notorious gangster Johnny Dangerously!
* In ''Film/TheWolfman2010'', Singh [[spoiler:knows Sir John is the Wolfman and kept him restrained during nights]].
* In ''Film/TheLastWitchHunter'', this is made "official" with the position of Dolans, who are a series of LegacyCharacter Secret Keepers, helping Kaulder fit into advancing society, recording his history and keeping him human.
* In ''Film/WithoutAClue'', Mrs. Hudson and the Baker Street Irregulars know that SherlockHolmes is just an actor and Dr. Watson is the real detective. Watson also tells his editor eventually, letting the audience hear the background. The only person who's figured it out on their own seems to be [[spoiler: Professor Moriarty]].
* ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
** As stated above, the trope namer is the Fidelius Charm, a spell that makes one individual a literal Secret Keeper; as long as they keep the secret, it cannot be found out by anybody else. In addition, even if the Secret Keeper does tell someone the secret, that someone is unable to pass on the knowledge unless the original Secret Keeper dies, in which case they become the new Secret Keeper. This is most often used to conceal locations. The house where Harry and his parents lived was guarded under the Secret Keeper charm so that [[BigBad Voldemort]] couldn't ever find them. They specifically chose [[spoiler:Peter Pettigrew]] because everyone would naturally assume [[spoiler:James Potter would select his brother-from-another-mother best friend, Sirius Black. Knowing that, the Potters decided, [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom at Sirius's suggestion]], to choose a less obvious Secret Keeper and Pettigrew became]] it. They just didn't know that [[spoiler:Pettigrew was a Death Eater and loyal to Voldemort]].
** Later, Dumbledore is the Secret Keeper for the headquarters of the revived [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]].
** Harry, himself, doesn't have a Secret Keeper in this trope's sense, which is a key reason why he's so miserable every summer with the Dursleys (who know what he is, but won't let him speak of it). Hermione's parents, being supportive of her gifts and hence exceptions to the "no parents" rule, are her summertime Secret Keepers, which spares her from feeling as isolated while she's away from school.
* ''{{Franchise/Zorro}}'s'' mute butler effectively hides his secret identity, and helps him out on more than one occasion.
* Safe-Keepers of Sharon Shinn's ''Safe-Keepers Series'' can be told any secret, no matter how terrible, no matter how much damage may be caused, and will never reveal it until the secret is found out by someone else, Or they get permission. Yes, they really ''will not'' tell. Never. Ever.
** This doesn't mean that they won't ''do'' anything about it, though. Fiona in ''The Safe-Keeper's Secret'' goes out of her way to help this one girl who confides in her. However, considering that [[spoiler: she doesn't actually have the Safe-Keeping gift, since she's [[ObliviousAdoption Obliviously Adopted]] and is in fact a HeroicBastard]] this may or may not count.
** A straighter example is Ayler in ''The Dream-Maker's Magic''. [[spoiler:He doesn't let slip that Phillip was switched at birth with Leona's sister Kellen but he does orchestrate things so that Kellen comes into contact with Leona, rather than allow the switch to be totally unknown for the rest of their lives.]] He only confirms the secret once they have deduced it for themselves.
* Literature/{{Deryni}} Stivana [=deCorwyn=] and her husband Keryell, Earl of Lendour had twins Alyce and Vera. As a hedge against persecution, they passed Vera off as the daughter of the human Howards. Alyce and Vera only learned of this after their parents were dead. They kept the secret between themselves and their tutor of ''ars magica'' Father Pascal until they Named their sons, when Alyce told her husband so he could assist in the ritual, and when King Donal paid a surpise visit to participate in Alaric Morgan's Naming. Alyce blocked Kenneth Morgan's memory at his request, Donal promised Vera that the secret was safe with him, and [[spoiler: both Donal and Alyce died in a few months' time]]. Morgan and Duncan kept the secret between them for many years.
* In the final books of ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', the Animorphs end up revealing their powers and ongoing battle to their families as part of hiding them away from the [[PuppeteerParasite Yeerks]]. Before that they couldn't, since for all they knew [[ParanoiaFuel anyone in their families might have been a Controller]].
** The Animorphs are also mutual Secret Keepers: their allies include the Chee, a race of TechnicalPacifist ancient alien androids, who provide information and occasionally use their holograms to pose as the Animorphs; the free Hork-Bajir colony in a nearby valley; and a few members of the Yeerk Peace Movement.
** Visser One is a villainous example, eventually figuring out that they're humans and then the identities of at least Marco and Jake. However, since they mostly annoy [[EvilVsEvil her rival Visser Three]], [[EnemyMine she decides to keep mum]].
* In Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire, only two people survived the battle at the Tower of Joy before the start of the book: Ned Stark and Howland Reed. There are many clues for the reader as to what Ned's big secret is, but it's clear that Howland Reed is one of the only people in-universe who knows. Knowing the author's AnyoneCanDie ShootTheShaggyDog tendencies, Howland Reed will probably still wind up dying before anybody else finds out.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', three people know Perrin can talk to wolves: Egwene, Faile, and Elyas.(Who can also talk to wolves, and helped Perrin discover that he had the ability in the first place.) Also [[spoiler: Moiraine knew about it too, but she was out of the picture, and believed dead for 8 books and has only just returned.]].
* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': Teft and Lopen end up acting as Kaladin's Secret Keepers after Kaladin first discovers his magical abilities (though Teft actually knew about them before Kaladin even did). Later the rest of Bridge 4 gets let in on it, though it was kind of necessary seeing as Kaladin demonstrated said abilities fairly spectacularly. Also Shallan and Jasnah act as mutual Secret Keepers of their shared innate soulcasting powers, and Dalinar's sons and Navani keep the secret of Dalinar's visions.
* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' series, there's quite a few.
** Several cats help keep forbidden relationships hidden. Fireheart and Mistyfoot do this for Graystripe and Silverstream's relationship, and [[spoiler:Squirrelflight raises Leafpool's kits as her own]].
** In the second series, Leafpaw is the only cat that knows about both prophecies: the one that the traveling cats recieved, and the fire-and-tiger sign.
