🔗 Share this article

Team Cherry's Silksong continues the distinctive storytelling approach from the original title, tucking away bits of lore and character development across the landscape. Once everything is connected, the evolution from a seemingly simple beginning to a profoundly important conclusion is remarkable. Similar to the overall experience, the story is grander in scope and more refined than its predecessor, built upon a strong central idea and a remarkable twist.

However, the word "Almost" is key. There is a central flaw: the development team seem unable to decide about whether the protagonist is the heroine or the player.

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

The Pilgrimage of Hornet

The quest starts with the protagonist imprisoned in a cage. A group known as the Weavers took her prisoner on orders from Grand Mother Silk, from whom Hornet is partially born. After escaping, she encounters a band of travelers and begins her ascent. Her path takes her from the hellish depths filled with remains of the fallen up towards the fortress, home to Pharloom's corrupt religious caste. Along the way, she observes the hardship and pain inflicted upon the exploited masses in the name of faith—workers who sacrifice their lives, free-thinkers jailed for daring to question, and more.

The Rival Weaver Lace

Another Weaver, also created by Grand Mother Silk's essence, is likewise ascending to the stronghold. Her goal is to revive the deity, seek vengeance on the ministers who imprisoned her, and take over. The protagonist's interference changes everything. In the standard ending, Hornet usurps the deity. In the secret finale, she imprisons the deity, battles the Void, frees Lace, and sees Mother Silk give herself up so they may go free.

A Deeper Allegory

Silksong is, at its heart, a pilgrimage story. It is inspired by medieval pilgrimages and morality plays, with a Reformation-style critique at organized religion. The protagonist's path—descending into darkness, navigating a purgatorial layer, and ascending to enlightenment—strongly echoes Dante's The Divine Comedy. That Renaissance masterpiece follows a protagonist through the afterlife on a journey of enlightenment, which perfectly encapsulates Silksong.

One can even see parallels to the Christian ritual, albeit out of order. The heroine is captured and divested, faces judgment, endures a tortuous ascent, and is temporarily entombed in the abyss. In essence, the game encourages reflection on religion, spirituality, and transformation, all of which are vital for understanding the finale.

Backstory of the Weavers

Delving into the mythology of the Weavers reveals that the religion and way of life previously upheld by the deity has turned toxic. Her followers forsook her path, and a caste of self-serving ministers seized control the Citadel, twisting its doctrines for their personal benefit.

The protagonist, as a part-Weaver descendant of Grand Mother Silk, was destined to obey her commands, whether she wanted to or not. Thanks to her true mother, Herrah, Hornet was kept away from the Weaver drama and taught to live for herself, which is why the deity captures her at the beginning—to force her to fulfill her Weaver responsibilities.

Conclusions and Interpretations

If the heroine overcomes the deity in the standard ending, she takes her power and ascends to divinity. The fact that this is not the true ending indicates that the kingdom's problems would continue—she would have simply swapped one fallen god for another. By resolving all conflicts, players unlock Act 3 and the ideal conclusion.

Like any meaningful pilgrimage, this one concludes with enlightenment. Hornet's discovery is that she can now live free of the hereditary burden in her blood and decide her own fate. Her rival, reminded of love's power, liberated from her single-mindedness, will presumably restore the kingdom in a better image. In the finale, religion is dead, and all can live autonomously.

As a end of the journey, it is an brilliant narrative device that perfectly aligns with the inspirations it draws upon. It tells players that the only way to improve the world is to care for others. Rarely do titles use interactivity to deliver such a message so powerfully, and the creators deserve credit for this innovative approach.

A Central Dilemma

Despite the power of its conclusion, the studio had difficulty reinforcing this theme consistently and, more importantly, to tie it to the adventure's heart: Hornet.

The moral might be for the player, but the story is about her. When a narrative features a main character who speaks and thinks independently, she must be the primary subject, and her actions and growth should communicate the ideas. Even in symbolic stories, the main character's purpose are usually explicitly stated to ensure understanding.

Yet, Hornet does not learn or change on her journey. Her sole purpose is to return home. The struggle of destiny versus choice only appears in the climactic battle and some obscure backstory. If players tick every box to reach the true ending, an NPC character comments on Hornet's compassion, but he is talking to you, not her.

Lack of Character Development

This method would have worked in the first Hollow Knight, where the protagonist is a blank slate. Hornet, however, is a defined character, a focused warrior with a clear purpose. If she is forced to perform actions against her nature—such as helping weak bugs—there should be some friction. One would expect her to complain, act unpleasant, or at least react. A brief complaint when first helping, later showing hope that her aid might help, would suffice.

When first asked to assist the oppressed citizens, she responds with indifference, treating it as a low priority. Even if the user decides to assist, she forms no bond with any of them. There is no transformation, no evolution of viewpoint. It is remarkable that the user would demonstrate compassion, but not Hornet. The game provides little justification to think she would.

Underutilized Supporting Cast

The protagonist's dialogues with characters like the Caretaker were the perfect opportunity to develop her personality and reinforce the themes without obvious explanation. However, many end up being merely ornamental, just filling space. This problem stems from both the writing of Hornet and the haphazard role of the supporting cast.

One character is essentially a lovable, doddering old fool—present 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 is never developed.

Aside from key figures, one of the only characters with a thread through the entire game is a specific character, thanks to a tragic romance. While compelling, it leans heavily on a problematic cliché and feels disconnected from the main narrative. Taking it out would have little impact on the protagonist's arc or the core message.

Hornet as a Passenger

The seemingly random distribution of focus makes side stories feel incomplete and tacked on. The largest error, 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 linked her more closely to the game's ideas. Instead, she is merely a passenger—in the passenger seat of her own story.

Acknowledging the Achievement

Despite these problems in storytelling, there is still great admiration for what the team accomplished. Few games blend so many inspirations into a set of themes so powerful and complex that they are built directly into the in-game world. If the next project from the developers is larger and improved, one can only hope that those enhancements include the basics of narrative as well.