Crystal Guardian

"Shining... I am the light..."

- Crystal Guardian

The Crystal Guardian is an optional boss in Hollow Knight. He was once a miner working in the Crystal Mines of Hollownest, but has somehow been partially enclosed by the same crystals he mined, resulting in him going mad and attacking bystanders who enter the mines, with delusional thoughts that they are stealing his precious crystals.

Biography
The Crystal Guardian is first found in the middle of the Crystal Mines, resting on a bench. He will not attack unless attacked first. Crystal Guardian attacks by shooting lasers from his crystallized hands, but he can also screech, which releases lasers from a multitude of crystals located above the room, which rain down simultaneously after his roar.

Once he is defeated, his crystal armor breaks apart, but he jumps into the roof into the room above, which cannot be accessed until the Monarch Wings are obtained. In the rematch in the room above, the Crystal Guardian behaves more aggressively, summoning more lasers when he roars, and his laser targets the Knight more accurately. His lasers also deal two masks of damage per hit in contrast to one in the first battle. Defeating the Crystal Guardian again kills him for good, and a Mask Shard is obtainable.

Trivia

 * The Crystal Guardian and Hornet are the only two bosses who are fought twice.
 * If the player is right next to the Crystal Guardian when he fires its laser, he will sometimes shoot straight down, though this may be a targeting glitch.
 * The Hunter questions if the crystal enshrining Crystal Guardian's head is the reasoning for his insanity, blinding him through what the crystal "sees".