** [[spoiler:Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Leafpool know that Hollyleaf killed Ashfur]], but they decide not to reveal it to the Clan. Apparently keeping secrets just runs in the family.
* One ongoing example and two plot-specific ones in the ''Literature/AuntDimity'' series:
** Bill, Emma and Derek know about Dimity's ongoing contact with Lori via the journal (Bill and Emma have actually experienced it for themselves). To date, they have not shared this info with anyone else, not even Dimity's former attorney Willis Sr.
** Gerald Willis in ''Aunt Dimity's Good Deed'' guards [[spoiler: the remains of Sybilla Markham Willis and the journal of her brother-in-law's conversations with the dead Sybilla (after he killed her for marrying his younger brother)]]. They were passed from father to eldest son for some three hundred years.
** A major plot resolution in ''Aunt Dimity Digs In''. Many years earlier, Italian [=POW=] Piero Sciaparelli worked for old Mr. Hodge on his farm and found [[spoiler: an ancient Roman grave in the floor of the stables]]. When his daughter Francesca became engaged to young Burt Hodge, her father entrusted her with the location of it so she could protect it from vandals and archaeologists, and he gave her a replica of the bronze ''phalera'' to wear as a pendant. Later on, [[spoiler: her younger sister Annunzia or "Annie"]] married Burt and took over the primary role of protector [[spoiler: even getting her own ''phalera'']]. Anxieties over which of the two might reveal the secret (the elder sister dating the archaeologist or the younger trying to save a drought-stricken farm from total ruin) drive the family animosity.
* In the ''Literature/RainbowMagic'' series, Rachel and Kirsty are this for the fairies, as is oneshot character Rebecca.
* Discussed in ''Literature/HowToBeASuperhero'' as an inevitable effect of super-heroics, due to the hero's slip-ups:
-->1. You park your Crimemobile in the garage.\\
2. You put your dirty costume in the laundry basket.\\
3. You keep shouting, "Eat disintegrator blast, Crimemaster!" in your sleep.
* ''Literature/TheUnderlandChronicles'':
** Lizzie is often required to explain why her family members have disappeared for extended periods of time.
** [[spoiler:Mrs. Cormaci]] becomes this for the family starting in ''Gregor and the Marks of Secret''.
* In ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsImASupervillain'', Claire's mom, a former villain herself, keeps the kids identities safe.
* ''Literature/DoctorSynTheScarecrow'': Various characters learn of Syn's SecretIdentity. Some [[ContrivedCoincidence fortuitously die soon afterwards]], but others act as secret keepers. In particular, Mr. Mipps is Syn's devoted {{sidekick}} throughout the series.
* In ''Literature/TheLastAmericanVampire'', the sequel to ''Literature/AbrahamLincolnVampireHunter'', the narrator spends a few paragraphs talking about "Renfields", humans who are employed by vampires as assistants to help them deal with the time and place they're currently in. He uses the phrase "professional secret keepers" in this description. [[spoiler:Turns out Creator/BramStoker was a Renfield, and made use of that experience when writing ''Literature/{{Dracula}}''.]]
* In Creator/TamoraPierce's ''SongOfTheLioness'', George, his mother, and Prince Jonathan all find out that Alanna is a girl in disguise, and keep her secret. Her guardian Coram knew from the start and helped her with the masquerade, and Gary finds out near the end of the second book (before it becomes public) and Myles of Olau plays SecretSecretKeeper until Alanna tells him the truth around the same time.
* In ''Literature/AllMenOfGenius'', a number of people know or learn that [[SweetPollyOliver "Ashton" is actually Violet]], but the only one permanently at the Academy with her is her friend Jack, who keeps the secret throughout (even when it would be advantageous for him to tell, such as to divert Cecily's attention away from the not-really-male "Ashton" and towards himself).
* In ''Literature/DoraWilkSeries'', it's actually an official thing -- the magicals of Thorn are instructed to contact Dora if any of them gets in potentially-{{masquerade}}-breaking troubles with law.
* In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Tie-In ''Literature/BlackWidow'', Natasha Romanov [[spoiler: is the only Avenger who knows that [[Characters/AgentsofShieldTeamCoulson Agent Coulson]] is BackFromTheDead.]]
* The novelization of ''Literature/RevengeOfTheSith'' makes it clear that Palpatine has been acting as Anakin's mentor and confidant for far longer than just the events of the film, slowly turning him into the sort of person susceptible to TheDarkSide.
--> The Supreme Chancellor has been family to Anakin: always there, always caring, always free with advice and unstinting aid. A sympathetic ear and a kindly, loving, unconditional acceptance of Anakin exactly as he isthe sort of acceptance Anakin could never get from another Jedi. Not even from Obi-Wan. He can tell Palpatine things he could never share with his Master.\\
He can tell Palpatine things he can't even tell Padmé.
* In the ''Literature/VillageTales'' novels, the Duke of Taunton, being a member of the Privy Council and a retired [[MajorlyAwesome major]] in the Intelligence Corps, is used to being one. Being left his RemittanceMan brother's CompromisingMemoirs, though, is specially vexing. And of course the Roman Catholic and C of E (sky-High, Anglo-Catholic) clergy in the District have heard more confessions than the Duke's cook has served hot dinners.
* In ''Literature/TheSouthernReachTrilogy'', [[spoiler:the psychologist has been the director]] for most of the Southern Reach's existence and she also hung around Saul, the lighthouse keeper, when she was a kid. She only escaped the formation of Area X by coincidence.
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Ned Stark took the secret of his [[HeroicBastard illegitimate son]] Jon Snow's parentage to the grave. [[spoiler:Through Bran Stark's visions, it is revealed to the audience in Season 6 that [[TheGreatestStoryNeverTold Jon is Ned's nephew, as Jon is the son of Ned's sister Lyanna Stark by Rhaegar Targaryen]]. On her deathbed, Lyanna asks Ned for [[ThePromise a promise]] to protect her newborn son (Jon) from Robert Baratheon as Robert wants to kill everyone -- even the children -- who have Targaryen blood. Out of love for his sister Lyanna and nephew Jon, Ned brings his newborn nephew home with him to Winterfell, claims him as his illegitimate son to keep him safe, loves and raises Jon as his own son alongside his children with Catelyn, and spends the rest of his life keeping this secret to protect Jon.]]
