Why Shadow Collector feels so different from our Current Collector: An Analysis | The Owl House
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- ⭐The Collector is a favourite of many Owl House fans, including myself-- But the shift in his character from season 2-3 has seemingly been a subject of debate, and perhaps a question you've wondered before too.
Some may accuse it of being inconsistent writing, while others may accuse it of malicious personality-- both of which are sentiments I disagree with. In this character analysis video, I have attempted to break down the reasoning (that I have inferred) behind these narrative shifts, and capture the emotional complexities that lie beneath the Collector's whimsical exterior-- in a manner that I hope may be cohesive and thought provoking for this lovely fandom.
This one goes out to all my fellow Collector apologists!
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🌙 Link to my Instagram:
/ gianimations
⭐ Link to the google document of my essay:
docs.google.com/document/d/11...
(^I am including this link for the sake of easy readability, as I know some prefer that, and I would like to make my work accessible for all to enjoy! However, please do not replicate my work without credit or permission.)
MUSIC USED IN THIS VIDEO:
♪ Rose (Prod. by Lukrembo)
Link : • lukrembo - rose (royal...
♪ With a Stamp by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: www.twinmusicom.org/
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This analysis is one that I have been working very hard on since FTF's release, and (I'm proud to say) is of my own original writing and love for TOH! Got any thoughts you'd like to share? Go ahead in the comments! I'd love to hear what you think of this topic too :3
Thank you to all who have subscribed and been so kind and patient with my progress on this video! I hope it was to your liking💜🦇 And a special "thanks to them" to my friends, who have helped proofread my scripts, etc! Love you guys!
Thanks for your support! And may we all survive the upcoming finale...
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--Contents of this Video--
00:00 - 1. Intro and Thesis
01:33 - 2.1. Shadow Collector in Design
04:30 - 2.2. Shadow Collector in Behaviour
13:20 - 3.1. Physical Collector in Design
16:45 - 3.2. Physical Collector in Behaviour
21:17 - 4. So What?
23:42 - Outro - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
Great analysis!! Keep it up :)
OMG thank you so much!!! :D That means a lot coming from you, I'm a huge fan of your content ‼️ 💜
Is it too late to have hope that it may have a season four I know the creator just left Disney but I just really did want to a season four of the owl House
@@ThristianSilas It's definitely too late, the story's wrapping up and ending with Watching and Dreaming.
it's the roundtable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh look it's roundtable
The fact his character literally resembles sun and moon iconography it makes so much sense that his personality could switch so dramatically, night and day
yeah ! i really love that symbolism ! it’s also extra interesting when you consider that his necklace pendant is of a crescent moon that’s half shadow half light, while King’s necklace (when the collector dresses him up) is fully light moon with no shadow. idk just a cool distinction of the moon stuff to me!
@@gianimations2 I never even noticed that! The attention to detail this show has is amazing, along with people’s observational skills
@@telitoons i know right! the crew seriously outdoes themselves every time, i love their little details !
(Daycare muisic plays)
@@gianimations2 I also have a feeling that both the Collector and King with their pendants are supposed to represent the duality between the two species. The Collectors were God like beings obsessed with order but their perception of it was black vs white ( his crescent moon symbol also somewhat resembles ying and yang but without the dots that hint at oganic unity between the two powers) while the Titans were chaotic but at the same time in that chaos both powers were united into a single whole. Thus we have an ironic paradox in which a being of primal chaos represents order and a being of cosmic order serves as an avatar of chaos.
At this point, Belos should have the official title, "The Betrayer of Children"
HAHAHA TRUE
💀
That’s actually not a bad title.
Also seems to exclusively lose to children
@@Glassie3731 he got beat up by a cool aunt that one time.
the same Cool Aunt who in season 1 he was too scared to fight so he sucker-punched her from underground so he could bully her cool niece.
i wonder how other collectors influenced our collector, how much of his behavior is because of their treatment
me too!! ah i really hope we get to see them somehow in the finale..
@@gianimations2 omg me too! or at least great huntsman. maybe they'll be the final threat because tbh i doubt they're extinct, sure titans can cancel their powers but when even the baby was such a challenge they needed to imprison him
@@nikoneo1174 true ! i was imagining though, perhaps baby collector was imprisoned because the titan wanted to show mercy for him since he’s just a child
@@nikoneo1174 also the way our collector scribbled over the book to say he wants to play instead of destroying etc, makes me wonder if the reason he was imprisoned is because the titan saw him wanting to play with the baby titans and assumed he was going to hurt them or something 🥲🥲
@@gianimations2 perhaps but i still don't think they're fully gone, the paintings in archives show that they didn't pay much attention to the collector so when the job was done they could easily ignore his disappearance. i think that because since the ocean is boiling they might have accomplish their goal and burn the air like the book said
One other massive factor. We’re shown twice that Luz remembers things differently from how they happened, just as we all do. Her memory of Belos’s memory of the collector, and her memory of her mother telling her to come home
But we need to remember that she sees Belos’s memories, and how else would Belos see such a being as the collector other than someone just as sadistic and evil as himself
That's what I was thinking.
I wonder if Luz realizing that all she ever wanted in life was to be understood will forshadow what the Collector truly wishes for out of his want to play games with others.
yeah, i see them as parallels in that sense! the collector and luz are truly connected in a deeper way, i can’t wait to see how it’ll pan out in the finale 💜
Anyways
Theres the answer
Final episode was fun. Definitely didn't cry!
