Marvel's heroes have always taken a different approach than others. Unlike the heroic exemplars of their distinguished competition, Marvel's heroes are more down to earth. They make mistakes and have human foibles. While some are extremely trustworthy, others are the types to play their cards closer to the vest. They keep secrets from their fellow heroes, deciding what everyone else needs to know.
Some of them do it because it's their job, others do it because they think they're the only ones who need to know, and others don't always realize they're doing it. Superheroes accrue secrets and some like to control those secrets more than others.
10 Doctor Strange Has Long Known Things No One Else Did
Doctor Strange is the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme, having honed his mastery of the mystic arts for years. Being the Sorcerer Supreme is a lot of responsibility and involves learning secrets that no one else knows. Strange has access to knowledge that no one else does, and he's taken oaths to keep those secrets from falling into the wrong hands.
Of course, not all of his secrets are so benign. Strange is a former member of the Illuminati, so he took part in all kinds of secret actions. They were often for the greater good, but the Illuminati often did as much as damage as good and Strange himself even mindwiped Captain America once.
9 Black Widow's Years As A Spy Got Her Used To Keeping Things
Black Widow was once a top spy in the Soviet Union. Thanks to the Infinity Formula, Natasha Romanov has lived for a long time and experienced the Cold War first hand. Her Red Room training made her a formidable combatant and her years of missions saw her learning all kinds of top secret knowledge. Black Widow was trained to keep secrets.
Even after her defection to the West, Widow's ability to keep secrets has served her well. Beyond being an Avenger, Widow joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Working with the top spies in the world, Black Widow's long experience keeping secrets has saved lives.
8 Fantomex Was Raised In An Environment Where Secrets Were Currency
Fantomex was raised in the World, the facility that Weapon Plus set up to create the next generation of mutant supersoldiers. Fantomex was Weapon XIII before he escaped, his body enhanced to physical perfection. His mutant power gave him a second brain and nervous system, as well as EVA, a biological UFO that grew up with him.
Fantomex was used to knowing more than the people around him. His second brain gave him super intelligence, and he had no problem keeping things from other people when it suited his purpose. Those around him would get infuriated by his secretive nature, but Fantomex never cared.
7 Reed Richards Was A Higher-Up In The Illuminati
The Illuminati consisted of Marvel's greatest leaders, working behind the scenes to take care of problems before they got out of hand. The group's entire existence hinged on secrecy. While it was ostensibly a group of equals, there were two heroes who were basically in charge: Iron Man and Reed Richards.
Richards was no stranger to secrets. He worked with the US government on top-secret space projects, so he knew that not everything could be shared with everyone. Richards' intelligence bred a pragmatic streak in him that made him perfect for the Illuminati. He understood that it was better for everyone if the group's actions were secret.
6 Nick Fury's Entire Life Was Secrets
Nick Fury was the best Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and it wasn't even close. The WWII vet joined the CIA in the days after the war and was dosed the Infinity Formula, his aging slowed to a crawl. He was on the ground floor for the formation for the S.H.I.E.L.D. and was a shoo-in to act as its director. He served the organization for decades, fighting shadow wars that the public never knew about.
On top of that, Fury was the Man on the Wall. It was his job to destroy any threat to Earth before it got there. He prevented alien invasions, interdimensional incursions, and so much more. Fury's life was all about keeping secrets and his role as the Unseen, the replacement for the slain Watcher, means he knows everyone's secrets.
5 Daredevil And Secrets Go Hand-In-Hand
Some Marvel heroes make surprisingly good lawyers and the best of that bunch is Daredevil. Matt Murdock is not only an amazing hand-to-hand combatant, but he's also a brilliant defense attorney. Being a defense attorney means that keeping secret is his stock-in-trade, even though he tries as hard as he can to only defend innocent people.
Lawyers are known for keeping secrets from others and Daredevil is no different. While he's not as constantly scummy as some other lawyers, he's still had to keep secrets and lie to those around him. He may not enjoy it, but it's a weapon in his arsenal when he needs it.
4 Wolverine Knows Secrets He Doesn't Even Remember
Wolverine's mind has been twisted in knots by all kinds of manipulators. Romulus and the Weapon X program modified his memories and basically tailored his past to their own needs. On top of that, Wolverine's healing factor works on his mind as well, scabbing over painful memories and making him forget them.
Wolverine's memory has supposedly been returned to him, but there are still things that are a complete surprise to him. Wolverine has a lot of secrets, but he doesn't keep them on purpose. He can't help but keep things from people because of the nature of his mind.
3 Black Bolt Doesn't Easily Share What He Knows
Black Bolt is the king of the Inhumans. His ability to control electrons makes him the most dangerous member of his race. It's tied to his vocal cords, meaning that if he were to speak, he could devastate everything around him. Bolt has learned to control himself, keeping completely silent as much as possible, only using his voice against the most powerful enemies.
Black Bolt knows how to communicate, but he also knows the value of silence. As a monarch, Black Bolt knows that secrets can mean the difference between life or death. Even if he could speak, he would never let on what he knows, which made him perfect for the Illuminati.
2 Professor X Decides What His Fellow Mutants Need To Know
Not every Marvel hero is honorable, even if they are doing things for the right reasons. Professor X's dream of peace between mutants and humanity is a laudable goal and brought about the X-Men, a team which saved the entire universe multiple times. His dedication to his people finally gained them an actual home, the mutant nation of Krakoa, granting them real power in the world and safety.
In order to get to that point, Xavier's had to keep a lot of secrets. He's been a member of the Illuminati, with all that entails, and spent years secretly working with Moira MacTaggert and Magneto to build Krakoa. He's kept all kinds of secrets from his students and used his mental powers to ensure that they would be kept.
1 Iron Man Has Always Been A Secretive Hero
Iron Man hasn't always been the best hero, and his proclivity towards keeping secrets has always been his biggest problem. Tony Stark was an arms manufacturer with government clearance, so he was always privy to top-secret information. He also understood the damage industrial espionage could do to his business, so keeping secrets became second nature to him.
He brought this approach to being a superhero. The Avengers founder also founded the Illuminati and was the group's leader. He served as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. at one point as well. Iron Man has no problem keeping things from those around him, a lesson learned from years as a businessman and superhero.