How Did Hollow Knight Characters Avoid Infection? - Hollow Knight Lore

[@Rt4LP4C4]

Precept Fifty-Six: 'Do Not Dream'. Dreams are dangerous things. Strange ideas, not your own, can worm their way into your mind.

[@mrblakeboy1420]

you can dream nail him in the eternal ordeal and the colosseum, also you can get a dream essence from him in the colosseum

[@1th_to_comment.]

​@@mrblakeboy1420 those are his thoughts, not his dreams.

[@waffles9733]

I love this Precept so much omg On my first playthrough I was mashing through tons of his non-sensical precepts just to make sure I am not missing out of anything special And then... this precept hit me like a truck

[@MrMeowstic7]

The precepts coming in handy in these trying times

[@_antisocialmedia6377]

Zote spits a lot of horseshit but occasionally he gets it right

[@ollidragon3146]

elder bug explicitly says why he isn't infected: he just doesn't leave town. we know dirtmouth is most likely a blank spot from the infection, so he just stays there.

[@floodgaming1846]

What about Iselda, Grimm, Jiji/Jinn, Cornifer (after getting all masks), Divine, or Cloth (if she doesn't die)?

[@abhikergaming7783]

@@floodgaming1846 None of them got infected so that just proves there point

[@ismaelismael8543]

​@@floodgaming1846 i would argue that the only one out of those that could disprove their point is Cornifer (though before getting all the masks, as he would still be beneath dirtmouth but avoiding the infection)

[@lesinhhung6999]

​​@@floodgaming1846Quick explanation: Grimm and Divine are not from Hallownest, and they follow the nightmare, not dream. Jiji and Jin have been sleeping for... idk how long, but probably before the infection. Iselda stopped going down Hallownest. Cloth just traveled to Hallownest. And Cornifer after getting the mask isn't sleeping under the main kingdom, so like Elderbug, he isn't infected. Also I don't think that you will read this comment since it was 1 years ago.

[@Copper352]

I think that is interesting. I always figured the bugs who aren’t infected were content. They did not dream and therefore weren’t infected

[@peachesplums]

I think elderbugs lines about a sickly air and the fact that Sly was fine until he descended into the crossroads are evidence that being above the "surface" in dirtmouth means you're out of reach

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Creatures in the Howling Cliffs, which is also above the surface, are infected tho

[@peachesplums]

@@lifebloodcore2106 yea that's weird maybe they crawled out, we know there's an access between the cliffs and greenpath, and is it impossible for some to have gone through the bars of the stag stations? there's a lot of "how did they get there?" in the game. like the vessels that escaped the abyss

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

For a while it was only elderbug in dirtmouth. And we already know he neglected the thought of dreams. Preventing him from getting infected. Though thanks to the knight I believe he will become infected at some point. Especially when given the delicate flower. In which he starts to believe dreams aren't such bad things. Then referring to someone watching the petals with him. This could him referring to his old friend he mentioned before, but I think he's actually referring to the radiance.

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

@@lifebloodcore2106 They aren't Infected, they are under a trance caused by the presence of the Mighty GORB.

[@vaidamaleckyte7918]

If the infection does crawling through dreams then dirtmouth is most likely a safe Zone cuz bretta sleeps a lot in dirtmouth and is still not infected

[@MrWhatdafuBOOM]

Dung Defender: *Covered in feces* Radiance: _"I'm not touching that one."_

[@ashbeckman2132]

Yes

[@anemodude9544]

but he is infected at the start of the game?

[@ruruchan93]

@@anemodude9544nope

[@leetheidiot]

@@anemodude9544wdym he isnt

[@IndieGameFanatic]

​@@anemodude9544He isn’t. He only attacks you because he thought you were infected.

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

I would like to add that the Mask Maker and Bardoon are likely able to also resist the infection because of their intellect. Though the Mask Maker appears to be insane, he is actually quite the deep thinker. Meanwhile, Bardoon recognizes that the infection grants strength, but is smart enough to choose not to take that strength.

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

Better theory for mask maker. With each mask worn, the last mind is destroyed, this is what he states. Temporarily keeping the infection from getting to him while hes already distracted making masks.

[@bruhmomentbruhmoment29]

bardoon has a higher intelligence because he knows whrn he is being dreamnailed

[@mrblakeboy1420]

@@bruhmomentbruhmoment29 same with the snail shaman

[@iwillslapyou4982]

The hunter also seems to understand and reject the infection, I think it is mentioned in the journal entry for traitor lord

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@iwillslapyou4982 That it is, he does mention something similar to Bardoon in the Traitor Lord entry. He said that he has seen the orange glow in his dreams, but rejects that glow.

[@tahmidurkawsar8088]

The snail Shaman and seer probably can resist because when you dream nail them they are aware of you trying to pry open their dreams

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

I doubt the Seer is even being attacked by the Infection as she is already loyal to the Radiance. She only helps the Knight because it is her duty to aid the Wielder.

[@TYsdrawkcaB]

also, the same thing applies to bardoon. one does not like its mind being pried, is rather invasive methinks

[@ryomahoshi643]

@@TYsdrawkcaBSame also goes for Midwife!

[@zeniththecreator7671]

​@@abdurehmanmalik2980 The Radiance would definitely hate herself if she accidentally or intentionally infected or attacked Seer because Seer is the one moth who stayed loyal

[@SuperDestroyerFox]

@@zeniththecreator7671and she is important for getting the hollow knight freed. The radiance most likely expected the Knight to fail and if the temple was burst open that would allow the infection to destroy everything

[@xavreim6957]

Grubs are essentially immune to Radiance infection, hence why they're scattered around hallownest by the Collector. The Collector try to Experiment every kind of Environment from safest to the harshest (Love tower to Deepnest). Whenever you encounter the grub you can basically see they're perfectly fine despite locked in a jar for so long. They might little sad, but still fine no matter where you find them. In the Lore, Deepnest is the most feral place in hallownest and yet These grubs aren't even targeted by any predator there not even Nosk. It's seem Grub are powerful bug when they're metamorph to Grubberfly as you can tell by the effect of it's charm.

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

Its possible they're already infected. Their base instinct is metamorphosis within their father.

[@skapaloka222]

whoa this is a good lore drop

[@Mauricio0973]

The grubs are implied to be connected to the Moth tribe, or even the Radiance itself, because of what the Grubs Care Instructions that came with the Indiebox for HK says about them: "when your grub moves on to the next stage of its life, do not try to stop it or mourn on the event as a loss. Everything has its time, and everything obeys its nature. Perhaps you will meet each other again, in your dreams..."

