| “ | No cost too great. No mind to think. No will to break. No voice to cry suffering. Born of God and Void. You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams. You are the Vessel. You are the Hollow Knight. |
„ |
| ~ The Pale King choosing the Vessel to become the Hollow Knight. |
The Pale King, also referred to as the Wyrm, is the secondary antagonist of the 2017 indie Metroidvania video game Hollow Knight. He was once the God-King of Hallownest and consort of the White Lady, until he suddenly vanished alongside his White Palace following the second Infection outbreak.
Before the Infection, the Pale King established Hallownest as a thriving kingdom, uniting its tribes and guiding his people as an honorable sovereign. However, when the Radiance unleashed the Infection, his methods to stop it became extreme, including the infanticide of thousands of Vessels. This chain of events stemmed from the Moth Tribe, who of their own volition abandoned the Radiance and chose instead to worship him, causing her to be forgotten and to grow vengeful toward him.
Appearance[]
The Pale King on the Pale Court promo cover art.
Silhouette of the Pale King adorned with the Monarch Wings in Ogrim's Dream.
| “ | I've heard he was a glorious bug to behold, bright and radiant in visage, so much so it hurt to look at him. | „ |
| ~ The Last Stag describing the Pale King's appearance. |
Before taking on the form seen in Hallownest, the Pale King was originally a Wyrm. In this form, he was a colossal, serpentine creature covered in pale scutes, with a mouth composed of many sharp prongs.
In his diminished, anthropomorphic form, the Pale King appeared as a small, white-headed being crowned with long, sharp horns. He had gentle ridges beneath his horned crown, and the crown itself was shaped like the mouth of the Wyrm he emerged from. He draped himself in a gray cloak, regal but restrained in design. Despite this modest form, he was still described as strikingly radiant, so much so that beholding him directly was said to be painful to the common eye.
According to Ogrim’s memory, the Pale King often adorned himself with the Monarch Wings, a radiant set of six ethereal wings that framed his body and emphasized his divine status. In the promotional artwork for the Pale Court soundtrack, the Pale King appears to have had empty eyes like his Vessel children, though the inside of his sockets appear to have a scaled texture. His cloak also appears to possess a membranous texture akin to insect wings.
Personality[]
| “ | The old King of Hallownest... he must have been desperate to save his crumbling little world. The sacrifices he imposed on others... all for nothing. | „ |
| ~ The Hunter |
The Pale King created Hallownest mainly so that he could build a kingdom that would prosper eternally when others had ultimately failed to reach that goal. While he was far from a compassionate ruler, the Pale King did not govern Hallownest through tyranny; instead, he was a distant yet utilitarian monarch whose people revered him willingly for the civilization and order he brought them. There is no evidence that he forced anyone to follow him after granting some of the bugs sapience. Even the Moth Tribe of the Radiance willingly turned their backs on her in favor of worshiping the Pale King. He favored diplomacy and negotiation with neighboring tribes, resolving conflicts through agreements whenever possible instead of resorting to force.
Beyond his moral choices, the Pale King was a master of creation and design. He personally crafted the Kingsmoulds and Wingmoulds, demonstrating unmatched skill in shaping life from Void and shell. He also oversaw the construction of Hallownest’s infrastructure, including the tram system and stag stations, ensuring efficient transport and connectivity throughout the kingdom. His strategic vision allowed him to unify the scattered tribes and instill a lasting order, building a kingdom that could endure far beyond the lifespans of its subjects.
Though an antagonist, the Pale King is not inherently evil; he makes evil choices such as casting thousands of his own eggs into the Abyss to create Vessels and sealing the Hollow Knight in the Black Egg Temple, but under the belief that the ends justify the means. Despite this belief, he opposed the Soul Master of the Soul Sanctum, who sought to exploit Hallownest’s bugs by draining their very souls in an attempt to halt the Infection. By rejecting these methods, the Pale King demonstrated that he did care for his people, refusing to let them be used as test subjects. In contrast to the Soul Master’s cruelty toward common bugs, the Pale King’s sacrifices were far more personal, focused primarily on his own family. Nevertheless, he still pursued an unethical plan of his own, he discarded thousands of Vessels in the Abyss, with most of these Vessels ending up dying. Whether these Vessels were killed by him or died on their own is unclear, but it is known that he felt remorse for their deaths and sealed off the Abyss to bury his guilt.
In the flashback at the end of the Path of Pain, it is revealed that the Pale King and the Hollow Knight had mutual care for one another, which ultimately undermined the Hollow Knight’s ability to remain truly hollow and contributed to its failure to contain the Infection. It can also be assumed that he cared for and loved his wife, the White Lady, who still speaks fondly of him.
