Hollow Knight Wiki
Advertisement
The Radiance Absolute Radiance

Zote is a traveller from outside Hallownest who came to the Kingdom to fulfill a promise. This is ultimately revealed to be a promise of glory for himself. He named his nail "Life Ender" because names supposedly have power. Unfortunately, because it is made of shellwood, it cannot deal damage. While he claims to be the strongest warrior in the land, he is found trapped by weak enemies or claiming the glory of another bug's deeds. He regards the Knight as beneath him and accuses them of constantly getting in his way.

Found along the path leading to Greenpath. He is held in the mandibles of a Vengefly King, and the Knight has the choice to either save him or leave him. If saved, he complains that the Knight got in the way between him and his "prey", he introduces himself and boasts about his supposed mighty deeds.

If he is not saved before acquiring the Mantis Claw, he dies in this location, with his nail and shell remaining. Hitting his shell here grants the Neglect achievement.

If he is saved in Greenpath, Zote shows up in Dirtmouth, where he once again talks to the Knight in an arrogant fashion.

Zote can be found in a corridor leading back to the storerooms of the City of Tears. He has forgotten the Knight and introduces himself again.

Found stuck in spider webs, presumably having been captured by the beasts of Deepnest. Once again the Knight has the choice to either save him or leave him, though this time leaving him does not result in his death. If saved, he once again complains about the Knight meddling in his supposed heroics.

If the Knight saves him both times, he is captured and can be found in the resting area of the Colosseum of Fools, where he brags about his skills and how his capture was part of his plan. He then becomes the final boss of the first trial. As a boss, he deals no damage due to his nail being made of shellwood. He simply has to be attacked until the fight is over. He is quite inept in combat and regularly messes up his jumps. Beating him grants the Rivalry achievement.
Needle is the term used to describe the bladed weapon wielded by Hornet. The needle is attached with a thread of silk.
The light, forgotten.

The plague, the infection, the madness that haunts the corpses of Hallownest... the light that screams out from the eyes of this dead Kingdom. What is the source? I suppose mere mortals like myself will never understand.

Shardmites are enemies in Hollow Knight. Formerly used in Crystal Peak's mining operations, these creatures now wander around on walls, feeding on crystal dust. Crawls up and down on vertical surfaces. Upon approaching it, it sprouts long crystal spikes from its shell. While those spikes are extended, it is invulnerable. By attacking quickly, it can be taken off guard and killed before it sprouts its spikes. It is also possible to Nail-bounce off its spikes by down-slashing. With repeated down-slashing, the Shardmite retracts its spikes briefly before sprouting them again, giving the Knight a chance to get in a hit between spikes while keeping distance.

The Radiance is the secret final boss of Hollow Knight. Godmaster content Absolute Radiance is her perfect form.

Lore

The Radiance is a higher being[3] of light similar to Essence, and as such, opposed to the Void, her ancient enemy.[4][5] The Moth Tribe is born from her light and in return revered her.[4]

More...

In-game events

From her prison, the Radiance, heart of the Infection, plagues the dreams of bugs. She infects Myla[6], causing her to attack the Knight, and uses Lightseeds and Infected flies to reanimate the Broken Vessel and the Watcher Knights. After killing at least one Dreamer, or obtaining the Monarch Wings, the Infection worsens in the Forgotten Crossroads, turning it into the Infected Crossroads, and making its bugs more violent and dangerous.

Her fate is linked to the end of the Knight's journey. By defeating the Hollow Knight, the Knight is able to seal the Radiance within, taking the place of their sibling within the Black Egg.

More...

Behaviour and Tactics

Attacks

More...


Stagger Values
Description: Radiance's stagger is based on her health, and she staggers two times at two predetermined points:

Transition from stage 2-3 (2000 HP / 1000 DMG). Radiance collapses onto the ground and is wrapped up by Void Tendrils but breaks free.