[@mrmetang3642]

To add: in the journal entry about the grub mimics, The Hunter mentions that he doesn’t know whether any given grub is real or fake, he just eats them whole. However, the grubfather’s grove doesn’t appear to have any unfilled spots at the end of the quest, suggesting that he never actually ate any of the real grubs. Which would statistically be odd that he literally never found a real one, but would make sense if there was an extra layer of protection that was hidden from us.

[@meyes1098]

​@@mrmetang3642 I think the holes next to grubfather are just for gameplay. If there would be empty holes, while you got all of them, you would wonder about the empty holes, thinking that you missed some. It would just feel wrong for them to leave empty holes for what is essentially this game's collectible. Evidence in support of this is the fact that there is no hole on the other side (opposite to the player's viewport) of the mounds. This makes no sense if you think about it realistically, but it does make sense if you think about it from the perspective of gameplay.

[@ajamid0145]

I like how zote just didnt dream

[@AshenDust_]

Based

[@Snt1_]

Precept 56:

[@DavyBlast]

he's just that guy

[@seanG0318]

Built different

[@the-tum-tum-tree]

I imagine Elder bug while unknowingly is probably protected in a similar manner. Probably a combination of viewing dreaming in a negative way And being content with the life he has.

[@Nick-jb4xi]

The Nailsmith does have at least one customer besides the Knight. The dialogue when you first meet him has always made me think he's referring to one of the nailmasters (probably Sheo since he can end up there).

[@freakda96]

I think It Is actually Quirrel. He often comments on the need of taking care of your nail and It Is the One that suggest you might need to hone your nail to confront the Mantis Lords

[@doomchromee8648]

@@freakda96I always thought it was Hornet

[@JustBerib]

@@freakda96I reckon its between Mato, Oro, or, most likely Sly. He is as small as the knight, so the Knight’s footsteps would be easily mistaken for Sly’s, as this is all the nailsmith would’ve heard as the Knight first enters. The nailsmith seems to have had many interactions with this other person, which might rule against Quirrel who only recently arrived in Hallownest, and Sly, being well practised in the arts of the nail, would probably want his nail in pristine condition for best performance, so would probably get nails replaced or sharpened often with the nailsmith.

[@SuperDestroyerFox]

I think it’s probably all of your answers. They all would probably go through nails extremely quickly and need replacements

[@Doomwatch21]

@JustBeribquirrel had been to hallownest, he’s just coming back after monomon called him

[@seabass3818]

I think Myla was fixated on finding the "singing crystals" and once the crystal heart has been taken, she has nothing to look for and the radiance takes hold.

[@dodo1063]

Since she can still be infected when you kill one of the dreamer or get wings. I think she got infected because the infection grants someone strength. She wants strength to keep digging. As implied when she was incredibly tired at the beginning of the game.

[@Yellowredstone]

@@dodo1063 These theories make me appreciate how deep the lore of the game is. Nothing is too inconsistent to be messy

[@mrblakeboy1420]

@@dodo1063 no, that’s the trigger for the infected crossroads. myla has two levels of infection, one triggered by getting the vengeful spirit spell, and the other by getting crystal heart. my guess for why vengeful spirit is a trigger is that the radiance fears what you may do, so she tries everything she can to kill you by infecting everything

[@Frankifier3000]

You can also see that where she digs, the rocks are spherical instead of the rest of the crystal peaks- maybe this means she was digging into the infection unintentionally because infection is round (idk about this). It also glows, like how infection does if it’s in a huge cluster/clump

[@julien827]

i always interpreted the singing crystal as radiance itself since its worshipped on crystal pek

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

In the case of Emilita (probably misspelling her name), she may be able to resist the infection because of her devotion to the Pale King's light. As arrogant as she is, there is some loyalty in her. This is hinted at with her dialogue when she rejects the delicate flower. This can also be how Ogrim and Old Stag are able to resist the infection. Their devotion to their duty allows them to resist.

[@cooldude-iz6ew]

nah bro it because of DRUGS

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@cooldude-iz6ew I must ask that you not say that joke to me ever again. I've hated drug jokes for years, since my mother died from a drug overdose.

[@jifjifferson2790]

@@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478 I think what he meant is that there are flowers that are making Emilita laugh constantly are also the reason for her immunity to the infection. Same flowers and fog effect is in the air in Salubra's shop giving Salubra the same immunity.

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@jifjifferson2790 I literally do not care. They phrased it like they did, which pissed me off.

[@nickvosni8543]

I'm gonna ignore what is happening with the other comments and just add that the knights in the city of tears got infected despite also being devoted to the king

[@ThatObnoxiousMagpie]

I always thought that Quirrel survived the infection because of Monomon’s mask. We see in the short comic that Team Cherry released, rat it helps protects him in the fight against Hornet. I always imagined that since Monomon was one of the dreamers, that their mask could help protect anybody from the infection, and when Quirrel finally removes/destroys the mask, the infection hasn’t had enough time to infect him. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk

[@papeandocomraposa8274]

that can be also possible

[@JeremyTheBreadKnife]

I mean either way he's going blub blub blub now so we'll never know :c

[@jjfrenzy789]

Where is this comic? Link please.

[@JeremyTheBreadKnife]

@yarnicles4616 oh wait really yay :D maybe him and cloth meet again :>

[@JeremyTheBreadKnife]

@yarnicles4616 I don't know anything after she leaves btw @-@

[@inkstar7521]

I think when you start dreaming of the Radiance, you get three options 1. STRUGGLE. This obviously what most bugs would have done when face to face with the supposed “enemy of Hallownest.” However, like the Hunter said, the more you struggle, the more it consumes you, which is probably how most of Hallownest got infected. 2. ACCEPT. If you accept the infection willingly, you will gain great strength through the infection. However, you do need to have a strong enough mind if you want to actually survive the process. Look at Traitor Lord and Moss Prophet. They both accepted the infection willingly but only Traitor Lord survived as he had a strong mantis mind. Moss Prophet’s mind was too weak so the infection ended up breaking his mind and body. And finally, 3. IGNORE. We are told throughout the game that bugs have had dreams of the Radiance and lived to tell the tale, such as Bardoon and the Hunter. By clouding their mind and refusing to acknowledge the Radiance. This comes easier to those either dedicated to their work or have a more intellectual mind.

[@dogmat8733]

I see. And I think another thing that would help is overcoming the Radiance with a dream of your own. For Dung Defender, he still dreams of the Pale Court. For Emelita, she’s already living her dream being the last survivor of Hallownest’s high society. For Lemm and the Nailmasters, they are dedicated to their arts or training to guide their dream. It seems part of avoiding the Infection is to have or pursue a goal to distract you from it.