** Bran is the only other Stark (living, assuming that Benjen Stark himself doesn't know) aware that [[spoiler:his brother Jon is actually his Aunt Lyanna's son with Rhaegar Targaryen, making Jon his blood cousin and the nephew of Ned Stark.]]
** Brienne is the only other person who knows the truth about why Jaime murdered Aerys Targaryen.
** Roose keeps the truth about Bran and Rickon being alive to ensure his rule over the North.
** Ramsay is also one of the few aware that Bran and Rickon are alive but keeps the secret for his family's political gain.
** Howland is the only person living that knows what went down at The Tower of Joy, at least until Bran gets to see it in a vision.
* Tony Nelson on ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie''. Roger Healey also became one of these after the first few episodes.
* Janet from ''Series/MyHero''.
** Tyler technically could count as well, except no one would believe him anyway...
* Original Cindy, from ''Series/DarkAngel''
* Chris and Ginge, ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople''.
* Harvey Kinkel in the later seasons of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''.
* Naru Osaka and Motoki Furuhata in ''Series/PrettyGuardianSailorMoon''.
* ''Series/TheSecretWorldOfAlexMack'': Alex's friend Ray, and her sister Annie.
* ''Series/OneHundredDeedsForEddieMcdowd'': Justin Taylor
** The last episode has Tori.
* Keely in ''Series/PhilOfTheFuture''.
* Harper in ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace''.
** Justin's best friend, Zeke, becomes this in season 4.
* The family (yep, her parents too) of Raven from ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'', is fully aware of her secret PsychicPowers, most likely even before she was. These were later revealed to be a hereditary trait. The ability is treated serenely since the very first episode of the series, despite the sitcom-y mishaps that regularly occur because of them.
** It's also played straight with Eddie and Chelsea.
* On ''Series/{{Friends}}'', Chandler and Monica's relationship was initially kept a secret because they didn't want to deal with their friends pestering them, but Joey figured it out on his own and they swore him to secrecy. He was the only friend who knew about it for the next several episodes until the other friends eventually found out. However, when Rachel and eventually Phoebe found out, Joey also had initially to keep their knowledge of the relationship a secret.
* On ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', Rhys Williams ([[ActionGirl Gwen Cooper's]] fiance), stumbled onto proof of just what it is that Gwen does for Torchwood. Captain Jack Harkness decides to not dose Rhys with {{Retcon}} (Torchwood's amnesia pill) after he sees how much good it does Gwen to have someone outside of Torchwood to talk to about work.
* In ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', Harry, Dexter's foster father, is the typical example. The second is the Ice Truck Killer, Dexter's nemesis, [[spoiler: who is appropriately revealed to be Dexter's biological brother.]]
** He gets another one in season 7 when [[spoiler: his adopted sister Debra walks in on him killing season 6's BigBad and he's forced to confess]].
* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'':
** Zach is Claire's Secret Keeper for the first half of Season 1.
** Ando is Hiro's Secret Keeper.
** Claire herself becomes the Haitian's Secret Keeper for a while ... just not about their powers, which Noah already knows about, but about the Haitian not being mute.
* Merton Dingle and Lori Baxter in ''Series/BigWolfOnCampus''.
* ''Series/NewAmsterdam'': Omar (and at least one other kid of John's) in regards to their father's immortality.
* On ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'', Darrin Stephens acts as a Secret Keeper for not only his wife, Samantha, but also for his mother-in-law, Endora, her father, Maurice, as well as Samantha's many aunts, her Uncle Arthur, and Samantha's witch-doctor, Doctor Bombay, all of whom interact with various mortals during the course of the series.
* The writers of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' have had to let so many people in Clark's secret to keep the show fresh that Lois Lane is about the only one who DOESN'T know by now. Clark told Pete his secret in season two when the latter discovered his spaceship, Alicia revealed Clark's powers to Chloe in season four and [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Chloe tells him she knows in the season five premier]], Lionel found out in season five, Lana started causing trouble around season six and found out in the finale, Lex found out in the season seven finale but was then PutOnABus.
** [[spoiler:Lois seems to know now and is currently a SecretSecretKeeper as Chloe was before her.]]
*** [[spoiler: As of the episode "Isis", it's official; Clark confessed that he's the Blur to Lois, who responded by jumping into his arms, kissing him and asking, "What took you so long?"]]
*** Though it did take even longer for her to find out about the Justice League, which led to some particularly funny moments, like when [[spoiler: Tess, despite knowing that Lois knows Clark's secret]], still plays dumb because [[spoiler: Lois doesn't know that ''Tess'' knows (and more than she does to boot)]]. The first part of season ten gets a bit confusing at times.
** Tess was a Secret Keeper as well, which was particularly important since she was [[BigBadEnsemble one]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist of]] [[MisanthropeSupreme the]] [[BigBad bad]] [[AntiVillain guys]], yet she still kept his secret from everyone. [[spoiler:She had a HeelFaceTurn, though.]]
** The villain Toyman figured out Clark's secret, but agreed not to tell anyone as it's more fun that way.
* ''Series/PushingDaisies'': Emerson and Chuck are keeping Ned's secret that he can [[{{Necromancer}} bring the dead back to life]], while Ned, Emerson ''and'' Olive are keeping Chuck's secret that she's not dead, but Olive thinks that Chuck faked her death whereas Ned and Emerson know that she did die and was brought back.
** Also, Olive eventually becomes Lily's secret keeper, hiding the fact that [[spoiler: Chuck is actually Lily's ''daughter'', not her niece, conceived during an affair with her sister's fiance.]] Olive gets so overwhelmed by all the secrets that at one point she runs away to nunnery.
* Gaius from ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' is the only person (as yet) in town who knows about Merlin's powers, as well as being his [[{{Mentors}} mentor]].
** Lancelot knows too, but has agreed to keep it a secret.
** Likewise, Merlin is Lancelot's Secret Keeper: he's the only one who knows that Lancelot is still in love with Guinevere.
