Bardoon

Bardoon is an NPC in Hollow Knight. He provides lore on the Cast-Off Shell and the Infection.

Bardoon
Gender	Male

For quiet retreat did I climb up here, away from spitting creatures. Ormmph... Yes. High up. Away from simple minds, lost to light. –  Bardoon

Lore

Bardoon is an old caterpillar found sleeping in Kingdom's Edge. He climbed up to the top of Kingdom’s Edge to get away from bugs plagued by the Infection. He resists the light’s allure, which he explains offers unity but also reduces a bug to instinct alone.

Bardoon has knowledge of the Pale King's origins and the King's Brand. Though he knows about Wyrms, he is not one himself.

In-game events

His body can be seen in the background, twisting through the cliff face. Bardoon's tail is found southeast of his head; hitting it makes him chuckle. He does not mind it when his tail is struck.

Bardoon has new dialogue after the King's Brand has been acquired, as well as Void Heart.

Dialogue

General First Encounter Ohrm... Tiny thing. You climb high. Seek then knowledge of these lands? This ashen place is grave of Wyrm. Once told, it came to die. But what is death for that ancient being? More transformation methinks. This failed kingdom is product of the being spawned from that event. Listening again This falling ash is moult. The Wyrm's corpse decaying. Endless. Rmm... Serene. Sad. With its like gone, the world is smaller. Listening again Don't mistake. I am not a wyrm... Ohrm... Too small, I am. Too many limbs. No foresight like those old things. Listening again For quiet retreat did I climb up here, away from spitting creatures. Ormmph... Yes. High up. Away from simple minds, lost to light. Theirs is a different kind of unity. Rejection of the Wyrm's attempt at order. I resist the light's allure. Union it may offer, but also a mind bereft of thought... To instinct alone a bug is reduced...Hrrm... Listening after hitting his tail Is it you bothering about my tail? Rest is somewhat disturbed, but I find that sensation not unpleasant..Ohr..Ohr...Ohrmm. Listening after obtaining the King's Brand Tiny thing... Oh hmm... The mark of Wyrm you bear. Is it change you seek? Or to save this ruin? That choice is yours. Always the smallest creatures that attempts the largest things. Listening after obtaining the Void Heart Ohhhmmmm... Tiny thing... It evolves beyond that Wyrm. Such union in a single being. A strength before unseen. Would it too challenge nature? It could perhaps defeat it. Exhausted dialogue Hmpph...Be on your way then? It's rest I'll return to, though in these times sleep oft proves uneasy. Dream Nailed One prefers its mind not be pried. Is rather unsettling. Rather invasive.

Location

Bardoon's head can be found in the north part of Kingdom's Edge. His tail is found near the Lifeblood Cocoon in this area, behind a breakable wall.

Bardoon's head and tail locations in Kingdom's Edge

Gallery

• 

  Bardoon's Face

• 

  Bardoon's Tail

• 

  Section of Bardoon's body

Trivia

• Bardoon is one of the few NPCs who can be "hit" with the Nail without taking damage.
• Bardoon is one of the few NPCs who is able to detect when they are being Dream Nailed.
• Concept art of Bardoon labels him as "Deepnest Caterpillar", indicating that he was originally intended to be located in Deepnest.
  • Kingdom's Edge used to be part of Deepnest. Deepnest was split in two after the removal of the Forest of Bones area. The east part was moved to the bottom right of the map and eventually became Kingdom's Edge. This can still be seen in Kingdom's Edge's file names, which start with "Deepnest_East".

Bardoon's concept art

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