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Hollow Knight: Silksong continues the distinctive narrative style from the original title, scattering historical fragments and character growth across the landscape. When you piece it all together, the evolution from a seemingly simple beginning to a profoundly important ending is striking. Much like the overall experience, the story is grander in scope and better executed than its predecessor, built upon a strong central idea and a significant revelation.

However, the word "Nearly" is key. There is a central flaw: the development team seem unable to decide about whether the main character is Hornet or the player.

Editor's Note: The following discussion contains heavy spoilers for both the standard and true endings of Silksong.

The Pilgrimage of Hornet

The quest begins with the protagonist imprisoned in a cage. A group known as the Weavers captured her on orders from the deity Mother Silk, from whom she is partially born. After breaking free, she encounters a band of travelers and embarks on a journey. Her path takes her from the dark underworld littered with remains of the fallen up towards the fortress, home to Pharloom's corrupt religious caste. Along the journey, she observes the hardship and pain inflicted upon the oppressed populace in the name of faith—laborers who sacrifice their lives, dissenters imprisoned for their beliefs, and more.

Lace and the Central Conflict

Lace, also born from Grand Mother Silk's essence, is also making her way to the Citadel. Her plan is to awaken her mother, exact revenge on the corrupt clergy, and take over. Hornet's arrival changes everything. In the regular conclusion, she usurps Mother Silk. In the true ending, she locks away Mother Silk, confronts the dark entity, rescues her rival, and witnesses a sacrifice so they may go free.

Thematic Foundations

Silksong is, at its core, a pilgrimage story. It is modeled after medieval pilgrimages and morality plays, with a Reformation-style critique at institutional faith. Hornet's journey—descending into darkness, through a middle realm of struggle, and rising toward revelation—directly parallels the classic epic poem. That Renaissance masterpiece follows a fictional Dante through hell, purgatory, and heaven on a journey of enlightenment, which is the essence of Silksong.

One can even draw connections to the Christian ritual, albeit out of order. The heroine is captured and divested, faces judgment, suffers a grueling climb, and is briefly imprisoned in the void. In essence, the game encourages reflection on religion, spirituality, and transformation, all of which are essential for understanding the finale.

Backstory of the Weavers

Delving into the mythology of the ancient race reveals that the religion and way of life once championed by Mother Silk has turned toxic. Her children abandoned her teachings, and a caste of self-serving ministers took over the Citadel, perverting the faith for their own gain.

The protagonist, as a part-Weaver descendant of the deity, was destined to follow her will, willingly or not. Thanks to her upbringing by Herrah, she was raised outside from the Weaver drama and encouraged to be independent, which is why the deity imprisons her at the beginning—to compel her to accept her inherited duties.

Conclusions and Interpretations

If the heroine overcomes the deity in the regular finale, she absorbs her spirit and ascends to divinity. The fact that this is not the good outcome indicates that Pharloom's troubles would continue—Hornet would have simply swapped one corrupt deity for another. By solving everyone's problems, players unlock Act 3 and the ideal conclusion.

Like any meaningful pilgrimage, this one concludes with enlightenment. Hornet's discovery is that she can now exist independently of the Weaver taint in her lineage and decide her own fate. Lace, reminded of love's power, liberated from her single-mindedness, will likely restore the kingdom in a better image. In the finale, faith is abolished, and everyone is free.

As a end of the journey, it is an exceptional piece of meta-storytelling that fits seamlessly into the traditions it references. It communicates players that the sole path to a better society is to show compassion. Rarely do titles use interactivity to deliver such a message so effectively, and the developers deserve praise for this innovative approach.

The Protagonist Problem

Despite the strength of its final message, the studio struggled to support this theme consistently and, crucially, to tie it to the main character: the heroine.

The message might be for the audience, but the narrative is about Hornet. When a story features a main character who speaks and thinks independently, she must be the primary subject, and her actions and growth should convey the themes. Even in symbolic stories, the main character's purpose are usually explicitly stated to avoid confusion.

Yet, Hornet does not grow or evolve on her journey. Her sole purpose is to get back. The struggle of destiny versus choice only surfaces in the Act 2 boss fight and some hidden lore. If players complete all requirements to unlock Act 3, an supporting figure comments on her kindness, but he is talking to you, not her.

Lack of Character Development

This method would have worked in the original game, where the protagonist is a blank slate. She, however, is a defined character, a focused warrior with a clear purpose. If she is made to choose uncharacteristic deeds—such as aiding the helpless—there should be some resistance. One would expect her to grumble, act gruff, or at least respond. A brief complaint when initially assisting, later showing hope that her aid might help, would work.

When initially requested to help the oppressed citizens, Hornet responds with apathy, treating it as a low priority. Even if the player chooses to help, Hornet forms no bond with any of them. There is no change, no evolution of viewpoint. It is notable that the user would show such care, but not the heroine. The game provides no reason to think she would.

Underutilized Supporting Cast

The protagonist's dialogues with figures such as the Caretaker were the perfect opportunity to flesh out her character and strengthen the message without heavy-handed exposition. However, many end up being merely ornamental, just filling space. This problem stems from both the writing of Hornet and the random placement of the other characters.

One character is essentially a lovable, doddering old fool—there for atmosphere but having no real impact. Others, like the Moss Druid and Huntress, represent different ideologies contrary to the establishment, a idea that aligns with the message but goes unexplored.

Aside from key figures, one of the only characters with a story spanning all three acts is The Green Prince, thanks to a tale of lost love. While emotionally powerful, it relies too much on a problematic cliché and feels separate from the central plot. Taking it out would have little impact on the protagonist's arc or the primary theme.

Hornet as a Passenger

The apparently arbitrary allocation of attention makes subplots feel incomplete and tacked on. The largest error, however, is that the heroine is portrayed as a passive participant in nearly all events. The rare moments she comments, her observations are uninspiring, such as stating the obvious to another character. Even blunter commentary on oppression and free will would have linked her more closely to the game's concepts. Instead, she is merely a passenger—in the backseat of her narrative.

Acknowledging the Achievement

Despite these issues with thematic execution, there is still much to respect for what the developers accomplished. Rare titles synthesize so many influences into a collection of ideas so powerful and complex that they are built directly into the environment itself. If the next project from the studio is larger and improved, one can only hope that those enhancements include the basics of narrative as well.