[@BulbaGaming123]

I think seer isn't affected because she worshipped the Radiance willingly before the infection started. She might also have a sense of duty since she has to care for the spirits glade and the dream nail

[@ciastkman1235]

Radience literally said: seer i like you don't go to School Tomorrow

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

But seer was actively working to destroy the radiance. But I guess it is possible those who worshipped her before escape the infection and to lumaflies as some sort of rapture in hollow knight.

[@BulbaGaming123]

@@aydenrozzelle7691 I don't think she actively wanted to destroy her, she likely nust wanted to pass on the dreamnail, thus becoming free of her duty

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

@@BulbaGaming123 Though seer does mention the dream nail belonging to someone else before, I don't think it was the radiance. It is not her duty to pass it on. Nor does she need it, due to her ability to naturally attune to the minds of bugs. The dream nail was what the soul twister was the bugs of hallownest. An attempt to replicate a god.

[@BulbaGaming123]

@@aydenrozzelle7691 no, the dreamnail was an artifact of the moth tribe, a relic. Seer is the last surviving member of the tribe, so it's her duty to keep it safe and later pass it on to someone who will be able to wield it. That's why after fully upgrading the dreamnail the seer finally moves on, she also says something about the Radiance before disappearing.

[@BraveLilToasty]

I think the loss of dreams are what made them resist the infection. Or higher of intellect. Since the infection mostly springs from dreams and that it seems that it makes a deal to make you stronger in exchange for your will and mind. So for some of them they are certainly smart eniugh to reject it like Midwife, Bardoon, the hunter or Ogrim But most of the time they don't really have dreams that can make them vulnerable. The last stag never knew that there was still anither like him until he went to the stag nest. So he never really hoped for anything since he thought he was the last. Eternal Millie got what she wanted. She survived the infection and everyone outside that casted her out were now infected. Elderbug are afraid of dreams. Zote is simply too arrogant that even in dreams his will overpowers the Godtuners. Plus, in the end he did get what he wanted. Hornet was wyrm, so Radiance probably wanted to kill her since she can't infect her. Millibelle has no dreams. Dreams she can't get anyway. She van always just go to the hotsprings, and as far as I know, you are already giving her geo. The Queen station mantis already has food to last her for a long time. Quirrel already know not to accept the infection. Even when he doesn't remember he still can know things suddenly. Plus, Quirrel never had a dream he couldn't achieve. He was already exploring hallownest just like he wanted. Same with Cornifer and Iselda. So all in all, the Radiance seems to be attracted to desperation. Like a shooting star. But whoever wishes on it will make the star land on them in exhange for their wish.

[@marcelosolaralister5967]

Also with quirrel he had monomons mask which probably protected him

[@r-f3254]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@r-f3254]

Respond this

[@seanG0318]

Willoh isn't a mantis, she's actually an elephant nose weevil

[@Fatherwhat]

You could be right since everyone who isn’t infected is having the time of their lives and is content with what they have and do everyday, no need to fall for temptation when you already got a hot mosquito wife at home

[@shadowofcat]

that means all hollow knight fans cannot be infected because we are all still waiting for sliksong

[@QuentinaCandelaria]

Silksong doesn't actually exist, it's just Team Cherry's way of saving us from the Infection. When Hollow Knight failed to warn us they knew they had only one option.

[@Gorb_the_Great_Mind-Loki]

​@@QuentinaCandelariaDon't tell him!

[@armakitty1]

Another reason Zote is uninfected is because he doesn't dream, and the infection spreads through dreams.

[@Eeyolius]

Damn

[@ForgLing-m9j]

It's implied that Zote is lying about this, as he can be dream-nailed and has a chance at dropping dream essence in the COF

[@pineappleudh6561]

​@ForgLing-m9j The dream nail is very clearly looking at thoughts, not dreams. Almost all enemies can drop dream essence, I highly doubt that dropping dream essence has anything to do with one's capacity to dream. We have no idea how either of these things work lore wise so they're not exactly good evidence.

[@alias6676]

Im pretty certain that the Dirtmouth is a safe spot free of the infection as we see that Sly and Bretta were getting infected because they decided to go into the depths of Hallownest.

[@lancelot4788]

I always just figured that since it's an infection every isolated charcter just never got infected as they were never in contact with other infected bugs.

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

It travels through dreams. Though it still can get them through long term contact.

[@abhikergaming7783]

@@aydenrozzelle7691 It can get creatures infected through dreams,other creatures who got infected,and by just exposure to the infection like the air being contaminated by it.

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

@@abhikergaming7783 Ya, thats basically what I said.

[@hourglass-pastor]

"the infection just hasn't gotten to them yet. These are people like CORNIFER" *NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

[@RadiantSharaShaymin]

Wait... The last place he goes... is back home to sleep...

[@sergioortiz8784]

​@@RadiantSharaShaymin wdym nooo

[@nadronnoco4227]

​@@RadiantSharaShayminyeah but isn't he sleeping aboveground in Dirtmouth? That just means that he'll be fine so long as you get all the maps.

[@KelsiThePyrofly]

I think the most interesting facet of this topic involves Sly, Bretta, and Myla. As far as I know, every other character in the game is either infected from the beginning or never gets infected at all (you see progression of the infection in some bugs after getting Infected Crossroads, but they were already past the point of no return even before that). These three, however, are encountered midway through the process. So the million dollar question is: Why is the Knight able to save Bretta and Sly but not Myla? I don't think it's just a matter of intervening early enough in the process because you actually encounter Myla completely uninfected before the process starts, while Sly and Bretta are already beginning to be affected when you find them, so theoretically, you should be able to get to Myla even sooner. Granted, time in Hallownest is decidedly ambiguous, so I guess you could argue that it takes longer to get from Soul Sanctum to Crystal Peaks than it takes to reach Bretta down in Fungal Wastes, but since Elderbug mentions Bretta returning to Dirtmouth, she'd been down there since before the Knight arrives, meaning she's almost certainly been infected longer than Myla. At any rate, Myla's middle stage of the infection process where she is starting to get infected but will not attack yet (after getting desolate dive but before getting crystal heart) should be roughly equivalent to the state of the other two when you find them, and yet, even though you can interact with her at that point, you can't save her. I don't think strength of mind explains the difference either because of Bretta. You'd have no trouble convincing me that Sly was more resistant to the infection from honing his mind through meditation and the art of the nail. Bretta, however, fell for Zote, so you'd be hard pressed to argue that she is significantly more intelligent than Myla, even knowing very little of Myla's mental capacity. My best guess, then, would be that the difference lies in the specific ways the infection is getting to each of them in the first place. Sly mentions a bug called Esmy (probably a lost loved one, though we have no concrete information on that) while he is infected and also thinks about his time training the brother nailmasters (Oro you oaf...). Bretta is lonely and forgotten. It's possible that their emotional states make them more vulnerable to the Radiance infecting their dreams because they mirror her own feelings of loss and loneliness over being forgotten. In this case, the Knight's intervention is able to pull Sly's mind back to the present where he is able to regain control. Likewise, the Knight rescuing Bretta leaves here neither lonely nor forgotten, and by clinging to the Knight (and later Zote) as her savior/lover, she keeps those dangerous ideas away. When you first encounter Myla, she is singing about burying her entire family, so she might also be in a mental space of grief (although, she's oddly cheerful about it, so who knows). More importantly, though, her dream nail dialogue reveals that she is listening to the crystals themselves singing. This is something external to her own thoughts and dreams, which may be the key difference between her and the others. Crystal Peaks includes Hallownests Crown, where the Radiance's forgotten statue is found, and is also directly adjacent to the Resting Grounds, another area closely associated with her, so it's entirely possible that the crystals are exerting or amplifying her power somehow though her connection to the area. This means two things: that the infection is potentially attacking Myla from two different angles (the usual dream way and whatever power is in the crystals), and that Myla, by listening to the crystals, is unknowingly seeking it out directly. Rather than the infection finding her, she is grasping for it. The Knight, therefore, is unable to intervene in her case because, not realizing the danger, she has no desire to turn aside from the path she is on. Anyway, I don't think that's a perfect explanation. I'd be interested to hear if you have any other theories on this most intriguing matter :)