@@TheSpencermacdougall gasp
In his shadow form, he was powerless, so he was exerting control through words. That was all he could do. Poems were his only toys and snarkinees to get a reaction from Belos was the only thing he could do to influence the real world. Outside his prison, he's basically all powerful. He's now living in a world that bends to his wishes on a dime, and that drastic change in agency would certainly impact anybody's behavior
Idk if it's just me, but the paintings in the archive appear to depict the collector being neglected and discarded by the others. It's no wonder why he doesn't want to be like them and just wants to feel important to someone
YES!!!!! i’ve been thinking about doing a video analysing the portraits one day!!! poor little boy didn’t look very cared for by the other collectors honestly🥲
@@gianimations2 plus as we found out In Watching And Dreaming he was used by his own SIBLINGS
@@davidtierney7941 Shame he got used by so many. Don't blame him for wanting to be different ether.
i remember seeing somewhere that the reason the collector attacked lilith when she flew with hooty to rescue king is because not only was she potentially trying to separate him for his new friend but also because lilith called king her nephew and by seeing belos' interactions with hunter, his "nephew", he associated the term with something negative and thought that by lilith calling king her nephew she considered him the same way bellos considers hunter
yes! :DD i’ve seen people say that too! (unfortunately, i only saw those posts after i already recorded all my audio, so i couldn’t include it in my video :P) and i totally agree with that take and i think it’s really interesting :O
i really hope he gets the chance to learn that lilith is actually really great and not everyone is horrible like belos 🥲
I feel his joking towards the Grimwalkers is also explained through his unknowing what death really is. Grimwalkers are just Belos’ toys and he chooses to just make another toy instead of fixing the one he broke
TRUE!!!
I’ve seen a lot of people say that the collector is like spinel. A dumbed down version of the scary and developed person they once were for no apparent reason. I feel like your analysis perfectly counters this by showing how instead of the collectors change dumbing him down it almost develops the person he is even more. It makes sense why he copies everyone, It makes sense why he has no perception of death, it makes sense why he wants to just play games… he’s a child
yes exactly!!! you get it!!! :D also i LOVE SPINEL SO MUCH!!!
an immortal child at that! The fact he must learn that his "friends" will eventually leave him when they die, and how aging takes a toll on morals and their abilities; It must really be something that he has to process to wrap his head about. I don't blame him :(
Wait I'm confused, how does any of that apply to spinel?
@@pumpkinpartysystemin steven universe future they watered her character down a lot in my opinion, i dont think thats why people compare her to the collector tho more so that theyve both been abandoned for a long time and just want friends to hang out with and play (i love both with my whole heart and would do anything for them)
11:37 this was such a good way to put it. and it honestly feels like someone finally understands what this kid was really going through.
they're not "throwing a tantrum" or "being a brat". he's hurt! who wouldn't be if this happend to them first hand!! it feels comforting seeing someone properly point it out for what is is instead of getting frustrated or annoyned with the Collector in this scene.
also, considering how good this video was, i'm really excited to see what else you have to say about him! (seriously though, 23:57 looked like a lot)
Thank you so much!!! it’s nice to see that there are people who agree :33 The Collector is just a lil kid and deserves to be treated kindly like one
Wait, do people seriously call their behavior in this scene irrational? I'm not surprised but still. Even if you thought they were evil, it's absurd to think they were being bratty here..
"There is nothing more pure and cruel than a child." -Cowboy Bebop
I kind of enjoy that the Collector is so.. _detached,_ from whoever he's bound himself to. Because, given the right influence, taught the right lessons, and pointed in the right direction, _regardless_ of how little he genuinely cares, or who he is deep down inside, the amount of _good_ he can do is immeasurable- and he doesn't need to be some kind of _paragon_ to do it.
It's something people get wrong about, well, other people. You can be a _bad, scary, potentially dangerous monster_ inside, or feel nothing, and _still_ do everything in your power for the good of others, even if in a roundabout way- like acting for yourself.
Even sociopaths don't _want_ to be hated- and too often do people treat others who are _empty_ inside, as if they have _more_ of a capacity for evil in them.
One of the things I noticed in him is that even if he is a child like god, one trait that is very common is that he doesn’t see the consequences of his actions
yeah! i think about half his character redemption would be complete once he realises that part
@Yippeesha11 Watching Luz vanish and then not being able to fix it established that there are things even he can't undo. He couldn't fix her himself, and someone else had to. Plus, his powers not working as well means he can understand what it's like to be vulnerable. He experienced fear and loss, meaning he could finally understand what it felt like to other people.
I absolutely agree with your analysis. The only concrete parts of his character are that he has immeasurable power, and he is a child. Being a child he wants to be accepted. Belos being an adult and king being a kid definitely affected how he behaved. I won’t tell you the number of kids I met who acted as a bully because that how their parents taught them to behave but when shown good friends would go along with what their friends were doing. I was also a kid that changed my behavior to ‘fit in’ because I was lonely - all the girls were talking about boys and though I had no interest in them I pretended I did to connect with them.
Children are highly influenced by those around them which is why his behavior shifted.
exactly!!! the collector is so relatable like that, i’m really glad the writers took such an intricately realistic approach to his character !
@@gianimations2 if I may barge in, I tried that with football, but it went so south I never tried again (I started a huge fight because of overcompensation of that pretense). But when I saw I wasn't the only person in the world who saw no sense in it, I felt better. I pretty much never pretended to like anything again.