One strike to end the fight (1300 HP / 1700 DMG).

Hits: -
Combo: - Combo Time: -

Phase Breakdown

More...


Charm Sets

More...


The Radiance is the true final boss of Hollow Knight. To access her, the Knight must have acquired Void Heart and have used the Dream Nail on the Hollow Knight when Hornet holds them down. The Radiance does not count as a dream battle, so the Hollow Knight needs to be fought from the beginning on every death.

In the first phase of the fight, she levitates slightly above the floor. Only her body is vulnerable to attack, which requires jumping or ranged attacks. She often teleports around, making it even harder to get a good string of hits while avoiding her own ruthless attacks.

The Radiance does not deal contact damage; however, all of her attacks except summoning spikes deal two Masks of damage. Falling off the platform only deals one Mask of damage.

The Radiance has a wide variety of attacks, each with a variety of mitigations.

  • Beam Burst: A beam never strikes in the same place consecutively (so burst 1 and 3 may be almost exact). The Radiance does not move during this attack, and therefore spells like Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek or Nail Arts are a viable option, given her large hitbox. Healing without Charms can be done throughout this attack (especially if players are lucky with the burst patterns) but healing is safest to start once the third burst pattern is known.
  • Sword Burst: Everything said about the Beam Burst applies to the Sword Burst except in this case, there is only the one burst to consider. Thus, the Knight can begin healing just about as soon as the attack starts.
  • Sword Rain: The Radiance teleports during this attack so damaging her while dodging the swords is difficult. Abyss Shriek is useful at the end of this attack, and Nail attacks allow for flexible and quick damage while the Radiance is within reach. Healing without Charms is possible once the last set of swords is seen or throughout the attack if arrangement of swords allows for it.
  • Sword Wall: The Radiance teleports during this attack, so damaging her while dodging the swords can be difficult. The safest method is to use Nail attacks when the Knight is near the Radiance. It is possible to use the Shade Cloak and dash through the swords, but it is not possible to dash through all of them, since the Shade Cloak has a cooldown. Healing without Charms is only viable if the wall patterns are forgiving or players start healing on the opposite side of the arena of the wall's spawn. This is more forgiving in Phase 4 because the walls move slower.
  • Wall of Light: This attack must be dodged either with a shadow dash or Descending Dark. The Radiance teleports during this attack so quick damage is most viable. Healing without Charms is safest if players get through the wall quickly or start healing when a wall spawns on the opposite side of the arena. This is more forgiving in Phase 4 because the wall moves slower.
  • Orb: The Orb attack requires quick movements. It is best to try to bait Orbs into the floor or platforms to destroy them early, leaving more time to attack the Radiance. Using the Shade Cloak to dash through a projectile destroys it, and can be useful if multiple projectiles are close to each other. There is no time to heal without Charms unless players get lucky with the platforms in Phase 4.
  • Spike Floor: The Radiance spawns short spikes covering half of the floor. Unlike all other attacks used by the Radiance, this attack deals only one mask of damage. The spikes disappear for up to 5 seconds if struck by the Knight's body or hit with Descending Dark. The spikes almost immediately return in Phase 3.
  • Beam: The Radiance fires one beam of light, targeted at the Knight. This attack becomes more accurate the higher the Knight gets during Phase 5. It can be baited to fire and miss the Knight, since the attack is used at regular intervals.

Dream Nail Dialogue Essence

  • ...ANCIENT ENEMY...
  • ...I DO NOT FEAR YOU...
  • ...LET ME BE FREE...
  • ...I WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN...
  • ...DAWN WILL BREAK...
  • ...THE LIGHT CANNOT BE CONSUMED...
Exclamation Mark

The Radiance can only be Dream Nailed during phase 4 of the fight.

Location

The Radiance's fight can be accessed by using the Dream Nail on the Hollow Knight in the Temple of the Black Egg.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.
Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.