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Super in-depth and intriguing analysis!

[@GrouchyGander]

Yeah. Makes a lot of sense.

[@JakGoesFast]

I'm not reading all of that.

[@elinor8569]

could it be that myla had more exposure to the infection in the first place? bretta lives in dirtmouth and it's possible that her time within fungal wastes is less than myla's in cristal peak so bretta's total exposure is actually lower than myla's

[@Gorb_the_Great_Mind-Loki]

What about Tuk?

[@onionwielder9728]

Well, Zote staved off the infection because he is too terrifying, beautiful, and powerful for it

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Bretta is that you

[@onionwielder9728]

@@lifebloodcore2106 I desire to go by the Grey Prince's Maiden, thank you very much.

[@Unofficial_gargy_plush_show]

ghost: i still hold a grudge against that man Grimmchild: So, do you want to hear the good news or bad News first Ghost: bad Grimmchild: one citizen is a campfire Ghost: what's the good news? Grimmchild: zote and we have a new campfire i saw I bought marshmallows! *insert zote burning alive* Grimm: *crying out of joy* that's my boy Ghost: you literally never took care of him once!

[@aquaervilha]

I think the bugs furthest from the infection and those aware/mind strong enough could resist the infection. Zote has a precept "do not dream" and elderbug just has no dream (dream nailing him says "to decend that ruin? Why? Its much more simpler here.."

[@Aqua_Hoshino929]

The reason why the mantises (Except the traitor lord and his followers) resisted the infection is because they have lived there long before the pale king arrived and their wills got stronger each generation of mantises.

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

The Infection is the Radiance trying to regain the devotion of those that left her for the Pale King; therefore she'd have no desire to attract the Mantises as they are either still loyal or never had been.

[@MaxKarmaCat]

Fan theory: The Radiance is able to infect others by offering a sort of deal. They submit and become a soulless vessel and they will live in hallucinations of their greatest dreams.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

That is likely what she does to them

[@Shimanas527]

yeah the fool enemies and traitor mantises willingly take the infection because it gives them strenght

[@neatodorito9652]

My Headcanon is that accepting the deal leads to normal infection, being a mindless husk, whereas refusing it but staying willing to be influenced by the Radiance allows them to have just enough control to be aware of what they do, and in some ways act on their own accord, but still serve the Radiance. It's a sort of pledge. If you're doing it for your own desires, you can have them (in your mind), but if you do it to aid the Radiance, you get to keep yourself as long as you serve her purpose.

[@neatodorito9652]

This is also why I feel Sealed Vessel is under the category of "normal infected". They shouldn't have personal desires, but the ending of Path of Pain shows this isn't the case. Eventually, they bargained their freedom from imprisonment with the Radiance, leading to the events just prior to the game. They did not want to serve the Radiance, they wanted to be free, and at the end of the game, we give them that freedom with no strings attached.

[@MaxKarmaCat]

@@neatodorito9652 Ooooh...like Traitor Lord?

[@jmh8817]

Personally the way I interpret it is that it is similar to buddhism. Much of the flavor text implies that you need to be hollow/pure, or otherwise devoid of earthly desires, but they often also say that sufficient, focused dedication to a single goal puts you in a state of serene mind similar to true enlightenment. This covers most of the characters, save for weirdoes like Willoh or Emilitia who are just hanging but are recluses or have their own thing making them resistant/immune (We don't know what makes Emilitia "Eternal", and that's probably a factor).

[@dasdasdasdasd5865]

There's only one way to survive the infection. Having a clear mind. Every NPC we see is effectively a hermit. They all lead either simple and carefree lives or dedicate themselves to one specific task. There's few to none that are on a physical or mental journey, and those that are, we see how their journey ends beforehand. Bugs with normal, clouded minds are unable to see or resist the infection. Their constant thoughts, worries, wants, allow it to creep inside, impossible to find and resist. Bugs with clear minds can see the infection for what it is as it can't hide itself in their emotions. This mental state of almost nirvana is found in bugs via one of a few ways. Rigorous mental discipline, which is how the adventurers, the nailmasters, and similar are resistant. Their mind is focused, granting at least partial resistance, enough to die from something else first. Nature. The hollow nature of the Knight and Hollow Knight, the Purity of the Pale King and, partially, Hornet, and the inherent power of higher beings such as Grimm, though this does partly fall into the discipline category. It's likely the Grimm masks grant infection resistance by virtue of being brainwashing devices, thus forcibly clearing thoughts. Maybe all masks? Finally, the other two ways of having a clear mindset: Complete lack of wants, or an utterly focused mind, or both. Cornifer is happy drawing his maps. Quirrel is determined to follow his mentor. Menderbug has no ambitions. Being a hermit who doesn't care, or only cares about one thing, is what allows these bugs to notice and ignore the infection. Zote is a complete moron, so his mind is clear by default, which is also aided by his singleminded, focused narcissism. Of course, a lot of bugs fall into more than one camp. Discipline and focus go hand in hand, as does discipline and humility. Sly's discipline and focus started to waver as he felt lost and hopeless after the separation of the nailmasters, giving the infection a toehold when he entered the Crossroads. Myra is a teenager. She was lost and confused, giving the infection an in, but is otherwise rather carefree and free of worries. After being rescued, her focus on the Knight or Zote helps her. The miner bug (sorry) is similar to these, but she's looking for crystals. For the light. For power. The crystals clearly have a connection to the Radiance, with the statue nearby and all. It's no wonder it was eventually able to sneak in through her own singular obsession. She could never have noticed.

