Void, Purity, and Steel

I've already written (extensively) about my views on the concept of a 'pure vessel,' but even though vessels were elements from the first game, I believe the idea of attaining a kind of 'purity' through the Void is something that will have ramifications for future Silksong content, and indeed has been revisited in Silksong already.

Purity

The Pale King desired to harness the Void using a 'pure vessel'. Pale King's spiel in the Birthplace Memory is often thought of as a list of requirements for a pure vessel - namely that it have 'no mind to think, no will to break, no voice to cry suffering, etc.'

Pale King's words are unlikely to be meant as literal requirements however - the plan was to imprison the Radiance in the mind of a vessel, so Pale King wouldn't want a vessel that literally didn't have one.

This would mean that a vessel showing signs of mind, will, even desires and so on isn't necessarily antithetical to them being a pure vessel, because being 'pure' refers to something other than 'literally lacks attributes X, Y, and Z .'

Pale King's words are an allusion to some other idea.

The Pale King looked to the Void, a force of magical darkness that is described as 'empty'. Here also, this description likely isn't meant to imply a literal lack of mind and will - again, the Pale King wanted a vessel with a mind to contain the Radiance.

It's more that the Void's mind and will are so different, so alien, so other that they cannot be understood, even by higher beings like the Pale King, White Lady, and the Radiance - maybe especially by such beings, given their connections to forces like Soul and Essence that the Void seems to exist in opposition to.

"VOID, yours is the power opposed. But yours is potential, eternity potential, force that could deny Time.VOID, harness shall be placed upon you."

When such beings try to look into the mind of the Void, they perceive… nothing. As if there is no mind at all.

This is the quality that Pale King wanted to harness with his pure vessel - the Void's quality of emptiness. Given the parallels between a 'pure vessel' being an 'empty vessel', as well as the Void being perceived as 'empty', it makes the most sense to think of the Void's quality of emptiness and 'purity' as being one and the same. A pure vessel is a vessel that has successfully harnessed this quality and is likewise perceived as 'empty.'

A vessel that was 'empty' in this way, that had taken on the alien 'otherness' of the Void, would be able to counter the Radiance by imprisoning her in a mind that she could not understand, corrupt, or control.

An 'empty' mind with no way for her to infect or gain influence over. This was the plan, in any case.

The Pale King miscalculated in one respect however, believing that once he had his 'empty' vessel, that it would stay empty. That a pure vessel could not lose their purity.

This was the 'supposed strength, ill-judged' referred to by White Lady. The pale beings mistakenly thought their chosen vessel could not be tarnished, but it was 'tarnished by an idea instilled,' rendering it incapable of binding the Radiance.

"Its supposed strength was ill-judged. It was tarnished by an idea instilled. But you. You are free of such blemishes. You could contain that thing inside."

The 'idea instilled' within the Hollow Knight left it open to manipulation by the Radiance, and so it fell to her infection.

White Lady judges the Knight to be free of 'such blemishes' - they have no 'instilled ideas' such as tarnished the Hollow Knight, and thus they can 'contain the thing inside.'

The Knight is a pure vessel because, without instilled ideas, the quality of emptiness they possess is still untarnished - they are still 'empty'.

White Lady later states that she cannot sense the Knight's emotions, and Radiance herself calls the Knight 'THE EMPTY ONE'. This affirms their mental state is unreadable even to powerful higher beings, reinforcing this notion of the Void's emptiness.

The Knight is also shown to lack Essence, as I noted previously. They display a lack of Essence unique even among Void beings, showing them to be different even from other vessels.

This is key to understanding the Void's quality of emptiness.

Void

The Void's quality of emptiness is because the Void lacks Dream Essence. It has no Essence naturally, just as it contains no Soul naturally. It has life of a kind without Soul, and the capacity for will/mind/memory without Essence.

It's all only… Void.

When higher beings try to look into a being's mind, it's likely they're trying to perceive Essence. Without Essence in the Void, they just get… nothing. As if there is no mind/will/etc.

A pure vessel, a vessel that had successfully harnessed this quality of emptiness, would be a vessel without 'instilled ideas'. Without Soul or Essence. Without life or dreams. Only the nothingness of the Void.

Would an entity without Soul or Essence even be understood as a person in their own right by others who possess these qualities?

