Collector

"One down, five to go."

- The Collector after receiving the Aether

Taneleer Tivan, also known as the Collector, is the keeper of the largest collection of interstellar fauna, relics and species in the galaxy, operating from the Knowhere port installation.

Biography
"It's quite a collection he has." "He likes to collect.""

- Volstagg and Carina

Taneleer Tivan is the leader of an intergalactic conglomerate known as the Tivan Group. Due to his obsession to collect different objects and specimens, Tivan was given the title "Collector"; he controls a massive intergalactic trove containing a vast collection of both objects and living specimens.

In 2013, two Asgardians, Sif and Volstagg, arrived at Tivan's museum, bringing with them the Infinity Stone known as the Aether, which had been recovered by Thor after his battle against Malekith on Earth. They gave it to him believing that it would be safe from other parties. They also thought  it wouldn't be wise to keep it on Asgard since another stone, the Tesseract, was already on there, and Sif and Volstagg left the Aether in Tivan's care. After the two left, Tivan remarked to his assistant, Carina, that they now had one of the stones in their possession, and only needed five more, hinting that Tivan was already seeking the Infinity Stones, in particular, the Orb.

In order to obtain it, Tivan hired Gamora, the Zehoberi assassin and adopted daughter of Thanos.

Gamora did as she was told, and later returned to Tivan's museum in the company of criminals Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. Giving him the Orb, Tivan started to give a cryptic analysis of the object, explaining its possible origins and even giving a display of its power. Before Tivan's demonstration could go any further, however, the museum was attacked by the Kree warrior Ronan, who had been hired by Thanos to steal the Orb. In the ensuing battle, Carina, intending to use the opportunity to free herself from Tivan, made a mad dash for the Orb and attempted to retrieve it, but right as she touched it, it unleashed a massive pulse of cosmic energy that destroyed most of Tivan's collection. Tivan survived the destruction and later had a drink with Howard the Duck.

Relationships

 * Tivan Group - Leader
 * Carina † - Slave turned Enemy
 * Sif - Guest
 * Volstagg - Guest
 * Guardians of the Galaxy - Guests
 * Star-Lord
 * Gamora - Service Provider
 * Rocket Raccoon
 * Groot
 * Drax
 * Cosmo - Collection piece
 * Howard the Duck - Collection piece

Trivia

 * In the comics, Taneleer Tivan dedicated his life to collect artifacts and living beings to place them out of danger as a goal for his life, as his immortality is directly linked to his will to live.