| abstract | - Every once in a while, you'll come across a character who has a very strong and often very sudden connection to a major character of the same sex. This new character will be very physically attractive (which will be described at every possible opportunity), and their other personality traits will precisely appeal to the established character, to an almost Relationship Sue-ish level. Congratulations! You have just met a Closet Key. A Closet Key's primary purpose (at least at the outset) is to indicate to the audience, and sometimes to the established character they meet, that the said established character is very, very gay. Fortunately, the Closet Key is usually gay too, so the relationships at least aren't instantly tragic. Also, it is not necessary for either character's sexual orientation to be explicitly mentioned in the text; the trope can be used as a method of "gay coding". Of course, this ambiguity leaves room for much debate. Usually a Bishonen, but not always. Also see Stupid Sexy Flanders, which is what the Closet Key might initially invoke (and may continue to invoke in avidly heterosexual characters/audience members). In a sense, this is the inverse of the Last Het Romance, a heterosexual character or relationship that (through it's lack of chemistry or je ne sais qoi) helps the gay character realize they're gay and out themselves. Examples of Closet Key include:
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