Hollow Knight OST - Sealed Vessel

Hollow Knight Original Soundtrack 24 - "Sealed Vessel" theme & music by Christopher Larkin.
FULL Hollow Knight & DLC Playlist: • Hollow Knight OST + DL...
FULL Hollow Knight Playlist: • Hollow Knight OST - Pl...
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Additional keywords: Temple of the Black Egg, Birthplace (attenuated), Path of Pain, Ending 1 (The Hollow Knight), Ending 3 (Dream no More), The Hollow Knight boss theme.

[@Horny_Fruit_Flies]

You are born in a sea of bones of your siblings. You climb up the Abyss with sickening cracks of falling bodies around. You reach the top, claws scraping desperately at the cold, sharp walls. You see the King, your father, he who cursed his own progeny. Only with him can you survive. You turn around to see another reach the summit. This brief moment of hesitation alone already spells your doom; You are not the unfeeling mockery of life as father had intended. You either help your sibling and he would cast you both down to die, Or you ignore them and dwell on the guilt. You follow the King. You are the chosen one. You don't yet know that you'd be better off rotting in that pit, As you are walking towards a fate worse than death. Youngling to grown vessel, you are denied friendship, love, or even personhood. You are a tool wearing the face of what could have been the King's child. Nothing more. But your father is all you have, and he affords to show you some affection once. Deprived, you grow to love him, in spite of what he has done to you. Even if you had the courage, you cannot tell him. You don't know if he loves you back. Even if you dared, you cannot ask. If you could, at best he would love you too in spite of your flaw, And begin anew the destruction of your siblings. At worst he would dispose of you too. You become the Hollow Knight. You will seal the enemy of your King’s make to save his kingdom. If you succeed, you will be alone, in chains, in the dark, forever. And that is your duty, for you would save countless lives. You could uphold the purpose behind your siblings’ lives cut short. And maybe earn your father's love. Although you’d never live to hear him say it. He has gifted you the power to see the kingdom that you will protect. If you are the pure vessel that you were supposed to, you will prevail. But you are not. If you were uncaring, you wouldn't care to save anyone. If you were unfeeling, you wouldn't feel the pain the entire time. If you were unwanting, you wouldn't want to make your father proud. If you were the thoughtless, empty, husk creature, you would have succeed. If you had been what everyone needed, you wouldn't have turned out worthless. After a lifetime of torment in chains, you wouldn't have fallen apart, and failed. And with your failure you watch the kingdom slowly fall and its citizens die. The Dreamers who forfeit their lives to seal you. The mother your half-sister lost. The legions of siblings that perished. The blood on your parents' hands. The guilt they were crushed under. Your own sacrifice and pain. All for nothing. Because you actually cared. You could have been a prince. Your parents could have loved you like a real child. You could have had friends and siblings. You could have had a voice. But all that was taken away from you. And it was taken all for nothing. Because it wasn't enough. Because you were afraid to fail. Nobody will remember you, nor what you have done. You will stand guard, suffering in silence, for a dead kingdom. You will be bound, rotting alive, for no one and for nothing. All alone, save for angered powers tearing down your mind. And thoughts that you should never have had in the first place. Thoughts of your mistakes, lies, regrets, and failure. Memories of your betrayed sibling and life thrown away. That will be all you have left until the end of time. For you will not die. Not for a long while. You can't reach your nail..

[@setagaming750]

underrated comment

[@quinngauvin137]

Damn, that was amazing! Really well done; you should be proud of yourself!

[@yeerbles6473]

thank you for putting this incredible comment back here

[@turpisfelis]

Absolutely incredible, made me get the feels.

[@mospusthespider1246]

YES!!! This comment was my favorite comment from the original IndiGo video upload and the loss of this beautiful comment is what I dreaded when I saw that the OST was removed from my playlist...thank you for bringing it back!

[@radiosuitcase1]

This isn't a boss fight. It's a mercy kill.

[@borekminer]

its like fighting an ally because he was infected by a plague and all three of you started fighting

[@gordoterremotanquederaviol7289]

When the hollow knight starts stabbing himself in hopes of killing this infection over him and then it lifts it up off the ground and starts slamming its body at the floor trying to hit the knight fighting him, it really shows the incredible amount of detail and thought that went into it, it's my favorite fight in the entire game

[@thesystem3273]

You literally putting your own brother out of his misery just to replace him plus there's a theory that the player is the reincarnated pale king so you are a father killing your failed child

[@zebradude9547]

@thesystem3273 That theory is debunked, there are multiple reasons why but the main one is the birthplace cut scene. At the top of the ledge, not only is the knight and the Pale King in one place, but the baby Hollow Knight notices and sees them both, meaning both are actually physically there and it's not a memory of the Knights past life or anything, so that's basically confirmation that the Pale king and knight are separate entities.

[@wildfire9280]

Just what the doctor ordered. 😊

[@lolrus5555]

_The old King of Hallownest... he must have been desperate to save his crumbling little world. The sacrifices he imposed on others..._ *all for nothing.*

[@DragonOfPureGoofiness]

Higher beings these words are for you alone Our pure vessel has ascended from below

[@JMNplays584]

-The hunter

[@wildfire9280]

@@DragonOfPureGoofiness these sound like perfect metal lyrics

[@gabryoo3100]

I AM CAIM

[@MineSwifi]

on others? not really i mean

[@f1nnzy]

During the fight with The Hollow Knight he fights you, but is slow. His movements are reluctant, he stabs himself, and feels possessed. For me, I saw a vessel who loved. And he felt pain. And he died for you, and the pale king, and everyone else. He still lives in the corrupted body. He wants to help. Thats all he's wanted. Now, he has to fight. The fight made me cry, not because it was hard or made me miserable, but because of the tragic story behind our final boss. The final boss we take place of. The final boss we get to set free

[@hollowsentinel4448]

Best comment so far

[@DANGERINTHEFALLS]

THE POWER OF HALLOWNEST LIES WITHIN *YOU ALONE.*

[@JuanAntonioGarciaHeredia]

La revivís amigo

[@scarabdust]

Old comment but the Hollow Knight isn't a he, lol

[@matthewchen1673]

so what youre saying is im fighting jesus

[@Gio_bea]

Everyone at phase 1 & 2: This music is lit, bro! Everyone at phase 3: ...

