The meaning of the true ending.

[Cake Eater Games]

I just finished the game and i can say that the bad ending makes more sense. You become the vessle to stop the pollution(or whatever). But when you getting the true ending a bunch of strange things happens.
1. What was the clone in the Ancient Basin
2. Is the main charecter even a bug? Why that girl keeps calling him ghost?
3. What happend in the end after the final boss? Are you dead? Are you a ghost? Did you saved everyone? What was all that black goo?

Plz tell me some of your theories.

[Vladimir]

Lots of spoilers below, beware.

This was actually discussed several times, look for lore topics here and on reddit. There are at least two extended discussions here and at least one on reddit.

In short, as we were able to deduce from whatever information there is in the game, the main character is apparently one of the failed candidates for the Vessel which the Pale King created long ago to contain Radiance (which manifests as that orange infection you can see a lot in the game). This means that the main character is not actually a bug, like most of the other NPCs and enemies, but it is an artificial creation which came from the Void by the means of the power of the Pale King.

The meaning of the true ending is that instead of just containing Radiance, as Vessels were supposed to do, the main character was able to "unify the void" (what exactly this means is not really clear to me, but it seems that it roughly means that the main character was able to somehow call all of the Void creatures, its siblings in particular (who are other failed candidates for the Vessel), to its aid) and to get rid of Radiance for good. And as we can see from the true ending, this resulted either in the final death of the main character or in its "dissolution" in the Void. So yes, in the true ending the main character has actually saved everyone, in the sense that Radiance and the orange infection is now gone, by sacrificing itself.

You can find a lot more of other lore-related information in other threads.

[Kyutaru]

THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP CONQUERS ALL!
- Hollow Knight moral

[Cake Eater Games]

Originally posted by netvl:

Lots of spoilers below, beware.

This was actually discussed several times, look for lore topics here and on reddit. There are at least two extended discussions here and at least one on reddit.

In short, as we were able to deduce from whatever information there is in the game, the main character is apparently one of the failed candidates for the Vessel which the Pale King created long ago to contain Radiance (which manifests as that orange infection you can see a lot in the game). This means that the main character is not actually a bug, like most of the other NPCs and enemies, but it is an artificial creation which came from the Void by the means of the power of the Pale King.

The meaning of the true ending is that instead of just containing Radiance, as Vessels were supposed to do, the main character was able to "unify the void" (what exactly this means is not really clear to me, but it seems that it roughly means that the main character was able to somehow call all of the Void creatures, its siblings in particular (who are other failed candidates for the Vessel), to its aid) and to get rid of Radiance for good. And as we can see from the true ending, this resulted either in the final death of the main character or in its "dissolution" in the Void. So yes, in the true ending the main character has actually saved everyone, in the sense that Radiance and the orange infection is now gone, by sacrificing itself.

You can find a lot more of other lore-related information in other threads.

Thank you ALOT! That actualy explains everything i wanted to know

[lentinant]

Originally posted by netvl:

Lots of spoilers below, beware.

This was actually discussed several times, look for lore topics here and on reddit. There are at least two extended discussions here and at least one on reddit.

In short, as we were able to deduce from whatever information there is in the game, the main character is apparently one of the failed candidates for the Vessel which the Pale King created long ago to contain Radiance (which manifests as that orange infection you can see a lot in the game). This means that the main character is not actually a bug, like most of the other NPCs and enemies, but it is an artificial creation which came from the Void by the means of the power of the Pale King.

The meaning of the true ending is that instead of just containing Radiance, as Vessels were supposed to do, the main character was able to "unify the void" (what exactly this means is not really clear to me, but it seems that it roughly means that the main character was able to somehow call all of the Void creatures, its siblings in particular (who are other failed candidates for the Vessel), to its aid) and to get rid of Radiance for good. And as we can see from the true ending, this resulted either in the final death of the main character or in its "dissolution" in the Void. So yes, in the true ending the main character has actually saved everyone, in the sense that Radiance and the orange infection is now gone, by sacrificing itself.

You can find a lot more of other lore-related information in other threads.

I'd say, main hero is more like side product of actual Vessel creation. More of that, according to Queen, Vessel is actually "defected" in some sorts, which means main character may be actual "pure vessel", but got to the top second, so its existence was never known.

About ending itself, in achievement description, it is said that all light of Radiance was consumed. Possibly, it was more like "darkness + light = nothingness".

[Logos]

i don't think our character save anybody. that was not his mission. this story could be more an uprising against the king and his method of countering the corruption. maybe ghosts of the abyss just wanted to rest in peace. and the king dream manifestation "the Radiance" needed to be stoped so the hollow knight and his succesors could be free.

thats why Hornet didn't want to help you. because your actions won't be good for Hollownest.

[eradmis]

Originally posted by Logos:

thats why Hornet didn't want to help you. because your actions won't be good for Hollownest.

Actually she didn't want to help you because undoing the seals speeds up the infection and the environment within the black egg is incredibly toxic to her so worst case scenario, you unseal the radiance, die fighting it, and it's now free and she can't do anything to stop it. Also you were initially planning on just resealing radiance, which best case scenario lasts forever, but worst case you turn out to be flawed down the road too and just become another infected hollow knight or without any dreamers someone just stumbles into the egg and ♥♥♥♥♥ you up, unleashing Radiance in all her glory.

[Logos]

Originally posted by eradmis:

Originally posted by Logos:

thats why Hornet didn't want to help you. because your actions won't be good for Hollownest.

