One Hollow Knight: Silksong fan has shared an intriguing theory about Herrah the Beast’s design that sparked some insightful online discussion. The development serves as a reminder that many of Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s smaller mysteries will likely never be fully explained, making them all the more compelling.
Major Hollow Knight and HK: Silksong spoilers ahead.
The Weavers are a tribe of spider-like beings from Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s land of Pharloom who were created by the godlike entity Grandmother Silk. After discovering the truth of their origin, they rebelled and sealed their maker in the Cradle atop the Citadel. Silksong protagonist Hornet is a descendant of Grandmother Silk by virtue of her mother being Herrah the Beast, a Weaver introduced in the original Hollow Knight.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Fans Are Split on Whether Herrah’s Head Shape Is a Mask
Herrah, however, looks nothing like the members of her tribe seen beginning with Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 2. Reddit user Whenpigfly666 recently attempted to explain this discrepancy with what they described as a “crackpot” theory, but which has proven intriguing enough to spark some lively lore discussion among fans. At the center of the debate is Herrah’s head shape, with fans divided on whether it represents a real shell or merely a mask.
Hornet appears to inherit her mother’s head silhouette, but at the same time, mask making is an integral part of Hollow Knight and Silksong‘s lore, meaning both positions are defensible. The games never explicitly confirm which is correct.
Herrah’s Body Shape Is Another One of Silksong’s Smaller Mysteries
Moreover, Whenpigfly666’s theory does not attempt to explain the difference in the body shapes between Herrah and the Weavers seen in Pharloom. Fans have identified several possible explanations for this discrepancy, not all of which are mutually exclusive. One, the original Hollow Knight heavily implies that giving birth is a difficult process for the Weavers, which might have resulted in Herrah being bloated. The main issue with this theory is that accessing the Red Memory during Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 3 shows Herrah after giving birth, but without a large abdomen. It is unclear whether this discrepancy is a retcon or has a meaningful explanation.
Another possibility is that Herrah’s body simply changed with age, as is common among living beings—fictional or otherwise. Finally, her title of Weaver Queen alone may have warranted a distinctive design, regardless of how Team Cherry might have justified it in the lore.
- Released
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September 4, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
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Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
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Team Cherry