Gallery

Achievements

Ellina is an expanded universe character who appears only within the Hollow Knight Wanderer's Journal- acting as the fictional author of the book. Her book details her experiences within the kingdom of Hallownest and acts as an outside source providing some unique reflections, accounts, and opinions on her findings. Ellina's character beyond her time spent in Hallownest is not explored and is unknown.

A brief summary by the author of the book states the following:

"The book is written from the perspective of Ellina the Chronicler, an "outsider" who is documenting her observations as she travels through Hallownest. She only knows what she's learned from others during her journey, so she doesn't pick up on any deep lore."

In addition, Ellina herself provides a small introduction in her journal:

"Greetings, fellow wanderer, and welcome to Hallownest!" "It would seem you’ve happened upon my journal. This volume contains a record of my observations and musings, transcribed as I travelled into the kingdom’s depths and-through a miracle of either luck or sheer willpower-returned safely to the surface. My travels brought me to Hallownest purely out of curiosity; though I expected to find naught but a desolate ruin down below, what awaited me was quite possibly the adventure of a lifetime. To that end, I’ve chosen to leave my completed journal behind, in hopes that another brave explorer might use it to piece together the myriad of mysteries of this forsaken kingdom."

The contents of the Wanderer's Journal include images and descriptions drawn and written by Ellina detailing a variety of enemies, characters, and environments. The main descriptions are typed out and are accompanied by Ellina's "quotes" - which are written out in a handwriting style font.

Ellina's story and adventure canonically occur at the same time as the events of Hollow Knight; the Knight's quest would have been currently in progress during the time Ellina was writing her journal. Evidence of this includes an account of Bretta first encountered by Ellina stuck in the Fungal Wastes, but later on noted to be in Dirtmouth: implying that Bretta was saved by the Knight as it occurs in the game.

Despite her story happening parallel to the game's events, Ellina never meets or runs into the Knight in person during her exploration of Hallownest. The closest instance Ellina comes to encountering the Knight underground is only through noticing the painting of the Knight by Nailmaster Sheo.

However, at the very end of the novel, when Ellina plans to leave the kingdom, she does catch a glimpse of the Knight as she's returning to the surface.
Achievement Dream No More {S} Dream No More
Defeat the Radiance and consume the light.
50G

Trivia

Radiance statue
  • There is a statue of the Radiance at the top of the map in Hallownest's Crown where a Pale Ore can be found. Dream Nailing this statue yields the lines:
    "...Remember... Light..."
  • Through HUD manipulation, the Radiance is shown to actually have 3000 health, though the "fight" portion of the battle ends when she reaches 1300 health, effectively requiring the Knight to only have to deal 1700 damage to win the fight.
  • The Radiance is one of the two bosses that has a full-screen title card, the other being Grimm Troupe content Nightmare King Grimm.
  • The Radiance must be challenged to a battle the first time fighting her. Her intro is abridged after dying to her once, causing her to attack directly upon entering her arena.
Zote is a traveller from outside Hallownest who came to the Kingdom to fulfill a promise. This is ultimately revealed to be a promise of glory for himself. He named his nail "Life Ender" because names supposedly have power. Unfortunately, because it is made of shellwood, it cannot deal damage. While he claims to be the strongest warrior in the land, he is found trapped by weak enemies or claiming the glory of another bug's deeds. He regards the Knight as beneath him and accuses them of constantly getting in his way.

Found along the path leading to Greenpath. He is held in the mandibles of a Vengefly King, and the Knight has the choice to either save him or leave him. If saved, he complains that the Knight got in the way between him and his "prey", he introduces himself and boasts about his supposed mighty deeds.

If he is not saved before acquiring the Mantis Claw, he dies in this location, with his nail and shell remaining. Hitting his shell here grants the Neglect achievement.

If he is saved in Greenpath, Zote shows up in Dirtmouth, where he once again talks to the Knight in an arrogant fashion.

