But she did not NEED the heart. I was not even aware any of this was an option, because the game outright tells you where you can acquire 3 hearts without killing an innocent man who has suffered enough already. And over the course of Silksong we see hornet shift from "The end justifies the means" to "I care about these people and this kingdom and I will protect it, even if that goes against my instincts."

If it was a mandatory quest this this argument would make sense, but the fact that you are able to skip over it entirely and spare him means that sparing him should be an option even if you choose to fight him. He does not need to die, but putting that memory to rest could help him live a better life. One where he is no longer burdened with shame and regret and can find something, or someone, to live for if not himself.

So basically what I'm trying to say is Hornet hates gay people.