** On the same show, Gaius, Merlin and Gwen are the only ones that know Morgana has precognitive dreams.
*** {{Inverted}} in regards to Morgana in season 3. For the first half of the season only Merlin and Gaius know the secret that [[spoiler: Morgana is evil]], but they are unable to tell anyone about it without any proof, despite dearly wanting to warn their friends. The same thing happens with Agravaine in season 4. They both reveal themselves as traitors.
** In season 5, [[spoiler: Mordred]] and Merlin are this for each other, as they're both warlocks.
* The wives of ''Series/TheUnit''.
* In ''Series/{{Psych}}'', the only people who know that [[SherlockScan Shawn Spencer]] is a PhonyPsychic are his father, Henry, and his best friend, Gus.
** That's debatable. Lassiter claims to not believe and wants to expose him as a fraud, even hooking him up to a polygraph machine (which Shawn beat due to his father's extensive training). It would seem DaChief doesn't believe it either, but Shawn is really good at solving crimes, so she doesn't care how he does it.
** As of Season 5, there is also amateur profiler Declan Rand and, oddly enough, Curt Smith from Tears for Fears.
** And as of Season 7, Juliet finds out, at first reacting in anger but eventually resolving to keep the secret once Shawn proves that he cares more about her than anything else, including his work at the SBPD. She also realizes that the cases he solved might be jeopardized if he told the truth about it.
* The ''Power Rangers'' series in general has a tendency for family members of the rangers to find out their secret identities; in these cases, they only appear in one episode. Some examples include:
** In ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', Red Ranger Tommy's brother David.
** In ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'', White Ranger Alyssa's father.
*** In the preceding episode, "Three's a Crowd", Kendall, a girl Black Ranger Danny is madly in love with, as well as a rich young man trying to win her love, both discover Danny's identity. Neither of them show any desire to reveal his secret, but the would-be lover does tell Danny that he shouldn't date Kendall due to his responsibilities, and while it's somewhat implied that he's just being a JerkAss so that he can have Kendall to himself, Kendall ultimately says the same thing at the episode's end.
** In ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'', Red Ranger Shane's brother Porter.
** In ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'', Blue Ranger Theo's twin brother Luen.
*** Also, Fran, who discovers the secret identities of her fellow pizza-parlor staff around the time they get their MidSeasonUpgrade.
** ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': the first people to discover the Rangers' secret identities were Rocky, Adam, and Aisha, and they pledged to keep them secret. They weren't able to play this role for very long however, as Jason, Zack, and Trini were soon "[[PutOnABus sent to a peace conference]]", and Rocky, Adam, and Aisha became their replacements as Rangers.
*** Although it never happened on the show, it was originally supposed to be revealed that Ernie from the juice bar had known the secret identities of the Power Rangers all along. This is why he would always give them drinks on the house as a sign of appreciation.
* ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'' has Toby, the rangers' boss at their civilian jobs, but he doesn't find out until the fourth-to-last episode though they did use a SarcasticConfession on him at an earlier point to explain why they continuously ran off during their shifts. Subverted, however, in that he pretty much tells the whole town in order to gather enough energy to give the Rangers the final boost in power that they need to destroy the BigBad.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** The Scoobies are Buffy's Secret Keepers, but they all stretch the definition of "normal". Many of the Scoobies start outside the fold as "normals" and eventually get pulled in to Scoobiedom (Cordelia, Oz, Tara). Another example would be Buffy's mother Joyce after Season 2.
** Principle Snyder knew about the existence of the Hellmouth underneath the high school all along -- and was even charged to keep it a secret from as many people as possible by the [[AffablyEvil Mayor]] himself. That said, Snyder was completely oblivious to Buffy's identity or to the existence of the Scooby Gang.
* In ''Series/{{Wolfblood}}'', Maddy and Rhydian act as secret keepers for each other. At the end of season 1 [[spoiler: Tom and Shannon find out, but agree to keep it a secret]]
* Series/HannahMontana's secret keepers (aside from Bobby Ray and Jackson) are Lilly and Oliver. Later, there's Jake Ryan, Lilly's mother, Oliver's mother, and Officer Daria and his daughter. That is until everyone in her hometown (plus one British journalist and his daughters) discovers the fact in the movie... and by the end of the series, everyone in the ''world'' knows it.
* Almost all the major {{Muggle}} characters on ''Series/KyleXY'' end up being this, although in this case it's also to help Kyle and Jessi. At one point, it causes a CrowningMomentOfFunny for Josh as he spills all his ''other'' secrets. Josh also briefly doubles as one for Andy, before her cancer is made public.
* Marta from ''Series/QueenOfSwords''.
* Devon (Captain Awesome) on ''Series/{{Chuck}}''. [[spoiler: He's now been joined by Morgan.]]
** [[spoiler: And now they have both been joined by Casey's daughter Alex, as well as Ellie.]]
* On ''Series/BosomBuddies'', Amy kept the secret that Kip and Henry were [[DisguisedInDrag pretending to be their own sisters]] during the first season. In the second season, the remainder of the main were also in on the secret and helped maintain the ruse.
* In ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', [[FunPersonified Agent Lincoln Lee]] from the AlternateUniverse Fringe Division prides himself as this when he is speaking to (Alternate)Olivia. Later, he decides that he "can't keep secrets for shit" and spills it all to (Alternate)Charlie Francis.
* In ''[[Series/TheQuestForKarla Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy]]'', only George Smiley ever knew Control's real name.
* ''Literature/{{Aquila}}'': Mrs. Murray discovers the ship and keeps the secret in the second season.
* ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'':
** One of the rules for anyone who works for the Warehouse is that they may reveal the true nature of their work to one outsider, but only one. This never became a plot point in the main series, however.
** It's far from unheard of for an outsider to discover the Warehouse in some way, but anyone who learned enough to be a threat was either recruited or killed; the only known exceptions are Claudia's brother, Mrs. Frederic's grandson, and Monty the Magnificent, an elderly magician who was let in on the secret due to his passion for "real magic."
* In ''Series/TheListener'', Mercer, Oz, Marks and later Olivia is this for the mind-reading Toby. In season two, Detective [=McCluskey=] and Dev Clark join the team.
