Void

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...Void... Power... Without unity...

Void is a substance that is generally found in the Abyss. It plays a major role in Hallownest's history and in current events.

Table of Contents

Characteristics • History • In-game events • Void beings

Characteristics

Nature

Void inherently opposes light and is often referred to as darkness and shadow.[1][2][3][4] It also opposes Higher Beings like the Radiance and the Pale King who are both described as a light.[5][6]

Hostile tendrils in the sea of Void

Void has a certain potential when it is unified.[7] When not unified, the Void attacks anything indiscriminately.[8] Yet in this state, the Void can still be suppressed by light sources such as a lighthouse filled with lumaflies.

Once the Void is united under one will, it no longer attacks aimlessly and can instead challenge and defeat the source of the Infection.[9][10]

States

Void exists primarily in two states, as a liquid and as a substance given form.[11][12] The largest amount of liquid Void is the sea of Void at the bottom of the Abyss. When the Void is not unified and when light does not shine upon the liquid in the Abyss, it lashes out with sharp tendrils towards intruders.[13][8] If the Void is unified or light is shone upon the liquid, it remains perfectly still.[11]

Shades in the Abyss

As a substance given form, Void mainly exists in specific life forms. These can be beings that consist entirely out of Void, such as the Collector, Shades, and the Void Entity.[14][15] Void can also take a form within the shell or armour of life forms, which is the case for the Vessels, the Kingsmoulds, and the Wingmoulds, who have an interior filled with Void.[16][17][18]

Outside of life forms, Void can take the shape of a Shade Gate, which is a barrier that consists of Void.

Influence

Corpses in Ancient Basin with Void streaks

Void has an effect on living beings and on certain objects. The sea of Void called to the lighthouse keeper in the Abyss to turn off the light.[19] It also appears to have killed various bugs found throughout Ancient Basin and the bug which holds the Love Key in the Queen's Gardens, who all have Void leaking from their eyes.

Soul Totem corrupted by Void

The Soul Totem upon which the Sharp Shadow Charm is found seems to have been corrupted by Void. It has Void tendrils attached to it, and the totem itself has become darker in colour. The egg found in the Birthplace area in the Abyss similarly has Void tendrils connected to it.

History

Ancient times

A bug holding a bowl of Void

In the distant past, the Void used to be worshipped by an ancient civilisation.[1] This civilisation also made the Soul Totems, the Arcane Eggs and the Void Idol.[20][1] At some point, this ancient civilisation disappeared due to an unknown cause.

The Radiance is the ancient enemy of the Void.[21] It is not known whether there was an actual conflict between the two or during which time they became enemies.

Arrival of the Pale King

Sometime after the Pale King arrived in Hallownest, he discovered the Void in the Abyss. He built a lighthouse on top of a natural spire near the sea of Void which was used to suppress the Void.[22][23] The Pale King took Void from the sea and used it in his workshop in the White Palace to create constructs that have Void within them, the Kingsmoulds and Wingmoulds.[3][17][18]

The Pale King's workshop in the White Palace

When the Infection first appeared in the kingdom, the Pale King turned to the Void to seal away the Radiance, who was the source of the Infection.[24][3] He and the White Lady had countless children together who were born in the Abyss, which turned them into beings who have Void inside their natural shell.[25][26][16][27]

The Pale King chose one of these children, the Hollow Knight, to be the Vessel that would seal the Radiance inside themself.[24] At an unknown point after being sealed inside the Temple of the Black Egg, it became clear that the Hollow Knight could not contain the Radiance forever, leading to the ruin of the kingdom.[28][29]

In-game events

Void Heart

After remembering their past and accepting the Void inside themself, the Knight obtains Void Heart.[30][31] Void Heart allows them to unite the Void under their will.[32] The Knight is then also referred to as "Lord of Shades".[33] Void Heart causes the Void Tendrils and the Siblings in the Abyss to become passive, as well as the Knight's own Shade.

Dream No More ending

Void and Siblings in the Radiance fight

In the Dream No More ending, the Knight pulls the Void and the Siblings into the fight with the Radiance. At the end of the fight, tendrils of Void grab the Radiance, after which the Shade of the Hollow Knight opens a weak spot on the Radiance's face.

The Knight then breaks their shell and attacks the Radiance in their Shade form. The Radiance is subsequently pulled into the Void and consumed by it.[34] Finally, the Shades in the Abyss are seen going back inside the ground.

Godmaster content Embrace the Void endings

In Godhome, Void Heart is required to enter the Pantheon of Hallownest. Inside this Pantheon, the Knight pulls the Void into the fight with the Absolute Radiance, similar to how it plays out with the regular Radiance. However, the Siblings are nowhere to be seen during the fight.

Void Entity and Godseeker

At the end of the fight, the Knight turns into the Void Entity. This being grabs the Absolute Radiance and completely destroys her, making her explode into Essence. Void is shown streaming downwards into the area where Godseeker was observing the fight. The Void Entity moves towards Godseeker and wraps tendrils around her.

If a Delicate Flower was not given to Godseeker, Void leaks from her body in the Junk Pit. Tendrils then appear to burst from her body, after which the scene ends. If a Delicate Flower was given to her, Void tendrils similarly explode from her body, but a white flash appears from the flower. Godseeker and the Void disappear, leaving only the Flower behind.

Void beings with exterior

The following is a list of Void beings who have a shell or armour and Void within that.