@@JabamiLain thanks for sharing your experience! i’ve had ones similar to yours as well, it’s certainly comforting knowing we aren’t alone in our interests etc. i’m glad you don’t feel the need to pretend to like things for others anymore! it’s an unfortunate predicament that’s all too common, and not even a fictional deity like the collector seems to be immune to it🥲🥲
@@gianimations2 same, I wouldn't love him as much as I am if he was just psyhopat/next bill Clipher
I love them and how Dana created Collector's personality
@@Chillsbf so true !
Whao! This was incredible! One of the most insightful TOH analysis vids I’ve seen! The fact that he’s trying to literally and figuratively take over Luz’s role in King’s life was a detail about his character that I kinda overlooked. I just thought “oh that’s just to set up a conflict with Luz in the finale because he’s jealous of her.” But comparing that to how he acted so much more sinister around Belos puts his whole character in a different perspective. Somehow you made me love him even more haha. Keep up the great work! Can’t wait to see what else you make in the future
thank you so much!!!! i’m really glad you liked it
I like how this video describe Collector and it makes alot of sense now why his shadow form is more sinister then his physical form. He doesn’t have his own moral compass. He’s just a follower of someone else. I believe it’s cause he’s a naive people pleaser who will do anything to be accepted. He’s an impressionable child who is desperate to be loved.
yep, exactly !
This is a psychological assessment masterclass. His species is comprised of individuals who have no inherent self. They take in the universe and they govern lesser beings. But being the first child of his kind, when he defied his predecessor’s expectations, he was left with nothing. No identity off the Singular Path, literally written in stone. And so their worst nightmare happened. The Titans were a Top Tier Serious Threat, to have been all but completely eradicated. And now their youngest member joins forces with the enemy? The King and The Collector, brothers for all time. They share the same eyes and everything.
Finally someone talked about this shadow collector feels so different from the current collector
You know when i first saw the collector, i thought they were just immature or child coded, i didn't expect him to ACTUALLY be a child. It really puts hos and bellos relationship into perspective, same thing with hunter, i didn't expect him to be 16. All of this does make belos more despicable though, rest in pieces.
yeah! it’s just extra evil the way belos manipulates literal children all the time >:((
I wasn't fond of the change whatsoever, and thought it made no sense. I was even reluctant through watching this video. When you mentioned Collector's insecure lines in the mirror, that was the moment of realization that tied your point together for me. That's the evidence that shows the connection between shadow collector and freed collector's personality. That's all that was missing for me to be honest. I also think everything else you stated makes sense, especially that Belos' influence on the Collector is different from King's.
thanks! that means a lot to me
Also, I want to mention that in an abusive situation, kids or anyone really, usually, will act different, versus being out of one. In abnormal situations, abnormal behavior is normal. I know someone in my life and they're out of that abusive situation now, but the way they acted around that abusive person and the way they acted when they weren't around them was different. It's not surprising there was such a change in personality. King didn't abuse the Collector like Belos did.
I do think that this is a really good analysis! Also random thought; the collector probably can still shape-shift on walls and stuff like that, it would just look extremely cursed lol.
oh my lord that would look horrifying...i NEED to see it..
23:17 it's interesting to note that we might have gotten a bit of that at the end of episode 2, where they decide that they don't want to play "owl house" anymore, since while the choice might have been due to manipulation from belos, him actually choosing a different game, as opposed to all the other times, where they only ever suggest new games.
yep! i can’t wait to find out what “game” it will be in the next episode ! still though, it’s kinda sad that even then his actions were nudged and manipulated by belos :(
i hope he can get redeemed and then play all the fun games he wants with king and luz🥲
the collector gives me major asriel/flowey undertale vibes. a villain with two very different designs who we discover was just an isolated little kid acting malicious for the sake of having some kind of a friend who's level of villainy gets debated in the fanbase. man.
I'm reminded of Lilo and Stitch and her approach with an agent of chaos. "You know, you wreck everything you touch. Why not try and make something for a change?" Makes me wonder if that kind of direction could change the Collector. Also from Lilo and Stitch, naming him might happen in the finale
yes!!! i really love that idea! he deserves his own real name-- one that wasn't borrowed or only a reflection of his species :,,,
Physical form Collector needs a hug, like he needs someone to comfort and emotionally support him, hence why King is perfect
this video was like a jab to the throat. as a HUGE collector kinnie, everything you described in this video-- down to the "playing pretend" parts described me. there was not a single thing in this video that didn't sound like my life, and it was certainly a hard watch because this made me think about aspects of my own life that I didn't understand prior
I'm glad you could relate to the video, and I hope you're doing alright ! It's nice to see a Collector kinnie
Isn’t it just 💥❤💥❤️ how characters can be that important
@@rulersreach4n455 heartbreaking?
@@glasscardproductions4736 no! Lol like explosions (good explosions) of energy in your heart.
@@rulersreach4n455, oh okies :3
This is a pretty good explanation of the differences. It makes sense because when Belos finally revealed his trickery to the Collector he goes into full on pouty child mode ( "LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIREEEEEEEEE!" XD).
thanks! hehe the "liar liar" line is one of my favs in the whole show
The part about shadow Collector's inability to rhyme being a hint of their insincerity is an interesting observation. After all, similar was done with Darius - "You'll regret what you did to my cloak! And your treachery, whatever."
