What Is Nosk? - Hollow Knight Lore

Nosk is a very mysterious creature, and I wanted to make a video attempting to unravel its secrets.

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

When it comes to winged Nosk, I think another hypothesis I heard is more likely. Nosk did originally have wings and took the form of Hornet to try to kill her, but Nosk was easily overwhelmed. Hornet then cut its wings off and Nosk shapeshifted its body to give itself legs. This would explain why Nosk seems to be chaotic with its attacks in the fight. It is not used to having legs, so it does not have any sort of finesse with them.

[@orangenostril]

But why the heck would Hornet cut off Nosk's wings but not just kill Nosk? Is the theory that it was Hornet because the winged form uses Hornet's body as a head? I don't think that works since we only fight winged Nosk in Godhome

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@orangenostril That can be explained that she didn't think Nosk would be able to do anything without its wings. I mean, she wouldn't have been able to predict that Nosk would be capable of shapeshifting so well that it could grow legs.

[@kewbycupine5956]

The reason winged nosk is hornet is because in Godhome, the player would expect hornet next.

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@kewbycupine5956 Sure that's how it is. If you want to be boring and not even bother thinking outside the box.

[@kewbycupine5956]

@@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478 So i cant have my own theory about something because its too boring?

[@stuffstuff3455]

Nosk reminds me of the grub mimic. They can shape shift, walk the same and they can both climb.

[@thepurestvessel998]

My theory: nosk is the dad or mom of the grub mimics

[@andistansbury4366]

Probably the same species or at least in the same family

[@bounnhangvorachith2652]

Maybe nosk can intentionally hide it’s thoughts from the dream nail considering it’s a mind reader itself. But it doesn’t exactly seem that smart or powerful. Maybe its because it’s reading your mind as you dream nail it, so it just loops around to reading your own mind

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Didn’t think of that. Very interesting

[@aelechdeepestflame4347]

Wait, but if you read your own mind, you get the Birthplace cutscene.

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

Thats a pretty good theory.

[@JustSomeBrazilian]

@@aelechdeepestflame4347 i think the birthplace cutscene happens because the knight is dream nailing something that reflects themselves and it's something they knew from their past (i mean they were literally born there), so they remember their past and come to terms with their void nature. The knight doesn't have a single idea what a giant spider in the middle of nowhere is doing with their face and when they try to peer into the creature's mind (and since nosk probably can read minds) they only see nothing, a representation of the knight's current state of mind no thoughts, empty, *hollow*

[@aelechdeepestflame4347]

@@JustSomeBrazilian makes sense to me!

[@scootermcpeanuts6699]

Okay, this is admittedly kind of a crackhead theory, but hear me out, what if nosk is an infected vessel? It’s already been shown that there was some sort of exit from the abyss leading into deep nest, so what if nosk, alongside a few other vessels, escaped into deep nest after being thrown into the abyss, but nosk fell prone to the infection, mutated, and killed the other vessels? It would explain why it’s dream nail dialogue is completely blank, since the only other bosses with no dream nail dialogue are broken vessel and the hollow knight. (Plus a couple of enemies but SHHHhh) It would also explain why it doesn’t leave behind anything but a broken mask when it dies, because it’s made of void. This is very much a fringe theory and it has its holes, but some aspects of it do line up surprisingly well.

[@ricochet1351]

Actually that sort of makes sense, in a way. I mean, the only other thing to leave nothing but a mask behind upon death is YOU, so it kinda checks out, and it would explain why it's attacks are so simple in nature; it's not used to the body it's found itself in. It just runs, jumps, and spills its gut at whatever enters its lair, and it could very well be the Radiance that gives it its disguises from the DREAMS of those who became Nosk's prey after it killed its brethren. It could be a mutated being, considering what the infection has done to other creatures around Hallownest, alive and dead alike. Far fetched, yes, but certainly not impossible.

[@scootermcpeanuts6699]

@@ricochet1351 Oh yeah, I didn’t even think of the dream thing.

[@thatguystar817]

My guy i was thinking of this shit too!

[@scootermcpeanuts6699]

@@thatguystar817 Yooo good to see I’m not the only one who was thinking of this! (Also genuinely thank you so much for replying because I was struggling to find this video again)

[@thatguystar817]

nosk might be an infected vessel that got its mask destroyed and was mutated by the infection

[@umukzusgelos4834]

I wonder if the Mask Maker is a simmilar being to Nosk he too has these really long, black limbs and put´s on several... "disguises" he even mentions something about the face behind the mask perhaps just being another mask

[@ImMargon]

Nosk remembers me to Ko from Avatar the las Airbender

[@zowwycafe]

Amazing video as always :D

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Thank you!

