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Hollow Knight: Silksong continues the unique narrative style from the original title, dispersing bits of lore and character development in various corners. As you assemble the full picture, the evolution from a apparently straightforward beginning to a deeply significant ending is striking. Similar to the rest of the game, the plot is more ambitious and better executed than its predecessor, centered around a powerful core concept and a remarkable twist.

However, the word "Nearly" is crucial. There is a significant problem: the creators seem unable to decide about whether the main character is Hornet or the person controlling her.

Heads Up: The following discussion contains heavy spoilers for both the standard and true endings of Silksong.

Hornet's Journey

The adventure starts with the protagonist imprisoned in a cage. The Weavers of Pharloom 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 begins her ascent. Her path takes her from the dark underworld filled with remains of the fallen up towards the fortress, home to Pharloom's corrupt religious caste. Along the journey, she observes the cruelty and suffering inflicted upon the oppressed populace in the name of faith—workers who sacrifice their lives, dissenters imprisoned for their beliefs, and more.

The Rival Weaver Lace

Another Weaver, also created by the deity's own silk, is likewise ascending to the Citadel. Her goal is to revive the deity, exact revenge on the corrupt clergy, and take over. Hornet's arrival changes everything. In the regular conclusion, Hornet takes over from the deity. In the secret finale, she locks away Mother Silk, confronts the dark entity, rescues her rival, and witnesses a sacrifice so both can escape.

Thematic Foundations

Silksong is, at its heart, a tale of journey. It is modeled after ancient spiritual journeys and morality plays, with a critical look at institutional faith. The protagonist's path—through hell, navigating a purgatorial layer, and rising toward revelation—strongly echoes Dante's The Divine Comedy. That Renaissance masterpiece follows a protagonist through the afterlife on a quest for spiritual transformation, which is the essence of Silksong.

One can even draw connections to the Stations of the Cross, albeit rearranged. The heroine is captured and divested, stands trial, suffers a grueling climb, and is briefly imprisoned in the void. In essence, the game invites contemplation on faith, the soul, and change, 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 previously upheld by Mother Silk has turned toxic. Her followers abandoned her teachings, and a group of power-hungry clergy seized control the temple, perverting the faith for their personal benefit.

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, Hornet was kept away from the internal conflicts and encouraged to be independent, which is why the deity imprisons her at the start—to compel her to accept her inherited duties.

Conclusions and Interpretations

If Hornet defeats Mother Silk in the standard ending, she absorbs her spirit and becomes a new god. The fact that this is not the true ending indicates that the kingdom's problems would continue—she would have simply swapped one fallen god for another. By solving everyone's problems, players unlock Act 3 and the ideal conclusion.

Like any meaningful pilgrimage, this one ends with revelation. The protagonist's realization is that she can now live free of the Weaver taint in her lineage and decide her own fate. Her rival, reminded of love's power, liberated from her single-mindedness, will presumably restore the kingdom as a fairer society. In the true ending, religion is dead, and all can live autonomously.

As a conclusion to the pilgrimage, it is an exceptional piece of meta-storytelling that fits seamlessly into the traditions it references. It tells players that the sole path to a better society is to care for others. Rarely do titles use player agency to deliver such a message so effectively, and the creators deserve praise for this thoughtful use of the medium.

The Protagonist Problem

Despite the strength of its final message, the development team struggled to support this message consistently and, crucially, to tie it to the main character: Hornet.

The moral might be for the player, but the narrative is about her. When a story features a main character who speaks and thinks independently, she must be the central focus, and her decisions and development should convey the themes. Even in symbolic stories, the main character's purpose are usually clearly defined to ensure understanding.

Yet, she does not learn or change on her journey. Her sole purpose is to get back. The conflict between free will and fate only appears in the Act 2 boss fight and some hidden lore. If players tick every box to unlock Act 3, an NPC character comments on her kindness, but he is talking to you, not her.

Lack of Character Development

This method would have been fine in the first Hollow Knight, where the protagonist is a blank slate. Hornet, however, is a defined character, a driven hunter with a set objective. If she is made to choose uncharacteristic deeds—such as aiding the helpless—there should be some friction. One would expect her to grumble, act gruff, or at least react. A brief complaint when first helping, later expressing concern that her aid might help, would suffice.

When first asked to assist the oppressed citizens, Hornet responds with apathy, treating it as a low priority. Even if the user decides to assist, Hornet develops no attachment with any of them. There is no change, no shift in perspective. It is notable that the user would demonstrate compassion, but not Hornet. The game provides no reason to think she would.

Wasted Character Potential

Hornet's interactions with characters like the Caretaker were the ideal chance to develop her personality and reinforce the themes without heavy-handed exposition. Most of these end up being merely ornamental, just padding the runtime. This problem stems from both the writing of Hornet and the haphazard role of the supporting cast.

Garmond is essentially a lovable, doddering old fool—present for flavor but playing no crucial part. Others, like the certain NPCs, represent different ideologies outside the Citadel's norms, a idea that aligns with the message but is never developed.

Aside from Lace and Sherma, one of the only characters with a story spanning all three acts is a specific character, thanks to a tale of lost love. While emotionally powerful, it leans heavily on a problematic cliché and feels separate from the central plot. Removing it would have little impact on the protagonist's arc or the primary theme.

A Passive Protagonist

The seemingly random allocation of attention makes side stories feel unfinished and added hastily. The largest error, however, is that the heroine is portrayed as a passive participant in nearly all events. The rare moments she comments, her remarks are uninspiring, such as offering clichéd advice to another character. Even blunter commentary on the core themes would have tied her better to the game's ideas. Instead, she is merely a passenger—in the backseat of her narrative.

Acknowledging the Achievement

Despite these problems in storytelling, there is still much to respect for what the developers accomplished. Few games blend so many inspirations into a collection of ideas so powerful and complex that they are literally embedded into the environment itself. If the next project from the studio is larger and improved, one can only wish that those enhancements include the fundamentals of storytelling as well.