Kingsmoulds
Kingsmoulds are Void constructs with white armour made by the Pale King in his workshop in the White Palace.[3][17] They served as guards in the Palace.[17]
Vessels
Vessels are children of the Pale King and the White Lady who were born in the Abyss.[25][26][27] Consequently, they have a natural shell with Void inside.[16] Notable Vessels include the Hollow Knight, who was chosen to seal the Radiance, and the Knight, the playable character.
Wingmoulds
Wingmoulds are flying Void constructs with a white shell made in the Pale King's workshop.[18] It is not clear for which purpose they were created.

Void beings without exterior

The following is a list of Void beings who have no shell or armour.

The Collector
The Collector is a powerful Void being that resides in the Tower of Love. It is responsible for the capture of the captive grubs that can be found throughout Hallownest.[35]
Siblings/Shade
The Knight's Shade and the Siblings are the Void forms that exist inside Vessels. The Shade is let loose after a Vessel's shell breaks.[36][37] Many roam the bottom of the Abyss and the Birthplace area.
Godmaster content Void given Focus
Also known as "Shade Lord" in the game's files, Void given Focus is a colossal being of pure Void that the Knight transforms into upon completing the Pantheon of Hallownest. Referred to as "God of Gods" by Godseeker.[38]
Void given Form
The Knight transforms into this being upon defeating the Radiance in the Temple of the Black Egg. It resembles the Knight's Shade but with longer tendrils emanating from it.
Void Tendrils
Void Tendrils are fragments of Void that are found in pools in the Abyss and in the sea of Void.[39] An imprint of them can be found engraved into a rock in the Abyss.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Void Idol Hunter's Journal entry: "Inspired or mad, those ancient bugs. They devoted their worship to no lord, or power, or strength, but to the very darkness itself."
  2. ↑ Hornet: "Ghost. I see you've faced the place of your birth, and now drape yourself in the substance of its shadow."
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 White Palace Lore Tablet: "VOID, yours is the power opposed. But yours is potential, eternity potential, force that could deny Time. VOID, harness shall be placed upon you. "
  4. ↑ Lumaflies in the lighthouse in the Abyss which suppress the Void.
  5. ↑ Seer: "The folk of my tribe were born from a light. Light similar to Essence, similar to that powerful blade, though much brighter still. […] But another light appeared in our world... A wyrm that took the form of a king."
  6. ↑ Radiance Hunter's Journal entry: "The light, forgotten."
  7. ↑ Shade Beast Dream Nail dialogue: "...Void... Power... Without unity..."
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wanderer's Journal, p. 158.
  9. ↑ Void Heart description: "Unifies the void under the bearer's will."
  10. ↑ Bardoon: "Such union in a single being. A strength before unseen. Would it too challenge nature? It could perhaps defeat it."
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Void Idol Hunter's Journal entry: "Contains a large amount of liquid from the Abyss, perfectly still."
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Void Tendrils Hunter's Journal entry inspect text: "An imprint of Abyss given form."
  13. ↑ Void Tendrils Hunter's Journal entry: "Fragments of void taking the shape of sharp, thrashing tendrils."
  14. ↑ Collector Hunter's Journal entry: "A shadow that sometimes flits through the caverns, making strange noises to itself."
  15. ↑ Wanderer's Journal, p. 159.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Pale King: "Born of God and Void."
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Kingsmould Hunter's Journal entry: "Guard construct of Hallownest's Palace [...] Its heavy white armour protects a fragile body."
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Wingmould Hunter's Journal entry: "A fly-like construct formed of white shell and a dark liquid interior."
  19. ↑ Royal Retainer Dream Nail dialogue: "...Turn it off?... Cannot... My King. I'm sorry... The sea calls..."
  20. ↑ Relic Seeker Lemm: "These eggs are the most desired find from time before Hallownest, but they're not the only remnant of that age. You may have come upon them, those old statues that seem a store for soul? They too prove its existence, though in a larger, cruder form."
  21. ↑ Radiance Dream Nail dialogue: "...ANCIENT ENEMY..."
  22. ↑ Hallownest architecture found on the lighthouse.
  23. ↑ Wanderer's Journal, p. 157.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Pale King: "You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams."
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 White Palace Lore Tablet: "Eternity in promise and charge in progeny cursed."
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 White Lady: "Success then for the scarlet heart, and irony, to use my spawn to grow its own."
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Hornet: "Ghost. I see you've faced the place of your birth, and now drape yourself in the substance of its shadow."
  28. ↑ White Lady: "Its supposed strength was ill-judged. It was tarnished by an idea instilled."
  29. ↑ Elderbug: "Used to be there was a great kingdom beneath our town. It's long fell to ruin"
  30. ↑ Void achievement description: "Remember the past and unite the Abyss"
  31. ↑ Hornet: "To break the Dreamer's seals would alone be considered an impossible task, but to accept that void inside yourself, that casts you as something rather exceptional."
  32. ↑ Void Heart description: "Unifies the void under the bearer's will."
  33. ↑ Shade Beast Dream Nail dialogue after Void Heart: "...Lord of Shades..."
  34. ↑ Dream No More achievement description: "Defeat the Radiance and consume the light."
  35. ↑ The Collector Hunter's Journal entry: "Preserves Hallownest's creatures in glass jars with particular attention given to Grubs."
  36. ↑ The Knight's death animation.
  37. ↑ The scene before obtaining Void Heart.
  38. ↑ Godmaster content Godseeker: "Most holy! Most divine! O God of Gods! Thou return to test thineself upon the lowly, snivelling weaklings serving beneath thee."
  39. ↑ Void Tendrils Hunter's Journal entry: "Fragments of void taking the shape of sharp, thrashing tendrils."
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