[@10feethome]

😭😭😭

[@liamfout9006]

Nah bro, when I started hearing the path of pain theme at the end I got flashbacks.

[@Chaki21]

@@liamfout9006 You did... PoP before THK ?

[@liamfout9006]

@@Chaki21 I did the original hollow knight, liked the music, played the path of pain, got king soul and turned it to void heart, then fought THK and heard the part where I got flashbacks…

[@Chaki21]

@@liamfout9006 Oh, I was just surprised someone did Path of Pain before fighting THK

[@JordTheeNord]

Man I can't think of any characters who have taken a bigger L than The Hollow Knight. It's entire existence is nothing short of a tragedy.

[@bend6919]

Tfw your biggest dreams and aspirations still amount to a horrible, lonely life of pain and anguish, and it turns out even more terrible than that since it was all for nothing anyway. Sadge

[@AM1-supreme]

@@bend6919 Tfw the only good part of your life is when it ended

[@linkal_8097]

massive L is… a way of putting it

[@pikasans2008]

Sorry to ask but what is taking a L?

[@JordTheeNord]

@@pikasans2008 L stands for Loss. Taking an L means something bad happened to you. The bigger the L the worse

[@bmobmo6438]

The shock I felt when I saw THK start stabbing itself in the middle of the boss fight... I'd pieced together that the infection was reanimating corpses and driving everything it touched into a rage, so when I saw the infection filling THK's room I thought it was just another mindless beast, another shell like so many others I'd slain. Then it started stabbing itself and 2:15 played. And it hit me, it's not just another husk driven mad by rage... it's still in there. The screams between phases aren't screams of rage, they're screams of *pain.* It still had some control of itself, and it only wanted to die. I thought it was the source of the infection, but it was only a victim like every other poor bug in Hallownest.

[@thefelix420420]

when you realise the boss fight is actually assisted suicide . it hurt so mutch.

[@anonymousguineapig6174]

While heartfelt, your comment about the scream is incorrect. The Pale King's idea of perfect meant that the vessels had no voice- the scream is the Radiance, not THK. That's why when you fight Pure Vessel, its scream animation is silent. So THK can't even scream for help, or in pain, or for someone to save it. Eternally silent, chained and suffering the immense agony of the Radiance's infection.

[@crinklyonion1410]

@@anonymousguineapig6174Um actually🤓

[@crinklyonion1410]

It’s even more impressive when you realize that the Hollow Knight has the source of the infection, so he has it the worst, and is still faring better than another bug that would give in to the Radiance at the slightest bit of infection.

[@spamtoniumg]

Those are screams of radiance, hollow knight cant scream... even if it wants to

[@KnightrideThrillz]

No cost too great No mind to think No will to break No voice to cry suffering Born of God and Void You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams You are the vessel You are the Hollow Knight

[@SourCoffeeExpert]

Correct

[@WatermelonDog512]

For some reason whenever i read those words i get a chill in my back lol help me

[@SpindleTheSpider]

The music was just in time when I read that

[@SpindleTheSpider]

The music timed just right againnn

[@evanlephrog7337]

NO MOUTH TO PERFORM CPR

[@Flap.Doodle]

saw something like this comment on the old video and couldn't let it be forgotten 2:12 this is when you see that this isn’t a fight, the infected body of your sibling cries as they puncture their shell, and you realize… this isn’t the final battle you’ve been waiting for. *it’s assisted suicide.* edit: fixed wording

[@BPKPhoenix]

The pain of realization. *Its hollowing.*

[@kluocduoc9835]

THK is not a husk, they never died.

[@bigwrexuk]

When the climactic final boss fight becomes euthanasia.

[@PrimitiveAspid]

This _is_ the vessel leitmotif. Maybe they’re referring to the Broken Vessel?

[@senperj.williams1664]

+4 (Kill assist)

[@h4zrd-rs252]

4:35 I would be able to hear the screeching and stabbing when this plays if I wasn't crying so hard

[@drkspnova]

That part actually doesn't play during the fight, it's only used for the Dream No More cutscene

[@h4zrd-rs252]

@@drkspnova I must be thinking about the earlier part that sounds similar

[@VoiD-ok9xh]

And this part in intro(

[@ytgshlung]

part 1: egg???? part 2: grooving part 3: depression

[@Nobelium-cr8xi]

This song is TOO GOOD. The beginning of the song is a series of chords that represent the structure of a post-final boss. And 2:13 and onward.. it connects with the hollow knight lore, as the radiance is in control of them. Every element of the song.. fantastic.

[@mayhaps15]

Ngl, this song deadass makes me want to cry. It's just that Pure Vessel went though so much pain and Hallownest as a whole shattered. One hell of an amazing game, to anyone who hasn't played it, PLAY IT. It is so total worth it. Love the soundtrack and everything about it. Thank you Team Cherry.

[@infernowa]

Fr, fr

[@daenite2480]

This isn't the Pure Vessel, that one is free from imperfections.

[@infernowa]

@@daenite2480 or is it..?

[@FungalFury]

@@infernowa I'm pretty sure pure vessel ( the boss ) is simply the hollow knight but uninfected, the pure vessel never truly existed beyond the pale king's aspirations. If a pure vessel exists, then it's the knight (player character).

