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Team Cherry's Silksong carries on the distinctive storytelling approach from the first game, tucking away bits of lore and character growth throughout the world. As you assemble the full picture, the evolution from a seemingly simple beginning to a profoundly important ending is striking. Similar to the overall experience, the story is grander in scope and more refined than its forerunner, centered around a strong central idea and a remarkable twist.

However, the word "Almost" is crucial. There is a central flaw: the development team seem uncertain about whether the protagonist is the heroine or the person controlling her.

Editor's Note: The following discussion contains major plot reveals for both the regular and secret conclusions of Silksong.

Hornet's Journey

The quest starts with the protagonist imprisoned in a cage. A group known as the Weavers captured her on orders from Grand Mother Silk, from whom she is partly descended. After escaping, she encounters a band of travelers and begins her ascent. Her path takes her from the hellish depths littered with bones and corpses up towards the fortress, home to Pharloom's corrupt religious caste. Along the way, she observes the hardship and pain endured by the oppressed populace in the name of faith—laborers who toil unto death, free-thinkers imprisoned for their beliefs, and more.

The Rival Weaver Lace

Lace, also born from Grand Mother Silk's essence, is likewise ascending to the Citadel. Her plan is to awaken her mother, exact revenge on the corrupt clergy, and take over. Hornet's arrival complicates matters. In the regular conclusion, she takes over from the deity. In the secret finale, she imprisons the deity, battles the Void, rescues her rival, and witnesses a sacrifice so they may go free.

Thematic Foundations

Silksong is, at its core, a tale of journey. It is modeled after ancient spiritual journeys and morality plays, with a critical look at institutional faith. Hornet's journey—descending into darkness, through a middle realm of struggle, and rising toward revelation—strongly echoes the classic epic poem. That Renaissance masterpiece follows a protagonist through the afterlife on a quest for spiritual transformation, which is the essence of Silksong.

One can even draw connections to the Stations of the Cross, albeit rearranged. Hornet is captured and divested, faces judgment, suffers a grueling climb, and is temporarily entombed in the void. In other words, the game encourages reflection on faith, the soul, and change, all of which are essential for understanding the finale.

Backstory of the Weavers

Delving into the lore of the Weavers reveals that the religion and way of life previously upheld by Mother Silk has turned toxic. Her followers forsook her path, and a caste of self-serving ministers took over the Citadel, perverting the faith for their own gain.

The protagonist, as a part-Weaver descendant of the deity, was destined to obey her commands, willingly or not. Thanks to her upbringing by Herrah, Hornet was raised outside from the internal conflicts and encouraged to be independent, which is why Mother Silk imprisons her at the start—to force her to fulfill her inherited duties.

Conclusions and Interpretations

If Hornet overcomes the deity in the regular finale, she absorbs her spirit and becomes a new god. The fact that this is not the good outcome indicates that Pharloom's troubles would continue—she would have merely replaced one fallen god for another. By resolving all conflicts, players access the final chapter and the ideal conclusion.

Like any significant journey, this one ends with revelation. Hornet's discovery is that she can now exist independently of the hereditary burden in her lineage and decide her own fate. Lace, reminded of love's power, liberated from her single-mindedness, will likely rebuild Pharloom in a better image. In the true ending, religion is dead, and everyone is free.

As a end of the journey, it is an brilliant narrative device that perfectly aligns with the inspirations it draws upon. It communicates players that the sole path to a better society is to care for others. Rarely do titles use player agency to deliver such a message so effectively, and the developers deserve praise for this thoughtful use of the medium.

The Protagonist Problem

Despite the strength of its final message, the studio had difficulty reinforcing this message consistently and, crucially, to tie it to the adventure's heart: Hornet.

The message might be for the player, but the narrative is about her. When a story features a main character who speaks and thinks independently, she must be the central focus, and her actions and growth should convey the themes. Even in allegorical works, the main character's purpose are usually clearly defined to ensure understanding.

Yet, she does not learn or change on her journey. Her only goal is to get back. The struggle of destiny versus choice only appears in the Act 2 boss fight and some obscure backstory. If players complete all requirements to unlock Act 3, an supporting figure remarks about Hornet's compassion, but he is addressing the player, not her.

Lack of Character Development

This approach would have worked in the first Hollow Knight, where the player and the Knight are one. She, however, is a defined character, a driven hunter with a set objective. If she is made to choose uncharacteristic deeds—such as aiding the helpless—there should be some resistance. One would anticipate her to grumble, act unpleasant, or at least respond. A brief complaint when first helping, later showing hope that her actions do good, would work.

When first asked to assist the weak bugs of Pharloom, she responds with indifference, treating it as a minor task. 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 notable that the player would demonstrate compassion, but not the heroine. The game provides no reason to think she would.

Wasted Character Potential

Hornet's interactions with figures such as the Caretaker were the perfect opportunity to develop her personality and strengthen the message without obvious explanation. However, many end up being purely decorative, just filling space. This problem stems from both the characterization of the heroine and the haphazard role of the other characters.

Garmond is essentially a charming but irrelevant figure—there for atmosphere but playing no crucial part. Others, like the certain NPCs, embody alternative beliefs 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 The Green Prince, thanks to a tragic romance. While compelling, it relies too much on a troubling trope and feels disconnected from the main narrative. Removing it would have no effect on Hornet's story or the primary theme.

A Passive Protagonist

The apparently arbitrary distribution of focus makes subplots feel unfinished and added hastily. The biggest misstep, however, is that Hornet is shown as largely inactive in almost every situation. The few times she speaks up, her remarks are terribly bland, such as stating the obvious to another character. Even blunter commentary on oppression and free will would have linked her more closely to the game's concepts. Instead, she is just along for the ride—in the backseat of her narrative.

Acknowledging the Achievement

Despite these problems in storytelling, there is still great admiration for what the developers accomplished. Rare titles synthesize so many influences 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 even bigger and better, one can only wish that those improvements include the fundamentals of storytelling as well.