Well i mean the "we should put the losers on the moon" thing is pretty terrifying. But shadow collector has always felt really meancing.
agreed! but when he said it, it was pretty clear that he didn’t know what was wrong with that sentiment. with shadow collector, it felt like he 100% knew
@@gianimations2 king also said they would have a hard time to breathe to which he responded with "they can just hold their breath"
sp yeah, you're right
Jesus Christ this video is INCREDIBLE! I *love* The Collector but his change in character had always bugged me a bit, because my brain has a hard time letting things go lmao. But everything you said in this video makes absolutely perfect sense and I will be considering it canon from now on haha
hehe thank you so much!!
I absolutely loved this, so many interesting insights. I loved the part about how the same clothes that looked so childish and playful on our collector looked so regal and elegant on the other collectors
thank you so much! i appreciate it
That certain feeling when everything that has been thought about before and hasn't been making sense actually makes sense after an analysis is the best feeling ever. And this video certainly made a whole bunch of people that watched it(and will watch it, because your work deserves to be shown to a lot of people!) feel this feeling. So, "thank you" is all I am saying! This is one of my favorite-ever analyses now!
thank you so much!!! you are too kind💜when i made this video, i really did hope to bring that feeling to others
I don't really think he changed at all, I think our understanding of them did. If you look at what he said and did, all of it does actually track with the Collector's personality; at least if we keep in mind how long they've been trapped and alone. It's just that we weren't expecting that childish personality to run so deep, so we saw and felt Malice where none truly existed. He talks about breaking people the same way in Hollow Mind as he does in Watching and Dreaming; at least until the lesson is learned I mean. It's interesting though, how a single detail obscured can give the exact same character such a different feel. There was an experiment done once, where people would be shown the picture of a smiling man; but the clip being shown first was different. People shown a clip of a child playing saw the smile as friendly and kind, maybe he's a father or wants to be. Those shown a clip of a woman sun bathing were universally creeped the fuck out by the smile, thinking he was a pervert or even a pedo. Exact same picture of the exact same man smiling, no changes but the clip shown prior and the man himself isn't even in said clip; but even people shown both versions swore it was a different, sleazier smile when it was the exact same picture.
Edit: Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk.
He reminds me a lot of a kid I babysat when I was younger. He was 3 at the time, and he’d been through two foster homes before his current family. Because of that, he was an angry, cruel, untrusting kid. But he was still just a kid, and he just wanted adult figures he could trust and people he could play with, yknow?
This is a broad stroke, but the collector is literally just a kid who was abandoned.
SPOILERS
I LOVE that they didn’t kill him off! It serves so much for his character to be finally understood and befriend the main characters (Luz & Friends) :D
I'm glad too considering he's just a lonely kid who doesn't know any better plus I don't see Disney approving the death of a child even if he's millions of years old
In short and simply put, it’s a mix of their influence of who they were around (Belos and King) and their living situation, (one trapped and one free).
7:40 I tried to finish this the best I could; “Betrayed, beguiled alone, deceived, we have our revenge on those who’ve thieved!”
(Cuz of belos’s past with Evelyn and how she stole his brother from him in his eyes or smth)
OMG I LOVE THAT, a terrific rhyme !
I wonder if the Collector's ending will be similar to Gideon's ending of Gravity Falls. Gives up power to try to be a regular kid.
omg yes🤯
Ahh no.. he went back to sky and become a better Achievist... As they are called tbh.. he wanted to gain more knowledge..more skills... To grow more mature... I think if he grows up more mature and responsible and be an adult... He would be a powerful entity... Its nice to have an ally that is equal to a god..ahahahaha...
Maybe in a spinoff
This video was SO AMAZING!!! Collie (Collector) is one of my top 3 characters and it feels awesome to see an in depth analysis of his character and for someone else to have the same views on his character as I do! I loved the detail of the shadow puppet esque design and the symbolism behind that, as well as them being a hurt little kid :( they definitely have a long way to go for redemption but I can’t wait to see where he ends up in the finale
YAY THANK YOU SM!!!
Same
@@gianimations2 Agree its adorable nickname
I love them ♥️♥️
That nickname made me realize that being called "Collector" can be another way of showing his lack of self-identity. "Collector" is not a name, it's the title of his species, calling him "Collector" is the same as calling Luz "Human", it only describes what they are, not *who* they are.
Maybe in the last special they'll give him an actual name if he finally finds his own identity. Hopefully Collie will become canon.
@@gabriellopez4100 Exactly! You get me lmao, I feel the exact same, I always he deserved his own name rather then just basically a title, and hey another reason Collie and Luz are similar! and maybe more foreshadowing to a bond between them ^^
I like to imagine that we are absolutely _threatened_ when Collector says he wants to play a game, but by the time he finally gets to play a game of his own choosing, it's as innocent as it can be, albeit far from human comprehension. Like, imagine if all he wanted to do is play hide and seek, but use his powers for it. Nothing that is really detrimental to human life.
This video goes so well with the last episode of the owl house. The fact that at the end he returned to the stars cause he had growing up to do just fits with what you explained
thanks! im glad it did hehe
THIS ANALYSIS IS INCREDIBLE!! I love this part especially 3:16
I never noticed the connection between Shadow Collector and shadow puppets, it makes a ton of sense. You did such an amazing job on this, I'm definitely subscribing.
thank you so much!!! that’s one of my fav parts, i’m glad you like it
I agree with a lot of the point in this video. I was under the impression that the collector’s malice was an influence of Belos’ behavior. This was a fantastic video and I’m definitely down for more in the future.
thank you sm!