[@Elden-Bear]

@@FungalFury we are not fully hollow

[@santiagoo275]

Time to up the views to 1.000.000 by myself again

[@Amellifera.]

Thank you for your service o7

[@duckman9327]

@@Amellifera. I shall join the cause

[@StylishWitch]

@@Amellifera. you'll be at 3 mil by the end of the week, promise

[@grimmsoul3096]

somehow all 3 of you are yet to comply...

[@santiagoo275]

@@grimmsoul3096 i watch it everyday before going to sleep to KILL THE HOLLOWED ON- i mean to sleep with THE LIGH-peacefully

[@azuretao]

The Hollow Knight looking at us while we break the chains: "Any minute now..."

[@superstardoughball9822]

"Ok Chris, this is a fateful battle in the game, make sure to give it 100%!" "You mean 112%" "Wha-" 1:39 "Did I stutter?"

[@seabass3818]

Everytime I hear this part its like I get hit with a stun.

[@evilesteye]

1:54 200%

[@Scribf1nite]

What I absolutely love about this theme is how it seems to come so close to being welcome to hallownest at parts yet never reaches it, always off by one singular note or octave. It makes sense, the sealed vessel was flawed, he wasn’t hollow, not like us

[@luulcas_6267]

We don't know if we're hollow actually

[@luulcas_6267]

@sailor actually we can see that the knight tries to get out of the water and seemingly panicking, showing that it has a little bit of emotions, it has void in him which mean that he can easily survive infected air but the entirety of the infection AND a higher being in him without any proper training like the sealed vessel would be a little bit harder than that, also the sealed vessel still has a little bit of control even with all of that in him, I think there is different level of hollowness and the pale king Idea in general is flawed because a physical being without any emotion and completely hollow doesn't exist.

[@trom_my]

@@luulcas_6267 the knight (us) is far from hollow some examples of emotions and things like that are sitting next to quirrel at the blue lake winged nosk taking the form of hornet, which implies the knight as some sort of attachment to her even having the will to try and save the kingdom can be considered emotion or at least something with life there's a lot of small examples, with this also, that i could say but i don't wanna make this youtube comment any longer

[@nekogamer2508]

Godhome fixes that by purging the radiance once and for all it even saves the sealed vessel

[@luulcas_6267]

@@trom_my that's what I said

[@JustAWildSkullKid]

So I suck at videogames. As expected, I sucked even more at Hollow Knight. After hours and hours of trial and error, I arrived at the Temple of the black egg with this idea of the Hollow Knight being some sort of mindless beast, completely consumed by the infection. That's what I was expecting, a fight against a mindless creature. At first, I was not disappointed, as the Hollow Knight seemed aggressive enough. But then he fell on his knees and started moving in a weird way. At first I thought he was having some sort of seizures, and only afterwards did I realize what he was actually doing. At that point I just stopped. I couldn't do anything but stare in disbelief, asking myself why that was happening. Then it got me. That creature still had something left inside of him, he wasn't so hollow after all. And these were not cries of rage, they were cries of pain. He had regained some control over himself, and he only had one desire: to die. I swear, the second part of this fight was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen. The way he so desperately tries to end it when he manages to get some consciousness back, and the way he tries to hit me but can't get up, even when the infection has control over him, is devastating. I don't know, maybe I tend to approach things with too much empathy, but I can't think about that poor knight without feeling a deep sense of sadness.

[@czajkowski2352]

Excellently put, I felt the exact same way. Poor thing put between the crossfires of two warring gods.

[@JustAWildSkullKid]

@@czajkowski2352 yeah. I really despise the king for what he did honestly. I get that he was desperate and that he wanted to save his people, but I believe he went too far. First of all, I believe he could have taken the Radiance into account just a little, so she wouldn't seek revenge. Then, he doomed thousands and thousands of vessels, his children, and allowed even more civilians to be slaughtered in the Soul Sanctum. He trapped a dude inside a lighthouse for...what? One could say that he wasn't aware of the fact that his son was capable of feeling emotions and pain, so that might have been unintentional. But when he realized what happened, he basically said bye bye and went into hiding, in a dream world palace, surrounded by spikes and buzzsaws (which is also why I hate him lol). How honorable. He should have, at least, stayed and died with his kingdom.

[@czajkowski2352]

@@JustAWildSkullKid A quote from the Hunter's Journal about THK: "The old King of Hallownest... he must have been desperate to save his crumbling little world. *The sacrifices he imposed on others...* all for nothing." No cost too great, except for the King's own life and safety, that is. Unless you count a divorce and "feeling bad" after genocide and torture a sacrifice. He is the villain of this story, along with the Radiance, but people seem to forget about him or make excuses. There's no excuse. Two powerful beings stuck in a dick measuring contest, in which countless innocents die or suffer, that's what this is.

[@JustAWildSkullKid]

@@czajkowski2352 I agree. I also believe the Queen to be somewhat responsible too, but at least she sealed herself, and didn't really leave. She's somewhat paying the price.

[@pprewqq5822]

‘tleast you put ‘em out of er misery

[@sanjiscigarette]

“Do not think... Do not speak... Do not hope... Do not... ...”

[@awp4444]

"Father?"

[@theprotector995]

One of the greatest video game music themes ever made. Not only because of its fantastic arrangement, transitions and overall composition: it manages to evoke a tempest of emotion that you seldom expect while playing a video game, one that you’d usually experience by watching a great movie while an important scene plays out, because of how well it captures the final boss battle and the cutscenes. All in all, a one-of-a-kind musical experience, or at least it was to me.