* Jonathan is this for the ghostly Ainsworth sisters in ''Series/DeadGorgeous''.
* In the TV series adaptation of ''Franchise/TheGreenHornet'', Lenore "Casey" Case and District Attorney Frank Scanlon keep the Hornet's and Kato's secret identities (Scanlon parallels the use of Police Commissioner Higgins as a secret keeper and law enforcement contact in the original radio series).
** Late in the radio show's run, Lenore Case learned about Reid's second career as the Hornet and helped cover for him.
* In ''Series/FreeSpirit'', Gene and his older siblings, Robb and Jessie, become forbidden from telling anyone about their nanny, Winnie Goodwin, performing witchcraft.
* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'': There's a fairly extensive [[http://charmed.wikia.com/wiki/Secret_Keepers list]] of mortals who know that magic is real, and specifically that the Halliwell sisters are actually witches. The most notable examples are Victor Bennett (father to three of the four sisters), Inspector Andy Trudeau (oldest sister Prue's LoveInterest)[[note]]Though he only acts this part for about half of season one, at the end of which he dies[[/note]], Inspector Darryl Morris (Andy's partner), Homeland Security Agent Kyle Brody (another LoveInterest, who eventually dropped from this trope when he died and became a Whitelighter), Homeland Security Agent Murphy (who figured out that something was up when the sisters faked their deaths and subsequently helped them "come back from the dead"), and Henry Mitchell (youngest sister Paige's boyfriend, whom she eventually married). In the [[ComicBookAdaptation season nine comics]], Phoebe's boss Elise Rothman also becomes a SecretKeeper when the sisters save her life (Paige had to [[HealingHands heal]] her, and then they had to magically make her look like she was still injured in order to properly prosecute the man who had attacked her).
* Mrs. Roper on ''Series/ThreesCompany'' finds out early on that Jack isn't actually gay, but keeps the knowledge from her husband so Jack can continue sharing an apartment with two women.
* In the ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' universe, [[Series/TheFlash2014 Barry Allen]] and Oliver Queen are mutual secret keepers for each other. Both heroes also have a small team of allies who know their true identities.
** In Barry's case, some of his enemies also know the truth, including the Rogues, after Cold forces Cisco to tell him the Flash's identity by threatening his brother. Since Cisco's brother was (presumably) in the room, he also must know. Eventually, Barry reveals the truth to his father (who pretty much knew anyway) and Eddie (whose help they needed to keep Iris from looking into her colleague's disappearance). [[spoiler:The Reverse-Flash]] knows because [[spoiler:he's pretending to be Harrison Wells and is from the future anyway]].
* A bit of {{Irony}} considering their later relationship in ''Series/{{Gotham}}'' where Bruce Wayne and Alfred are so far the only two who Gordon revealed that he intended to bring down the corruption of the police and the city and that he was planning to play along inside the system to do it.
* Variation in ''Series/KnightRider'', combined with DismantledMacGuffin: KITT's super-strong armor was made from a secret formula that used three ingredients. Three trusted men were each told ''two'' parts of the formula. This way, no one man could make more on his own, but any two of them could.
* Averted in ''Series/HenryDanger''; Henry has to keep his job as a sidekick a secret from is friends and family. Though his best friend, Charlotte, later becomes one.
** By the end of Season 2, Henry's best friend, Jasper, becomes one.
* Cherry becomes one for ''Series/TheThundermans'' in "A Hero is Born".
* ''Series/AnotherPeriod'' has two, both in the servants' quarters at Bellacourt Manor:
** New maid Celine[=/=]Chair. Hamish the outwoodsman knows her as [[spoiler:the former prostitute who swindled him]]; to family patriarch Commodore Bellacourt, she's [[spoiler:his mistress and the mother of their illegitimate child-to-be]].
** Head butler Peepers, unbeknownst to the Bellacourts, was adopted by a family of American Indians.
* On ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', this comes up in Gibbs' Rule #4: "The best way to keep a secret: keep it to yourself. Second best: tell ''one'' other person, ''if'' you must. There is no third best."
* In Season 2 of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', May is a SecretKeeper for Coulson, who's got a strange compulsion to carve alien symbols into the wall due to being [[BackFromTheDead resurrected]] with Kree blood.
* ''Series/Daredevil2015'':
** Claire Temple, Foggy Nelson and Father Lantom eventually become this for Matt Murdock about his Daredevil secret identity as season 1 progresses. Only Father Lantom figured it out himself; Foggy found him beaten up from a fight with Wilson Fisk and Nobu, and Claire after he was lured into a trap by the Russians.
** In the final episode of season 2, Karen Page becomes one, and the first person to whom Matt openly admitted the secret of his own volition.
** While never stated out loud, it is heavily implied that Frank Castle is one as well and figured out Matt's secret identity when he saw him out-of-costume at the hospital.
* ''Series/IronFist2017'': At the start of the show, Ward Meachum is the only person besides the Hand and Harold's assistant who knows that Harold Meachum is alive. Ward has been keeping the secret for thirteen years and it's implied that the stress brought on by this secret-keeping is part of what has contributed to his drug issues.
* "Secret" plays this up for drama. The singer seriously seems like she ''will'' kill her friend if she tells her secret.
-->''If I show you then I know you won't tell what I said. Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.''
* Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG has the siblings Bart and Carrie Enderson, both [[TheBartender bartenders]] who both kept secrets for a different mercenary. To add a cruel twist of irony, neither knew about the other's activities (at least not until ''after'' the war and both mercenaries were dead), and one of their clients was determined to kill the other.
