#pickle posts

[pixiedixiedo]

So everyone knows about the "Listen" vs "Speak" prompts in Hollow Knight and Silksong, but here's something else I noticed.

When given a choice in Silksong, Hornet defaults to "Yes" whereas in Hollow Knight the Knight defaults to "No"

For Hornet this makes sense. She has an incredible drive; it's her nature to pursue and conquer challenges and, in her words, "claim what advantage (she) can" by helping others.

But for the Knight?

That's all it's own will

[betebinunzio]

[askyancy]

PICKLE PHONE NOW

PICKLE HAVE PHONE

GIFT FROM BAMBAM! IS MINE NOW HELLO!

[pixiedixiedo]

I adore Team Cherry's decision to double down on queer representation in Silksong, but one thing that sticks out to me specifically is just how many and how wide of a variety of canonically nonbinary characters there are. They take up such a wide array of roles and personalities, there's no one way they present their queerness.

And they are integrated so seamlessly into their world; it feels natural, their existence is completely normalized. It's an amazing kind of representation that we don't see enough of

[pixiedixiedo]

I made a quick little mockup of what the White Lady's royal attire might have looked like

I messed around with the brightness and contrast of her Red Memory sprite to get an idea of what her cloak looks like without the filters (also take this eyesore gradient map)

And this is what I came up with

Here's a bit of my thought process behind it

(Text: I chose to color pick from Pure Vessel because of them inheriting traits of the White Lady's cloak (+ the collar)

They also share a cooler color palette compared to the Pale King's whos is slightly warm

(The collar) was color picked from (Pure Vessel's) collar with some minor changes to make her palette more cohesive)

I also referenced @mebis-art-dump 's post looking at Pure Vessel's collar.

Tangent - I thought it was interesting that she seems to have two collar pieces. It reminds me a little bit of thk's armor and their collar on the memorial

Here's a doodle of them with this in mind

[pixiedixiedo]

Becoming unwell over how Hornet's character arc parallels her father's.

The Pale Kings philosophy of "no cost too great" always intrigued me because it seems to fundamentally go against his nature as a wyrm. There's no reason for him to devote so much energy to saving his kingdom; He easily could have just left and started a new kingdom, it would be far less of a hassle than dealing with the infection and his new subjects would be none the wiser, but he doesn't. Hornet is in this same situation too, she grants wishes and helps pilgrims even when it isn't her place to do so. They both can't seem to resist helping others despite it being "below (their) station," as the Caretaker says.

(It's pretty deep into act 2 when Hornet admits that she finds solace in helping others rather than doing it exclusively for the tactical advantage, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the same (arc) the Pk went through.)

And so they help others, they try to save the kingdoms from the grap of a higher being, but in the end their plans fail and it gets others hurt. The Hollow Knight couldn't contain the infection, and the void soaked tendrils threatened to pull Pharloom into crumbles.

Most of the bugs of Pharloom embrace the inevitable of the end, they accept what is to come and do nothing to change their fate. In this same state of mind, devoid of hope, the Pale King took his court and palace into the dream world to hide in shame.

And this is what sets Hornet apart: despite her mistakes, despite the entire world believing her mission is folly, she persists. It is her perseverance that sees Pharloom saved. It's just one more way that Hornet forges her own path rather than following her predestined fate.

But it makes me wonder, what would have happened if the Pale King had held on just a little longer?

[pixiedixiedo]

You would not believe your bones

If 100 cicada exoskeleton(e)s

Scream at the world as I try to sleep

Cause they'd fill the open air

And tear eardrums everywhere

Anyways here's my army. We shall inherit the Earth

[pixiedixiedo]

ya know, back to the idea that the Knight (or ghost, or shade lord or whatever) doesn't really have the same active drive as hornet...

i do wonder. what drove it to save hornet's life in the sibling of the void ending?

(Referencing this post) When I said drive, I was more trying to highlight the difference in Hornets and the Knight's dispositions rather than their willingness to enact change.

Hornet, to use her own words, is dominant. Throughout Silksong there are multiple characters that immediately recognize her as an agent of change (the chapel maid, the caretaker, etc), and even then most recognize her as something special.

For the Knight on the other hand, it's rather rare for them to be recognized as anything noteworthy; And yet, despite others' misgivings, they were still able to destroy the heart of the infection (at least in Silksong's timeline.) While the Knight is unassuming, they are, by no means, passive.

I think "drive" might not have been the best word I could have used; They both seem to share a proclivity for change. Even though the Knight doesn't have Hornet's assertiveness, they are both incredibly strong of will to enact their own endings.

Thank you for the ask!