[@geodude4490]

I cried when I comprehended what was happening, the self stabs penetrated my soul

[@tritiper4188]

I couldn't agree more it touched me, one of the best games ever

[@bumbleprime7713]

@@geodude4490 And the shell of your character's head

[@DarkShard5728]

Not saying this theme isn't good. I love this theme. But people say this about every theme ever...

[@DOG_EATER_1887]

The thing is, you're totally right, but this isn’t the only vgm of this quality. Just one of many masterpieces to come of the medium.

[@BPKPhoenix]

I was introduced to Hollow Knight thanks to a beloved friend of mine. She kept on begging me to buy it and after reaching this ending and also getting to the Sealed Siblings ending later on, this game was not worth the money I paid for it. It was worth more than I could ever imagined and this game, this very theme as well, changed my entire perspective on life as a whole. A game like this is like a lot of things in life, on the surface its not much. But when you take that plunge, the puddle you saw is a bigger ocean than you thought.

[@-Silent_G-]

Try to go for the true ending. It'll be difficult but it's so satisfying.

[@BPKPhoenix]

@@-Silent_G- Oh you bet I am!

[@1th_to_comment.]

@@BPKPhoenix how are you doing on that?

[@ricardobr1493]

@@BPKPhoenix so hows it going?

[@BPKPhoenix]

Replying to you both, I uhm haven't actually gotten to play it lately. I'm already 104 or 105% completion. Still need to finish out Grimm's quests and beat Sly's little arse in Pantheon 3, dude he's giving me hell XD

[@Notale3]

Can't wait for a comparably epic song in the next game when we fight the Silksong

[@domomcbeasty743]

Now that makes me think we’re getting a boss named that…is Hornet even Hornet at this point! I’m confused…

[@KnightrideThrillz]

Either way, I can almost guarantee it’s gonna be epic and emotional

[@luisgomessemog]

Lace theme

[@1th_to_comment.]

I like this. I do.

[@jeffguy7592]

Yea but the final boss isn’t named the silksong like the hollow knight is for Hollow knight

[@lusalar4463]

2:10 gave me chills with the radiance scream

[@thebekashow8026]

"Legit got shivers when he started STABBING HIMSELF!" - some guy with a spongebob meme profile picture.

[@ezraayala5729]

This has been considered as "children's music" by KZbin Wonderful

[@shravan012]

Not really?

[@richardzaloudek8208]

I just want to talk to them *Loads shotgun with malicious intent*

[@Whyiseveryhandletaken6942]

Those children are hearing some awesome stuff.

[@nikitam6735]

Do not think. Do not cry. Do not talk. Do not...

[@ex0spher_e]

Seal your vessel

[@liimelichen]

I always liked how the final boss of hollow knight, a pretty hard game, is comparably quite easy. It really makes you realise it isn't a fair fight

[@alduinfr]

yeah sort of like gwyn

[@stuckinatree45]

I want to point out the strength that the hollow knight had, yes it was doomed from the beginning but it was by for the bug affected by the radiance the most (obviously) and yet it was able to resist the infection at times during the fight and stab itself to put itself out of its misery. All of that infection that was able to completely control it but it was still able to resist to make one final stand. I know that the hollow knight is supposed to have no will to break but you can make a case that it had the strongest will out of any bug to ever touch the kingdom of Hallownest, and that strong will probably always was there, to earn the respect of his father and kingdom was definitely something it cared about since the beginning

[@LeeWixo-McGavin-tg5qe]

This is my favorite song of the soundtrack

[@CB_W0lf]

I went in almost completely blind, only knew it was about little bugs and some kind of ancient kingdom. I'm not a pro or anything, but my skills grew a lot in the game through trial and error, and many, MANY deaths. So I went to the Black Egg temple, after having unsealed the last Dreamer in my first playthrough, Lurien, and I thought, "Alright, time to do the final boss. I'm sure I'll get destroyed." The thing is, I DIDN'T. I died tons and tons and TONS of times to bosses. Hornet Protector? Even her. Flukemarm? Embarrassingly, yes. But the Hollow Knight? I think I only died 3 times before I finished them off. And the fight felt WRONG. The Hollow Knight's body thrashed and thrown at me by some unseen force inside of it. The air getting more and more orange with infection. They started stabbing themselves, and in my confusion, I just kept swinging, thinking it was my duty to end this Hollow Knight. And after I did, the cutscene played. And it was the weirdest feeling I'd ever felt playing. I had gotten the end, right? I beat the game? So, why did this feel like I lost?

[@noxccty6200]

Coz he’s not the real final boss, it’s the radiance inside him

[@10feethome]

You felt like you lost because you didn't beat markoth radiant...

[@FloodNinja110-ip1hz]

Hornet Protector is reasonable to struggle a lot on your first playthrough

[@xdarin_]

Every time I hear that leitmotif, I can just hear the *_STAB_* *_STAB_* *_STAB_* *_"ÆÆÆÆÆÆ"_*

[@additional7859]

Hollow Knight my beloved

[@miceltusav88]

I think our character, the knight, knew more than the game let on. You dream nail yourself at one point, and all the memories locked away come flooding back. You have all your skills, because you started with them. When you finally reach the top, you've barely made the jump, you're hanging on, you see your sibling look back at you, thinking they will help you up. They don't. Then you find a way out of the pit at some point, you enter the wastelands, where you lose your memory on purpose. "No mind to think, no will to break" something keeps tugging at you... something inside is telling you, DEMANDING that you go a certain direction. You arrive at Hallownest. You travel, going off your instincts. "no mind to think". You fight your way through the kingdom, you're battered, bruised, in pain. "No mouth to cry suffering". You get your skills back, not even realizing you had them all before. Then you remember. Your purpose, the reason you even exist. You remember. You have a purpose, and it's time to fulfill it. You have one shot, one hope. The dream nail. The one thing you didn't have at the start. You can go into others. You can stop the infection at its source.