Actually she didn't want to help you because undoing the seals speeds up the infection

that's exactly what i mean.

but I'm pretty sure the Radiance is not a manifestation of the infection. the Radiance is the King's magic

[4thQueen]

The Moth Seer mentions that her tribe worshipped the light (ie Radiance) -before- the Wyrm / Pale King showed up, so no. Radiance is not the King's magic.

Radiance is the "old god" worshipped by the moths, possibly other bugs, and was harnessed or imprisoned somehow by the Wyrm, who then transformed into the Pale King. He used it to grant bugs sentience and give them "purpose", and it worked fine until Radiance's own power started overcoming the King's.

Even after containing Radiance within the Hollow Knight, the bugs eventually lost their King-granted sentience and reverted to mindless Light-worship.

You are correct however that Radiance is not a manifestation of the infection. It's the opposite. The infection is a manifestation of Radiance, trying to escape the Hollow Knight's confinement.

[eradmis]

Originally posted by 4thQueen:

He used it to grant bugs sentience and give them "purpose", and it worked fine until Radiance's own power started overcoming the King's.

The King didn't use Radiance to grant the bugs sentience. He used his power as the Wyrm.

"No blazing kin. Only one light shall shine against the dark. The Wyrm becomes beacon, minds expanded, to yield, to devote. Eternity in promise and charge in progeny cursed."

[4thQueen]

Yes, the Wyrm became a beacon... by absorbing Radiance. Did you miss what the Moth Seer says? That the Wyrm took the light?

Notice the bit about "charge in progeny cursed". That's the part that says that bugs will eventually be overcome with "infection", the desire to go back to the Light. Because Radiance is the source of the King's sentience granted on bugs.

[Szaal]

So, frankly speaking, being infected is the way of worshipping Radiance?

Ah, Moss Prophet's words make sense now.

[Logos]

Originally posted by 4thQueen:

The Moth Seer mentions that her tribe worshipped the light (ie Radiance) -before- the Wyrm / Pale King showed up, so no. Radiance is not the King's magic.

Radiance is the "old god" worshipped by the moths, possibly other bugs, and was harnessed or imprisoned somehow by the Wyrm, who then transformed into the Pale King. He used it to grant bugs sentience and give them "purpose", and it worked fine until Radiance's own power started overcoming the King's.

Even after containing Radiance within the Hollow Knight, the bugs eventually lost their King-granted sentience and reverted to mindless Light-worship.

You are correct however that Radiance is not a manifestation of the infection. It's the opposite. The infection is a manifestation of Radiance, trying to escape the Hollow Knight's confinement.

agree

[4thQueen]

Originally posted by Szaal:

So, frankly speaking, being infected is the way of worshipping Radiance?

Ah, Moss Prophet's words make sense now.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the "infection" is product of Radiance trying to violently assert itself against its imprisonment, and more specifically, you.

Yes, note that light-mad bugs carry mostly normal routines, but attack you fervently on sight, because Radiance knows what you are and your purpose. Again, speculation, but I imagine a freed Radiance would let bugs revert to non-sentience mostly in peace and without all the explosiveness of the light infection.

[Saphir]

The seer talks about bugs forgetting the radiance for the wyrm (and sentience), but still remembering it unconsciously through dreams. Those dreams are the infection, they gradually get stronger until they take the mind of the bugs,the same way they would be blinded by light (think about how Myla slowly starts being infected as her dream nail dialogue says "KILL THE EMPTY ONE" near the end). So to solve the issue of the infection the Pale King created the Hollow Knight to contain those dreams of the radiance/aka the infection but the first vessel to arrive was flawed. The true ending ends in the void being united by the mc through accepting the emptiness within, and the radiance being absorbed into the void,and with it all the dreams reminiscing of it,all of the infection.
It might also be the reason the Seer just vanishes when you awaken the dream nail, because he is the only one remembering the light, instead of disappearing into the shadow, he "lives on" as a dream, probably similarly to how the ghosts do.

Now the rest is just pure theory but i think that when you drag the radiance into the void at the end, what happens is that you just kind of "erase" it from existence,along with all the dreams/infection, and yourself to the depths of the abyss, in the void that literally no one remembers but Hornet. And thus the siblings go to rest as their goal of getting rid of the infection is achieved, and they can just be forgotten as the infection disappears.
The dreams in this case are not really thoughts, but represent more the primal instincts of the bug and the hive mind, which were granted by the Radiance.

When you think about it, not a single bug knows where you are from, or even what you are during the whole game.
The only person who recognises you (that is alive) is Hornet. Your origin literally does not exist for other bugs and once you are gone, no one will know what happened in the temple but Hornet, as you disappear as suddenly as you appeared, you take the infection with you, bugs suddenly stop dreaming about the light that they have forgotten (The Radiance,thus the "Dream no more" achievement), the void comes to rest, and is forgottent along with the ancient light, to give place to a new kingdom, without the fear of the infection and the hive mind taking over the minds of bugs.

Another thing which could hint at this is the arcane eggs that are scattered throughout a few places in the game (usually near the abyss/ancient basin.) So maybe the ancient civilisation was actually a kind made of Void, before any light came in? Those things (whatever they were) probably belonged to the same kind as the siblings,the Hollow Knight or the MC.They were the "Higher Beings" as the Pale King calls them. You could consider it as a kingdom that existed in Hallownest before life itself. When life sprung, the Radiance was born and bugs with a hive mind/basic instincts came in, then the story continues from that point with the Pale Wyrm...