Possibly not. Perhaps this is why the higher beings, and those who can sense the Void, consistently describe it in terms of absence - darkness, silence, nothingness, etc.

The Ancient Civilization of the Abyss might have even come to regard this state of emptiness as a superior existence, given their reverence for the Void.

The ancient tablets in Pharloom's Abyss read:

In silence your voice, In darkness your form, We higher who see you seeking, Our shells yearn for your embrace.

Erase our fear, Eliminate our desire, To suffer no more, Void, cleanse us.

The second tablet in particular is very interesting in this regard. Not only is it similar to the words of the Pale King regarding his pure vessel, the ancients directly call on the Void to 'cleanse' them. Removing qualities like fear and desire. Another term for 'cleanse' is 'purify' - 'to make pure.'

The lone arcane egg found in Pharloom's Abyss also reads:

No will… no self… Shade…

The ancients desired to become Shades.

The Shades we see in Hallownest's Abyss, the Siblings formed from the children of the pale beings, also lack any sign of Soul or Essence. They behave like hostile Void, attacking anything that bares any trace of Soul, retreating from intense light. They are also indistinct things, their forms fading away, almost one with the Void itself.

Perhaps the ancients desired to become Shades in order to become more like the Void itself, or even become one with it. To cast away shell and Soul and dream, anything that would keep them distinct beings from the greater whole of the Void. To have their will and self subsumed by the darkness they worshipped.

If they found higher thought to be burdensome, then perhaps the emptiness of the Void was a more ideal state of being to them.

Cleansed by the Void, and made pure.

Steel

The Ancient Civilization desired to make Shades. The Pale King succeeded in doing so. Are there other, similar Void beings that exist in the world? Other Shades? Perhaps.

Steel Soul Jinn makes a number of comments regarding her unseen Masters, the leaders of the enigmatic Steel Society. When approached with the King's Brand, the Knight will provoke these remarks:

…A King, the tiny It becomes. Jinn knows that mark, but cannot bow.Jinn's masters are other… minds other… Not order. Not order, they seek.

She further responds to the Void Heart with these:

This It… A rare It. Has not seen many, so vulnerable, but triumphant. Makes Jinn feel a thing… surprise? Jinn misjudged… The It is not inferior. Perhaps… different? Different to Jinn. More complete? Different… like masters?

Jinn recognizes the mark of the Pale King, a pale being, but does not acknowledge their authority, as she honors different masters. She describes them as having 'minds other' and that they do not seek order. She also describes the Knight as 'more complete', different from Jinn, like her masters.

'Minds other?' Could this be Jinn's way of referring to the Steel Masters as Void beings, with minds that are imperceptible to other beings due to the Void? 'More complete?' Could this be Jinn's way of saying they are pure, lacking Essence?

Shades, like the Knight, with minds of pure Void that give them a quality of alien other-ness?

Given that they 'do not seek order' and do not acknowledge the mark of the pale beings, this may also indicate a connection with the Void, which the Pale King describes as 'the power opposed,' a chaotic force opposed to the kingdom-building pale beings.

Void is one of the few forces known that can pose a threat to pale beings.

Steel Seer Zi confirms that the Steel Masters can threaten even pale beings, should Hornet reject her request:

Pale It… You would reject the role? Are you not tamed, bound, by Masters?… You would know… obedience is essential. Recall, the fate of those who defy… Even you higher… Especially you higher… …Compression… We have suffered it. We would never wish it upon another.

The Steel Masters monitor the kingdoms of pale beings, such as the Pale King and Grand Mother Silk, though they have no desire to serve these powerful god-like entities or take part in their efforts at building kingdoms.

They also have forbidden their servants, the vassals who attend their steelhearts, from certain rituals that call upon the Void. In violating this edict, the vassal Sula is sanctioned by the Steel Masters.

Zi pronounces Sula's fate:

The rite… The vassal is tarnished. They have touched the dark. By the Masters, they will now be hunted… no matter the distance fled.

Is this because the masters see the Void as something dangerous and forbidden, or as something to be respected and left alone?

If the Steel Masters are born of the Void themselves and see it as a sacred and superior force, as the Ancient Civilization once did, perhaps they do not wish to see it manipulated for personal gain as Sula sought to do.

Perhaps there is even a connection between the Ancient Civilization and the Steel Masters… is Steel Society actually ruled by 'Ancient Shades'?