[@FromtheTriangle]

How many different themes can you fit into a single song? Christopher Larkin: Yes

[@waddledee6642]

All they wanted to do was contain the radiance.. but an idea instilled. a bond with the pale king who raised them. a forbidden love for your own child… *Instilled love indeed.*

[@shroomish6462]

technically it should be raised 'it' not raised 'them'

[@Laura-zc6rm]

@@shroomish6462 the vessels can also go by they/them pronouns, since even though they are 'corpses', they are still living beings with intelligence and capable of deeper thought.

[@shroomish6462]

@@Laura-zc6rm yes but they dont really have traits of 'living beings' since they were just maid serve and not to 'live', also call me whatever phobic but, for me it just feels absurd referring to a literal insect using they/them

[@Laura-zc6rm]

@@shroomish6462 do you refer to hornet as a it then? Or Quirrell? They both are bugs. Or is it just the vessels who dont get that privilege? Isnt the whole story of this game about how a king decided to dehumanize their kin and force them to be the martyr of an entire kingdom and even so failed because he still loved his children? Wouldn't refering to the vessels, corpses yes, but still beings capable and deserving of love and not the fate they have been forced to live by 'it', like they are an object, would be like missing the whole point? Atleast in my opinion... Not that it matters anyway, since they are genderless so they/them and it/its are both right. Idk why you decide to correct someone who was already right, but judging by the fact you thought that someone would call you something-phobic even though you were the only one who brought up pronouns, means that it has something to do with a certain demographic who uses they/them pronouns, am i wrong?

[@shroomish6462]

@@Laura-zc6rm holy shit they’re just bugs, besides, hornet and quarrel has personality traits, idk why u decide to write a whole essay on this, I was just voicing my opinion in that first comment

[@AM1-supreme]

As heartbreaking as ever...

[@rajdubey9146]

This is the best ost I've ever heard 🗣️😭

[@PrimitiveAspid]

thank you so much for re-uploading these

[@Supreme-Being-8]

That is the most fitting pfp ever

[@LostKin]

yooo Murder Drones pfp o7

[@DaydreamingCrow]

It's a measure of how terribly the radiance can twist those it infects that a being that truly never had a voice can scream.

[@T101G]

This is probs my fav HK song. Dung Def and Daughter of Hallownest are close seconds tho

[@vaguedestruction]

My favorites: Radiance Sealed Vessel Mantis Lords Dung Defender

[@cappilau7448]

When this song plays, I thought this was supposed to be an epic battle against the final boss. It was a hard one, after all (at first). Then the latter half plays, which also gave me a shock considering the context of this, and I realised that defeating this boss doesn’t give me any joy at all.

[@aaronpasache1847]

even worse if you die a lot of times against The Radiance, because you have to fight him over and over, so that means, watching the same thing over and over

[@Forgelabsenjoyer]

@@aaronpasache1847he just became an obstacle for me

[@mysteriousclem1980]

​@@aaronpasache1847"GIT GUD!" -Hornet

[@happyneedlemoused4149]

​@@mysteriousclem1980she's telling them to get gud at swordfighting

[@AnNguyenpilgrim]

I destroyed all the dreamers, walked to the temple and free the HK, then never made it to the 2nd phrase of the battle. I took some time upgrading everything possible, then returned to the temple again, feeling the victory in my hands. The fight was awesome, I had great time attacking and dodging, showing my skills. Then the sad music began to play, and I realized what is happening. All my desire to win dropped. I felt a heavy thing in my heart. This is the boss that I will never forget, ever.

[@FunkyDinosaur649]

--------THE-------- ----HOLLOW KNIGHT-----

[@bobebobo2643]

IL CAVALE CAVALIERE "italian translation"

[@phuongthaithithanh]

CÁC Hiệp sĩ rỗng(Vietnamese translations)

[@Userakifbeuiebwpqu]

Caballero Hueco 🤑🤙

[@HassanIQ777]

الفارس الجوف

[@HollowChild-nu1ge]

______O CAVALEIRO__ VAZIO :brasilian version

[@navyhasnoclevertitle328]

this track is so tragic. the hollow knight painfully forcing attacks at you, becoming more and more controlled by the infection to the point where the times it is in control, it tries to help you kill it faster. it wants to die even more than you want it to.

[@Dudemanperson]

It took me a while to realize that THK has only one arm.

[@Kris_Thecatlover]

he actually has two arms, its just the same colour of their coat thing

[@ryanceasar100]

@@Kris_Thecatlover Hate to be that guy, but the infection decomposed his other arm. Leaving him with only one

[@Kris_Thecatlover]

@@ryanceasar100 holy shit

[@King_Vids-123]

Dear God... You're absolutely right

[@deciduous8862]

And pure vessel has both of them Which it uses to do that annoying throwing knife attack that costed me way more pantheon 5 runs than I'd like to admit

[@the711devin4]

At first I thought the Hollow Knight stabbing himself was him fighting back control and trying fruitlessly to kill the heart of the plague, but now... I think he’s trying to put himself out of his misery.

[@micahlynn6837]

No final boss in games has come close to the emotional rollercoaster of this fight for me. You don’t want to fight the vessel, but you must.

[@willd1790]

Same…maybe Gehrman from Bloodborne or the Omori final boss but that’s about it

[@Rainkea-fr]

But when you fight The radience it feels like your helping that poor thing.

