Secret (Greta Hayes)

Secret
Secret as depicted in Young Justice Secret Files & Origins #1 (January 1999). Art by Todd Nauck.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Young Justice: The Secret #1 (June 1998)
Created by	Todd Dezago (writer) Todd Nauck (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Greta Hayes
Species	Ghost (current) Human (former)
Team affiliations	Young Justice
Abilities	Flight Teleportation Intangibility Possession Shapeshifting

Secret (Greta Hayes) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Fictional character biography

Secret first appeared in a one-shot comic, part of the Girlfrenzy fifth week event, by Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck called Young Justice: The Secret, in which Robin, Impulse, and Superboy helped her to escape from the DEO (Department of Extranormal Operations) agents who were holding her against her will. Secret was incorporeal, able to take on a variety of appearances, and is referred to as "the mist girl" or "the bottle girl" by various agents.

Eventually, her origin was revealed: Secret was once an ordinary girl named Greta, whose adoptive brother Billy killed her as part of his plan to become the supervillain Harm. Because of the manner of her death, Greta remained stuck on this plane of existence, a gateway between the living and the dead. Billy himself, after attacking the team, died when his own father shot him. Billy returned during the Day of Judgment storyline, as the entirety of Hell had been evacuated. He again battled the team, using the substance of Secret.

Secret joined Young Justice along with Wonder Girl and Arrowette. She was often referred to as "Suzie" because her real name was unknown at the time. Secret became good friends with the two girls, and was often portrayed as shy. She nursed a crush on Robin throughout the series, and often defended his actions and followed his leadership without doubt. She also expressed jealousy of Spoiler, Robin's girlfriend, to the point where the pair of them had a full-out battle across Gotham City, that was stopped by the combined efforts of Red Tornado and Robin.

In an alternate reality, Secret's powers had been taken on by Billy. Ironically, Billy fought for what he perceived as justice in this form.

During the Sins of Youth storyline, a temporarily adult Secret, with the aid of Deadman, chased down Teekl, the feline familiar of the villain Klarion the Witch Boy. Surprising her age-altered friends, she caused Klarion to back down by threatening to kill Teekl. When undoing everything he had done, Klarion insisted that it was everyone or nothing. Secret didn't want to change back, but was persuaded by Robin, who promised to always be there for her. As predicted by the nearby hero Merry Pemberton, this would later cause many problems. Secret would even go so far as to physically threaten Spoiler.

While Hal Jordan tried to mentor Secret, she visited her father in jail. Under the mental influence of Billy, her father rejected her, leaving her more despondent than before.

Secret eventually gave in to the darkness in her nature at the behest of Darkseid, whom she mistakenly called 'Doug Side'. During her time on Darkseid's planet of Apokolips, Billy, possessing her father, launched the body into a firepit, killing them both. Although Secret's mentor, Hal Jordan had offered to step in and save Greta, as well as the world, the current team advisor Snapper Carr rejected the offer, preferring that the kids use Secret's turning evil as a 'learning experience'. Tim was able to talk her down. In the last issue of Young Justice, a disgusted Darkseid revived her as a powerless human.

Finally having a life of her own, she attends the Elias School for Girls, along with Cassandra Sandsmark and Cissie King-Jones.

In the pages of "The New Golden Age", Secret is reimagined as the former sidekick of the Spectre who was captured by a Time Scavenger called Childminder on Orphan Island. Secret was later among those freed by Red Arrow and Boom. After Red Arrow and Stargirl meet up, Secret is among those subdued by the Hourman android as he claims to Stargirl that he is trying to save the Lost Children from "complete obliteration". However, Corky Baxter causes a distraction that enables Boom to free everyone. After Time Master and Childminder are defeated and Wing is sent back to his own time, Secret is among the Lost Children who Hourman brought to Stargirl's time.

Powers and abilities

As a ghost, Secret can fly, teleport, shapeshift, become ethereal, possess any sentient beings, and take souls to the "other side".

In other media

• An alternate universe incarnation of Secret makes a cameo appearance in Teen Titans Go! #48.
• Secret appears in the Young Justice episode "Secrets", voiced by Masasa Moyo. Similarly to the comics, this version was killed by her brother Billy, who severed his emotional connections to wield the Sword of Beowulf. Due to dying while witnessing a nearby building's neon sign that said "secret", her restless spirit can only say that word. Amidst Billy's fights with Artemis Crock and Zatanna, Greta helps the pair defeat him by rendering him incapable of wielding the sword. Afterwards, Greta vanishes while Zatanna promises to give her a proper burial.
• Secret appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

External links

• Secret at DC Comics Wiki