[[folder:Video Games]]
* In the second game of the ''VideoGame/EagleEyeMysteries'' series, protagonists Jake and Jennifer Eagle, as well as your [[TheFaceless unseen player character]], become Secret Keepers in "Case of Blood's Bold Bauble." A distant relative tells you that there's a particular story that has been kept within his immediate family for generations: that three centuries ago, an ancestor found a small but very valuable ruby that was dropped by the titular thief Captain Blood and his gang, who beat a hasty retreat after attempting to break into the Tower of London to steal the Crown Jewels. The ancestor, fearing he would be implicated in the robbery if he tried to return the ruby, kept it for himself and only told its story to his son, who in turn told the tale to ''his'' son, and so on. By the time you, Jake and Jennifer have been told the story, the secret's origins are so distant that the ruby's revelation can no longer hurt the family; the only reason the relative tells you the story is because he thinks one of his three children, who are currently the only other people who know the family secret, might have broken the bond of parent-child trust and told the secret to cash in on it--hence, the beginning of your covert investigation to find out who's responsible without tipping off any of the children as to your knowledge. [[spoiler:Turns out none of the kids talked--the oldest son is set to star in a film about a very different Captain Blood, and the misunderstanding arose from that]].
* In ''VisualNovel/CrescendoEienDatoOmotteItaAnoKoro'', [[spoiler: Nurse Kaori]] knows about [[spoiler: Yuka Otowa being a teen prostitute]]. She doesn't exactly approve, but doesn't say anything because [[spoiler: Yuka]] is about to graduate and she doesn't want her to be expelled in her last year.
* ''VideoGame/MinecraftStoryMode'': [[spoiler:After defeating the Wither Storm, Jesse can convince Gabriel to either come clean about the Order of the Stone or allow the people to continue believing in their legend.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', Cassandra and (later) the Inquisitor are the only ones who know about Cullen's [[spoiler:lyrium withdrawal]]. The Inquisitor is also the only one to whom he confides the torture he endured during the events of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''; by his own admission later, he has never told the story to anyone else.
* ''VideoGame/Persona5'': Moon Arcana Confidant Yuuki Mishima quickly figures out that the main character Akira/Joker is a member of the Phantom Thieves. Fortunately, he's also one of Akira's biggest supporters, being the owner and admin of Joker's official fansite. Towards the endgame, [[spoiler: Akira's guardian (and Hierophant Confidant) Sojiro Sakura]] also figures out what Joker and his friends have been up too. In fact, [[spoiler:all of the maxed-ranked NPC Confidants will figure out that Joker's a Phantom Thief, usually because the assholes ruining the Confidants' lives end up becoming targets of the Thieves]].
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, the leaders of the [[AncientOrderOfProtectors Blades]], who have long served the Tamriellic Emperors as [[PraetorianGuard bodyguards]] and [[SecretPolice spies]], are naturally this toward the emperors as well as being [[TheConfidant Confidants]]. For example, Blades Grandmaster Jauffre was entrusted by [[TheGoodKing Emperor Uriel Septim VII]] to take and hide away Uriel's [[HiddenBackupPrince bastard son]], Martin. This was kept secret, even from Martin, until the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' forced Jauffre to reveal it.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', Kafei's [[FountainOfYouth de-aging]] and subsequent [[LostWeddingRing loss of the Sun's Mask]] are kept secret from his fiancee Anju by the Curiosity Shop owner, the Postman, and his father Mayor Dotour. Upon delivering a letter from Kafei to Anju, the Postman goes so far as to use the MathematiciansAnswer approach to avoid saying what's going on.
* ''[[VisualNovel/ShallWeDateNinjaShadow Shall We Date?: Ninja Shadow]]'': Saori is a SweetPollyOliver in an all-male VigilanteMan group. Her potential love interests tend to find out early or midway through their respective routes and keep her secret.
* In ''VideoGame/SouthParkTheFracturedButWhole'', if you choose to play as a girl/other instead of a boy, Wendy Testaburger reveals she knew that you were such the entire time, but [[SecretSecretKeeper kept quiet about it]] out of respect for (what she believes is) [[SilentProtagonist your desire to remain mysterious.]]
[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Literature/{{Brennus}}: The main character himself keeps secret the fact that his older sister Amy is also the extremely powerful supervillainess Mindstar, in spite of being himself a superhero. It gets deconstructed, because Basil finds it increasingly difficult to live with the knowledge of what she's done, and continues to do. It's especially difficult because [[spoiler: his teammate Hecate wants to kill Mindstar for killing her cousin]].
* In ''[[Machinima/RedVsBlue Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction]]'', Agent Washington hides the fact that he has all the memories of the Epsilon AI, which is the manifestation of the Alpha AI's memories, which ''itself'' was created from the Director's mind. This means that he has knowledge of both the torture used to split the Alpha into separate [=AIs=] and all of the access codes used in the Director's lab.
* Lester from ''Literature/AngelOfDeath'' is the only human outside of TheMenInBlack who knows Cody is a lich.
* Pepper and Sarah accidentally become these to Jake after a GlamourFailure in ''WebAnimation/MagicalBorderPatrol''
* In the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, hardly anyone outside of SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy knows Phase is a mutant: just her big sister Gracie and Gracie's spouse, and their two renters.
* In ''Series/{{Noob}}'':
** Gologotha is the only one who knows how Gaea got her avatar back after getting banned permanently from the game for borderline illegal activity [[spoiler:until an unexpected third party makes the bargaining chip's existence public]].
** Judge Dead is all but stated to have known of the secret revealed in the WhamEpisode all along.
* Parodied [[http://www.qwantz.com/index.pl?comic=749 here]] in ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics''; the AltText explicitly identifies T-Rex as "the worst Lois Lane ever".
* In ''Webcomic/TheDreamer'', Yvette is the only person who knows about Beatrice's time-travel dreams.
* In ''Webcomic/ElectricWonderland'', Aerynn Arlia's friends and co-workers must make sure that the authorities of {{Cyberspace}} never find out about her performing illegal witchcraft.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
** Outside the "core" cast, Melissa is Noah's secret keeper.
** Justin is not only the Secret Keeper for the core group, keeping their activities secret from everyone (especially George), he's also keeping [[spoiler:Noah's SecretIdentity as the Child Left Behind]] a secret even from his closest friends.
* ''Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns'':
** Ruby has kept her sister Amber's career as a porn star secret from their parents for years, despite being a very truthful person by nature and despising Amber for her actions.
** Dillon respects Ruby's desire to keep, first her having spent an evening in male disguise, and second her new-found love of {{Yaoi}}, secret from the world in general and Amber in particular. (Presumably, Ruby either wants to preserve a sense of superiority over Amber, or thinks that her sister would tease her mercilessly with such facts.)
