Mr. Mushroom Secret Ending [Work in Progress]

This is a guide – that's still work in progress – regarding one of Hollow Knight's most mysterious and best-hidden secrets: Mr. Mushroom. This guide rather aims at giving you the needed hints and figuring it all out yourself and therefore includes a lot of spoiler tags. Although the goal is to finally add a section about every exact location including screenshots.

Introduction

Mr. Mushroom Secret Guide

"...Wyrm's pull bugs into their thrall,
Till ages pass and kingdoms fall
Caps and shells may fall to dust,
But Mr Mushroom readjusts..."

– Mr. Mushroom's Dream Nail dialogue

WORK IN PROGRESS

This will be a guide regarding one of Hollow Knight's most mysterious and best-hidden secret: Mr. Mushroom. This guide rather aims at giving you the needed hints and figuring it all out together with the community, instead of just spoiling it by telling everything.

Rewards

Doing this quest line unlocks and awards the »Passing of the Age« secret ending cutscene and the associated achievement.

...and the meme, obviously! Do it for the meme! Don't let your memes be dreams!

Secret Riddle Tablet

The following text is a quote of the inscription from a secret stone tablet found in a hidden cave in the bottom-right corner of Kingdom's Edge, that can only be read when wearing the Spore Shroom Charm. It not only hints every location of Mr. Mushroom, but also the exact order in which he has to be visited and interacted with – still having the same Charm equipped.

Riddle Tablet Inscription

We speak the path of the Master Herald,
he who would signal an Age's end.

Spawn of self, their minds unite,
Aside the source of acid blight,

Aglow in darkest, winding depths,
Winds all howl above fossilstone steps,

Monarchflys in air set still,
To Root's domain and snail once shrill,

Path of Wyrm, at new lands entered,
There journeys end. The kingdom ventured.

Riddle Tablet Explanation

We speak the past of the Master Herald, = location(s) of Mr. Mushroom
he who would signal an Age's end. = cyclical world?

Spawn of self, their minds unite = Fungal Wastes
Aside the source of acid blight, = next to Isma's Grove

Aglow in darkest, winding depths, = glowing Mushrooms in Deepnest
Winds all howl above fossilstone steps, = Howling Cliffs

Monarchflys in airs set still, = Monarch Wings altar
To Root's domain and snail once shrill, = Queen's Gardens entrance

Path of Wyrm, at new lands entered, = King's Pass
There journeys end. The kingdom ventured. = final location, and a new beginning?

Instructions

WORK IN PROGRESS

[every location – detailed description + screenshot?]

After defeating the 3 Dreamers, Mister Mushroom will start appearing in various locations of the map, interacting with him in every location will unlock the »Passing of the Age« achievement and associated secret post-credit cutscene. To interact with him you just have to hit him with your nail, making him look at you.

First Encounter – Fungal Wastes

You will find Mister Mushroom standing right where Cornifer used to sell his map. For the quest to start, you will need to equip the Spore Shroom Charm before talking to him. If you interact with him without it, you won't understand what he's saying – only gibberish – and the quest won't progress.

Talking to him with the Spore Shroom Charm equipped will trigger the following dialogue:

...It's nice that you were able to help your friend. So you're not hungry any more?
Yes, that was quite the appetite. I was impressed. Still, we all move on sooner or later.
To greater things, perhaps? So much can be achieved in just a short time...
...Oh. Excuse me.

This is believed to be a reference to Team Cherry's previous game called »Hungry Knight«, in which a character resembling Hollow Knight's protagonist has to kill 3 masked bosses, who look a lot like the 3 Dreamers.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Mr. Mushroom's Dialogue

Fungal Wastes Encounter

...It's nice that you were able to help your friend. So you're not hungry any more?
Yes, that was quite the appetite. I was impressed. Still, we all move on sooner or later.
To greater things, perhaps? So much can be achieved in just a short time...
...Oh. Excuse me.

Kingdom's Edge Encounter

...Shouldn't trust the eye they gave you. Rely on your own instincts.
If you've got a keen nose, use it.
And while you're hunting for secrets, beware those who are hunting you!
...Oh. Excuse me.

Deepnest Encounter

...The dead can't make use of wealth in any case. What would they spend it on?
Yes, a big brood like that. They need food. And shelter. And toys.
If you keep some for yourself... Well, I think you deserve it. Yes...
...Oh. Excuse me.

Howling Cliffs Encounter

...What was called a "hero" in its moment may be called something very different after time has passed. The crimes and triumphs of our predecessors echo all around us, don't they? The chains of fate that bind us all together... do you really want to break them?
...Oh. Excuse me.

Ancient Basin Encounter

...Well if things are getting too dangerous down there, maybe it's time to take a break?
Come back up and spend some time hunting, or gathering, or wandering aimlessly.
No, not too much longer now...
...Oh. Excuse me.

Fog Canyon Encounter

...I haven't seen her, no. I'm sure you'll remember where you left her eventually.
Trust the moon, or yourself. Or trust her. You need to trust something, that's my point.
Hmm? No, not him. No. Absolutely not.
...Oh. Excuse me.

King's Pass Final Encounter

...It's not by tools that you'll triumph, it's through your smarts, your speed, your determination...

...Oh. I see. So you've been following me around then?
I hope my travels haven't confused your own, distracted you.
Then again, a meandered journey still has meaning.
It is, after all, from a journey we find our purpose,
though a stop is more than just a stop.

And my if those stops can't be lovely things, wouldn't you say?
Transcendent plateaus, distant sandy lands, vast ancient kingdoms.
Yours was not the first, nor will it be the last, but it's a unique and special thing nonetheless.

Now, with my duties here finished, it's time I made graceful departure.
Till next time my friend. 'Tis a long road we tread, but a joyous one.

Until our paths cross again...

Conclusion

[?]

More Secrets

The Godseeker

Lifeblood Creature/God(?) in the Lifeblood Core

The Seal of Binding

Trilobite Statue in the Beast's Den

The Vitruvian Grub

[Icarus]

@Phoenix17: That's exactly right!

[Phoenix17]

I just got the achievement and apparently you need to find Mr. Mushroom at all encounters, then get one of the endings, once the credits are over, you get the achievement.

[jdan77pear]

so mister mushroom is like sans

[jdan77pear]

thanks

[Icarus]

@jdan77pear: If I recall correctly that's in a small cave to the top-left where the Warrior Spirit is at.

[jdan77pear]

i can't figure out where "near the glowing mushrooms" are

[AWL.Edisson]

How about a Clear Nail Warrior statue?

[Icarus]

Explanation with links by Team Cherry: http://teamcherry.com.au/jam-games

Tomb Cat: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/625595

Hungry Knight: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/643636

[puzzleslut]

@Icarus: Wow, had no idea. Great stuff, I'll go check it out right now.

[Icarus]

@Acr1m: The quote you posted from the third encounter with Mr. Mushroom in Deepnest is most likely a reference to a development jam game Team Cherry did before Hollow Knight called "Tomb Cat". You're playing a cat ("big brood", "food", "shelter", "toys") that's exploring and pillaging a haunted pyramid that's full of mummies ("the dead") for gold ("wealth"). You can play it on New Grounds if you want to take a look yourself. Just search for "Tomb Cat". :)

Just as the first encounter in the Fungal Wastes is a reference to "Hungry Knight", another small dev-jam game Team Cherry made that basically features the same protagonist as Hollow Knight.

Mr. Mushroom is a meta-character that transcends games and their worlds, basically breaking the fourth wall for the player if they know what he's talking about. Some other dialogues are most likely references to Team Cherry's favorite games that inspired Hollow Knight like Zelda 2 or Faxanadu.