[@JohnDoe-tv1wq]

missy from bigmouth

[@glorkish_james]

I thought it was a corpse creeper

[@davidbailis8415]

I think that it took the infection into itself intentionally.

[@samhg3658]

Nosk is a mf, honestly

[@Gappys6thTesticle]

i always thought nosk was weird, first of all, hes black, hes a being that doesnf seem to have a head or a chest, only weird black sticks coming out of one point where the infection is, he simply doesn seem to have thought, will or anything, just like an animal,

[@kelthemaster7481]

I think that Nosk is one of many, but that this is the only Nosk that we see, and the others are spread out (for obvious reasons). I also had a theory where Nosks are adult Corpse Creepers, since they use disguises to hide themselves, and also have those freakish legs.

[@EnFr]

I thought something similar, but instead of adults, it's just very infected, like the infected crossroads

[@amethyst..2]

What about the Grub Mimics? There’s loads of them in Deepnest, they could be the same species

[@aquaticalateralis]

​@@amethyst..2 maybe its a convergent evolution?

[@midovodella1702]

My theory, that just came to mind honestly, is that Nosk is an infected instance of whatever entity/entities that trap you when you sit on the bench at Beasts Den. These beings have no dream nail dialogue, leave behind their disguises, and can seemingly assume whatever form they want.

[@quadZ_z]

Oh snap I really like this theory! If I remember correctly, the game plays similar cracking sound effects, both when Nosk transforms & when the screen cuts to black at Beasts Den (implying the sketchy bugs are transforming).

[@devilsblade2543]

I always thought those entities were just puppets on the fingers of a giant spider - perhaps the sadly not made spider boss guarding herrah - and so cannot be dreamnailed since they aren't themselves alive, this also makes sense as to why you end up in a spider web and not dead after being captured by them, as well as why there are 8 of them, and why their skulls and bodies are flopped on the ground after you leave beast's den.

[@evanlephrog7337]

Inspired by another Nosk lore vid, I think the reason Nosk has legs is because it pretended to be Hornet to lure in Herrah, who sliced off its wings, but Nosk made legs and ran away before she could kill it.

[@kewbycupine5956]

I think the Godseekers made winged nosk become hornet, because The player would expect her next.

[@matthewmcbride778]

One problem: hornet only saw her mother when she was younger before harrah became a dreamer

[@evanlephrog7337]

@@matthewmcbride778 Possibly used baby hornet, then saw adult hornet later?

[@DanBulboTheGamer]

I love the lore of this guy, glad to see a video about this Also I think Winged Nosk isn't a changed Nosk by the godseekers, but a variant of a Nosk species, kinda like the two types of Corpse Creepers

[@Bubblegum-Cupcake]

That’s cool! So, like, there’s a type of Nosk that can become normal bugs, and a type that mimics winged bugs or simply has wings?

[@DanBulboTheGamer]

​@@Bubblegum-Cupcake both could mimic winged bugs, but only Winged Nosk would be able to fly Also Winged Nosk has small legs, which might be a sign of evolution, slowly not using them anymore to the point that they weren't as big as regular Nosk

[@JacksonVoet]

I actually thought it’s actually because our Vessel isn’t pure, and cares about Hornet, therefore, Nosk has something to pluck from our memories to manipulate us with, giving it more abilities. We aren’t perfect. That’s why the Godmaster and Dream No More endings are better. We eradicate the Radiance, who has proven to now be unforgettable, and therefore, invincible. But the Void is the one enemy that the Radiance has always had, and can actually snuff her out.

[@Darth_Bateman]

Nosk…… uncanny valley arachnophobia, inability to trust my memories, inability to trust my judgment, my fear of being harmed by those close to me, multi legged creatures, being attacked by a multi legged creature in the dark, a fast insect that can devour me, an insect that can devour me, a giant insect that can devour me, dying like an ant, the unknown. All of the fears I see when Nosk shows his ugly mug.