[@ErickShocks]

Gwyn from Dark Souls 1? ;-;

[@thegoodhunter3707]

Gehrman: am I a joke to you

[@grimakoss]

Slave knight gael from DS3 is my top

[@funnyvideoguy3216]

I like to think that the hollow knight can be used as an analogy for “gifted kids”

[@kassiaactuallydraws9361]

_No bc it can_

[@its_an_inkstar]

THK is just Gifted Kin

[@Kraumyke]

That's so fitting actually

[@Teachermook]

Does that mean your character is that one kid who can see his flaws and wants to help?

[@Teachermook]

4:32 .... and when you free your siblings, and bund the radiance..... your task will be done. You will have done what I could not.... my brother. *hornet sees your cracked mask* Hornet: ........... he did it.....

[@enemyshadowdemon]

As someone who completed the Path of Pain before this fight, me hearing the leitmotif for it in this fight kinda broke me a little seeing that (While reading comments in their respective videos) the Hollow Knight was too attached to the Pale King, thus leading to its infection. The worst part being that in the middle of the fight we see him trying to aid us in battle, meaning they still have a sort of conscious. It implies that through the Radiance controlling it and making its life a hell he could still think of his father. This game is beautiful.

[@shardes]

One of its deleted dream dialog is literary "Father?". All the other lines are talking from Radiance's prespective and only that one is from HK's😢

[@thegoldenaegis]

The moment the music changes and the strings come in send a shiver down my spine. Especially when the hollow knight starts to stab himself.

[@karenadamo5955]

"You can't fire me, I quit!" -Pointcrow

[@SeverinHawkland7855]

I had heard this one for years in so many places, and when I fought the hollow knight, I was thrilled to hear it. I had no idea it was from hollow knight.

[@micaiahborchers8914]

Hollow Knight has some very mature music for its animation style. Sealed Vessel communicates the game's dark tone and tragedy without a single word spoken, which I think really says something huge about music as its own language. A piece of media is easily transformed by its score.

[@bumbleprime7713]

I feel like it's this way because the Vessel's can't speak.

[@micaiahborchers8914]

@@bumbleprime7713 Well, none of the music in Hollow Knight has words

[@bumbleprime7713]

@@micaiahborchers8914 that's literally the point I'm trying to make

[@micaiahborchers8914]

@@bumbleprime7713 Most video games don't have lyrics in their music.

[@bumbleprime7713]

@@micaiahborchers8914 I don't get the point you're trying to make here

[@ShioMW]

Phase two isn't a boss fight, it's a mix between euthanasia and assisted suicide

[@10feethome]

☝️🤓umm actually, it's phase 3 according to my calculations.

[@danterik9781]

5:13 Your siblings welcome you back to your home, your birthplace Join the peace of the Void with your brethren, stilled in time and space Your mission was not in vain, the threat is no more Rest now dear knight, there is nothing for you to fight for

[@onebraincellarmy6972]

Why are you making me cry harder? I really hope that the Hollow Knight can rest now.

[@xRainings]

Welp I’m in tears

[@zxfriend]

the game its self is beautiful. the lore makes it that much better. may you rest in piece the hollow knight, aswell as all of your fallen siblings.

[@Littlebeewisp]

That is the only part in this entire theme throughout the entire game that truly made me sad.

[@Teachermook]

Your mission is done, the cries of evil cease. Come my brother. And rest in peace.

[@joaomoraes5473]

This music, this moment, this game is perfect...

[@Cicadidaetm9899]

Dies irae! 1:27 if you can't hear it on your own. I look for those 4 notes SPECIFICALLY in pretty much any dramatic track i hear and it makes me so excited when i hear it :D

[@Adrian-ze9ud]

YES, SOMEONE ELSE CAN SEE IT

[@icantthinkstraight8853]

it actually usually symbolizes death, which makes sense as youre fighting a corpse

[@10feethome]

HOLLOW KNIGHT IS THE BEST GAME I DON'T KNOW WHY SOME PEOPLE CAN'T SEE THAT????

[@AnonymousInternetUserLaine]

A very well-deserved top 5 placement, congratulations Christopher Larkin!

[@Targon117]

What do you do when you fight The Hollow Knight? A: End it's suffering B: Free it from it's eternal burden C: Feel it's pain D: Cry Trick question, you do ALL of those things at once.

[@hebberhobber6802]

D is the correct letter for cry because it’s D:(sad face)

[@idoganor100]

Enter their mind and kill the Radiance.

[@rinsiblerelic5318]

E: dream nail him and get to work

[@geniuzzz_]

@@rinsiblerelic5318 lmao true

[@koop-xcie7715]

F : die........DON'T F@$KING JUDGE ME !

[@ZeroDim]

Honestly i feel bad for The Hollow knight. From its Inception it was a vessel doomed to fail it was imperfect, it had a will of its own. We can see this because it clearly shows Ghost and its other siblings pity and possibly sadness when it takes glance back to see our little knight Climbing the ledge, only to get cast back down to the abyss it had just crawled out from. Then through the years and years of training the Hollow Knight gained more and more becoming more alive as everyday passed with no voice to express it. Then it was sealed with no one knowing these would be fruitless sacrifices that would just worsen the problem in the future. Then for a while The Hollow Knight suffered a fate worse than death for a non empty being, until finally its will gave up letting out one last signal to lure any remaining siblings back to the fallen Kingdom to then be taken over. The Sibling once cast back down into the Abyss Returns to the Kingdom now being born of 2 voids. Only to eventually Sacrifice itself for The Hollow Knight and the Fallen Kingdom, there is no happy ending for the little Ghost returning to finish the Job with nothing to remember its sacrifice eventually the Little Ghost will be forgotten by history if it was ever remembered at all.

