Some quick thinking saves Green Lantern a buttload of embarrassment.
- "You may have learned my secret weakness, Luthor, but at least you can't attack me at home because you don't know that I'm secretly Clark Ken-- Aw, crap."
- ― Superman
A Secret Identity is often the alter ego of a superhero. Some are hard to believe, like its hard to believe Captain Marvel is in fact an 11 year old boy. Others are so obvious that its embarrassing that no one has noticed. Does no one but me see that Clark Kent is merely Superman with glasses? Christ, the Daily Planet staff is a bunch of idiots.
Now, a secret identify gives you a normal life to go with your super hero life. You can now walk to the 7/11 without being shot at, congratulations! But it comes at a price. If anyone finds out your secret identity, you and your family are dead.
Lets set up a scenario. Lets say, for arguments sake, the <insert name here>
is the superhero alter ego of a man named Bill Tomster. Now, <insert name here>
's greatest enemy is The Milk Man, and the Milk Man manages to find out that <insert name here>
is Bill. So, Milk Man sets up a wired explosive to his wife, Charlotte's, and his kids, Tom and Jill's, house. When he gets home, they are all dead. Naturally, <insert name here>
is pissed and he'll never make the mistake again, but its a bit to late for anything but revenge, isn't it.
Now lets step back a moment. If he had been a public hero, and every one knew who he was...
Ah, shit. I hadn't thought of that. They'd just be dead sooner.
I screwed up. A secret Identity is essential.