9:28 this definitely explains a lot and is making me realize that I'm actually very very familiar with this kind of behavior in my own experience with abuse.
Sometimes, in order to get into good graces with the abuser, we separate ourselves from others who are also abused in an attempt to be on the same level as the abuser and hopefully avoid the same fate.
Overall, great video!!! Keep up the good work!
thanks!
I never thought of it like that. I always thought it was jarring that the collector mood changed the second he became a physical being. Seeing that King often acts like a child and the collector sees king as his way to express himself is something that makes me like the character more now. But I think King will probably lead the collector on the right path and help him make his own conscious decisions.
I just discovered this video after the ending, and I'm happy to say that it holds up.
One thing I noticed is that when we see the other Collector in a flashback capturing the owl beast they're both manipulating shadows AND using the bright, colorful spells we've seen from our Collector
This reinforces the point even further
The Collector knows how to control shadows and used that power while inside that mirror because it was the only way he could interact with people, but once he's freed and isn't FORCED TO anymore... he only uses colorful spells
Something interesting to me is the collector doesn't trust his siblings anymore but still goes back to the stars so maybe dana had their parents planned or there's archivists who are bad that we could've met first and then archivists who are neutral or good that they didn't interact with much before being trapped. The archivists & their relationship with the collector just interest me so much🤩
how many references to the moon cycle and how it changes is insane in this character, Dana and her team are so creative for being able to come up with all of this
I think that the fact he is a child shouldn’t be overlooked, as you know children are often craving attention. He craved the attention of others and doesn’t wish to be left alone, thus why he uses his power in such a way. And children (as you said) often follow their role-models or superiors, I think that there was more of a reason to the collector being a child other than immaturity and gullibility
Btw, apologies if my mic quality isn’t top notch ! I don’t exactly have professional equipment for recording audio😵💫However, I’ve typed and made subtitles available for the video, hope that helps!
This video seemed so professional! You took tons of time on your script and digging in, giving me completely different outlook on the collector as a whole. I hope you continue to grow with your content and knowledge upon stories and characters. =]
@@shihtzusandtoys thank you so much!! that means a lot to me
@@gianimations2 you’re welcome:> have a great day/night
The collector ♥️🤝♥️luz noceda 👏🙏
The collector ♥️🤝♥️luz noceda 💯👍🙏👏
This analysis is really good. I like the connections you made with how Shadow Collector was manipulated by Belos thinking all of it was part of their friendship to then Current Collector manipulating others into being his puppet play things for his supposed friendship with King.
thanks! i appreciate it💜
I really appreciate this analysis. I've been trying to picture Physical Collector saying the things that Shadow Collector did, such as the little poem when we first met him, and I could never get a clear picture. This video helps give me understanding as to why I struggled seeing them as the same.
thank you so much! i’m so happy to hear that. i struggled with that at first too until i remembered those scenes where he was talking to himself in a really anxious way as a shadow! i’m glad i could help💜💜
This video is great! As a college student studying your field, these kinds of analysis are fantastic and developing this corner of your brain will get you a long way in any halfway decent college with a film program. I'm not going to a school known for its film program, but it's good enough and being articulate about analyzing characters and fiction has gotten me ahead in my studies quite frequently. Keep pursuing your interests, you have a bright future ahead of you!
thank you so much for your encouraging words! it means a lot to me
I've been excited for this since you suggested it, and I fully believe it was worth the wait. Also at 13:55 it looks like he is staring into my soul.
thank you so much! i’ve always appreciated your support very much, you’re awesome!💜
and yes, *feel the burn of the collector’s eyes into your soul*
This essay was brilliant, and almost made me cry. The Collector has been one of my favorite characters for a while now, and you've managed to make me not only appreciate him/them more, but also yearn for his redemption (and fear for their downfall) just as much. Tysm 🥰
aww thank you so much! that means a lot to me, the collector is my fav too! im so glad you like the analysis
@@gianimations2 I subscribed as soon as the essay ended, without even knowing what other kinds of content you do. I'm really looking forward to your next cartoon analysis, but I'll gladly watch other stuff as well ☺️
@@enbyarchmage you’re so kind!!!! as a growing channel, it’s very much appreciated💜💜thank you for the sub and support😭people like you make me even more motivated to create content !
The fact that you seem to understand The Collector this much is impressive. Very well-made video. 🙂
thank you so much! :3
5:58 these are my thoughts exactly. You articulated this so well. After watching the finale, I think that this applies even more so to The Collector. There is a level of self-awareness to his character, i.e. he knew it was ‘all pretend’, yet this is juxtaposed with his childlike naivety. He yearns for company and for friendship, yet the only way he knows how to maintain such things is by acting according to what he believes others wish to hear from him. It is a very childlike mentality that is indicative of his lack of experience with genuine friendships and meaningful connections with others; it is utterly tragic, especially considering how much he relied and trusted Belos and subsequently King.
ITS HEREEEE
seriously your analysis skills blow me away every time. feel honored to have read the script in advance hehe
can't wait for your other analyses!! i wish we could dropkick the school's incessant deadlines into the boiling aisles :''')
AAAAAA THANK YOU BESTIE‼️‼️‼️
sigh fr if only school wasn’t holding us back… but also THANK YOU SM AGAIN for helping me make sure my scripts were in check and everything !!!!! you da best!! 🤭💜
You nailed it and more with The Collector we know.