[@seven8067]

This song is so perfect in so many ways The build up, that is the perfect start. It captures how hollow it is at the start, how empty the room is. How suspenseful it is. The loud and sudden burst of instruments. The perfect start to a chaotic fight between siblings. A sudden and quick attack of THK. The final boss. The sorrow filled second phase. The pain of the perfect vessel, the infection killing it. The scream of the Damned. The slow second buildup. Feels like the memories of THK coming back, and its plea for help finally answered by us. The silence for a second then the piano. The conclusion. No one won, but the pain is over. That's what it tells.

[@braininmeatsuit1207]

Thank you for the reupload! Was quite a surprise when they up and disappeared like that, noticed when I was trying to listen to this to go to sleep!

[@SolstitiumNatum]

TO GO TO SLEEP? BRO YOU BE HAVING BOSS FIGHTS IN YOUR DREAMS OR SOMETHING???

[@braininmeatsuit1207]

@@SolstitiumNatum Perhaps. It's either this, TMG/ NKGs themes, or some actual song on loop. It's just whatever's stuck in my head at the moment and this is a very common on to get stuck in my head at night lol

[@Xetaas]

Holy shit, hearing this performed by a live orchestra would be super cool

[@realbrickbread]

5:10 that part gives me chills

[@macu1515]

Same

[@reglan_dev]

Absolutely. You just feel all the memories you have from this game fly straight through your vines, and you feel completed. Until you find out about all Dlc's content

[@glassaiko]

so glad i experienced this game completely blind, such a masterpiece, this boss fight alone is forever my favorite because of everything it means.

[@maximusrodriguez7187]

The funny thing, everyone is so glad they went into blind. But I hated hk when I was blind. I watched mossbags vid and knowing everything is what made me love it with all my heart

[@Elden-Bear]

glad ill go silksong blind

[@thiscatfuckedupbro]

First playthrough: “Why is Dollar Store Artorias committing soduku” One mossbag video later: “Why is the fight so blurry? Poor dude.”

[@snekladyrobin]

That is the most amusing misspelling of seppuku I've found so far.

[@micahgraff8998]

@@snekladyrobin to be fair sudoku is commonly used as a joke way of saying seppuku. like slip n slide instead of suicide

[@SkuldSpookster]

@@micahgraff8998 sewer slide

[@asdzfxcghjzsdxfcgvbhjnmkl9969]

@@SkuldSpookster Sewerslvt Edit: Now that i think about it, maybe it is just misspelled suicide

[@genokugel]

DOLLAR STORE ARTORIAS LMAO

[@The_True_Mx_Pink]

Went in blind, and from what was being told throughout the story, I thought it was going to be one huge heroic fight, and also a really difficult one considering how much the Infection beefs up its victims. The instant mood change once the Knight began striking themself, the infection mutilating their body, attacks slowing, it was really cool and really sad, narratively speaking, anyway. Not to mention the music going from intense to somber, to just tragic. 10/10, would play again, currently 100% completing the game. Definitely ranking high on my video game list.

[@shovel_salesman]

going in blind was the best decision I ever made

[@Triggered6277]

To me, this soundtrack almost seems to be telling a story The creepy ambience at the start almost like Holly waking up infected. Everything seems hazy or fuzzy, and there's this feeling of disorientation. Then at 0:22, it's like realizing what's going on, or maybe remembering the pain, which starts to build up as the strings grow in intensity, the final chord suddenly invoking anger and rage. And then... silence. And then the music explodes with chaotic 16th notes in the low strings, what sounds like a harpsicord doubling the melody, and the first 4 notes of the main leitmotif playing over and over again, each time in a higher register to build up this moment. It's almost as if it's saying: _"This is it. You've made it to the end. The Hollow Knight themself is all that stands between you and the credits. It's all led up to this. Get ready for the final fight ahead."_ To me, the chaotic string runs and the simplified melody 0:59 seem to recall his origins. _"Chosen from the abyss, believed to be the only one to have escaped, this is the vessel that would stop the infection, and allow the kingdom to remain eternal"_ And then the shifting chord progression at 1:27 seems to invoke this feeling of inevitability, as though it was all for nothing. Despite all that planning, all the precautions, the kingdom still crumbled, and there nothing that could be done about it, and the Hollow Knight was never truly capable of containing the radiance. The crazy, descending string runs at 1:39 seem to remind the listener of the stakes, as if to say _"The fate of Hallownest lies in your hands. Everything will be lost if you fail this fight. You have to win this"_ The jabs at 1:55 bring us back to the battle at hand; I imagine each jab is a fire pillar being shot up at ghost, and each one being more dangerous than the last. *And then... **2:11**...* The looping soundtrack along with the tragic string quartet seem to have this feeling of... being trapped. Almost like Groundhog Day, Holly is stuck in an endless loop, living out the same cycle over and over again, constantly looping through pain, agony, guilt, dread, suffering, anger, sadness, and grief. And as we slowly learn the true extent of Holly's pain, the music swells, adding am extra violin, then choir, then brass and percussion. Until finally, we reach the cutscene... and put an end to his misery

[@weakest-zhu-yuan-enjoyer]

It took me like 5 minutes to realize you were talking about the hollow knight when you said holly

[@idoganor100]

And the last part could symbolize the release of Holly and all the Siblings from the sins of the past, finally letting them rest forever.

[@bumbleprime7713]

Ok great comment, but it's funny as hell that you used Holly to refer to The Hollow Knight

[@Triggered6277]

That’s why I do it lol

[@insectoidabomination]

@@idoganor100 Dream No More might legit make me cry ;-;

[@dog.b74]

Name a character that went through more pain than her: literally every lore relevant character in hollow knight

[@shardes]

Even most of non-relevant characters, like Elderbug or Myla.

[@cupdude._.]