-Silksong: New Insights into the Void-

Hollow Knight: Silksong introduced additional lore with ramifications for the vessels and Void beings. Most notably, remnants related to the Ancient Civilization that once existed in the Abyss and worshiped the Void, and lore elements related to the Void itself.

-Void and Silk-

We've seen in the first game that Void’s behavior and ability can be shaped by Soul. The Knight's Soul-based spells can be infused with Void and made more powerful, with the Void replicating the Soul-spells in more powerful forms.

This is further demonstrated in Silksong by the Black Threads, the results of the Haunting being suffused with the Void.

The Haunting is an effect caused by the pale being Grand Mother Silk, using her Silk threads - fine threads spun from the Soul of its creator - to manipulate bugs both living and dead throughout Pharloom.

When the Grand Mother is cast into the Abyss, she sends her threads all across Pharloom in an effort to prevent herself from being devoured by the Void. The Void in turn follows these threads, spreading all across Pharloom as the Black Threads. Bugs that were previously under the effects of the Haunting can now become black-threaded, suffusing them with the Void and making them stronger.

The Haunting is an effect derived from Soul-infused silken threads, and the Void in turn mimics this effect, just as it does with the Soul-based spells and their Void-infused counterparts in the first game.

-Void - Shaped by Soul (and Silk)-

This confirmation of Void being shaped by Soul has implications for elements in the original game. The Collector, for example, may have taken the form of the Love Key Bug not due to the absorption of their Essence, but their Soul instead, resulting in their Void-formed body taking on aspects of their appearance.

The presence of Silk spools in Pale King’s workshop always suggested Silk was an element in his experiments with Void. Silk is shown throughout Pharloom to be used in Runes, various seals and sigils present with magical effects.

Runes are said to be etched into the shells of the Pale King’s Void constructs. The sigils present in the Workshop Mould are likely runes formed with Silk.

-The Void’s Hunger for Soul-

Hornet remarks upon the effects of the Void when she encounters Shakra after a battle with black-threaded bugs.

“...It is the void, stretched up into this world and its husks. I know it well, that force, its nature. If it senses soul, it will drive voracious towards it.”

Void was shown to be reactively hostile in the first game, thrashing into tendrils at the approach of the Knight. Hornet explains that when the Void senses Soul, it will seek it out to consume it. This could entail that the Void in Hallownest was reacting to traces of Soul contained within the Knight’s shell.

All told, the Void is shown to have a hunger for Soul, seeking to devour it and mimicking it after having done so, taking on the shape and ability of Soul, and magic derived from Soul.

The Void learns…

-Void - Reanimating the Dead-

Hornet also remarks on the Void inhabiting the husks of the dead via the Black Threads. It is not unknown to Hornet for the Void to result in the reanimation of the dead, as seen with the vessels, though the effects of the Haunting may be a factor in the case of the black-threaded bugs. As seen in the first game, the Void does not reanimate every dead creature it comes into contact with.

However, there is another instance of the Void being used to reanimate the dead, shown in Silksong’s Steel Soul Mode. The bug Sula summons the Void in a desperate bid for freedom. This results in the formation of a Void entity called the Summoned Saviour.

Hornet’s journal describes it as a:

Mass of old masks swollen and animated by writhing void.

While Void may not reanimate every corpse it encounters, it can be enjoined to do so in some cases. The vessels and Sula’s ritual are examples of this, while black-threading could also be regarded as one.

-Void Beings and the Effects of Soul-

There is one interesting potential effect of the Void being shaped by Soul to take on the form of various entities, such as the Siblings or the Collector.

Void beings such as these are shown to have white eyes, in contrast with Void entities like the Void Tendrils or the Summoned Savior, which are shown with dark grey eyes.

Possibly the effects of consuming Soul and taking on its form results in a Void being developing bright white eyes, while ‘natural’ Void that hasn’t consumed a sufficient amount of Soul instead has grey eyes.

Note that Siblings’ eyes are fainter than the eyes of Void beings like the Collector or the Knight’s Shade  - the ‘Soul white’ of their eyes is beginning to fade. This may be due to the Siblings starting to fade away, returning to their original Void state, also seen with their more tattered and indistinct forms.

This may lend credence to the idea that Void beings without anything keeping them distinct from the greater mass of the Void could eventually fade away into it, returning to a natural ‘raw’ state.

