The Collector (Hollow Knight)

"My love! My love! Protected at last!"

- The Collector

The Collector is a minor antagonist and optional boss in Hollow Knight. He is a strange shadowy figure, obsessed with preserving creatures in jars with extremist beliefs that his actions will conserve them from the Infection, regardless or not if they are already infected yet. He is also responsible for separating the Grubfather from his 46 children, who he spread across all regions of the Hollownest.

Biography
The Collector can be found within the Tower of Love in the City of Tears, but requires the Love Key to get inside, which can be found in the Queen's Garden. The Tower can only be entered from the deep elevator shaft between Kingdom's Edge and the City of Tears. Upon reaching the top of the tower, the Knight will be attacked by the Collector, who laughs insanely before beginning the battle.

The Collector rapidly jumps around the room, avoiding the Knight's attacks and attempts to grab them at the best timing. Occasionally, he will jump to the ceiling and throw jars from below, some of which contain three common enemies: Vengeflies, Baldurs, and Aspids. Having the Nail upgraded to the Channelled Nail and higher will defeat all three of them in one hit.

Upon defeat, unlike most bosses who simply explode, the Collector must be slashed until he explodes, where he lets out one last laugh before falling over and disintegrates into a liquid.

Defeating the Collector grants the Knight the Collector's Map, which labels the locations for all remaining Grubs that the Knight has not yet rescued.

Trivia

 * Due to the Collector's shadow appearance, some speculate that he is made of the Void much like the Vessels and The Hollow Knight. There is a mound in a hidden room in the White Palace in the shape almost identical to the Collector, implying that he is a creation from The Pale King, who also created the Vessels.
 * Despite this theory, possessing the Void Heart does not one hit kills the Collector.
 * The Collector is one of the few bosses to not give the Knight SOUL when struck.
 * The Collector's theme is a distorted remix of "Decisive Battle".
 * If the Knight dies to the Collector, upon return, their Shade is preserved in a jar in the Tower of Love.