Monomon

"A world forever unchanging... the Seals, must break..."

- Monomon the Teacher

Monomon the Teacher is an NPC in Hollow Knight. She is one of the Dreamers and is involved in the Knight's quest to destroy the Infection.

Lore
Monomon used to be a chief researcher and teacher of Hallownest. Her archives in Fog Canyon contain strange, jumbled Lore Tablets that contain certain phrases such as: The archives also contain a tank full of Charged Lumaflies, presumably there in order to study them. Monomon is hinted to have sourced the creatures resembling jellyfish found in Fog Canyon, if not only by accident.
 * "KINGLIGHT" and "OLDLIGHT", which are probably the Pale King and the Radiance.
 * "VESSEL" and "VOID", which are the Vessels and the Void.
 * "SEAL", "EGG", and "DREAMER", which seem to explain how the Radiance is sealed.

When the Infection appeared, Monomon took part in the Pale King's plan to seal the Radiance away in the Hollow Knight. Monomon became a Dreamer to seal the entrance to the Black Egg in the Temple of the Black Egg, which put her into an eternal sleep.

Quirrel was Monomon's apprentice or assistant. She entrusted him with her mask which serves as additional protection for her once she became a Dreamer. Monomon called Quirrel back to Hallownest to undo this protection after the Hollow Knight weakened.

Elegy for Hallownest The Elegy for Hallownest is a poem written by Monomon. Its first four lines are displayed during the opening sequence of the game:

In wilds beyond they speak your name with reverence and regret,

For none could tame our savage souls yet you the challenge met,

Under palest watch, you taught, we changed, base instincts were redeemed,

A world you gave to bug and beast as they had never dreamed.

- From 'Elegy for Hallownest' by Monomon the Teacher

In-game events
Monomon appears as a projection together with the other Dreamers in both Greenpath and the Resting Grounds. Unlike Lurien the Watcher, Monomon wants their Seals to break to end Hallownest's stasis. However, she and the other Dreamers still attempt to lock the Knight in the Dream Realm after the Resting Grounds encounter.

Once the Knight and Quirrel reach her physical body in the Teacher's Archives, her mind can be entered by using the Dream Nail. Monomon accepts that this must happen and seems to welcome it. She can then be attacked in her Dream after which Focus can be used to break her Seal. Her physical body has disappeared when the Knight wakes up.

Location
Monomon's physical body can be found in the Teacher's Archives in Fog Canyon. Uumuu needs to be defeated to reach her.

Trivia

 * A cut version of the Elegy for Hallownest which has additional lines can still be found in the game files. Monomon herself also has numerous unused lines of dialogue.
 * When trying to attack Monomon's physical body in the Teacher's Archives, a Seal appears over her body.
 * In Team Cherry's previous game, Hungry Knight, there are three masks found on the bosses that look similar to Monomon's.
 * In the original concepts for the Dreamers, all three Dreamers looked identical; sharing Monomon's mask and having the body shape of Lurien. The identical masks can still be seen on the archways outside the Temple of the Black Egg, and on one of the Hollow Knight promotional posters. The identical bodies can still be found on the Hollow Knight fountain in the City of Tears.

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