Secret (Greta Hayes)

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Secret
Secret (Greta Hayes).png
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 egoGreta 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.

Contents

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. [1] 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. [2] [3] 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". [4] 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. [5]

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

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References

  1. Young Justice #4 (1999). DC Comics.
  2. Stargirl: The Lost Children #1. DC Comics.
  3. Stargirl: The Lost Children #4. DC Comics.
  4. Stargirl: The Lost Children #5. DC Comics.
  5. Stargirl: The Lost Children #6. DC Comics.
  6. "Secret Voice - Young Justice (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
  7. Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved May 20, 2024.