[@dasdasdasdasd5865]

Of note, this would be how the Hollow Knight was eventually overtaken. He was not completely focused, with the Path of Pain cutscene showing how he and the Pale King ended up bonding, causing his hollow nature to be clouded. This wouldn't be a problem for just resisting the infection (after all, we do see him resisting), but it's enough impurity that channeling the entirety of the infection into him had a crack the Radiance could worm through.

[@Grey_Soul009]

The bugs in the coliseum are still infected, however they are only focused on watching/ battling in the coliseum. It would also be rude to fight outside the trial

[@GrouchyGander]

Emilitia is one of my favourite characters, mainly because of her line "Usually I wouldn't talk to your kind, but if I didn't, I wouldn't have anyone to share my happiness with". The casting aside of class differences resonated a lot with me and it gives some insight to her personality and why she might've been able to resist the infection. Perhaps the infection had started happening on a small scale and she saw the strengths that came with it, but perhaps the whole "hivemind" part made her hesitant to accept it. Perhaps she aired this concern, but with how the Radiance is desperate for recognition, Emilitia was cast out because if people started thinking about it and sharing her concern, the Radiance would fall back into obscurity and lose the strength they've been trying to claw back from the Wyrm. This also makes the mentioned line show that she isn't exactly heartless. Emilitia might've been very lonely after being cast out. She probably liked her fellows while she was part of them, which is why she aired her concerns in the first place. She clearly wants someone to share her happiness with. Perhaps she was even considering letting this infection inside her to get that back, but the resentment for her former fellows for casting her out filled her with enough mental strength to resist the influence. Then, as she saw the fate of her former fellows, how they all lost their personalities and became mindless husks patrolling endlessly, all she could do was laugh. Basically, my interpretation of her is that she's sitting there, laughing and thinking to herself both a very victorious and lonely "I knew it!".

[@Thebirdy123]

I think for some characters they're just oblivious to a degree where the infection can't get them

[@Jonrocks7]

Well in Elderbug and Jijis case, they simply stay in dirtmouth so the infection cant reach them and the audience in the coliseum are infected, but there entire deal was being agressive and watching violence so they stayed entirely the same.

[@kadachinova5302]

Tbh, I think Zote just literally doesn't dream, it says so in Precept 56, 'Do Not Dream'.

[@lenx_1680]

About elderbug I think he resisted not thanks to a strong will but the opposite The infection attacks the dreams of its victims Elderbug seems to lacks will and dreams so the radiance has nothing to attack. So we can say elderbug is "hollow". Or perhaps dirtmouth's air hasn't been contaminated wich explains other NPC's state too

[@karuihane8484]

in short, basically being infected is the same as turning hollow in ds series. you lose your goal or motivation and you become hollow/infected and btw, hunter said in his notes that he just resited the infection cuz he didn't like the idea of being dumb or smth like that

[@velvetdraws3452]

so unironically if you say no hard enough it cant enter your mind

[@Gorb_the_Great_Mind-Loki]

​@velvetdraws3452Neat.

[@Deasty]

Kinda like Bardoon. He says he just doesn't like the idea of losing the ability to think much, so he doesn't accept to be infected.

[@andrewbell3852]

No elder bug said the air down there is sickly so elder bug doesn't get infected because he is not close to the infection

[@mooredaxon]

When you first meet the nailsmith, he thinks you're someone else, and he claims to have forged a lot of nails for this person. So we aren't his only customer. The Mask Maker also knows A LOT about the inner workings of Hallownest, including more about the Knight's creation than any common bug SHOULD know. While it doesn't necessarily explain why they haven't been infected, most characters with that sort of knowledge remain uninfected, possibly because of their longevity and their strong minds. I also think, in the Mask Makers case, that masks provide some protection against the Radiance. Tuk can be found infected in Steel Soul, so I don't think they have any protection

[@Mapler415]

they took zote's advice and didnt breathe the whole time, or didnt dream at all

[@Exenton]

everyone in hollownest should take their time and learn the 57 percepts of zote the main one being dont dream so the radiance cant infect them

[@anthraxmacabre5200]

Hm. I think you’re onto something with certain characters being resistant to the Infection due to mental fortitude, but I also think that some Bugs just flat out aren’t infected. There’s always those in a population who won’t be touched by a disease. So I think some of the Bugs we know and love are just lucky and aren’t affected by it, others resist it

[@marcelosolaralister5967]

The thing is that infection most likely spreads through dreams, this is why the mantises arent infected, they are much more inteligent than other bugs

[@anthraxmacabre5200]

@@marcelosolaralister5967 that’s right. We don’t really know for sure.

[@salghur]

Your statement about the mantises was correct but I found an important detail inside the The Queen's garden there are stronger mantises taken over by the infection maybe since they were outcast their minds were driven into madness weakened enough so that the infection could take over

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Those mantises were cast out BECAUSE they intentionally embraced the infection even though they had the willpower to resist it

[@Gorb_the_Great_Mind-Loki]

​@@lifebloodcore2106 I think that the insane are immune because their minds are already too gar gone for the Radiance to take hold.

[@Yellowredstone]

You said Hornet is part Wyrm, but there's the theory that she's part Weaver, which can also help her resist the infection by a lot.

[@miniwhiffy3465]

so herrah was a weaver?

[@skapaloka222]

wait is that not basically canon??? was herrah not the weaver queen or whatever? i havent been maintaining my hollow knight lore

[@blaquerose121]

⁠@@skapaloka222no they served her she wasn’t a weaver herself as far as we know

[@dragonmaster1360]

Unless Hera is part weaver, this is literally impossible. Hornet is born of a dalliance between Pale King (Wyrm) and Hera. Meaning Hornet is canonically part Wyrm. Unless Hera is part weaver, Hornet CANNOT be part weaver.

[@jinxsterr_Dispenser3741]

something i think we need to remember here is that the infection originates from the radiance, so they could really just be like. selectively not infecting certain people? for whatever reason?

[@malfunction492]

Hey, I've been watching your videos, and I was surprised to find out how recent they are! I enjoy this speculation, you deserver growing in subscribers

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Thank you!

[@nickvosni8543]

Nah, the pale lurker just went bat shit crazy

[@lifebloodcore2106]

She didn’t have a mind left for the Radiance to infect

[@Aqua_Hoshino929]

@@lifebloodcore2106 Because she went insane normally

[@gren4586]

like the hunter says, its madness is all its own. you cant be driven one brand of crazy if youre already a different brand of it.

