The Collector, also known as the Grand Huntsman, is the overarching antagonist of the Disney Channel animated series The Owl House.
They are a mysterious entity imprisoned within the Boiling Isles that has come in league with Emperor Belos, intent on gaining freedom on the Day of Unity and taking revenge by wreaking havoc upon the Demon Realm. They are also the figurehead of the Titan Trappers and are responsible for turning the Owl Beast into Eda Clawthorne's curse.
They are voiced by Fryda Wolff.
Background[]
The Collector is an enigmatic figure with vague, obscure roots in the history of the Demon Realm.
They were worshipped as the patron god of the Titan Trappers, a warrior clan of witches dedicated to finding the last Titans and killing them. They referred to the Collector as "The Grand Huntsman". At an unmarked point in time, the Collector relentlessly pursued a fearsome creature named the Owl Beast, and managed to capture it. Despite the Owl Beast's efforts to escape the Collector, it was bound to a scroll that fell into the sea.
During the 1660s, a human witch hunter named Philip Wittebane sought the Collector, as they were said to have the information he needed to complete his mission: construct a portal back to the Human Realm following his incidental transfer to the Demon Realm, as well as exterminate all life in the realm. To do this, he needed to acquire a mirror found in the ruins of the Titan's skull, except that it was guarded by a Stonesleeper. After a couple of times, including attempting to sacrifice a time-displaced Luz Noceda and Lilith Clawthorne to the beast, Philip retrieves the mirror, although he is wounded after by the infuriated duo. Philip later activates the mirror, unleashing the Collector, then requesting their help with his goal.
As time goes on, Philip adopts the image of Emperor Belos, establishing dominion of the Boiling Isles. The Collector remained his closest ally, and together they concocted a complex plot that would complete their common goal on the Day of Unity. Not one of Belos' followers, or even anyone on the Isles, were aware of their Emperor's partnership with the Collector.
In present day, the Collector pays a visit to Belos through shadow to check on his progress with the Draining Spell. Belos assures the Collector the Day of Unity will come, right before Hunter arrives to deliver Belos the Portal Key after his solo mission at Eclipse Lake. Belos coldly dismisses the boy, but takes the key. After Hunter leaves, the Collector comes out from hiding and jokes with Belos about his doubts of Hunter's loyalty, eventually questioning Belos if the false purpose he gives Hunter is another way of tormenting the boy like he has with previous Grimwalkers. Belos disagrees with the Collector, and states that it hurts him every time the clones turn against him.
In "Edge of the World", Luz, King, and Hooty travel to the remains of another Titan on the other side of the Demon Realm and meet the Titan Trappers, believing they are King's people. However, they instead learn they are a cult worshipping the Collector and that they seek to kill King, who is actually the last Titan. The Trappers plan to use King in a ritual to free the Collector from their prison. King lights the Collector's mirror (which was been broken into two for an unknown reason) with a flame, causing him to establish a 'connection' with the entity and hear their voice in his mind. Fortunately, Luz rescued King before the ritual could be completed and prevent the Trappers from following them.
Physical Appearance[]
The Collector wears a cloak that has celestial decorations on it; one side black with moons and stars, and the other grey with black suns. What they look like underneath the cloak, however, remains to be seen. As a spirit, it appears as a two-dimensional being with a half-split design; again with one side black with three sun symbols, and the other grey with three crescent moon symbols. They also have a half-moon face pattern and their head is shaped like a cowl.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Magic: While it is unknown if they are a witch or biped demon, the Collector has demonstrated that they can use magic.
- Flash bangs: The Collector can use flash bangs to blind an opponent.
- Shadow control: The Collector is shown to be able to manipulate shadows. They use this to trap anyone they wish to capture, or project themselves through living shadows.
- Binding: They can bind living beings to curses, transforming them into scrolls, as shown by what they did to the Owl Beast.
Trivia[]
- The Collector was listed in the credits for "Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Hooty's Door", but went unnamed in the episode itself. It was not until "Elsewhere and Elsewhen" that this name was mentioned.
- At the beginning of the scene where they catch the Owl Beast, a different titan skull shape can be seen in the background; that could either mean they at least caught the Owl Beast on another titan corpse archipelago, or that the Boiling Isles consist of more than one titan's corpse.
- In "Separate Tides", it is revealed that Eda has been cursed for about thirty years, meaning that the Collector turned the Owl Beast into the scroll more than or about thirty years ago.
- According to themselves, they lurk beneath the bones of the Titan that make up the Isles.
- According to Dana Terrace, the Collector uses he/him and they/them pronouns. This was shown when Philip referred to them with masculine pronouns.