Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Hornet is the protagonist who made her presence known in the previous game. Her history with The Knight and their deadly yet engaging encounters have made her a memorable and beloved character within the community. However,Silksong’s predecessor may have introduced a problem that affects the sequel’s protagonist, one that is made very clear whencomparing Hornet to The Knight.
Hornet is the main character ofHollow Knight: Silksong; she and the Knight have individual qualities that draw players to them, but there is one difference between the two that is very distinct: their ability to provide dialogue. Both characters were introduced inHollow Knight,and while the Knight never communicates with anyone directly, Hornet speaks freely and is vocal during encounters. The distinction between the two could lead to a problem inSilksong. If Hornet’s small number of voice lines were to be reused in the sequel without any new additions, it could get old really fast. This may bring up the possibility of letting the new protagonist be as silent as the Knight during combat, eliminating the issue.
Why Hornet Should Be Silent During Combat
Players who have completedHornet’s boss fight in the originalHollow Knightwill remember the limited voice lines repeated during certain attack sequences. The reason why they were so memorable was not only because they were quite charming, but also because they were heard very often during fights. While they were entertaining to listen to in her limited encounters in the previous game, they may lose their charm if players who control her in the sequel have to hear them over and over. She could benefit more from being as silent as the Knight, as it can help solve the problem of being fatigued from her constant action dialogue. Such a change should be considered for a few reasons:
Hornet’s dialogue can be a double-edged sword; in this case, having her speak in combat could be more detrimental to her character than helping it. Making her as silent as the Knight, but only during combat, could help her and give her a unique charm that not even the previous protagonist could possess.
How Hornet Can Still Be Both Vocal and Silent in Fights
The one big change about Hornet beingSilksong’s protagonistis that players will finally have someone who can communicate with the world. Though there is the issue of hearing reused voice lines, this can also be resolved with an in-game option that turns her voice lines on or off. It is the best of both worlds, as it lets players enjoy Hornet as she was in the previous game or turn her into a protagonist similar to the Knight. Allowing people to enjoy her in two different ways provides room for replayability while also giving her a quality that most main characters from Metroidvanias do not possess, making her unique even among them.
Witheverything known about Hornet beforeSilksong’s release, it may be better to depict her as a silent fighter in the sequel. Being able to communicate with the world’s inhabitants is already a step up from how the Knight was handled, but hearing her combat dialogue repeatedly could hurt how players view her. While some might see it as a strange change, it could lead to her and Silksong becoming more memorable presences in gaming.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, and adventure through a whole new kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and brought to this unfamiliar world, Hornet must battle foes and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. As the lethal hunter Hornet, journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover ancient secrets tied to your nature and your past.