[@victory8928]

I always imagine maskmaker is like part void and due to their tasks they never rest which also helps

[@slurper5300]

don't forget mender bug is infected but the signs are stronger then the infection it keeps them safe from being fully changed

[@MC_CN]

He probably isn't Menderbug is fully conscious, and his only dreams are doing his job and meeting up with the mender guild

[@NazarenoCruzReyes]

I think it has something to do with the dreams, my theory it that the infection spread when sleeping insects see the radiance light in their dreams, so those who cant sleep or dream can't get infected, and it may be the same for those who even in their dreams keep focusing on the real world.

[@chrisfrey6502]

cool video, and a good hypothesis on why and how they are not infected.

[@Nonchalant_dreadhead09]

Thanks you for making this videos

[@otttimon5654]

Zore also doesn’t breath or dream so there is nothing to infect. As we know. You need dreams to get infected

[@abhikergaming7783]

You can get infected by the enviroment plagued by the infection (and I think infected creatures)

[@justice8718]

It’s not that Zote didn’t dream. He rejected them because he knew they weren’t from himself.

[@noctarin1516]

I think a lot of these bugs that survived the infection in part because they are simply unique, strong-minded

[@sethcunningham5589]

I Actually loved this video. we need more of these hollow knight YTers to join the likes of mossbag!!! Keep on Making content LBC i think your awesome so far!!

[@golden-youtube-1]

I believe that the Seer, Elderbug, the Nailmasters, and any other characters in a isolated areas were simply not reached by the infection, rather then them outright avoiding it

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

The Infection is caused by rejecting the Radiance, the Seer, however, welcomes the Radiance and therefore isn't Infected.

[@shardes]

How tf would animals like crawlids and maskflies reject the Radiance?

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

@@shardes They were intelligent under the rule of the Pale King; that's kind of his whole thing.

[@abhikergaming7783]

@@shardes Excuse me who the hell said animals ain't smart

[@zeniththecreator7671]

I dont think its just about Seer embracing the Radiance but also The Radiance herself not wanting to infect her because the Seer stayed loyal to her and that is something that The Radiance will never forget

[@mrblakeboy1420]

bardoon and snail shaman can prevent you from seeing what they’re thinking with the dream nail by thinking that they want you to not see their mind, maybe that’s how

[@Teaspoon621]

It’s heavily implied the Leg Eater is at least partially blind, and if we are to trust No Eyes in this matter, that would make him completely invincible to being infected. Though, No Eyes is also a little confusing, since she says „Can’t dream… if you’re still breathing, little one“, so was she just paranoid and absolutely insane when she stripped out her and her children’s eyes and has now decided that breathing is evil? Idk, just a little thought I wanted to share

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@Teaspoon621 No Eyes removing her children’s eyes didn’t stop them from getting infected and killing her, and Leg Eater can still sense the infection even though he’s blind

[@Teaspoon621]

@@lifebloodcore2106 Do we really know that they got infected after tho? I just watched mossbag‘s vid on the Dream Warriors today and it seemed like we don’t know too much about No Eyes‘ backstory, but it would make sense that she just went mad and tried to save her and her children by any means she could think of. But, with the infection being described as a blazing light, being blind would protect you from seeing said light. As for Leg Eater sensing the infection, he might just not be completely blind. Elderbug also said that the very air in the caverns is dangerous and rancid, so it might be that the infection gives off some kind of scent aswell, which Leg Eater would definitely be able to pick up.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@Teaspoon621 The infection comes in through the mind. Even if they couldn’t see with their eyes, they could still see in their dreams

[@Teaspoon621]

@@lifebloodcore2106 Yeah I guess that makes sense. Leg Eater might have not been infected because he lives so far away from… pretty much anything. We can see in the game that the spread of the infection is connected to physical location, with areas that are more cut off from the rest, like the Husk Guard in the top right of the Crossroads, being "overlooked“ by the infection.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@Teaspoon621 When the Crossroads become infected, Leg Eater can sense it as indicated by his dialogue, and he is close to the entrance to the Fungal Wastes from the Crossroads

[@alagonthesnail]

For the bugs of city, they were so obsessed with geo, that the radiance entered their mind that way, which means 2 things, obsession is an avenue for the infection, and or liking geo a lot doesnt occupy your mind in the right way to resist. My thoughts on the resistance to infection some bugs show is 1. Pure willpower, like bardoon said, the infection is noticeable, meaning they just have to resist, and 2. Complete isolation, like how Eternal Emilita was completely locked away, bugs like dung defender were completely alone in their home, or Salubra seems like she... can't leave if she wanted to. Certain bugs who were sleeping get to me though. Even if we assume dung defender only slept after the loss to us, there's still Jiji, who's sleep should've left them infected, but perhaps like the soul master guessed, soul has some way to stave off the infection, the soul master only got infected because of the obsession with soul, and clearly over a LONG period of time, plus in dream nail dialogue, he's clearly thinking about it a lot, like he's not even just fully infected, maybe he's just trying to keep the other infected out. In any case, there's lots of differing reasons as to why some bugs weren't infected, but I do think it boils mostly down to those two, willpower and seclusion. Likely a mix. Edit for the grubs: there's no proof though that grubs can even *be* infected, since they're scattered about hollownest far and wide, it's possible they can't be infected in the first place, but I think the jars are likely also playing a part. and who knows, maybe the collector as a void being is too. Oh and little fool. It's very possible that he IS infected, as the colosseum shows, the bugs there are infected, but only fight and attack you in the arena, never in the rest area, which could be something special about the colosseum, or it could be they loved to be a gladiator so much they only utilize the infections power there, and keep calm otherwise.

[@goldenhorse4823]

My headcanons: Moth mastered dreams so she is resistant Nailsmish and MaskMaker are devoted to their crafts so much infection has them nothing to offer Myla was mining the crystals Jiji is on surface where there is no one infected Midwife seems to be a trickster so meaybe she hid from radiance Nail artists focused their minds to complete perfection Leg eater focuses on money Zote was to useless to waste time possesing Elderbug never went down the well Cornifer I have no fucking idea Mantises were to much of chads to get infected plus them already working as group probably empited their mind already Collector seems to be pure void so he probably can't even get infected Last weaver is simply hiding very good or was at the kingdom for very short time Quirrel's mask made him impervius plus his only goal was watching the kingdom The seware guy might have build an imunity since he is always around trash and carries rancid eggs all around Charm Shopkeeper seems to be magical so probably she just used a blessing City of tears shopkeeper is souranded all the time by ancient artifacts so they probably keep his mind loyal Tiso was very shortly here The Litlle fool could be infected since we do not know are his eyes black to the mask or he is to weak for radiance to bother with. The Banker has hotsprings which seems to be magical so meaybe she cleans herself

[@Romaren_1904]

Cornifer also has a craft if you forgot

[@Romaren_1904]

Midwife knows when you use the dream nail on her so she is strong minded

[@Romaren_1904]

The mantises are infected, just not their leaders. Their leaders are also just very strong minded, that is why they are the leaders. Same as the infected sentries, they are infected but they still follow their orders, this time more hostile. So the same goes for the mantises

[@Romaren_1904]

The banker also thinks too highly of money to be infected.