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'': Cavin and, later, Princess Calla know the truth and keep the secret of the Gummi Bears.
* Trixie and Spud, from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong''. In the episode where they find out about Jake's dragon powers, Jake's grandfather gives him a potion that will erase their memories and [[ResetButton put everything back the way it was]] to maintain the {{Masquerade}} around the magical world. In a subversion of StatusQuoIsGod (and possibly as a "screw you" to ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee'', which had a reset after her friends found out), he pours it out in a potted plant rather than dose their drinks, and they continue to help him in both forms.
* Pauline from ''WesternAnimation/AtomicPuppet'' is the only one (asides [[BigBadWannabe Mookie]]) who knows that Joey is Atomic Puppet, and thus the only one besides Joey who knows that Captain Atomic has been turned into a talking sock puppet by Mookie. As the series progresses though, a few more characters learn it as well, primarily the show's other superhero characters and more significantly [[spoiler:Joey's dad in the first season finale]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': Formerly washed-up actor Simon Trent is implied to have become this to Batman [[SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay after Bruce says something he said as Batman]] at a book signing.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'':
** Maxine "Max" Gibson, as of the episode "Hidden Agenda".
** And as of the ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' finale, Dana knows as well. Terry considered trying to [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies break up with her for her own safety]], but was last seen asking her out while palming an engagement ring.
* Sam, Tucker, and later Danny's sister Jazz in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''.
* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' has sidekick Launchpad ([[IdiotHero who calls him 'DW' even when Darkwing's in civilian garb]]) and daughter Gosalyn (who occasionally calls him 'Dad' when he's in costume). Somehow neighbour child Honker seems to be in the know as well. No information's shown on if Morgana [=MacAwber=] knows her Darkwing has a life as Drake.
** She does. There's an episode where she meets Honker's family, after complaining that Darkwing never introduces her to any of her friends. She even calls him Drake in front of them.
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheDeep'' with Nereus. He often kept many details about whatever the Nektons faced in certain episodes secret from them, which would often cause them to distrust him.
* Dee Dee, from ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', is the only main character who knows of Dexter's Lab besides Dexter himself. Others include Dee Dee's friends, Mee Mee and Lee Lee, and Mandark, who has a lab of his own (though not a secret one, since his constructions dwarf his house).
* In ''[[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersofBerk Dragons: Race To The Edge]]'', Astrid does not tell the other dragon riders that Heather, [[FaceHeelTurn last seen working for dragon hunter Viggo and her psychotic brother Dagur]], was actually a ReverseMole in Viggo's camp.
* Scrooge [=McDuck=] and Mrs. Crackshell are the only ones in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' who knows that Fenton is Gizmoduck.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' had Roddy and Cosgrove, and later Steff and Professor Jones as of "Mission: Freakazoid" when Cosgrove let it slip.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', Eliza Maza and, later, Matt Bluestone work to conceal the existence of Goliath and his clan from humanity, as does David Xanatos when he's not trying to kill them. [[spoiler:By the end of the second season, they fail ''spectacularly''.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'', only a few others know Adam is He-Man: Cringer, Orko, Man-at-Arms, and the Sorceress. In the spin-off ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'', his twin sister Adora haa Kowl, Madame Razz, Light Hope, Spirit and later, Loo-Kee who know her SecretIdentity as She-Ra. The twins are, of course, also {{secret keeper}}s for each other, so by extension, it is safe to assume those who know He-Man's secret also know She-Ra's, and vice-versa.
** He-Man also, at the Sorceress's request, keeps the secret that the Sorceress is Teela's mother.
* In ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold!'', Phoebe, Patty, Trish Wittenberg, Grandpa Phil and Brainy all know Helga Pataki's most dark and deep secret: her overwhelming love for Arnold.
** As well as Helga's shrink Dr. Bliss, who is a Secret Keeper by way of professional confidentiality.
** Helga admits it to Lila as well, threatening her with violence so she wouldn't tell.
* Subverted by Gaz on ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''. She discovers early on that Zim is an alien, but doesn't care. When Dib says "Zim's trying to conquer the world," Gaz replies, "but he's so ''bad'' at it." [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Which is true]], but...
* The Holograms (Kimber Benton, Shana Elmsford, Aja Leith, and Carmen 'Raya' Alonso) from ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms'' count here as well. They can't tell anyone about the supercomputer Jerrica's late father made or else she could be used for evil?
* One episode of the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' shows ''part of the U.S. Government'' to be this for Batman. Amanda Waller even uses this to intimidate the Dark Knight in ''Ultimatum'':
--> '''Batman:''' Who are you people?!
--> '''Amanda Waller:''' That's a national security matter. And if I were you I wouldn't probe the situation too closely... ''rich boy''.
* Both averted and played straight in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''. Averted in that [[ActionGirl Kim's]] hero status is publicly known. Played straight with Ron Stoppable when he attended a [[AcademyOfAdventure ninja school]]; he promised Yori and Master Sensei that he wouldn't tell anyone about the school, even Kim. Later in the series, Yori allowed Ron to tell Kim (who had already discovered the truth about the school on her own). Presumably Kim then became a Secret Keeper for the school as well.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee'': Ah-Mah and Ray Ray Lee, Juniper's grandma and little brother respectively, and later her older brother, Dennis Lee. (Although they're not quite regular Joes -- both can see magical creatures, and Ah-Mah was June's predecessor. One episode reveals Ray Ray's ability as being an accident. For Dennis, he can only see magical creatures when he wears a talisman.)
* In the AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'', Stanley Ipkiss's IntrepidReporter friend Peggy Brandt is the only person who knows that he and The Mask are one and the same. (Well, her and Stanley's dog Milo, anyway...)
* Elena Potato and her cousin Lonzo in ''WesternAnimation/MonsterAllergy''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Motorcity}}'': Claire keeps secret that Julie's dad is the BigBad.
* ''Westernanimation/PhineasAndFerb'' has [[spoiler:Stacy Hirano becoming this for Perry in "Happy Birthday Isabella" to avoid having her memories erased, and having to sit through a scary movie she watched again.]]