[@Bubblegum-Cupcake]

Why is one of your fears *dying like an ant*

[@Darth_Bateman]

@@Bubblegum-Cupcake you ever fly to Miami and see this tiiiiny little ship on the water as your plane is above it? Then you get into the city and you realize that ship is ducking massive? Then you come to realize just how small you truly are? You ever notice how quiet the killing of an ant is? You smash it, you go about your day and no one not even the ants mourn the dead ant. Compared to the ant you are massive. Now remember that ship I told you about? Imagine it falling on you. Hell, imagine anything massive falling on you? Let’s take it a step further….. Frogs are giant now and you look like a meal. Understand?

[@amistake9264]

As for the Hornet disguise of Winged Nosk I have another theory. Hornet is the child of Herrah the beast, the Queen of Deep nest, so she had likely spent a lot of time there. During her time there or during one of her patrols in Hallownest, Nosk lured her in his lair and tried to kill. He quickly learned she wasn't an easy prey and payed for it with his wings. The reason I believe that is because the Godseeker has a couple of bosses who are in their much stronger form from their past, such as Pure Vessel and Absolute Radiance. I wouldn't consider it implausible that Winged Nosk also falls into this cathegory.

[@leilaclarridge5807]

My theory: Nosks are the equivalent of tigers. They're some of Hallownest's biggest predators, are the apexes in their ecosystem, are highly intelligent given their mimicry and luring tactics, and are deadly on their own. However, they're wild animals as not all of Hallownest's bugs are sapient beings. Unlike tigers, however, they are radically sexually dimorphic; males have wings, and the females do not.

[@jwd-fr6bp]

Judging from the way, the Hunter introduces himself, I’d say they’re both ambush predators, further strengthening my idea about them being related

[@chanakyaverpula3546]

I think winged nosk is just nosk's previous form. My theory is that Nosk lured Hornet into its lair but hornet just tore of nosk's wings and defeated them. Explains why winged nosk is first disguised as hornet

[@mkks4559]

Winged Nosk being Nosk's previous form also explains the Stalking Devouts in its lair. Also, I gotta mention that I first heard this theory in Perpetual Noob's video.

[@chanakyaverpula3546]

@@mkks4559 Oh cool, I'll check them out.

[@matthewmcbride778]

​@@chanakyaverpula3546 One problem: nosk takes the form of anyone to fool anyone to getting close to it. The reason why nosk took the form of the knight is because the knight has nothing in its head of it leading nosk trying to fool the knight by taking the fore of the knight But hornet has a voice and a mind to her

[@chanakyaverpula3546]

@@matthewmcbride778 to be fair, there isn't anything for nosk to turn into for hornet. The pale king? Her father, yes, but not someone who she was close to . Just someone who did their duty. Same with Herrah. The only exception may be Vespa who trained her.

[@Bubblegum-Cupcake]

@@chanakyaverpula3546 I *don’t* wanna imagine hive queen Nosk

[@mkks4559]

3:18 I don't know if it's accidental or not but the Stalking Devout had Sans eyes if that makes sense.

[@keltenkaisertheproud4820]

this is funny

[@Bubblegum-Cupcake]

Well, they certainly do give you a bad time…

[@DaMint-u6p]

😔

[@kewbycupine5956]

Design-wise, I think he’s a girrafe-necked Assassin bug, but he reminds me of the backrooms’ phobic centipede. The phobic centipede is a giant centipede with two human arms and a human head, and it can project an image of a loved one to lure prey. One story involved it crawling from the ground, looking at a nearby person, and saying “Come here sweetie, grandma misses you. When you said it reads the mind of victims, I thought of that.

[@ancientgearsynchro]

My personally theory on Winged Nosk was that he was not targeting Hornet, but someone close to Hornet. It is stated that he takes the shape of someone important to you to lead them astray. The only reason nosk looks like us is because "No mind to think", so there is no one close to us. While Hornet is a proud lass, she is not egotistical in any sense of the word, so I doubt she would be draw by herself. So what I think is Nosk tried to lead either her birthmother (in the short time she and hornet where together) or one of her retainers from the Hive or Deepnest, maybe even Drone knight in all his bumble glory, to an ambush and promptly got killed (multiple Nosks) or had his wings ripped off (singular Nosk)

[@JustAnotherIdiotWithDepression]

I've had an idea about Nosk turning into Hornet. I think it could be a sign that (like the Hollow Knight) the Knight has accidentally built a familial attachment to Hornet, where before all it had the capacity to care about was its own survival, which would make the Sealed Siblings ending unquestionably the worst.

[@ricochet1351]

I see it a bit differently. My theory is that after Nosk died it saw Hornet interact with Knight from Godhome and assumed that they were close, so it takes her form whenever it comes to fight its new winged form.