Them just being a child who likely isn't outright malicious normally but isn't aware of a lot of things morally. It's why I don't want him to die, I sooner believe he'd do the right thing or at least try to compared to Belos. Belos is legit stuck in the past, stuck in the past so hard, not even another human, Luz, can point out to him that times have changed from her words, let alone actions or even worse, his statement about witches being evil... was wrong. Or maybe he doesn't want Luz to be right because then, Belos would be the "bad guy" he's supposed to be hunting. Because then, all of what he's done would be for nothing. Makes me wonder if Belos also hates being alone, so he tries to grasp on a shadow of Caleb but one he tries to mold like play-doh each time and every time, never satisfied since the Grimwalkers have a better moral compass than Belos does. Interesting how he looks more monstrous akin to a demon in some stories about witches, compared to Luz. Especially since he acts like a monster in a lot of areas. Further more, Luz allowed her palisman, a witch's familiar in this setting, to take form in whatever they wanted, Belos, in contrast kept taking palisman magic (which also might be their souls?) to even trying to force the Grimwalkers he created into something HE wants, never what THEY wanted. And if they ever wanted outside of what Belos wants, that's it. They're dead. Onto the next one.
I feel like it hits harder with Flapjack's sacrifice, which shows that Hunter can inherit the powers when it's given by the palisman themself, not taken like Belos did to the others. Because note, he can only shapeshift and it seems to not be great on his body in hindsight, likely due to being originally human (he sure ain't one now) and maybe even if he took magic from palisman, it always locked him out of their more unique abilities, similar to Flapjack's intangible super speed or teleportation. Sure it could be Hunter being born from the same wood as a palisman and thus can obtain and/or use that magic more with not as ill effects but still, a interesting parallel to make about palisman treatment overall.
Lol now I wanna see another Belos video XD
But yeah this character analysis is Top Tier, 10/10 would love to see you do this for another character! :3
thank you so much! and thanks for leaving this comment, it was very fun and insightful to read! belos is so interesting to study especially, because he's just so cruel and twisted and has such an intricate backstory :O anyway, thank you for your words of encouragement! i certainly hope i can make analyses of other characters sometime :DD
i also have so many thoughts about the collector. It's interesting how the collector's facial colors can be read as a crescent moon (waxing or waning) or a sun being eclipsed. They're both symbols of transition. It makes me wonder if we will see a color shift on his face (all purple or all yellow) reflect a total eclipse/new moon or full moon. And considering what you said that the collector's only ever played other people's games, I wonder what game they choose to play at the end of for the future. Maybe a twist on hide and seek or tag? It was their first suggestion to King and even the star lookout things are seekers who 'tag' and transform whoever is found into puppets. Also, what if King's permanent solution is to get rid of the collector's power altogether and have them just be a regular child who can play with other kids. (king of the slide?)
omgYES!!! i've long been thinking about those two games in particular as what his new "game" will be! and given how he put a twisted spin on 'tag' when he was mad at belos, i wouldn't be surprised if that's what he is gonna do for King, I think 'hide and seek' would be a thrilling one to watch!
this video changed my mind about the collector!! i hadn’t looked into it deeply enough. i thought the design and personality change was a downgrade because of how sinister the collector seemed at first, and felt disappointed that he was basically harmless (of course he has reality-bending power, but him being simply a misunderstood kid doesn’t feel as threatening as he did before). i understand his character more and now can appreciate him!!
yay! that makes me so happy to hear
"You liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar!" - Collector
(I don't remember if it was 6 times, more than 6, or less-)
It's worth mentioning that the Collector scenes on Hollow Mind all take place within Belos' memories.
Every time we see a flashback, something changes. The scenes in the new episode and the one before it have slightly different lines, giving off the vibe of it being remembered incorrectly.
Heck, even THAT EXACT SCENE is showed in the next episode, with The Collector's playful rhyme of "We'll play forever, me and you, when you paint the land in nine bright hues" being changed to a much more violent "Let's slash and rend and crush and bruise, let's curse the land in nine bright hues."
Concitering how fickle memories are shown to be, it's entirely possible that Belos was remembering things differently. It's not hard to believe that a godly man such as himself would prefer thinking the kid he's been manipulating for centuries is some evil villain rather than the scared child he really is.
It just adds another layer onto the question of who The Collector is as a person, and how much is just a front to avoid being cast aside.
true! i think Belos is extremely conceited so that would not be a shocker either. But given how his memory of Hunter in the same scene where he comes to give belos the portal key + how mean collector acts with belos outside of that one flashback scene, i do think that indeed, the collector had been poorly influenced to act mean in general. But i would like to see if possibly belos had remembered things wrong, i think that would be really interesting for the show to perhaps explore that notion! sigh belos truly is the ultimate villain...poor collector :,,((
I like how this core aspect of his character ties neatly into the "thesis" of the owl house, of fully embracing your identity no matter how others see you. In a way then, the Collector could act as a foil to Luz from a different angle than how Belos acts as a foil. While Luz lets herself be as weird as she wants and constantly comes up with her own methods of doing things, the Collector cares far too much about what others think about him... I think this is probably going to be the route Dana Terrace will take the Collectors redemption in for the last episode and I for one, am extremely excited to see it!
exactly! the way the thematic ideas of the owl house fall so perfectly and neatly into place at almost every juncture makes this show so endlessly interesting to analyse and i really love the message it pushes!!!! im so excited for the finale too!!!