-Steel Society Musings-

We didn't get as much about the Steel Society in Silksong as I hoped (let the waiting for DLC begin!) but we did get some new stuff in Silksong's Steel Soul mode, and it's pretty tantalizing when taken together with what we know from the original game.

-Hollow Knight Steel Soul Mode-

In the first game, Steel Soul mode introduced us to Steel Soul Jinn, who took the place of Confessor Jiji.

Jinn had an interesting metallic tone of voice, a distinct cadence to her speech, and several comments that brought to mind the idea that she was some kind of robot or construct.

"Observed... Small. Dull. No Soul. Long shadow... It is blank, but brave..."

"Jinn, little know... cannot tell of self. Too young, its thought, its mind. Born to provide, to trade."

"...Its body, so soft... Fragile... Inferior built. Not like Jinn."

Jinn also had some connection with Jiji, as Jinn was willing to purchase Rancid Eggs found throughout Hallownest.

"Jinn, has only many small, shiny things... useless to Jinn, but will trade for wonderful gift. "

"...Gift is... horrible gift. Disgusting..."

"But Jinn knows one who appreciates...Friend of Jinn. Eats nasties. Loves nasties. Shall accept. Shall provide."

"It likes Jinn's shinies? Jinn has many... many. Gifts, from another, helped by Jinn. Hurt by Jinn."

Jinn also has a number of interesting remarks to several items the Knight can acquire.

King's Brand: "...A King, the tiny It becomes. Jinn knows that mark, but cannot bow. Jinn's masters are other... minds other... Not order. Not order, they seek."

Jinn recognizes the authority of the Pale King from their brand, but cannot acknowledge it, as she serves other masters. Masters with 'minds other' who do not seek order.

Void Heart: "This It... A rare It. Has not seen many, so vulnerable, but triumphant. Makes Jinn feel a thing... surprise? Jinn misjudged... The It is not inferior. Perhaps... different? Different to Jinn. More complete? Different... like masters?"

The Void Heart, one of the game's most significant items which marks the Knight as the Lord of Shades and unifies the Void under their will, causes Jinn to regard the Knight as 'more complete' and 'like masters'.

Confessor Jiji, strongly implied to be Jinn's 'friend', also reacts to the Void Heart by mentioning masters.

"Ooohhhh. My masters would be impressed... Rare it is for one to come to terms with their regrets so completely, yet you seem to have managed it. What darkness must one wade through to achieve such a thing?"

Jinn and Jiji both make references to masters they serve, masters with 'minds other' who 'do not seek order' and who Jinn feels are similar to the Lord of Shades.

-Hollow Knight Steel Soul Mode-

This was all already pretty interesting. In Silksong's Steel Soul mode, we've got more. Introduced in Silksong is another steel bug, Steel Seer Zi.

Zi is encountered by Hornet, who seems to know plenty about her kind and their masters.

"Zi: ...Bug... Higher... It has come seeking... Zi is found... She is awoken. Hornet: Greetings, child of steel. I have known your type, in past. From your presence it is clear this land too has caught the long gaze of your Masters. Zi: Masters... Yes... For them, Zi observes... obedient... always... And you... a creature in half... Pale It... Bug It... old... stubborn... alone... You too are observed."

"Zi must watch, record... and wait... Always she is true to her function... Ore-bound... To duty."

The Steel Seer's purpose, her 'ore-bound duty' is to observe the land and its denizens for her Masters. She also makes a request of Hornet to track down her vassal, Sula.

"Zi: ...Creature, higher... Its meeting. Zi’s awakening... It is not chance... It has been sent to Zi, yes? By Masters served?... To retrieve her vassal lost? Hornet: Not for your Masters, but by my own will I may aid you, Zi, as long as the path permits. [...] Zi: Find the vassal... pale It. Return them to us... Save us both from the Masters’ wrath."

Hornet finds Sula, a bug that very much resembles Confessor Jiji, suggesting that Jiji was the vassal of Jinn. Sula conducts a ritual that summons a Void creature that Hornet slays.

"Sula: No. No. No... My champion slain! Why do you do this, cruel slasher? Why must I stay, and serve, so long, long, long?

Hornet: That void must not be called, bug. Not ever. None can control it, though many have tried. Any strength you hoped it offered would fast be proven false. Consider yourself fortunate I arrived in time. Your shell is saved, all by wish of your steel companion, and fear of her Masters’ punishment.

