Endings (Hollow Knight)

The following is a list of all endings that can be achieved in Hollow Knight.

After any ending, loading the save file again will bring the Knight back to the Bench that was last rested on, while recording the defeated Bosses in the Hunter's Journal. Other than that, the save file will be in the state it was before the final Bosses were defeated. This means that the final Bosses will be alive again and can be fought to obtain another ending. If the Void Heart has been acquired prior to reaching the end of the game, it is no longer possible to unlock the first ending from that save file.

For the Godmaster endings, giving the Delicate Flower to the Godseeker will make the normal Embrace the Void ending inaccessible. However, there is little reason to achieve the first ending other than to compare differences since both give the same achievement.

Requirements
Upon defeat, the Hollow Knight dies and the Knight absorbs the infection into themselves. The Knight is then sealed inside the Black Egg and the game ends.
 * Not having acquired Void Heart
 * Defeating the Hollow Knight

Also unlocks the Infected menu style.

Achievement

Requirements
Near the end of the fight, Hornet will swoop in and fracture the Hollow Knight's shell with her needle before restraining them and giving The Knight an opening.
 * Having acquired Void Heart
 * Defeating the Hollow Knight

If the Knight strikes the boss enough times while they are restrained or the Knight takes too much time to use the Dream Nail on the Hollow Knight, they break free, knocking Hornet unconscious, and the fight continues. This triggers an ending where, in addition to the events of the first ending, Hornet is also sealed inside, the shape of her head appearing on the door (similar to how the Dreamers' masks appeared before).

Also unlocks the Infected menu style.

Achievement

Requirements
While Hornet has the Hollow Knight pinned down, if the Awoken Dream Nail is used on them, the Knight will be transported inside the Hollow Knight's mind to challenge the Radiance. At the end of this fight, the Hollow Knight returns as a Shade that rips open the Radiance's face, allowing the Knight to lash at her until she is eventually dragged into the Void and banished.
 * Having acquired Void Heart
 * Defeating the Radiance

After the Radiance is defeated, the Infection is purged and the Black Egg vanishes from the temple. Hornet wakes up to find the Knight's shell broken in half at the centre of a crater in the room, implying the Knight has either died or returned to the Void.

The scene changes to a shot of the Abyss where the Siblings can be seen sinking down into the ground, finally put to rest with the end of the Radiance.

Also unlocks the Void menu style.

Achievement

Requirements
The Knight first needs to unlock the Pantheon of Hallownest by conquering all pantheons before it. After fighting through all of the Pantheon the Knight is met with the final boss: Absolute Radiance.
 * Beating all Pantheons
 * Defeating Absolute Radiance

Upon Absolute Radiance's defeat, the Knight's shell splits open and their Shade falls into the roiling mass of void below. Soon after the screen flashes and suddenly the Void Entity appears in the Knight's place. After prying open Absolute Radiance's face, the Void Entity then proceeds to slash and rip at her until she eventually explodes into Essence.

Afterwards, Void starts to rain down from the skies inside Godhome and the Godseeker is seen, staring up in shock as the inky substance leaks out from above the clouds. The Void Entity suddenly shoots downwards towards the main atrium of Godhome and on its passing a few Void tentacles reach out and wrap up Godseeker leaving her fate undecided. Then the scene cuts to the physical body of the Godseeker still in the Junk Pit leaking Void as her body starts to pulsate and seep out even more of the black substance. Shortly after, black tentacles burst out of her body and start lashing out.

The scene shifts again to inside the Temple of the Black Egg where Hornet stares perplexed at the shrivelling vines of the Infection. A figure dragging chains suddenly lurches out which causes Hornet to ready her guard. This figure, although unspecified, is believed to be the Hollow Knight, now free from their duty to contain the Radiance.

Achievement

Requirements
The events that play out prior are the exact same as Embrace the Void. However, just as the Void tentacles start to burst out from Godseeker a drop of Void lands on the Delicate Flower which is being held by the dying bug. In a brilliant white flash, the Godseeker and the Void disappear leaving only the flower upon the ground with a tinge of black on one of its petals.
 * Beating all Pantheons
 * Defeating Absolute Radiance
 * Having given the Delicate Flower to the Godseeker

The scene that follows is the same as with Embrace the Void. It ends with Hornet in the Temple of the Black Egg.

Achievement

Extra Ending: Passing of the Age
After any other ending, if Mister Mushroom's quest has been completed by listening to him in all areas in a certain order, a cutscene will play after the main cutscene depicting Mister Mushroom flying off into the sky.

The ending finishes with a screen displaying To Be Continued.

Trivia

 * Team Cherry has stated that all endings are equally canonical and that there is not a single "true ending".

References

Концовки Zakończenia (Hollow Knight) Finales