After I understood the entire story behind the Hollow Knight, I cried during this bossfight . Hollow Knight/Pure Vessel is still a good being that wanted to help the Hallownest but he was just a tool to his father. And imo Hollow Knight/Pure Vessel regrets that he turned the back on his brother(Knight) and belives he doesn't deserve any forgiveness. This is literally the fight against a own brother

[@Hello_Itsme_]

I think I speak for everyone when I say this is the ultimate tragic boss theme

[@saeedodeh5084]

The hollow knight is a living tragedy, killing him is literally merciful

[@iamhell1xx314]

That's pretty good, nothing to say anymore

[@dawidkuziemka8174]

I love how it tells us to look with the Resing Grounds gift by including its motif

[@StylishWitch]

I had a heart attack when they disappeared, thank god they back

[@padriazozzriaorizifian8672]

Profile pic checks out

[@Gordon_Freeman484]

When the Hollow Knight starts stabbing himself, I see that as him partially overtaking the infection to try and help you defeat it

[@Saltboi1823]

Still can't believe an entire kingdom has been destroyed just because a father dared to have any love for his child

[@dinorex3464]

I lost it when he started stabbing himself. Whatever was left of him was desperately trying to kill himself to help you. The Hollow Knight was doomed from the word "go" because he committed the worst sin: he _cared._

[@ReyDoodlez]

If the "final" boss of Hollow Knight's theme was this soulful, imagine Silksong's final boss's theme!

[@juan.6477]

This comment make me question myself of what boss would be the final boss of silksong

[@cheescakeissin8271]

@@juan.6477 percival (i’m from the future)

[@infinitysurvivor2681]

silksong when its been 6 years since hollow knight came out and 4 years since silksong was announced in 2019

[@nosks_stopmotions]

​@@cheescakeissin8271wait what

[@ilijaarsic1946]

What are you talking about, Silksong is out?

[@woodedledger3997]

This song is uncomperedly good

[@stevenneiman1554]

That transition as the Hollow Knight starts trying to help you kill it is one of my all-time favorite moments in the soundtrack of any game.

[@kayerith3741]

Absolutely stunning. From eerie quiet and apprehension to a crash of adrenaline. Then, you see this isn't a fight between the Vessel and the Hollow Knight, but a struggle between an unseen power and empty souls. The inevitability of this track is so spot on. Harrowing and heartbreaking at the same time. Almost an understanding between two hopeless causes.

[@gemsngold]

0:43 start 2:15 sad part 3:28 climax 4:35 calm

[@insectoidabomination]

4:35 is even more sad, are you kidding?

[@storythief3122]

2:15 flashbacks

[@itsjundoe]

0:00 introduction 0:43 beginning 2:15 rising action 3:28 climax 4:03 falling action 4:35 ending

[@businessrat0302]

No no no you got it all wrong First part is start, second is sad, third is climax, THEN final part is more sadness and calm

[@MrGHLFinny157]

Games have ends like all good things. But I’ve never cried until the end of this one.

[@Oxrenn]

It’s sad how such incredible compositions will never be recognized for what they’re worth cause they’re from a video game. I’m not much of a music person, but this far surpasses any piece of classical music i’ve ever heard. Christopher larkin is a genius

[@vlad3858]

unbelievable

[@HassanIQ777]

True this being counted as classical music makes the average classical track better

[@businessrat0302]

Ari Gibson: It's just a game about a small, mute bug exploring the remains of a lost kingdom, don't go too crazy. Christopher Larkin:

[@10feethome]

Not just a game.......... But art.

[@JakeHolloway-c1x]

Man this song is so good

[@zacharyhuhn8366]

This fight feels more like reading a novel than fighting a boss.

[@aaronpasache1847]

4:05 You got the "HOLLOW KNIGHT" ending You got the "SEALED SIBLINGS" ending 4:37 You got the "DREAM NO MORE" ending

[@insectoidabomination]

I know for a fact that Dream No More will make me cry... Edit: it did

[@Elden-Bear]

@@insectoidabomination best ending tho, the infection ends forever ( what the regular ending failed to do) hornet lives ( what sealed siblings failed to do) shade lord dosent go out on a rampage ( what embrace the void failed to do) you dont have to go through hell (what p.o.h flower failed to do) and the siblings finally rests

[@Paul99_L]

​@@Elden-Bearwell ye i mean is called true ending for a reason but you do end up dying or at least losing your "shell"

[@MyUsernameIsGoofy]

Something about the fact that the final boss of a game like hollow knight, which is known for being hard is honestly pretty easy to beat really tells a story without using any words

[@CykAlt]

The sad part kicked in as I destroyed the flower from the grey mourner

[@theanimationshow-fr-8516]

0:42 - Beginning 2:14 - 2e Phase ( Voidheart ) 4:04 - THK ending 4:36 - Dream No More

[@hetalianotaku7103]

No price not worth paying Nor a mind for thinking No will for the breaking No voice to cry suffering Just what were you wanting… Pale King? I was one of many Till you came and chose me I remember when we Sat on that balcony As we sat silently I knew my destiny, so clearly Though I would set Hallownest free I'd be trapped and lonely And I wondered fearfully "Does Father love me…?"

[@beybladeburstturbo9659]

underrated comment

[@hetalianotaku7103]

@@beybladeburstturbo9659 Thanks. Basically my own lyrics.

[@damonminnix4660]

Love the shift from intensity to the mellowed sorrow that carries the weight of everything that happened, like that scream reveals the tragedy beneath the haze of combat. Beautiful. 2:11

[@сраньгосподня-й4с]

I remember this moment in the game. I cried when i killed vessel because i know, he good

[@manu_18_lr24]

Fighting the Hollow Knight with only the 60% of all the objects and without shadow dash was an expirience

[@Xpwnxage]

I have so many games I'm playing or want to play and now this game has cruised thru my backlog.

[@snackyberry]

words can't express how much I love this song