#nobird

Now, some of this info will probably be incorrect, as *some* of it is from my memory of the lore. I will try to quote lore texts and dialogue when I can.

Within the game you find the Pale King, from him we get the quote,

"No cost too great.

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."

I'm assuming this is him talking to The Hollow Knight when they were younger, as we see them in the birthplace cutscene. In the end we learn that The Hollow Knight couldn't have been perfectly "hollow" as they were meant to be. This is simply because they didn't perfectly contain The Radiance, because the infection continued to spread.

Somehow, The Pale King had to have considered that something could happen to The Hollow Knight, considering that they were locked inside the black egg temple. The dreamers themselves are interesting to me. From the resting grounds lore tablet,

"To protect the Vessel, the Dreamers lay sleeping.

Monomon the Teacher In her Archive, surrounded by fog and mist.

Lurien the Watcher In his Spire, looking over the city.

Herrah the Beast In her Den, amidst the deep darkness beyond the kingdom.

Through their devotion, Hallownest lasts eternal."

Each dreamer seemingly has a title, indicating they were something/ someone special.

Monomon the Teacher. Who did she teach? Presumably she taught Quirrel.

Lurien the Watcher. What was he watching from his spire above the city of tears. Why was he defended so heavily by his "Watcher Knights"? A lore tablet in watchers spire even contains his last words,

"Sleep beckons eternal and these words become my last. Though my gaze shall no longer fall upon this city, I will act forever in its protection. For King, for bug, for Hallownest, I head now to my rest."

Why was this "watcher" so important?

Lastly, but certainly not least, is Herrah the Beast. Herrah is Hornets mother, which is interesting for a few reasons. First, how long have the dreamers been asleep, considering the state of hallownest, I'd assume a long time. How old could Hornet be? Perhaps this is a question we will get answered in Silksong. Second, who could be Hornet's father? It could be whatever is in that weird thing inside the beasts den. I truly hope that some of these questions are answered if/when Silksong comes out.

Now, back to The Hollow Knight themself. One thing ingame that really shows that they aren't perfect is the existence of The Pure Vessel. A perfect version of The Hollow Knight that has been created by the godseekers. Perhaps this is actually just what The Hollow Knight would be if the Radiance was never trapped in their mind.

Throughout the fight with Hollow Knight there are bits where they stab themselves in the chest repeatedly. I'd like to think this is The Hollow Knight trying to help the player to finish them off.

One reason The Hollow Knight isn't perfectly hollow is their relationship with the Pale King. When The Pale King decided that the vessel was the one to contain the Radiance, he began to raise the small vessel, creating a bond with it.