Zote can be found in a corridor leading back to the storerooms of the City of Tears. He has forgotten the Knight and introduces himself again.

Found stuck in spider webs, presumably having been captured by the beasts of Deepnest. Once again the Knight has the choice to either save him or leave him, though this time leaving him does not result in his death. If saved, he once again complains about the Knight meddling in his supposed heroics.

If the Knight saves him both times, he is captured and can be found in the resting area of the Colosseum of Fools, where he brags about his skills and how his capture was part of his plan. He then becomes the final boss of the first trial. As a boss, he deals no damage due to his nail being made of shellwood. He simply has to be attacked until the fight is over. He is quite inept in combat and regularly messes up his jumps. Beating him grants the Rivalry achievement.
Needle is the term used to describe the bladed weapon wielded by Hornet. The needle is attached with a thread of silk.
Mighty Hegemol... What a towering figure he was, though surprisingly soft spoken for one so large. They were all impressive in their own right, of course. Fierce Dryya, kindly Isma, mysterious Ze'mer ... erm, and the other one.
Shardmites are enemies in Hollow Knight. Formerly used in Crystal Peak's mining operations, these creatures now wander around on walls, feeding on crystal dust. Crawls up and down on vertical surfaces. Upon approaching it, it sprouts long crystal spikes from its shell. While those spikes are extended, it is invulnerable. By attacking quickly, it can be taken off guard and killed before it sprouts its spikes. It is also possible to Nail-bounce off its spikes by down-slashing. With repeated down-slashing, the Shardmite retracts its spikes briefly before sprouting them again, giving the Knight a chance to get in a hit between spikes while keeping distance.

The Five Great Knights of Hallownest once stood beneath the throne as the kingdom's protectors. They are revered figures who are often mentioned in historical records but only as a group. Information on the individual Great Knights is sparse, with Relic Seeker Lemm noting that their names and appearance seem to have been erased from history.

The Five Great Knights are:

By the time the Knight returns to Hallownest, three of the Great Knights have either died or disappeared. Only Ogrim and Ze'mer are known to be alive.


The Great Knights are depicted in Ogrim's cave below his boss arena as statues made of dung:

Five Great Knights Dung Statues
From left to right: Ze'mer, Dryya, Isma, Hegemol, and Ogrim

The silhouettes of four of them can be seen in the arena of Hidden Dreams content White Defender:

Five Great Knights Silhouettes
From left to right: Ze'mer, Dryya, Isma, and Hegemol


Ze'mer

Grey Mourner2

Located in the Resting Grounds where she is known as the "Grey Mourner", Ze'mer is the only remaining Great Knight besides Ogrim. Sheo refers to her as "mysterious Ze'mer". She is not native to Hallownest, originating from "lands serene", a location from which she also brought Delicate Flowers. There is not much known about Ze'mer when she was a Great Knight, but Ogrim remarks on how she told stories.

After her Mantis lover died, Ze'mer turned to mourning and retreated to her house in the Resting Grounds. She dissipates after the Knight delivers the Delicate Flower to the grave of her lover.


Dryya

White Knight Dead

Dryya had a hard front, and Nailmaster Sheo refers to her as "Fierce Dryya", although she is noted to have been a caring type. Ogrim mentions that he misses her wisdom. She was tasked with standing guard over the White Lady in the Queen's Gardens.

After defeating numerous Mantis Traitors, evidenced by the pile of their corpses aside Dryya's own, they eventually overwhelmed her. The White Lady is not aware of Dryya's death.

Dream Nail Dialogue Essence

  • Protect...


Isma

Isma

Referred to as "kindly Isma" by Nailmaster Sheo, there is little known about Isma, but her strength seemed to surpass that of Ogrim's, and her nature seemed to be kind and understanding. Ogrim and Isma had a very close relationship, even more so since he seems to be protecting her grove specifically. Isma’s powers and capabilities are not specifically stated but seem to have some relation to acid, as her tear or "blessing" grants acid immunity. Her grove is referred to as the "source of acid blight."

