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Hollow Knight: Silksong continues the signature narrative style from the original title, dispersing historical fragments and character growth throughout the world. As you assemble the full picture, the transformation from a apparently straightforward start to a profoundly important conclusion is astounding. Similar to the rest of the game, the story is grander in scope and better executed than its forerunner, built upon a powerful core concept and a significant revelation.

However, the word "Nearly" is crucial. There is a central flaw: the development team seem unsure about whether the main character is Hornet or the person controlling her.

Editor's Note: This analysis contains major plot reveals for both the regular and secret conclusions of Silksong.

The Pilgrimage of Hornet

The quest begins with the protagonist imprisoned in a cage. A group known as the Weavers took her prisoner on orders from Grand Mother Silk, from whom she is partly descended. After escaping, she joins a group of pilgrims and begins her ascent. Her route takes her from the dark underworld littered with remains of the fallen up towards the Citadel, home to Pharloom's decadent priesthood. Along the way, she witnesses the cruelty and suffering endured by the oppressed populace in the name of faith—workers who sacrifice their lives, dissenters jailed for daring to question, and more.

The Rival Weaver Lace

Another Weaver, also born from the deity's own silk, is likewise ascending to the Citadel. Her goal is to awaken her mother, seek vengeance on the corrupt clergy, and take over. The protagonist's interference complicates matters. In the regular conclusion, she takes over from the deity. In the secret finale, Hornet imprisons the deity, confronts the dark entity, frees Lace, and sees Mother Silk give herself up so both can escape.

A Deeper Allegory

Silksong is, at its heart, a pilgrimage story. It is modeled after medieval pilgrimages and morality plays, with a Reformation-style critique at institutional faith. The protagonist's path—through hell, navigating a purgatorial layer, and ascending to enlightenment—strongly echoes Dante's The Divine Comedy. That literary work follows a fictional Dante through the afterlife on a quest for spiritual transformation, which perfectly encapsulates Silksong.

One can even draw connections to the Christian ritual, albeit rearranged. Hornet is arrested and stripped, faces judgment, suffers a grueling climb, and is temporarily entombed in the void. In essence, the game invites contemplation on faith, the soul, and change, all of which are vital for understanding the finale.

The Weaver Lore

Delving into the lore of the ancient race reveals that the religion and way of life previously upheld by Mother Silk has become corrupt. Her children abandoned her teachings, and a group of power-hungry clergy took over the Citadel, perverting the faith for their personal benefit.

The protagonist, as a part-Weaver descendant of the deity, was destined to obey her commands, whether she wanted to or not. Thanks to her upbringing by Herrah, she was kept away from the Weaver drama and encouraged to be independent, which is why Mother Silk imprisons her at the start—to compel her to accept her inherited duties.

Conclusions and Interpretations

If the heroine defeats Mother Silk in the standard ending, she takes her power and ascends to divinity. The fact that this is not the good outcome indicates that Pharloom's troubles would persist—Hornet would have simply swapped one fallen god for another. By resolving all conflicts, players access the final chapter and the true ending.

Like any significant journey, this one concludes with enlightenment. The protagonist's realization is that she can now exist independently of the hereditary burden in her lineage and decide her own fate. Her rival, recalling that love triumphs, liberated from her single-mindedness, will likely restore the kingdom as a fairer society. In the true ending, faith is abolished, 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 only way to improve the world is to show compassion. Rarely do titles use interactivity to convey this theme so effectively, and the creators deserve praise for this innovative approach.

The Protagonist Problem

Despite the strength of its final message, the development team had difficulty reinforcing this theme consistently and, more importantly, to tie it to the adventure's heart: the heroine.

The message might be for the player, but the story is about her. When a story features a protagonist with her own agency, 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 clearly defined to ensure understanding.

Yet, she does not grow or evolve on her quest. Her sole purpose is to get back. The conflict between free will and fate only surfaces in the Act 2 boss fight and some hidden lore. If players tick every box to unlock Act 3, an supporting figure remarks about Hornet's compassion, but he is talking to you, not her.

Lack of Character Development

This approach would have worked in the original game, where the protagonist is a blank slate. Hornet, 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 react. A brief complaint when first helping, later expressing concern that her aid might help, would suffice.

When initially requested to help the weak bugs of Pharloom, she responds with apathy, treating it as a minor task. Even if the player chooses to help, Hornet develops no attachment with any of them. There is no change, no shift in perspective. It is notable that the user would show such care, but not the heroine. The game provides no reason to think she would.

Wasted Character Potential

Hornet's interactions with figures such as the Caretaker were the ideal chance to flesh out her character and strengthen the message without heavy-handed exposition. However, many end up being purely decorative, just filling space. This issue stems from both the characterization of the heroine and the haphazard role of the supporting cast.

Garmond is essentially a lovable, doddering old fool—there for atmosphere but having no real impact. Others, like the certain NPCs, represent different ideologies outside the Citadel's norms, a concept that aligns with the message but goes unexplored.

Aside from Lace and Sherma, one of the only characters with a thread through the entire game is The Green Prince, thanks to a tale of lost love. While compelling, it relies too much on a troubling trope and feels disconnected from the central plot. Taking it out would have no effect on Hornet's story or the primary theme.

A Passive Protagonist

The seemingly random allocation of attention makes subplots feel unfinished and added hastily. The biggest misstep, however, is that Hornet is shown as largely inactive in nearly all events. The few times she speaks up, her observations are terribly bland, such as stating the obvious 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 passenger seat of her own story.

Respect Amid Critique

Despite these issues with thematic execution, there is still much to respect for what the team accomplished. Rare titles synthesize so many influences into a set of themes so strong and layered that they are literally embedded into the in-game world. If the future game from the developers is larger and improved, one can only wish that those improvements include the basics of narrative as well.