I teared up a bit when she called King a good kid cause he is. He's a certified boo-boo buddy
Huh Call King a good kif
Something else id like to bring to mind when it comes to how Collector interacts with King: Children can display an astounding lack of empathy at certain ages, and can struggle with seeing other view points. Hes also never interacted with another child before, but has interacted Belos and learned Adult = Authority = Potential danger.
So seeing adults as a threat, combined with underdeveloped empathy, plus not knowing just how to talk to other kids, you get to a lot of the one sided interactions King and Collector have.
This video's been sitting in my 'Watch Later' for a while now, and I've been looking forward to watching it prior to the finale. And boy, does it deliver! You've got an excellent eye for detail, nothing the pinky swear and the pyjama-like nature of his outfit. Now I feel pretty bad for how he's got no way out. He wants to be a kid, but he's too powerful for anyone to let their guard down around him.
thank you so much! 💜
Man, your analysis made me realise I can relate to the Collector. No solid sense of identity, wildly code switching for different people in desperate attempts for approval... Man I REMEMBER those days. Not a great time, made me a weird kid.
i know right! it's so strangely familiar and relatable!
My guess is that due to the almost complete isolation for what I'm assuming to be centuries trapped by the plate (?), except for Belos's interactions with them later in life; they were influenced by his plans and went along with the 'game' as it was the only option available, and at the time, seemed like the right/best thing to do. But when they were released, it allowed them to interact with others and be influenced by them.
His face is literally the combination of sun and moon iconography, which I attribute to their emotions, being somewhat unstable, going from extremely one side of the emotional spectrum to the other. It also reminds me of the masks of joy and sorrow seen in the theatrical arts. His galaxy sun and moon motifs help establish him as a being transcending a mere mortal while also showing personality wise he can switch night and day. We’ve seen a little of that when he can get snappy and defensive due to trauma but I wonder if there’s a darker side to this. I mean it may be how, since he doesn’t seem to understand all the nuances behind his actions that he may be playing a game but it’s hurt my the people around him. I honestly wish we got anothet season. We’d be able to explore this more. Not only one of the most interesting characters of Disney but in western animation in Gerald
THIS VIDEO IS LITERALLY EVERYTHING IVE EVER NEEDED IN LIFE JUST HE’S SO INTERESTING AND HOW YOU PUT EVERYTHING IN THIS VIDEO IT’S JUST SO GOOD I LOVE THIS YOU SEEM LIKE SUCH A COOL PERSON TO TALK TO IM SO HYPERFIXATED ON THE COLLECTOR AS WELL HE IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING CHARACTERS IVE SEEN AND YOUR ANALYSIS OF THEM WAS SO COOL AND FUN TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO!!!! SORRY IF IM KINDA FREAKING OUT BUT YEAH I CANT WAIT TO HEAR MORE OF YOUR THOUGHTS
AAA THANK YOU SO MUCH YOURE SO SWEET AND AWESOME‼️‼️HIGH FIVE FOR BEING APART OF THE COLLECTOR HYPERFIXATION GANG HEHEHE
I figured before that the Collectors behavior change was because he was playing a role, but this put that into a more clearer and nuanced context. Thanks for the additional perspective!
yay! glad to hear that!! thanks so much :33
Good gosh, you came up with a perfect explanation for my problems between season two and three collector! It’s certainly delightful! Thank you for making this video!
yay! that means so much to me
This is a fantastic video essay!! The fact that he can shift and change depending on who’s he around is such a good observation and honestly makes a lot of sense. Good job!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
thank you! :D
I love such analysis so much to learn. thinking about these stuff and puting them into words are two diffrent things and you have done marvelously. thanks to this video I realized that the collector has another aspect of been relateable as we all have trouble sometimes distinguish between overlooking and forgiving other's behaviour. both are necessery to form relationships.
Your script writing is also amazing for being your first video essay! Like your metaphors and use of voice as if your talking as the collector with your “he wouldn’t do that, right” like it’s just so good!
aaaa thank you so much!!!
This video was amazing as it both made me love Collector entire story+design even more and help me understand some parts of him while I get a bit, not fully understand of “Why do they act a lot different here compared to now?”. This analysis is what I’ve been waiting for and you done Colly justice so well! I hope 100% that in WAD that Colly will be redeemed(well really more of just brought to the right side, they aren’t straight up evil) and that they can be given the friendship they deserve and can play new games with his true friends 💙💛
Edit: Just wanted to add a thank you as you are feeding us Collector fans good since I haven’t seen a full analysis of them yet.
thank you so much!! i love collector so so much, i’m so glad i could provide a helpful analysis for my fellow collie lovers 💜💛💙 i hope he gets redeemed too! honestly it’s up to him at this point to make that choice, and im sure he’ll make the right decision in the end
okay. yeah. if i was stuck in some lonely pocket dimension, no way out at all, just there by myself, and was there for potentially a couple thousand years, i probably WOULD cling onto whoever would find me, whether they're good or not.
I saw a really fascinating comment about the collector that I'll do my best to paraphrase from memory.
