The Knight is the protagonist of Hollow Knight, and despite his small stature, he’s able to accomplish a lot. No one should ever underestimate a short king. With his big head, cloak, and trusty nail, fans immediately fell in love with The Knight as a Metroidvania protagonist.
From the start of Hollow Knight: Silksong, it’s apparent that Hornet is different. For one, she’s taller than The Knight, and her cloak has a sharper design. Plus, her needle weapon has a longer reach. Do those things make her better? No, but Hornet does pull off a few things in the sequel that The Knight can’t, which some fans may feel is better from a gameplay perspective.
Some gameplay features will be spoiled, but no story/world spoilers will be included.
Hornet’s ability to talk is a big change from a story perspective. There have been many games where the sequel featured a talking protagonist rather than a silent protagonist. Dead Space 2 and Jak 2 are two big examples.
While Hornet and The Knight are different characters, Hollow Knight: Silksong is another classic example of introducing a talking character. Hornet’s ability to communicate with NPCs makes for a more engaging story for players, as opposed to following a protagonist who is constantly talked at without ever showing emotion or responding in kind.
When The Knight died in Hollow Knight, they left a Shade of their former self behind that players had to slay the next time around to get their Geo back. It’s a classic corpse run-style mechanic found in many games, and while Hornet has one as well in Hollow Knight: Silksong, she’s a more gifted combatant. Instead of dying, she seals up her valuables in a cocoon and then retreats to fight another day.
That’s the head canon that a lot of players can at least consider when imagining how she survives after losing hundreds of battles. Her talent with Silk gives her this cocoon ability, which is a demonstration of her finesse and grace, something that The Knight lacks.
Both Hollow Knight games have great traversal abilities, a staple of the Metroidvania genre. Among all the ones that make The Knight stronger in Hollow Knight, he never learns to run. He can dash, which Hornet also unlocks via the Swift Step skill in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
However, if players continue to hold down the dash button, Hornet will start running. There are even Trinkets that will increase her running speed. In a foot race between Hornet and The Knight, Hornet would definitely win without question.
One of the great things about Super Mario Bros. 2 was Princess Peach’s ability to float in her dress, which became iconic to the character. Whether this was on purpose or not, Hollow Knight: Silksong also has a gliding mechanic. In Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Far Fields, Hornet can get her cloak strengthened into the Drifter’s Cloak, which will let her float around indefinitely. Catching air streams will also rocket her upward.
The closest equivalent The Knight has in Hollow Knight is the Crystal Heart, which is also a cool move that rockets him forward like a jet, even between screens. Hornet can’t do that, so this one is a bit of a draw, but it would have been cool if The Knight could have used his cloak to glide around Hollownest.
The Knight’s weapon is a Nail, while Hornet uses a Needle. The Knight’s Nail is almost exclusively used for attacking, but Hornet will eventually learn moves to turn her Needle into something else. First, Hornet will be granted the power of music in Hollow Knight: Silksong via the Needolin upgrade. With it, she can play her Needle like a harp to open doors that are sealed with song.
That’s the way the game trains players to use it, but there is also a secret use for the Needolin power. With the right NPCs, they will start to sing with Hornet when she plays the Needolin, and there are even corpses that will reveal their ghosts through song. The Knight can communicate with dreams and the ethereal world, too, but he can’t exactly turn his Nail into a guitar.
There’s another secret control that not a lot of players have discovered, as Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn’t communicate this ability openly. To use the Switch 2 as an example, players can click in the right thumb stick to taunt Hornet’s enemies. This will use a bit of Silk, and in exchange, enemies will be drawn towards Hornet.
Hornet can use this aggro-drawing talent to lure enemies into traps, which The Knight could not do in Hollow Knight. Taunting is a great technique that more games could start to use effectively, like Hollow Knight: Silksong.
One of the last big upgrades players will get for Hornet in Hollow Knight: Silksong is the Clawline. This will allow players to propel Hornet forward, like an additional dash, along with letting her cling to ring-specific ornaments in the environment. The Knight is not able to use a grappling hook of any sort in Hollow Knight. It’s one more ability that gives Hornet and her Needle an edge over The Knight.
Even though they squared off in Hollow Knight, with The Knight emerging victorious (since he was the protagonist), it would be interesting to see the two heroes fight without any player input. All of Hornet’s new talents, including the Clawline, could finally give her the strength to best The Knight in all of his silent glory.
September 4, 2025
E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
Team Cherry
Team Cherry
Unity