* When ''WesternAnimation/PunkyBrewster'' takes Glomer (a creature called a "glomley" who helps leprechauns within a rainbow land) under her wing, she takes it upon herself to keep him a secret. Punky's pals are also entrusted to keep Glomer a secret. Glomer himself has to stay inconspicuous, even at home, so Henry doesn't find out about him.
* Chloe Flan, Sabrina's BlackBestFriend, who was invented wholecloth for the AnimatedAdaptation ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries''.
* {{Deconstructed}} in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryInc'' where [[spoiler: Velma keeping Angel[=/=]Cassidy's Identity a secret unknowingly sets off a chain of events that causes the DownerEnding of the first season of the show.]]
* The human friends of ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' act in this role to prevent humans from ever getting their hands on them.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': Ezra Bridger and Chopper, as of the end of [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E18TwinSuns "Twin Suns"]], know [[spoiler:Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive on Tatooine, but have promised not to tell. In the last scene, Ezra keeps the secret by lying to Kanan, Hera and Zeb about this information. The episode also reveals that Bail Organa lied to the entire Rebellion about the same issue.]]
* Richie from ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'', who later becomes a superhero himself.
** Frieda [[ComicBook/{{Static}} in the comics.]]
** Also, [[InkSuitActor Shaquille O'Neal]].
* Debbie Thornberry, in the last five episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys''.
* ''WesternAnimation/WishKid'': Aside from Nick, only two people know about the glove: his best friend and his little sister, who's still a baby and can't talk yet.
* Matt Olsen in ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}''.
* In a twist on the usual SecretIdentity trope, Robin from ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' is hiding his civilian identity from his superhero teammates. WordOfGod (and [[AllThereInTheManual Free Comic Book Day tie-in]]) is that while Batman has forbidden him from revealing his real name, he told Wally anyway.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In "Brain's Shocking Secret", it's revealed that the Brain was held back in kindergarten; Prunella, and then Binky, are the only other ones who know about it.
[[folder:Real Life]]
* Lawyers (at least in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other common law jurisdictions). While there are a few exceptions to attorney-client privilege (generally having to do with preventing reasonably certain serious bodily harm), for the most part, an attorney can't reveal anything that their client tells them in confidence. This means that in most, if not all, U.S. jurisdictions that if an attorney find out their client committed a crime for which an innocent person's in jail, their ethical obligations to their client prevent them from saying anything without their client's permission, even if the other person is serving a life sentence. KeepingSecretsSucks.
** In response to this dilemma, some state bars have added rules that allow for limited disclosures in this situation, arguing that justice demands the innocent go free.
** Similarly, although doctors are required to report evidence of a crime (gunshot wounds, suspected child abuse, etc.), most details of your medical history are protected by doctor-patient privilege. The exception comes when you threaten to yourself or others or when you are no longer capable of making decisions on your own and someone has to make decisions for you.
* Catholic priests are bound by The Seal of the Confessional to never divulge what anyone says in confession, even if the person confesses to a crime. A priest violating the seal would risk laicization (defrocking) and excommunication (which means that he could not receive any sacrament until he would (ironically) confess his violation of the seal).
** There have been cases in the Papal States wherein the authorities broke the seal of the confessional, at papal direction, to arrest and prosecute murderers.
*** In the United States, the Supreme Court has ruled that gathering information by violating the Seal is a violation of the First Amendment and as such unadmissible in any court.
* Creator/StephenFry has [[http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/stephen-knows-the-meaning-of-the-ultimate-answer claimed]] that Creator/DouglasAdams once told him in confidence "[[Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy exactly why 42.]]" Apparently, "The answer is fascinating, extraordinary and, when you think hard about it, [[ItMakesSenseInContext completely obvious.]]" However, he has vowed to take the secret with him to the grave.
* Other than Carly Simon herself, Creator/{{NBC}} Sports' Dick Ebersol and Music/TaylorSwift are the only people in the world who know for sure who "You're So Vain" is about -- Ebersol won a charity auction to learn the identity in 2003, and ten years later [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7CsaOF3S5c Simon told Swift when they performed the song in concert]].
* J.M. Straczynski was this to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Hare Michael O'Hare]]. O'Hare played the lead character on ''Series/BabylonFive'' but left after the first season. The reason for the departure was that O'Hare was battling bouts of paranoid delusions; this both hurt Straczynski's relationships with his cast members, who weren't privy to this knowledge, and threatened to damage the show. After discussing things with O'Hare, [=JMS=] wrote his character off in a way that would allow him to return when he was better, and publicly gave false reports on why the character was written off. Even after the show ended in 1998, [=JMS=] continued to not reveal the secret until O'Hare's death in 2012, in keeping with the man's wishes.


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Exploring Hand Lettering
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The whole world seems to be obsessed with vintage style at the moment, and I'm no exception. I love beautiful old-fashioned graphic design from the 1940's and 1950's. A lot of packaging and advertising design from that time was covered … Continued

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Story highlights
As the company states that resignations were inappropriately done.
The duo of Murphy Ijemba and Sean Amadi claimed to have been unceremoniously dumped by sports radio station Brilla FM; it has come to light that days after their claims, both presenters tendered their resignation letters to the company. The radio station had disclosed last week that the two OAP's were reassigned and refused to show up to their new desks.
In a surprising about-face, the two sportscasters sent their resignation letters by email, saying in similar words of their desire to move on from Brilla FM.
Amadi, who sent his on the 8th of September says in part 'Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as OAP at Brila FM. I must state that this is a very difficult considering the joy, pleasure and fulfilment of working with the Brilla family and Brilla FM in the past five years…'
Ijemba on his part says 'My resignation is as a result of the need to improve my capacity academically and professionally…'
In Brilla FM's official reply to both of them, the radio station states that they both did not follow due protocol of submitting a resignation letter thirty days in advance or payment of one month's salary in lieu of said notice. Ijemba in particular is said to still owe the company a car loan repayment, which he had signed to pay the sum of two million naira or face legal action.
Since the matter became public however, the two have refrained from commenting on it, only using their Twitter handles to retweet a few sports updates.
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