Sula: But the seer knows nothing! Nothing of the pain. All small Sula’s to bear... To watch, watch these lands dying, slow, the bugs suffering, falling, while our shell sustains... The steelhearts feel so little... but we forced to serve, we endure it all. We alone. Why?"

The 'steelhearts' purpose is seemingly to observe lands and kingdoms as they decline, aided by their vassals. The steel bugs may feel little or nothing, but it's clearly affected Sula, who attempted to use the Void to give themselves the means to resist or escape their servitude.

Hornet ultimately chooses not to return Sula to Zi, and Sula flees Pharloom.

"Hornet: Zi, your vassal is gone, alive, fled beyond these lands. I chose to allow their escape, even if your wish may not be granted.

Zi: The wish? No... pale It... Zi sensed clear your meeting... The rite... The vassal is tarnished. They have touched the dark. By the Masters they will now be hunted... no matter the distance fled."

Zi says that Sula has been 'tarnished', having 'touched the dark'. Calling upon the Void in their ritual was seemingly a forbidden act, and now Sula will be hunted down by their Masters no matter where they run. Though Hornet thinks they have a chance to survive, and this thought seems to be shared by Zi.

"Hope!.. Pale It... For a vassal who defies the Masters?... You give Zi a thought, complex... The outcome is different... and Zi must now observe alone... but this may be the better way? Zi shall accept the happening... shall pray the Masters still see her loyal... and Zi too will share the hope... that her vassal lives long unbound."

Though loyal to her masters, Zi still cares about her vassal. Jinn also referred to Jiji as a friend, even likely having a similar relationship. The steel bugs care about their vassals, even as they serve Masters who can apparently be quite stern.

-The Steel Masters and Pale Beings-

Zi also has a very interesting line if you refuse her request to track down Sula.

"Pale It... You would reject the role? Are you not tamed, bound, by Masters?... You would know... obedience is essential.

Recall, the fate of those who defy... Even you higher... Especially you higher...

...Compression... We have suffered it. We would never wish it upon another."

So that's pretty ominous.

The 'higher' in this case refers to the 'higher caste', the god-like pale beings that are seemingly the supreme entities of the Hollow Knight world. Hornet includes herself amongst this caste, owing to her being descended from Pale King and, through her mother Herrah, the pale being Grand Mother Silk.

Yet even these higher beings of great power can apparently be called to task by the Steel Masters. 'Compression,' whatever that means, is the fate of those who defy the Steel Masters, and pale beings are even suggested to be especially vulnerable to this.

-What We Know About Steel Society-

So we have 'steelheart' servants, built to serve the Masters in various ways. Jinn, to trade. Zi, to observe.

These steelhearts also have vassals, that they develop various amounts of affection for.

These vassals apparently know a number of rituals, including ones that can summon the Void. This was suggested with Jiji, whose rituals call forth the Knight's Shade - while canonically the Knight cannot interact with their own dead self, there was still a suggestion that Jiji's rituals involved the Void.

Sula shows that indeed the vassals can call forth the Void with their spells.

This is apparently a forbidden act, and will results in Sula's sanction by the Masters.

The Masters maintain a presence in kingdoms founded by pale beings via steelhearts and their vassals, to observe and/or trade with the land and its inhabitants.

The Masters 'do not seek order' and their servants reject the authority of the Pale King.

The Masters are reminiscient of the Lord of Shades, a being with authority over the Void.

The Masters are capable of humbling even pale beings, surpremely powerful entities.

The Masters don't want anyone messing with the Void, at least in ways they don't approve of.

There is hopefully more Steel Society lore to come.

A lore tablet in Silksong makes reference to the City of Steel, where the Citadel tracked a Weaver. This place is a strong candidate for the headquarters of the Steel Society.

Zi also awards Hornet a "Rock of the home spear… and of Zi’s birth." 'Home spear' puts me in mind of a shining steel spear-tip… which might be what the 'City of Steel' resembles.

Silksong's earlier promotional material introduced a character called Steel Assassin Sharpe, another steel bug, who had a pair of steel companions. Sharpe and the Steel Assassins are absent in the current game, but Team Cherry have stated that they are simply 'waiting in the wings' for the right time to be revealed.

If the Steel Masters have agents that carry out their wrath against bugs who violate their will, like Sula, then the Steel Assassins seem like prime candidates to be these agents.

