Hollow Knight

Phase 2
The Hollow Knight gains these attacks in addition to the attacks of Phase 1. The Hollow Knight attacks and moves more frequently.

Phase 3
The Hollow Knight gains these attacks in addition to the attacks from Phases 1 and 2. The Hollow Knight attacks and moves less frequently and begins stabbing itself.

Phase 4
Depending on the player's progress, the fight will be interrupted by Hornet, allowing player to access its mind with the Dream Nail and fight The Radiance, otherwise the fight will continue as normal. During the fourth phase of the battle, the Hollow Knight loses all other attacks except the Bouncing Balloon Attack and gains one new attack.

The Hollow Knight is the Vessel that sealed away the Infection. It is one of two final bosses of the game.

Upon breaking the seals on the temple by destroying the three Dreamers, the player is allowed entrance in order to fight this boss. To begin the fight, the player must break the four chains holding the Hollow Knight.

The Hollow Knight fight happens over 4 Phases. Each Phase is marked by the Hollow Knight standing still, turning their head skyward and roaring. This roar stuns The Knight. The fight changes with each phase.

In Phase 1, the Hollow Knight has three attacks: Triple Slash, Lunge, and Parry. The attacks come regularly. The Hollow Knight will back dash, teleport, and leap around the arena between attacks.

In Phase 2 of the fight, the Hollow Knight gains two more attacks (Rainbow and Diving Flame Pillar) and the Hollow Knight moves and attacks with greater frequency.

In Phase 3, the Hollow Knight begins stabbing themselves. The Hollow Knight gains two more attacks (Explosion and Bouncing Balloon) but they also slow down: rarely leaping or teleporting and their attacks come less often.

In Phase 4, the Hollow Knight can barely move. They can no longer teleport or leap anymore and can hardly swing their Nail. Only two attacks are used in the phase: the Bouncing Balloon and Desperate Attack.

The main weakness of the Hollow Knight is that they are vulnerable to attacks from above. During a Lunge or Triple Slash, jump above their head and Nail bounce a few times while they finish the attack. If they try to Parry, dash away before they counter-attack.

There are safe zones amongst the blobs during the Rainbow and Explosion Attacks so pay attention and move into safe zones. Dashing can often overshoot a safe zone, so walking is usually the safer option.

During the Bouncing Balloon Attack, the Hollow Knight will attempt to home in on the player. They will have trouble tracking if the player constantly changes direction. Dodge the first slam, then dash under it when it rises for a new slam, then reverse again after it comes down and repeat.

During the Diving Flame Pillar Attack, the pillars will briefly charge on the floor before erupting, showing where it's safe to stand. When the Hollow Knight jumps and readies their Nail, start looking for a safe zone immediately after dodging the downward strike.

The Hollow Knight's teleport will usually position them far away from the player, so using Vengeful Spirit/Shade Soul during this time is useful to get hits in before they charge another attack. Moving too far from the Hollow Knight makes it more likely they'll teleport close to the player, so be careful running away to heal.

Under normal circumstances, the Hollow Knight is immune to the Dream Nail and will not grant any SOUL on a successful hit.

Depending on the player's progress, one of the three endings will play out after the fight. After the ending, the player will spawn at the last Bench rested at.

Trivia

 * The Hollow Knight can be found at a younger age during three other points within the game, during the Birthplace cutscene, the Path of Pain cutscene, and the Pantheon of the Knight cutscene.
 * It is uncertain as to why the Hollow Knight begins to stab itself halfway through the fight. There are two distinct possibilities:
 * The Hollow Knight is able to take back some control from The Radiance and attempts to end its own life.
 * The Radiance makes the Hollow Knight stab itself in order to be able to use more infection-based attacks.


 * It is explained by the White Lady that the Hollow Knight could not contain the Infection due to being "tarnished by an idea instilled". This idea instilled is suggested to be the father-child bond between The Pale King and the Hollow Knight, as is shown in a cutscene at the end of the Path of Pain. However, the Birthplace cutscene might imply that the Hollow Knight was impure from the moment it was born.
 * Even though its Shade has two arms, the Hollow Knight is never shown with a second arm during the battle. Pure Vessel, the Hollow Knight's prime form, has both arms, suggesting that the Hollow Knight lost an arm after being infected.
 * During the ending sequence of The Radiance fight, the Hollow Knight's Shade appears and opens up a weak point on her head, allowing the player to land the finishing blows.
 * The Hollow Knight has cut Dream Nail dialogue which are the following:
 * ...Kill...
 * ...Shall blaze free...
 * ...This Vessel, broken...fails...
 * ...Dawn...Shall break...
 * ...No mind, the usurper...Only strength...
 * ...Kill the usurper...Our light it would suffocate...
 * ...Father?...
 * The Hollow Knight, along with Pure Vessel, is the only boss whose title appears at the top of the screen.

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