[@kewbycupine5956]

Another explanation is the godseekers made winged nosk transform into Hornet, because it is where Hornet was last pantheon

[@CoralReaper707]

Nosk having no thoughts to be read with the dream nail reminds me of the shadow creepers, who also have no thoughts to be read with the dream nail.

[@suchopsmimic399]

Nosk just seems to be like a wild animal to me. He is named but only because he comes off as special to us. When in reality hes more like a grizzly bear or deep nest. An apex predator. This is evident by his utter lack of importance and the fact that all he is doing is feeding. Hes an animal. And I dont mean that as a description for his ruthlessness. I mean that hes literally a piece of hallow nests wildlife.

[@dragui1749]

The Nosk might just become the knight itself because, not only it wasn't able to read the knight's mind, it might be because the vessels have "No mind to think"? Then making it not possible for the Nosk read it, and the only option it was left was to shapeshift into the knight itself?

[@VulpineFox7]

I think nosk is related to corpse creepers

[@Glove-ytchannel]

I have a theory that nosk is a reference to the original it movie. (Spoilers) in the end of the movie you find out that it is a massive spider like creature (who looks a lot like nosk) and who also has a big light on his chest like nosks infection bubble. Furthermore, it is a shapeshifter who takes on the form of who you fear most. Just watched the movie and thought of this.

[@Quiet-the-Clown]

(JUST A THOUGHT) maybe nosk was just a vessel but instead of dieing or escaping nosk jumped in to the void pools and void grew on the vessel and ripping the things face off and some day nosk escaped the abyss and due the pain that it felt it became an violent creature leering its own kind in to its nest to serve never ending hunger for violence. (Most likely it became violent because of it turning infected when escaping the abyss

[@mayonotes9849]

I doubt it. I feel like it's more of an infected entity that hunts through disguising itself as its intended prey, then lure it deep into its lair to kill it.

[@ma1-t1f]

I don’t think he’s infected, maybe it just has that orange thing or the infection just naturally imprinted in it or the infection it’s just a part of its body

[@diwang3845]

I think the reason nosk shape shifts into us is because that’s not us it’s the hollow knight before he became the large figure now

[@CoxOfKings500]

Nosk could also be a more powerful version of the Corpse Creeper enemy

[@travelsizedarchie]

my idea is a mutated corpse crawler that gained intelligence from the infection

[@random_gamer1987]

I really liked it! Nosk is one of my favorite bosses!

[@draw2death421]

I feel like Nosk might not be infected but instead that it has eaten infection wich it throw up at us but that just a theory.

[@MrWolfgas]

The pennywise/ it from stephen king in hollow knight world

[@thedragonthatlovesskittles7132]

That is a rain world vulture from hell

[@Chipiiiii]

4:49 just so you know, sure they dont have wings but they still somehow fly by using their webs... in the air somehow...? I have no idea how i just know that they do

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

I do have my own hypothesis for Nosk. I believe Nosk is like the infected balloons and light seeds. It is a more physical form of the infection itself. Even among the members of the spider tribe, Nosk is a serious oddity. Sure there are those creepy villagers in the hidden village, but they were clearly more sentient than Nosk. This would also explain why Nosk has no thoughts for the dream nail to reveal, as well as why Nosk does not have a corpse after being blown up.

[@stuffstuff3455]

Nosk leaves behind its head both times. Fool eaters also have no dream nail dialogue. Lost kin doesn't have any dream nail dialogue but is very much capable of showing gratitude.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

Hey there! Haven’t seen you comment on any of my videos in a while. You always have such unique and interesting insight.

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@lifebloodcore2106 Yes, it has been awhile. I apologize for my absence. Not only have I been extremely busy lately, there weren't many Hollow Knight videos being put out that really piqued my interest.

[@lifebloodcore2106]

@@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478 I get it, I just missed seeing you in the comments

[@galaxy-eyesgarchomp9478]

@@lifebloodcore2106 I appreciate that, I will try to be in the comments more. Things have started to calm down recently, so I have more free time.

[@YuubiTimberwolf]

"What is Nosk?" Adorable. 10/10 would smooch.

[@Squiggles01]

Oh no... This big, scared spider thing has me trapped... Oh, is that a ledge? Time to cheese!

