The Collective is a mysterious, hivemind-like group of entities who manipulate the world through mortal vessels. Each member has been converted into a powerful being by the Administrator, but exists as its servant, pacified and controlled like a puppet by a puppeteer. You can find here all videos that the Collective posted on Noah's channel.
Photo of the Collective posted right before the link to the video DEATHTRAPEXODUS. From left to right: Mr. Scars, Cursor, Persolus, Observer, Administrator, Deadhead, Swain, Firebrand.
Background
According to the Observer's Formspring answers, the Collective has been around for a very long time, existing at the time of World War II in the 1940's, and most likely a very long time before then. The Collective's numbers are unquantifiable, but there are several prominent members. The Collective is described as a limb of the Administrator. In DEATHTRAPEXODUS, Firebrand reveals that the Administrator gives them "great power", yet deprives them of their free will. The Collective exists in a separate realm, where time moves non-linearly.
Each member has their own obligations, and each appears to be following different people. The Observer follows Noah and Deadhead appears to have been following Sebastian, the writer of Karl's journal. There is also some evidence to support that Mr.Scars was/is following Mary Asher, although this is not confirmed.
Similarly, it's suggested each member possesses a living host to live in the real world, which "catalyzes [their] power and function."[1]
Known Members
Although it has never being specified, this group of entities don't have a specific number of members or former members. The ones below are entities with a vessel (a human possessed by the entity) and a "Session" to complete, with the only exception being the Administrator.
- Administrator: Leader of the Collective and creator of its members' consciousnesses. His intentions with our world and the people he stalks remains unknown, but it can be assumed that he works directly with the fear and psychological shock of his targets. He also dictates obligations that the members of the Collective exist to carry out, known as "sessions".
- Observer: Most well-known member. Wears glasses and has long hair. Referred to as "the Eyes". His original title was "the Sentinel". The contents of a package sent by the Observer that were tweeted by Noah on November 9, 2012 confirm that Kevin Haas is the Observer's vessel.
- Deadhead: Wears a skull mask. Most likely followed Sebastian and is possibly following Karl Maxwell. Deadhead's name comes from the German word Totenkopf, which means "death's head". He is referred to by the Observer as "the Nationalist".
- Cursor: Cursor is Latin for "messenger"; she is the only known female member of the Collective. She appears with X's over her eyes, and she is referred to by the Observer as "the Selfish". She is confirmed in Obituary to be Mary Asher.
- Mr. Scars: Named for the scars on his arms. Referred to by the Observer as a "pawn", as well as "the Burdened" and "the One Who Kills Mary". Mary desperately asks Noah who Mr. Scars is in Mary Asher Phone Call. It was confirmed in Milo's Tape that Mr. Scars' vessel is, or was, Milo Asher.
- Persolus: Persolus is Latin for "quite alone"; his visage is that of an old man, and he is referred to by the Observer as "the Hermit". In DEATHTRAPEXODUS it is almost certainly confirmed that Persolus is Karl Maxwell.
- Swain: The person wearing the theater mask. He is one of the most enigmatic members of the Collective so far. DEATHTRAPEXODUS suggests that under his happy theater mask, he wears a sad one. He is referred to as "the Lover".
- Firebrand: The figure with pinhole eyes. He is also frequently shown with burn scars on his face and eyes in the palms of his hands. He is referred to by the Observer as "the Stubborn". Firebrand tried to save Noah instead of assisting the Observer in "taking" Noah in "November 11th". "The Live Stream Incident" reveals Firebrand to be Noah Maxwell, either from the future or an alternate timeline.
Chess Pieces
During the Valentine's Day 2012 stream, the Observer tweeted several images of each member of the Collective, along with a title for each and a text symbol of a chess piece.
Initially, the chess pieces were meant to represent the "game" that is being played by the members of the Collective. Each "player" (which includes the Collective members and several other people) was represented by a chess piece, either black or white.
Abolition of specific character roles
The representation of individual characters as specific chess pieces was redacted 2013, when, in an answer to an out-of-game user-based message on his tumblr, creator Adam Rosner mentioned that the chess pieces likely represent a general dichotomy: the Collective as black pieces and the humans as white pieces. In 2015, he reiterated this, explaining that they were initially assigned "arbitrarily" and that in the continuing narrative, "white pieces metaphorically represent humans and black pieces represent their collective counterparts."
Original purpose
Thought these roles are now known to be redundant, when the chess pieces were first introduced, several Collective members were portrayed as being on opposing teams. Notably, Firebrand, who as of the INTERCEPTION video has been revealed to be on "[Noah's] side" (and thus apparently in direct opposition to the rest of the Collective), was believed to be the "king" of the white pieces.
During the Valentines' Day Live Stream, the Observer told Noah that he was a chess piece, but didn't specify one in particular.
The tables below display the deduced roles prior to their abolition.
Black
| Name | Title | Chess Piece | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Administrator | The Administrator | ♚ Black King |
Described as "onedividedbyzero". |
| Observer | The Eyes The Sentinel |
♜ Black Rook |
Describes himself as "asentinelbytradepasthisexpirationdate". |
| Deadhead | The Nationalist | ♞ Black Knight |
? |
White
| Name | Title | Chess Piece | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebrand | The Stubborn | ♔ White King |
? |
| Cursor | The Selfish | ♕ White Queen |
? |
| Persolus | The Hermit | ♗ White Bishop |
? |
| Swain | The Lover | ♘ White Knight |
? |
| Mr. Scars | The Burdened | ♖ White Rook |
Described as "theonewhokillsmary", hinting towards him "Ending" Mary Asher's "Session". |
| Sarah | -- | ♙ White Pawn |
Taken by the Observer / Black Rook. |
Videos
Here are the videos posted by the Collective or its members, or videos by Noah in which Collective videos appear, in chronological order:
- HELLOTHERE
- The Token Letter (appears as a file on a USB from the Observer, labeled "ULTIMATUM")
- COMECLOSER
- Nature Trail Visit (appears on Noah's camera once he is "taken" by the Collective)
- INTERRUPTION
- HAPPYBIRTHDAY
- November 11th (appears on Noah's camera when he is "taken" for the third time)
- INTERCEPTION
- The Live Stream Incident (a brief video of a clock in the style of Collective videos appears)
- DEUS EX MACHINA
- DEATHTRAPEXODUS
- SCRINIARII