She can be found within the Royal Waterways, in Isma’s Grove. She appears to be dead and her body can be seen attached to a wall by plant growth; making the cause of her death the most questionable.

Dream Nail Dialogue Essence

  • ...Ogrim... there's no time...


Hegemol

False Knight Statue

Hegemol is the only Great Knight whose whereabouts are largely unknown. He was the favourite Great Knight of Nailmaster Sheo, who calls him "Mighty Hegemol". He was a towering figure but soft spoken, which was surprising for somebody of his stature. Ogrim mentions that he misses Hegemol's humour.

A statue of Hegemol can be found outside the City of Tears, requiring the City Crest to open the gate to the city.

While Hegemol was sleeping, his armoured shell was stolen by a Maggot who wanted to defend his siblings. It is unknown whether Hegemol is alive after this or if he was murdered by the maggot. While the False Knight who stole his shell wields a mace with an armoured bug attached to the end, Hegemol himself is always shown without any weapon.


Ogrim

Dung-Defender-2

The most loyal of the Five Great Knights, Ogrim is found in the Royal Waterways where he is known as "Dung Defender". He hopes to meet the other Great Knights again and see Hallownest be reborn. Although he misses Isma in particular, he is not able to visit her grove due to his duties and an oath that he swore. Due to this, he seems to be unaware of Isma's fate and the fate of the other Great Knights.

When he is defeated five times in his dreams as Hidden Dreams content White Defender, Ogrim wonders if the line of Hallownest's Great Knights ends with him or whether it can be passed on, mentioning that he can easily imagine the Knight standing amongst the greatest heroes of the age. Ogrim disappears after this encounter, leaving behind a statue of the Knight made of dung.

The Love Key is an Item in Hollow Knight.

Use

Opens the door inside the Tower of Love where the Collector can be fought.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.

How to Acquire

Found on a corpse in the southeast of the Queen's Gardens above the path to the Fungal Wastes. Retrieving the key requires Isma's Tear.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.


Trivia

"Too long... spent together. We become as one..."
Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.

Gallery

Trivia

White Knight

Dryya promotional art

  • A fight with Dryya was planned early in development but was later cut. A Kickstarter update described her as:
"One of Hallownest's five greatest Knights and defender of the Queen’s Glade. She was driven mad by her Queen lost and the garden overrun. Still she retains her honour, offering fair challenge to the Hollow Knight: Nail against nail. A duel to the death."
  • Ogrim was revealed as a boss in a Kickstarter update with a different backstory:
"Deep in the Waterways beneath the City of Tears lurks a shunned being. Once a knight, now lost to puerile obsession: The Dung Defender. Despite his exile, the Dung Defender has for centuries maintained a self-conferred charge: the protection of his mysterious gleaming 'beloved.' Stalwart and full of bravado, the Dung defender eagerly challenges all who would enter his noxious realm."
  • In early development, Herrah the Beast was named Hegemol. This was later changed to her current name.

The Love Key is an Item in Hollow Knight.

Use

Opens the door inside the Tower of Love where the Collector can be fought.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.

How to Acquire

Found on a corpse in the southeast of the Queen's Gardens above the path to the Fungal Wastes. Retrieving the key requires Isma's Tear.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.


Trivia

"Too long... spent together. We become as one..."