And if the Masters are against unsanctioned outbreaks of the Void, then what befalls Pharloom as a result of Hornet's actions might well put her in the sights of the Masters and their Steel Assassins.

-Light, Dark, and Grey-

Pale beings and the Void are suggested to be in conflict, with Void the 'power opposed' to poweful beings of light like the Pale King and the Radiance. A natural enough dichotomy - it's 'light vs dark', one of the oldest narrative dichotomies in all of fiction.

The Steel Masters may represent a balancing force between the two. They do not acknowledge the authority of pale beings and even possess the means to threaten them with some dire punishment. They are also reminiscent of the Lord of Shades that holds authority over the Void, and they heavily restrict use of the Void. They are capable of keeping both forces in check.

Between Pale White and Void Black, is there perhaps Steel Grey…?

-Additional Bits-

There's some minor similarities between the rune that surrounds Zi and the Farsight rune, which Hornet can access with the Farsighter.

Zi's rune appears more elaborate - this might be how the 'Steel Seer' is meant to watch over and record the kingdom she's in.

There's also a some broad similarities to the World Sense ability's rune from the first game.

These runes may all be of a similar function, to reach out into the kingdom and discern facts about them.

If so it's interesting how much more elaborate Zi's rune is, which may indicate she (and the Steel Society) have a far greater capacity with this rune than other users.

Zi's needolin dialogue also mentions her function.

-Void and Purity-

One of the most discussed and debated elements of Hollow Knight lore is the concept of a 'pure vessel', a vessel that is 'truly hollow'. Also referred to as 'hollowness,' 'vessel purity,' or simply 'purity.'

The Pale King created innumerable vessels as part of an effort to harness the power of the Void, the mysterious darkness found in the world's depths. The goal was a 'pure vessel', a single chosen vessel that would permanently contain the Radiance and her Infection, sparing the kingdom of Hallownest from her vengeance.

Vessels were created from the children of the pale beings of Hallownest. The eggs of the pale children were placed deep in the Abyss, where they became infused with the Void.

The vessels are what emerged from these eggs - Void clad in the fatally hollowed out shells of the pale children, Void that had been given their form and abilities.

This is the nature of vessels. But what is a pure vessel, and how was it meant to contain the Radiance?

What does it really mean to be a 'Hollow Knight?'

-Purity According to the Game-

The term 'pure vessel' is seen is on the lore tablet in the Ancient Basin, just outside the Abyss.

Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Our pure Vessel has ascended. Beyond lies only the refuse and regret of its creation. We shall enter that place no longer.

This chosen vessel would go on to become the Hollow Knight, intended to be a cage for the Radiance that would contain her and her Infection.

The Hollow Knight ultimately failed.

The White Lady explains:

"Its supposed strength was ill-judged. It was tarnished by an idea instilled."

The Hollow Knight was decreed a pure vessel and chosen to contain the Radiance. But the pale beings miscalculated.

The Hollow Knight became tarnished by an 'idea instilled', losing its pure state, something the pale beings had mistakenly assumed could not happen.

The words she uses must be read carefully to understand what White Lady is saying. Here are the definitions of the terms she uses:

Tarnished -to diminish or destroy the purity of; stain; sully: Instilled -infused slowly or gradually into the mind or feelings

and, for completion's sake, a further definition: Pure -freedom from anything that contaminates, pollutes, etc. -freedom from any admixture or modifying addition.

The Hollow Knight was judged a pure vessel. The pale beings assumed, wrongly, it would stay that way. It did not.

At some point, its purity was 'tarnished' by an 'instilled idea'. Its purity was destroyed by a modifying addition that was infused into its mind.

The White Lady, still speaking to the Knight, continues with the phrase:

"But you. You are free of such blemishes. You could contain that thing inside."

The White Lady judges the Knight to be free of the kind of blemishes that tarnished the Hollow Knight. It has no 'instilled ideas', and can therefore contain the Radiance.

According to White Lady, the Knight is a pure vessel. Whether she's right or not depends on exactly what being a pure vessel means.

A clue on what that might be is given during the most pivotal moment of the game's narrative, the Knight's return to their Birthplace and its exploration of its own memory, the Abyss Memory.

-The Abyss Memory and the Pale King-

As the Knight ascends the Abyss in its memory, the words of the Pale King are recalled.