[@Romaren_1904]

Little fool has a cause, why he isn't infected, like all the other members of the colosseum. To watch fools die in fight

[@Cl0udless]

Elder bug isn’t actually that old, since he never saw the construction of stags and doesn’t know anything about hallownest. The only reason he avoided the infection is because he never descended into hallownest, preferring to stay in dirt mouth

[@Fatherwhat]

I really do like the concept on the Radiance doing everything in its power to kill you and make you give up since it views you as its greatest threat, a natural enemy. Since it uses tricks like getting you when sleeping and tempting you with power and desires over time until you eventually submit, the knight doesn’t have any of that. no real goals, no passion, no emotion, no dreams, only an objective and it’s to free Hallownest from the hold of the Radiance and the infection

[@dragonmaster1360]

The biggest problem is, no vessel can EVER be perfect. The simple fact that they have a goal, means that have a drive to complete it. If a vessel needs to be entirely empty to actually permanently contain the infection, they cannot be instilled with the goal to do so, as that means there no longer empty. Even Ghost is doomed to fail in any ending where we don't take the fight to the source.

[@EzraBradford]

For some of the folks resisting infection, I see a common thread of something setting them apart from the world. From the solitary meditations of the nailmasters, to the endless task purpose of craftspeople like Mask Maker or Menderbug, to the lonesome ache of being the last of your kind. Some personal thing keeps them from finding community, unity, belonging. It doesn't explain everyone. The Mantis, for example, seem to have plenty of community amongst themselves. But they do have a strict avoidance of any contact or companionship with the world outside, excepting only those who have individually proven their strength to resist. I think infection could spread quite quickly through their village if it ever got in.

[@AveryShort-kg4pt]

Ive noticed a very common shared trait among all noninfected characters who have been in hollownest for a while, and one within all the character's who become infected Dedication and isolation Myla, most other miners, the guards, sly and bretta. These character's who did not stay isolated from the air in hallownest and the light of the infection, who are all either dedicated to something or easily swayed to devotion, find themselves becoming infested with the radiances light, but bretta and sly are only beginning to be infected, in isolated areas, likely seeking isolation to try and resist Now look at elderbug, cornifer, iselda, the nail sages, the stag, and the pale lurker. Theyre isolated, completely alone. In other words, functionally quarantined Boon seeks shelter high above the kingdom to avoid the radiance, the white lady hides within a shell, the nail sages hide within corners of the world, either as far from radi as possible, to deep in the territory of another god. Midwife stays hidden away in deepnest and similarly so does the weaver. The ENTIRE mantis tribe minus the traitors stayed isolated and away from the infection. The easiest way to avoid infection seems to be simply avoiding the eye of the radiance Now, i feel dung defender, the maggot who is the false knight, the mask maker, the godseeker, the nailsmith and Emilita, showcase the other way to fight infection:Not only are they isolated, but they have dreams of either perfecting a craft, or an extreme devotion to specifically a person, like the pale king, for example

[@Ducky_WCUE_1]

Fun fact: you messed up the little fool. If you dream nail him he is actually waiting for “the fool” (or whoever rulers the place) to give him another chance :>

[@25914]

So the infection comes from dreams of the radiance as we know, but where does that orange goo come from? Mind control can't just grow that stuff.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

I think that once the Radiance gets powerful enough in the dream realm, her power can then manifest physically, which is what we see in the physical form of the infection

[@25914]

@@lifebloodcore2106 moths are assholes

[@lifebloodcore2106]

The moths were a passive tribe, it’s the Radiance who’s a bitch. Her children didn’t take after her thankfully

[@dropfish3109]

@@lifebloodcore2106 markoth is still an asshole

[@Accesserised]

Meanwhile Zote is completely delusional. His brain just *doesn't work properly* even without the infection, and that's why we love him ^^

[@Mr_Dark_Shine_Blue]

I wanted tô know if the infection could infect other gods of Hallownest, or such higher beings are way too powerful to fall for that? Though the infection came from a Godness itself, then the other could at least feel its weight on their domain

[@abdurehmanmalik2980]

Hornet being Half Wyrm is prob not the reason she's safe as some of the King's other children are Infected; I'd say it's her Weaver ancestry (or a combination).

[@gamerknight1014]

I think Leg Eater is immune because he already seems insane. Like what Fiddleford said in Gravity Falls: "You can't break what's already broken!"

[@xandercrosby3757]

To me, the infected mostly fall into a few categories, the animals, who weren't smart enough to resist the infection, example, the gruz mother, those who took it in willingly, example, traitor lord, and the ones who were already dead, example, the watcher knights and the husks. Other ones who i didn't mention, like The Bees didn't even care when they were infected and basially were able to ignore it due to already having a hive mind. The colosseum's fighters likely took it in willingly because it made them stronger. It doesn't explain why the grubs are immune, but for the sentient bugs who get infected, they usually take it in willingly, or start off dazed before eventually succumbing like rabies.

[@kevinschutze7376]

Just discovered the channel, very nice videos! Hope you continue doing these lore analyses :)

[@BedoKGun]

Quirrel might be uninfected cause he always wanders around or enjoys a view lol

[@DeuxisWasTaken]

I'm not well versed in the lore, but Broken Vessel is also part Wyrm, and that didn't save it. It might be a similar case to THK though, a vessel that would be strong enough to resist the pull of the Infection from the outside, but succumbed to it trying to contain it within.

[@ammazer1229]

Can’t wait to see this gaming series actually have some gaming in it

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@ammazer1229 ?

[@jedrzejkoszewski4342]

I think that it may be easier to resist the infection than it seems. Pretty sure that once it happened, the resistant bugs were either attacked zombie apocalypse style or simply left the Hallownest. Bardoon, Emilitia and Hunter are some kind of Half-God beings closer to Grimm, Unn White Lady and to Pale King than any other bug we encounter. 5 Knights are naturally more resistant and even the dead ones didn't suffer due to infection. Moth tribe was also naturally resistant (other than radiance there is no other infected moth enemies) and they died from other reasons. The closes to moths are grubs and they all seem to be unaffected at all.