[@veezee-vz]

Nosk is a spider

[@Zora.pk76]

I actually have a theory cuz if you don't know after beating nosk you get one of the pale ore but I'm going to check again but if I'm wrong it comes from a black egg and we already agreed that nosk is someone made out of void it's not too far-fetched to say that nosk came from that egg how the got to deepness I do not know but maybe The pale King had something to do with it and also I don't think nosk is actually infected is why a lot of creatures have that orange like blood and acid we know that the radius is infection is mental and physical so that would be physical deformity or something to signify so I think it's actually acid because one because infection doesn't burn and to the only way for a creature to get infected is if they were to have enough consciousness but if we dream nail him he has no thoughts oh and about the flying variant of him I think that's because of Godseeker has a tune and somehow allow the nurse to look into our memories allowing it to get a new form or looking into godseekers memory and looking and finding hornets and it has relations to us seems like from out with fighting wants to kill us because it's piss and also it seems like it actually took some abilities from broken vessel since at this point in the game we should have memories of those character so they can watch on that's my theory

[@DrBloom-kx4ru]

In the pantheon (spoilers) when I went to fight nosk, he was disguised as hornet. Thoughts?

[@jwd-fr6bp]

The Hunter said it used to pluck at his heart strings, and he also said that he used to have siblings maybe Noskes related to the hunter

[@cuadernoazul5958]

What is Nosk? Baby don't hurtme no more

[@THE_RADIANCE]

Nosk is a bug change my mind

[@guideoftheriver7112]

Debatable.

[@jackirish9022]

The mask Maker looks suspiciously like nausea.

[@Azverial]

first things first, i think Nosk is (or at least was) a relative of Corpse Crawlers and Grub Mimics. if you look at it's behaviour it's very similar to Grub Mimics, screeching and running at you at high speeds. it's also similar to Corpse Crawlers, they clearly have the ability to condense themselves down into very small spaces with little issue, and so can Nosk. it's like a perfect mimic, having the aggressive and violent nature of a Grub Mimic but having the caution and patience of a Corpse Crawler. so, Nosk is an inbetween of a Corpse Crawler and a Grub Mimic, why is there only one then? think about it. Grub Mimics aren't very common so they're not a large issue considering the rest of deepnest's areas and even then they don't seem particularly active, and Corpse Crawlers are almost impossible to tell when they're inside something and don't seem to be too much of an issue when something's alive, so if the deepnest residents did what i think they did then they probably had a procedure for preparing to kill something whenever someone dies, but Nosk? it actively hunts, if it was a species then it would be considered a terrible pest, a creature that needs to be stopped. i think deepnest's residents actively hunted and killed most of it's species, just leaving it left. the only reason Nosk isn't dead is because it's become more powerful due to the infection, being able to hold it's own against many deepnest residents in a pinch. nosk was a species > got hunted to near extinction > nosk survived the purge > nosk becomes more powerful due to the infection > here we are

[@DaPaul]

Sup Lifeblood

[@BluglurTheSpaceGuy]

Maybe nosk was someone who actually wanted to help others to cope, and probably had wings and would've probably fought infected bugs or beings. This is what I think personally. Edit: God, this is outdated

[@mrblakeboy1420]

i ship mask maker and nosk

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

Wrong, the mimic grubs are likely these species.

[@thepurestvessel998]

Nosk may be the dad or mom of the grub mimics

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

@@thepurestvessel998Possibly.

[@Shazam1998]

Thats just as unofficial as this video.

[@nosks_stopmotions]

As a mind reader, i block dreamnails. I use a sort of telapathy like the great Wyrm, but i cant do much else. And yes i can confirm i was confused asf during your battle with me because i couldnt see anything in the knight's mind. The empty void in the knight's mind invokes utter fear in me. **Also i took the infection in willingly**

[@JacksonVoet]

Good to know. Hey, I know you use memories as a reference to fool people, but how do you change your head? It’s made of hard shell? Do you pull a crustacean and shed it?

[@nosks_stopmotions]

@JacksonVoet Not all "shells" are as tough as the knight's, therefore, can be amorphous. However, For the tougher shells. I do shed them off after a successful hunt.

[@JacksonVoet]

@@nosks_stopmotions Thank you. I hope that whoever actually runs this account gets a job at Team Cherry and makes Silksong’s Nosk lore. Have a nice night!

[@nosks_stopmotions]

@@JacksonVoet oh my herrah, i wish that happened

[@JacksonVoet]

@@nosks_stopmotions Same man, same. But hey, Team Cherry seems like they could use a Deepnest specialist. Good night.