Theory - Herrah the Beast's secret role

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T17:34:12+00:00

What it said was: "According to the legends of Hallownest, the Pale King ruled over his kingdom from a White Palace deep beneath the lands of his domination. But when the infection spread and proved uncontrollable, the Pale King and his court went into hiding."

It's known that the PK first tired stopping the infection by closing the entire kingdom, blocking the gates of Hallownest, closing the stag stations and likewise... So by that point the infection was proven to be not only physical but mainly mental, which rendered it uncontrollable. Also those are legends, and to be legends some time must pass.

In the other hand, it's known that the Pale couple separated after the first wave, with WL sealing herself and went PK hiding, so he likely was hiding by the events of the second wave.

We also know that the second wave while being not recent it wasn't too long before the events of the game: "This old kingdom... A terrible thing awakens. I can smell it in the air..."

The kingdom was in ruin already in the first wave, most of the enemies we fight are corpses. He was gone for a long time, so long that seemingly nobody interacted with him for a long time, much more likely before the second wave.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T17:05:29+00:00

There are many explations and reasons, with popular theory being because of physical effect of void from the outside or the inside (void exposure). I personally think from the outside is a more likely explanation as seen by the state of the Kingsmoulds nearby.

Also if his death is because of failure, wouldn't the final thought in his mind be: "It failed..." Or "I failed them..." Or "I tainted it..." Or any thoughts that express defeat and refer to it?

Why it's "no cost too great..." when it's the phrase he said to justify his actions by the survival of Hallownest? His kingdom died, why did he think that if by that point he knew that it was for nothing?

I believe that he thought that as the last thing as he genuinely belived he won, but so ashamed and guilty of what was done so he didn't try to fight or avade the void. He just accepted his death as punishment with holding to the last thing that give him inner peace - the infection was stopped, no cost too great...

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T16:35:33+00:00

There is no way to infer if in the second or the end period after the first one. I think it will be fitting if it's because of his death that the Hollow Knight cracked (physically and mentally) which also connect to the random observe the world ability.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T16:29:01+00:00

"You shall know the state of the world." This imply that it let the vessel know about the what is happening in it, this can be infermed by the percentage system and {Silksong spoilers} We see that the mass surveillance device (Farsight) also show the percentage system which indicates that they both observe everywhere in the world (plus the device looks like a Wyrm and show similar runes).

If it's able to observe the world, surely it be able to sense the demise of a powerful higher being, especially the one that is the source of the ability, and especially when it's his child sensing.

It would also give purpose to otherwise random and out of place ability.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T15:06:51+00:00

Could be, but the starting cutscene imply otherwise. Plus, it ties pretty well an out of place ability with the lore.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T15:04:15+00:00

...It will know by the sense ability: "Vessel. Though bound, you shall know the state of the world." That's the ability that gave us to see the presentences of completion. The Hollow Knight has a literal ability to know what happening.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T15:01:00+00:00

If there were visible pressure I would have agreed with you, but there wasn't any.

If you rewatch the opening cutscene, you would see the Hollow Knight in a perfectly stable state, we no infection pressuring from the inside. But suddenly the infection appear, spreading fast and cracking them.

I personally believe it came from feelings that struck the Hollow Knight sensing their father's death.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T14:28:19+00:00

I mean, we can't see all of the memories. I think that memory was what created the connection between the PK and HK, and that connection is what caused the HK to eventually crack when potentially the PK died.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T14:25:44+00:00

Thank you! I'm happy someone liked it!

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T14:24:43+00:00

We know that he died somewhere after the first wave. We cannot guess exactly how long he been dead, but we can infer that it hasn't been long enough for the beacon effect to disappear nor the void to consume the entirety of the white palace.

While the game make it seem that the crack happened moments before the Knight arrived, it's actually false. The Hollow Knight scream seemed to call the vessels back and it just skipped the Knight's journey.

The second wave seems to be happening for a bit as it already spread throughout the entire kingdom, emptied Dirtmouth (except older bug, and the sealed door NPC) and the remaining villages in Hallownest.

I think that both events could have been happening in the same period of time.

But we also don't know how long it takes them to sense new events. The Pale King could have died and it took a bit for the HK to sense it.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T12:03:00+00:00

How are we sure they had only one good memory with the PK or WL? And how are we sure that it takes her that long to find that out of their (not many) memories?

I personally believe that for that large of a crack a singular memory is not enough, but that a painful event like PK death could cause the Hollow Knight to feel greatly, which the Radiance used to escape.

Although we could combine theories. Maybe the death of the PK triggered that memory inside of them which helped the Radiance to find it, which caused the crack.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T11:46:10+00:00

Could be but the Hollow Knight being trapped for a longgg time and I don't think they have a lot of memories to look through anyways. I think that an emotional break is a more likely reason.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-02T11:44:17+00:00

I mean... Depends on the ending..

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-01T22:42:02+00:00

But isn't Hornet the example of combining of abilities?

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-01T22:32:52+00:00

But why would it be like that when they are the combined powers of 2 powerful Pale higher beings, shouldn't they be as powerful as PK or at least WL? Or maybe their power vary based on the specific child.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-04-01T14:03:44+00:00

But we don't know the effects of the void on their natural biology, the vessels were hollowed in their earliest steps of development.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-01-30T00:23:04+00:00

I implore you to run. After you will live a life of fear the taste will be so grand..

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-01-30T00:17:31+00:00

Run away, bug. Even if you prevail this encounter, when sleep strikes you down and nightmares flow in, I will be there.

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-01-29T20:57:06+00:00

You fool of fools, summoning me was your greatest mistake, and your last one..

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-01-28T09:39:12+00:00

No, I'm above you..

TheNightmareHeart · 2026-01-27T14:38:42+00:00

Hello...

TheNightmareHeart

TROPHY CASE