"No mind to think. No will to break. No voice to cry suffering. Born of God and Void. You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams. You are the vessel. You are the Hollow Knight."

The memory reveals that the Pale King is speaking to his chosen vessel - he is declaring what he perceives. The Pale King's judgement is that the vessel is pure, and will become his Hollow Knight.

The first three lines of speech are often taken as a list of 'requirements' for what a pure vessel must be - namely that they have no mind, no will, and no voice.

However, these requirements are almost certainly not meant to be taken as strictly literal.

While the vessels do not speak, they plainly have minds and wills of their own. Indeed, the entire purpose of a pure vessel is to contain the Radiance within their mind, so the Pale King would not pursue a vessel that literally didn't have a mind.

His words are an allusion to some other concept.

Therefore, no instances of a vessel having mind, will, etc. is antithetical to it being a pure vessel, because being a 'pure' vessel means something else.

-So Then What Is A Pure Vessel?-

The premise of my theory regarding purity is two-fold: 1) A pure vessel is a vessel whose mind contains no Dream Essence 2) The Knight's mind contains no Dream Essence

The Pale King alluded to his chosen vessel as being without 'mind and will and voice.' The White Lady states that the chosen vessel was 'tarnished' by an 'idea instilled', a blemish that the Knight is not afflicted by.

What is the difference between the Knight and the Hollow Knight?

The Hollow Knight shows signs of having Essence in their mind. The Knight does not.

The most significant proof of the latter can be seen just before the Abyss Memory, when the Knight uses the dream nail on itself in the Birthplace.

Rather than the usual outpouring of Essence shown when the knight executes a dream dive, there is a burst of Void instead. Compare this with a dream dive involving a regular bug, like the Dung Defender.

Note the difference.

There are two main visual effects portrayed during a dream dive:

-A flash of light from the dream nail (the 'dream nail impact effect') -Essence particles from the target (the 'dream dive effect')

The dream nail impact effect is shown highlighted in green. The dream dive effect is shown circled in blue.

We can be sure of the nature of these two effects by looking at another dream dive, with Troupe Master Grimm.

With Grimm, the dream nail impact effect is the pink of standard Essence like the dream nail, while the dream dive effect is Grimm's unique Scarlet Essence.

The dream nail impact effect comes from the dream nail. The dream dive effect comes from the target of the dream dive.

With this in mind, the significance of these effects during the Knight's dream dive becomes clear.

The dream nail impact effect is present, the source of the light shown in the scene. But the 'dream dive effect' from the Knight lacks Essence altogether. It is entirely Void.

This is an effect utterly unique to the Knight. Even other Void beings do not display this during dream dives.

The Broken Vessel, memories of a vessel left behind on their shell. The Kingsmould in the Ancient Basin, a Void entity like the vessels. The Hollow Knight, a vessel said to be 'tarnished' by an 'idea instilled'. The Knight, a vessel said to be free of 'instilled ideas'.

In the first three cases, we have an outpouring of Essence. Void beings can have Essence, but when they do, it's very apparent. In the case of the Knight, there's an outpouring of Void instead.

There are other indications of the Knight lacking Essence, but this one is by far the most significant. The Knight has no Dream Essence. The substance of their mind is comprised of Void instead.

No light. No dreams or memories made of Essence. Only darkness. Only the Void.

-Purity: No Mind to Think, No Will to Break-

This lack of Essence bears out the notion that the Knight is different from the chosen vessel, that they do in fact lack the added factor which compromised the Hollow Knight.

This is further borne out when the Knight returns to the White Lady having obtained the Void Heart:

"That pulsing emptiness… Truly, it has been transformed by the revelations it found. Does it… feel anything? Triumph? Or hate? If it does, I cannot sense it."

The White Lady perceives the emptiness of the Void, but not the mental state of the Knight.

Almost as if... they had no mind at all.

This is what Pale King's words are alluding to.

Pale beings can sense the Void in a vessel, but nothing of its mental state. They are left only with a perception of absence.

As if it had no mind. As if it had no will. Only the emptiness of the Void. Empty. Silent. Hollow.

The White Lady identifies that the Knight is free of what tarnished the chosen vessel. The Knight is shown to lack Essence, while the Hollow Knight does not.