References

  1. Developer note: "The moths sealed Radiance away by forgetting about her."
  2. French translation: "Déesse oubliée de la lumière" (Forgotten goddess of light). Portuguese translation: "Deusa esquecida da luz" (Forgotten goddess of light).
  3. Reddit AMA answer concerning higher beings.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Seer: "The folk of my tribe were born from a light. Light similar to Essence, similar to that powerful blade, though much brighter still. They were content to bask in that light and honoured it... for a time."
  5. Radiance Dream Nail dialogue: "...ANCIENT ENEMY..."
  6. Myla Dream Nail dialogue: "... how much longer... KILL IT... how much longer... DANGEROUS... how much longer... KILL IT... how much longer... KILL THE EMPTY ONE..."
Compendium Broken Vessel Idle
Main Game
CrawlidVengeflyVengefly KingGruzzerGruz MotherTiktikAspid HunterAspid MotherAspid HatchlingGoamWandering HuskHusk HornheadLeaping HuskHusk BullyHusk WarriorHusk GuardEntombed HuskFalse Knight (Failed Champion) • MaggotMenderbugLifeseedBaldurElder Baldur

MosscreepMossflyMosskinVolatile MosskinFool EaterSquitObbleGulkaMaskflyMoss ChargerMassive Moss ChargerMoss KnightMossy VagabondDurandooDurandaAluba


Charged LumaflyUomaOomaUumuu


AmbloomFunglingFungoonSporgFungified HuskShrumelingShrumal WarriorShrumal OgreMantis YouthMantis WarriorMantis Lords


Husk SentryHeavy SentryWinged SentryLance SentryMistakeFollySoul TwisterSoul WarriorSoul Master (Tyrant) • Husk DandyCowardly HuskGluttonous HuskGorgeous HuskGreat Husk SentryWatcher KnightCollector


BelflyPilflipHwurmpBluggsacDung DefenderFlukefeyFlukemonFlukemarm


ShardmiteGlimbackCrystal HunterCrystal CrawlerHusk MinerCrystallised HuskCrystal Guardian (Enraged)


Furious VengeflyVolatile GruzzerViolent HuskSlobbering Husk


DirtcarverCarver HatcherGarpedeCorpse CreeperDeeplingDeephunterLittle WeaverStalking DevoutNosk


Shadow CreeperLesser MawlekMawlurkBrooding MawlekLightseedInfected BalloonBroken Vessel (Lost Kin)


BooflyPrimal AspidHopperGreat HopperGrub MimicHivelingHive SoldierHive GuardianHusk Hive


Spiny HuskLoodleMantis PetraMantis TraitorTraitor Lord


Sharp BaldurArmoured SquitBattle ObbleOblobblesShielded FoolSturdy FoolWinged FoolHeavy FoolDeath LoodleVolt TwisterZoteGod Tamer


XeroGorbElder HuMarmuNo EyesGalienMarkoth


WingmouldRoyal RetainerKingsmouldSiblingVoid Tendrils


Hornet (ProtectorSentinel) • Hollow KnightRadianceShadeHunter's Mark
Hidden Dreams content Hidden Dreams
Grey Prince ZoteWinged ZotelingHopping ZotelingVolatile ZotelingWhite Defender
Grimm Troupe content The Grimm Troupe
Grimmkin NoviceGrimmkin MasterGrimmkin NightmareGrimmNightmare KingSeal of Binding
Lifeblood content Lifeblood
Hive Knight
Godmaster content Godmaster
FlukemungaPale LurkerSisters of BattleWinged NoskNailmasters Oro & MatoPaintmaster SheoGreat Nailsage SlyPure VesselAbsolute RadianceVoid IdolWeathered Mask

The Love Key is an Item in Hollow Knight.

Use

Opens the door inside the Tower of Love where the Collector can be fought.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.

How to Acquire

Found on a corpse in the southeast of the Queen's Gardens above the path to the Fungal Wastes. Retrieving the key requires Isma's Tear.

Hornet is the mysterious princess-protector of Hallownest’s ruins, a major character in Hollow Knight and the playable protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong. She wields a Needle and thread with deadly prowess.

Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.

Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.

Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.

Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.

The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.

Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.

Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.

Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.

The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".

Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.

Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.

They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.

Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.

The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.

Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:

Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.

Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.

Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.

The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.

Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.


Trivia

"Too long... spent together. We become as one..."
Advertisement