Hornet Sentinel

For the playable Silksong protagonist, see: Hornet (Silksong)

Skilled protector of Hallownest's ruins. Wields a needle and thread. I have seen this nimble little creature. I thought her prey and pounced at her, but with a flash she stabbed me with her flying stinger and darted away. Could she be... a Hunter?

Hornet Sentinel is the second form of Hornet as a boss in Hollow Knight. She challenges the Knight at the entrance to the Cast-Off Shell in Kingdom's Edge to test their resolve and strength in saving Hallownest. She deploys this time her full strength and tools. Unlocking her journal entry requires defeating her both once in Protector and Sentinel forms or defeating her twice in Godhome.

Behaviour and Tactics

Hornet Sentinel uses tactics similar to her Protector form, but her attacks come at a much more rapid pace. The range of the area of effect on her Gossamer Storm attack is also larger. Her base attacks remain:

• Lunge: Lunges forward with her needle in front of her.
• Aerial Lunge: Jumps in the air before aiming at the Knight and rushing downwards.
• Gossamer Storm: Unleashes an area-of-effect attack centred on herself, using her thread to slice into anything around her. This attack can be done in the air.
• Throw: Throws her needle forward, then pulls it back. The range of this attack is slightly smaller than the width of the battlefield. The needle can damage the Knight on the way back.
• Leap: Hornet will jump to move within the arena.
• Run: Hornet will run to move within the arena.

In addition, she gains two new ones:

• Parry: Holds her needle in a defensive stance, blocking any incoming attack. If struck while she is defending, she will giggle before unleashing a wide-range counter slash.
• Spike: Uses her thread to suspend spiked balls in midair. The spikes deal contact damage and will remain until they are destroyed by either Nail attacks or spells. There can only be a maximum of 6 snares set up at once. Hornet will only use this attack after reaching 480hp.

Dashing over her as she lunges is a typically safe move and using Desolate Dive/Descending Dark will prevent the Knight from taking damage while it is being cast.

Having Quick Focus and/or Soul Catcher/Soul Eater is useful as it will allow for more opportunities to heal or charge SOUL, respectively.

Using Nail Arts Great Slash is effective due to the fact that Hornet rarely stays in one place long enough to get more than one or two standard Nail strikes in.

Godmaster Content

	Hornet Sentinel "I watch over lush pathways and distant ash-swept graves" "God protector of a fading land"
	Pantheon	Pantheon of the Sage, locked by default
	Health		800
			1200
	Arena changes	The arena appears to be about the same size, no difficulty differences.

Dream Nail Dialogue
In Kingdom's Edge: From where does it draw this strength? Can it succeed? Is it strong enough? In Godhome: ...Do they watch us struggle?.. Do you haunt my dreams... Or I yours? Little Ghost... What dreams we share...

Location

Hornet Sentinel can be fought in the Kingdom's Edge.

Hornet's second arena

Gallery

Parry attack

Spike attack

Hornet after being defeated

Arena in Kingdom's Edge

Arena in Godhome

Hornet Sentinel Radiant (Hitless) Hollow Knight

Achievements

	{S} Proof of Resolve
	Defeat Hornet in Kingdom's Edge

Trivia

• After defeating Hornet Sentinel, if the player uses the Dream Nail on her before talking to her, they will gain SOUL as if she were still an enemy.
• The names of her boss forms "Hornet Protector" and "Hornet Sentinel" were coined in Godmaster, prior to which she was commonly referred to as simply "Hornet 1&2".

References

1. ↑ Hornet Hunter's Journal entry: "I have seen this nimble little creature. I thought her prey and pounced at her, but with a flash she stabbed me with her flying stinger and darted away."
2. ↑ Tweet by Team Cherry

Compendium
Main Game	Crawlid • Vengefly • Vengefly King • Gruzzer • Gruz Mother • Tiktik • Aspid Hunter • Aspid Mother • Aspid Hatchling • Goam • Wandering Husk • Husk Hornhead • Leaping Husk • Husk Bully • Husk Warrior • Husk Guard • Entombed Husk • False Knight • Maggot • Menderbug • Lifeseed • Baldur • Elder Baldur Mosscreep • Mossfly • Mosskin • Volatile Mosskin • Fool Eater • Squit • Obble • Gulka • Maskfly • Moss Charger • Massive Moss Charger • Moss Knight • Mossy Vagabond • Durandoo • Duranda • Aluba Charged Lumafly • Uoma • Ooma • Uumuu Ambloom • Fungling • Fungoon • Sporg • Fungified Husk • Shrumeling • Shrumal Warrior • Shrumal Ogre • Mantis Youth • Mantis Warrior • Mantis Lords Husk Sentry • Heavy Sentry • Winged Sentry • Lance Sentry • Mistake • Folly • Soul Twister • Soul Warrior • Soul Master • Husk Dandy • Cowardly Husk • Gluttonous Husk • Gorgeous Husk • Great Husk Sentry • Watcher Knight • The Collector Belfly • Pilflip • Hwurmp • Bluggsac • Dung Defender • Flukefey • Flukemon • Flukemarm Shardmite • Glimback • Crystal Hunter • Crystal Crawler • Husk Miner • Crystallised Husk • Crystal Guardian Furious Vengefly • Volatile Gruzzer • Violent Husk • Slobbering Husk Dirtcarver • Carver Hatcher • Garpede • Corpse Creeper • Deepling • Deephunter • Little Weaver • Stalking Devout • Nosk Shadow Creeper • Lesser Mawlek • Mawlurk • Brooding Mawlek • Lightseed • Infected Balloon • Broken Vessel Boofly • Primal Aspid • Hopper • Great Hopper • Grub Mimic • Hiveling • Hive Soldier • Hive Guardian • Husk Hive Spiny Husk • Loodle • Mantis Petra • Mantis Traitor • Traitor Lord Sharp Baldur • Armoured Squit • Battle Obble • Oblobbles • Shielded Fool • Sturdy Fool • Winged Fool • Heavy Fool • Death Loodle • Volt Twister • Zote the Mighty • God Tamer Xero • Gorb • Elder Hu • Marmu • No Eyes • Galien • Markoth Wingmould • Royal Retainer • Kingsmould • Sibling • Void Tendrils Hornet • The Hollow Knight • The Radiance • Shade • Hunter's Mark	a
		a
Hidden Dreams		a
	Grey Prince Zote • Winged Zoteling • Hopping Zoteling • Volatile Zoteling • White Defender	a
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The Grimm Troupe		a
	Grimmkin Novice • Grimmkin Master • Grimmkin Nightmare • Grimm • Nightmare King Grimm • Seal of Binding	a
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Lifeblood		a
	Hive Knight	a
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Godmaster		a
	Flukemunga • Pale Lurker • Brothers Oro & Mato • Paintmaster Sheo • Great Nailsage Sly • Pure Vessel • Void Idol • Weathered Mask	a