It's reasonable to presume the Pale King would have comparable capacity to hers - that both Pale King and White Lady can recognize the absence of Essence, and therefore the state of purity, and therefore the presence of Essence as blemishes that would tarnish purity.

Had any Essence been present within the chosen vessel, the Pale King would have recognized it. The Pale King's declarations of absence in the presence of the chosen vessel reinforce the notion that it was free of Essence, a pure vessel. His judgement of the vessel he chose to be the Hollow Knight was sound… at least at that time.

The assumption that the pure state could not be tarnished would then lead to disaster.

The Hollow Knight's purity was tarnished when Essence was inadvertently instilled into its mind. The Knight's mind lacks Essence, and therefore their purity is untarnished.

The Knight is a pure vessel. At least, as far as the Pale Beings judge such a thing.

But how would a vessel like the Knight actually do what a pure vessel is meant to do, and contain the Radiance?

-The Infection and the Radiance-

The White Lady is not the only higher being to perceive the emptiness of the Knight. When the Knight dream nails Myla after she begins displaying severe Infection symptons, the voice of the Radiance can be seen, screaming within Myla's mind.

"… how much longer… KILL IT… how much longer… DANGEROUS… how much longer… KILL IT… how much longer… KILL THE EMPTY ONE…"

Radiance herself regards the Knight as 'Empty…'

The Radiance's infection works by manipulating the mind of her victims. The Radiance appears in their dreams, and offers them a temptation, tailored to their specific desires.

In the case of the Soul Master, he saw a cure for the Infection. Sly was shown visions and memories of people who were important to him. Bugs like the Hunter and the Mantis Traitors were offered greater strength.

If the would-be victim succumbs to the Radiance's temptation, they become Infected. Once Infected, the victim gradually begins to lose their mind and will to the influence of the Radiance.

But what if she were trapped in a mind that she couldn't perceive? A mind that had no way for her to understand its thoughts and emotions and desires? A mind that gave her no dreams to serve as an avenue to offer temptation? A mind that - as far as Radiance was able to perceive - was empty?

There is every reason to believe that the Radiance would be unable to perceive the mental state of a pure vessel. With no Essence in their mind for her to 'read', she cannot perceive their desires and emotions.

She would perceive only emptiness.

As if there was 'no mind to think' at all...

-The Pure Vessel-

The Hollow Knight had kept the Radiance confined, until succumbing to her Infection compromised its ability to do so.

But if a vessel were able to avoid Infection, if one were incapable of being tempted by the Radiance in the first place, they could keep Radiance confined indefinitely.

This is the nature of a pure vessel.

Without Essence, with a mind comprised of only Void, their mental state becomes imperceptible to beings like the Radiance. Their emotions cannot be sensed. They are perceived as empty. As if they had no mind to think at all.

The Pale King's words regarding his chosen vessel, prior to its tarnishing with Essence: "No mind to think. No will to break."

The White Lady cannot sense the mind of the Knight, a vessel without Essence: "Does it… feel anything? […] If it does, I cannot sense it."

Radiance herself says this of the Knight: "…KILL THE EMPTY ONE…"

Higher beings like the Pale King, the White Lady, and the Radiance all demonstrate an inability to perceive the mental state of a vessel without Essence. They cannot 'read' the Void.

This is why the White Lady judges the Knight, a vessel shown to lack Essence, to be pure:

"But you. You are free of such blemishes. You could contain that thing inside."

Without Essence in their mind, a pure vessel conveys only the absence of the Void. Confined to such a mind, the Radiance would have no way to perceive its desires. She would have no way to tailor a temptation to those desires. She would have no way to offer temptation without a dream she can perceive and appear in. She would have no way to Infect them.

She would be trapped in a mind of absolute darkness with no way to escape.

Forever contained by perfect emptiness.

-And So, In Conclusion...-

A pure vessel is a vessel without any Essence in their mind, only the emptiness of the Void. In a sense, a pure vessel is a vessel without dreams. The perfect cage for a being that preys on dreamers.

A vessel of darkness, untarnished by light.

I could write so much more about this topic...

And in fact I have. All of my completely correct views and their indisputable supporting evidence have been compiled into this great big fat lore doc.

Shrike is joined by more metal bird-bugs - her partners, Strix and Straga.

Steel Clan OC, Steel Assassin Shrike

The craw are my favorite group from Silksong, I love the idea of bird-like bugs, and so I made this bird-like steelheart.