[@1971taks]

Tuk isn't actually immune he gets killed in steel soul mode by the infection this mught just be the devs needing a reason to get rid of tuk but its still interesting

[@pardusmk2595]

Interesting that Sly with all his power infected when his aprentice not

[@carubnut]

I spent like 50 hours on this game and yet you mentioned npc I never met. Tha't crazy.

[@KwikBR]

I'm 60 hours in and haven't even done radiance

[@Onion_knight287]

​@KwikBR 80 hours and I dont know %25 of NPC's here

[@wiiiiioop]

When we beat the true final boss aka the heart of the infection the radiance we beat it or try to

[@alyssapeterson2004]

I interpreted it as they weren't infected, yet. We know the Knight was essentially sacrificed to seal the moth and keep the infection 'contained.' We know the second knight (the player) came to Dirtmouth as if answering 'a calling.' The multiple endings and dialogue with Hornet suggest our initial purpose was to replace the original Knight as the seal was weakening. Interactions and conversations with Hornet also encourage the player to 'choose another path.' We can observe Mila's deterioration to madness as the chronological order of completing levels shows the seal weakening (especially if the Dream Nail was obtained early in the game). We also observe the infection worsening and spreading after the second seal is broken. Additionally (when you consider the game's layout) it makes sense that those closer to the shrine and underground would be more susceptible. It's closer to the 'infection' and the area is enclosed and isolated allowing characters to basically be alone with their thoughts. I believe the game also mentions the character's strength and willpower having something to do with avoiding infection. Mila and Sly are interesting examples if you play the game "in order."

[@meyes1098]

As with any infection, it's possible that some individuals just have immunity to it. And as with any virus, it will eventually mutate to overcome your immunity.

[@lethimcookbro746]

Wait, weren't the snail shalmen. (If that's how you pronounce it) Somewhat related to void? Ik this is a 2 year old video and I'm late on responding but I'm pretty sure he hasn't been infected since he has used a bit of void to block out the infection from entering his mind

[@eyald.8252]

There is a connection between them and void, because you get a void upgrade to one of your spells from them

[@GlawiousAldredMarci]

One of the biggest reason I noticed some bugs have resisted was that, their intelligence was not given by the pale king. The infected bugs have all returned to their natural instincts, however if a bug had a strong nature where they have a self, then they were more resistant to the mind control of the Radiance. :)

[@Bondrewd_The_Based]

Dung Defender is just too much of a chad

[@waddlebox5884]

Cool video it was entertaining! Would watch again

[@sqrt-ts2xj]

I think that it might be contentment like how sly desired geo and thus was infected and so was myla. mask maker and the Naismith were content with their lives and occupations but what myla was doing was mining for more out of discontentment elderbub is likely uninfected because he is not in the caves as he states that the infection is down the well and thus implies that it is not within dirtmouth.

[@rebbeca5967]

So, I'd guess Jiji, Elderbug and Iselda are safe bc of staying out of the ancient kingdom, Bardoon bc of their ancient nature, Salubra, Mask Maker and Amalisia for being closed away from the infection and the Seer bc of her knowledge of the Radiance allowing her to resist. I also think Quirell is protected by Monomon's mask.

[@girl1213]

I'm pretty sure the Hollow Knight itself is why the Infection hasn't gotten to everyone yet. He's doing his duty even in his failed state because he is Void. The Radiance's attention is primarily focused on Void because it's the thing she fears the most. Her infection is doing its job still to be sure, but the Hollow Knight and the Dreamers are still doing their duty at holding her back.

[@mohamedmohamedyoussouf4853]

The hollow knight could slow the radiance with the help of the seal it's not that radiance feared the void she could get out but she would need to infect the hollow knight

[@The-official-Gabriel-ultrakill]

The seer powerful she knows you're entering her mind with the dream nail so I assume she can also fight off the infection

[@LieutenantQueso77]

I pretty sure Quirrel can resist infection because of Monomon's mask, see as he would basically live forever with it on (thats why he only died when we defeated Uumuu and dreamnailed Monomon he did technically live way linger than he should've)

[@iiWarlord]

The infection is a "blinding light"(think as most insects are lured by light) as long as one is willing to let its false confort blind their conscious they would get infected. It's just a test of will and endurance against a luring and false hope/salvation being offered

[@ReaverOfTheNight]

i'm pretty sure the little fool is waiting for the lord fool to free him

[@maybelbtracer3519]

And then there’s the bees who didn’t wanted anything to do with Hallownest, which ultimately protected them from the infection

[@alexpresso243]

but the bees *are* infected

[@gamesandsuchwithalex9168]

I think that the reason Myla got infected is the beam of light from the crystals: she finished mining, and that means that she goes back to being undistracted, allowing her to dream and to get infected.

[@GikamesShadow]

I believe the concept of hollowing from dark souls comes into play. Once a person no longer has a goal they settle and go hollow. No more hope. No more dreams. No more goals. Sly was a great teacher. WAS. But eventually he grew old and tried to settle down as a shopkeep. Many of the bugs who survive the infection have a goal. Something they need to stay alive for. For as small as that goal is. Myla doesnt have a goal. Dig for crystals and hum your tune of death that is soon to follow. She had accepted death long before it came for her. Lem is a historian. Wants to know more and collect to keep record of what had happened. So much is there to draw connections to hollowing as a concept ^^

[@anidiot4702]

so for ogrim, last stag, etc. i feel like it’s more due to their mindsets. neither have the slightest want for power, which is what the infection offers via dreams. Ogrim wants to reunite the knights, TLS wants to serve its purpose. these characters have a strong desire to do things that the infection cannot offer.

[@farooqumar1610]

My guess is that the infection cant affect you if you are near warm things or constantly working near warm things (gigi,nailguy,selubra,the hot springs dudes etc) or if you have a strong enough will to stay focused and not be drifted into the dreams by the infection (grub father, badoon,dung protecter knight guy etc) there are some excpetions like geo bank girl and toe pick and that giraffe who eats fungus in queens station but yeH

[@The_Nailsmith]

Thank you for commenting on me

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@The_Nailsmith thank you for honing the Knight’s nail!

[@icaro8264]

for elder bug i think its because of the surface: no one in dirtmouth seens to get infected unless they enter the well

[@icaro8264]

jiji seens pretty insane to me and she's not infected

[@reinbew62]

Milabelle scammed the infection.

[@frozen-irken-boi]

i think husk sentries were distracted with protecting the city that they did not know the infection was in there mind

[@4rtistPeter]

Emilitia laughs like crazy. Maybe the Radiance needs a sane mind to properly take control over theie body. A crazy mind can either ignore the infection or make the Radiance think it is not worth to infect them.