TC spent 400 years eith Philip/Belos and saw him abuse and discard countless Grimwalkers. We know Belos frame his relationship with hunter as Uncle & Nephew, and he likely did the same with last GW's.
As such TC grew to associate the term "Nephew" with someone who is a pawn, tool, discardable, invaluable, ect.
This is why he gets aggressive toward Lilith when she says "Stay away from.my nephew!" Because he takes that as a threat and attacks her and Hooty to (in his mind) protect King.
yeah!!! that's honestly such an insightful observation the fandom made! i would have included that in the video had i caught on to that detail before completing my script hehe. thanks for sharing!
honestly given how many hundreds of years alone with only bellos as company? The collector is in a fantastic place frankly.
i'm revisiting this video after the finale and i just wanted to say i think you hit the nail exactly on the head! (especially with your thoughts on the collector's development.)
will you consider doing a full retrospective analysis of the collector and perhaps belos now that the series is over?
I agree
He goes from not really caring about people too much to rebellious because he cares or vice versa
The only thing I don't like about the last episode is the misunderstanding of the collector thinking king has betrayed him or has been taken from him. That kind of situation stresses me out a bit
yes same! it’s so stressful💔💔i hope their reconciliation won’t take too long
I'd have to say it's probably due to long periods of isolation and probably picking up bits of sadism off of bellows, the only other person he's had communication with for who-knows-how-long, maybe even hundreds of years. And something tells me that the ability to play and run around and talk to who seems to be a genuine friend instead of a cold quiet old man probably would cause someone psyche to flip flop
What I'd REALLY love is for the Collector to realize that he and Luz actually have a lot in common (feeling like an outcast back where they came from, wanting to be understood and accepted, being manipulated and used by Belos, etc.) and for them to bond over it!
same !!!
@@gianimations2 And it happened!!! 🥰
@@MegaFafnir WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!
seeing this comment months after toh ended is crazy. Like, it took a lot for people to realize how much they have in common.
Ooohh I love this analysis! Also makes make sense that they were trapped in a mirror…
thanks
damn this is some really good and interesting analysis. good analysis expands on the not explicitly said using the implicitly said-I think it's particularly useful in the owl house because of how much detail the show has and because of how little actual screen time it gets in the third season, leaving much left unshown except for background details.
or essentially, thank you for helping me to see more of the brilliance of one my favorite shows when there isn't much of it left and it's increasingly hard to do so due to outside forces.
thank you so much for your kind words! i’m happy to have been able to provide useful analysis to you :,)) 💜
@@gianimations2 your welcome, and keep it up!
I liked the Collector when he didn't have his physical form. He was much more better in my eyes, but this video was just so awesome and descriptive, literally being your first cartoon analysis! It showed me do many things I wasn't able to.
thank you so much! and yeah, i get why you'd prefer the old collector haha. his general vibe was really captivating !
@@gianimations2 Yeah
I came across this after the finale, and it was interesting to see the point about the Collector getting a revelation, about death. What insights we get about his backstory imply he lived such a sheltered existence where his family didn't explain how death works. Since he's immortal and can do almost whatever he wants, he didn't see death as a big deal.
Even then, based on how King's father confirmed the Collector's story of what led to him being imprisoned, we get the hint that the Collector's fun wasn't actually hurting anybody until being imprisoned took its toll on his mental health.
Once the Collector finally understood how fragile life was, he risked his life to save everyone else.
16:43 holy shit u just opened my eyes to a parallel between him and luz that i never realised
Oh I know the experience of having to pretend and say things that weren't true to please the adults and to stay safe. Trying to please and mimic what they want so they don't me as I try to make a stable relationship.
It's a lot to ask of a child to do most of the work in attempting to make connections while the adult uses it to their advantage.
I truly believe he acts in accordance to who he is around as well. It seems clear as soon as we see him with King, not hurting anyone beaides Belos.
yeah!
Echoing the other comments, this is not only such a thorough analysis, but well-structured and presented too! If this is your first cartoon analysis video, I can’t wait to see where you go :D
thank you so much!!! :D it means a lot to me
I LOVE HIM EITHER WAY OKAY
ME TOO‼️‼️‼️COLLECTOR APOLOGIST 5EVER
@@gianimations2 IT'S ALWAYS THE ONES WHO STUDY FILMS WHO OBSESS OVER HIM ISTG I STUDY CINEMA TELEVISION TOO
@@Novasium OMGGG WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON BDHAHAHA
@@gianimations2 DONT TELL ME YOU KIN HIM TOO
I have the theory that the Collector was that sadistic for not being able to have contact with more people other than Belos and that he wasn't concious of the concequences of he's actions to mortals like Luz points out in the final episode
Please don't stop making more analysis videos. This one's so great!
thank you!!!! :DD
This is beautiful. Absolutely incredible.
The Collector is my favourite character, and you have said every thought I’ve had on them, and more.
I had to rewind it multiple times because I was reeling so much from a lot of theories you had.
Really well made, good job :D
thank you so much! The collector is my fav too
You know, i really like people who look at something perceived as plain, and simple. Like, i don't know, a fictional character and then proceed to examine said character from every angle, molding something that was simple and plain into something complex. Or, rather, in this instance, uncovering a secret layer to a seemingly 2 dimensional character which just makes me appreciate the character more. I'm so glad someone made a video about this, not just because it has something to do with my favorite Space Cherub from The Owl House, but because I, too, have wondered the same question this video is all about. Thank you.