In the end, the Pale King is a tragic monarch, a king who sought to preserve Hallownest at any cost, yet whose choices and attachments ultimately led to the kingdom's downfall. As one giant fungus corpse’s mind muses to the Pale King, "What good to foresee a demise unavoidable," the tragedy of the Pale King stems from the fact that despite all the effort he put into building Hallownest, he could only toil in vain as he attempted to right his wrongs and keep his kingdom afloat. As such, the Pale King's character can be summarized as a mix of distant pragmatism and true benevolence, each playing a part in his inevitable failure in creating an eternal kingdom.
Biography[]
Golden Days[]
| “ | In wilds beyond they speak your name with reverence and regret, For none could tame our savage souls yet you the challenge met, Under palest watch you taught, we changed, base instincts were redeemed, A world you gave to bug and beast as they had never dreamed. |
„ |
| ~ From 'Elegy for Hallownest' by Monomon the Teacher |
The cast-off shell of the Pale Wyrm.
The Pale King was once an ancient Wyrm, a titanic being of immense power that roamed the lands. He burrowed through mountains and traveled across the barren wastelands until his journey finally brought him to the region later known as Kingdom’s Edge. There, he shed his colossal form and assumed a smaller, more humble shape. According to the Godseeker, this transformation was a deliberate choice, meant to bring him closer to the creatures he would soon guide. Using his power, he granted sapience to the bugs of Hallownest, who until then had only simple minds. These newly awakened bugs revered him as a god-king, and even the moths, created by the Radiance, turned away from their former deity to follow him. Over time, the Radiance was all but forgotten, eclipsed by the Pale King’s influence and the civilization he forged. With his subjects united, the Pale King molded Hallownest into a kingdom of order and prosperity. He established the City of Tears as its capital, built tramways and stag stations to connect the kingdom, and laid the infrastructure for a lasting and thriving civilization.
The Mushroom Clan of the Fungal Wastes accepted his rule, trusting that his foresight would protect them. The Mantis Tribe remained independent, honoring their own code while defending Hallownest’s borders from Deepnest. The Hive likewise remained isolationist, closing itself off and continuing to worship their own queen rather than acknowledge Hallownest. Deepnest’s inhabitants were openly hostile, resisting the kingdom’s expansion and posing a constant threat to its stability. During his reign, the Pale King encountered other higher beings. His consort, the White Lady, provided personal and functional support. Meanwhile, the Pale King respected the higher being Unn, whose influence over life in Greenpath and the Mosskin he acknowledged, and whose power he neither sought to usurp nor directly interfere with. Despite this, the White Lady still took a portion of Unn's territory for herself, with a lore tablet in Greenpath also warning the Mosskin of the White Lady's goals not aligning with theirs. This implies that the Pale King was probably not as generous as once thought or that he just didn't do anything to prevent this seizure of land.
Despite pockets of defiance and the occasional threat, the Pale King’s rule was largely successful, establishing a lasting civilization where bugs of all kinds lived in order and prosperity under his leadership.
The Infection[]
Over time, the Radiance, long forgotten by Hallownest, grew envious of the Pale King’s thriving kingdom and the loyalty of the moths who had abandoned her. In retaliation, she unleashed her light upon the minds and dreams of Hallownest’s subjects, driving them back into a state of mindless instinct. The Infection spread rapidly, affecting bugs across the kingdom. Many lost their sense of self, becoming aggressive, hostile, or irrational. Towns, settlements, and once-peaceful communities fell into chaos, while Hallownest’s delicate social order began to unravel. Even creatures that had previously lived in harmony with the land were twisted by the Radiance’s influence, spreading the Infection further and creating a cycle of suffering that threatened the stability of the entire kingdom. The Radiance’s return left the kingdom vulnerable and fearful, and her influence spread silently yet relentlessly through the dreams of Hallownest’s inhabitants, leaving devastation in its wake.
The Hollow Knight[]
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Our pure Vessel has ascended. |
„ |
| ~ A lore tablet left by the Pale King in the Ancient Basin. |
The Pale King willed to go through any lengths to make his Kingdom last eternal, even if it meant committing immoral actions to ensure its perpetuation. In response to the Infection, the Pale King turned to the Void at the bottom of the Abyss below Hallownest, which appeared to have the potential to seal the Radiance. From the Void, he created the Vessels, beings comprised of Void, meant to have no mind or will for the Radiance to break. Only one Vessel was judged capable of containing the Infection for eternity, earning the name "the Hollow Knight."
The Pale King leading the adolescent Hollow Knight out of the Abyss.
All of the remaining Vessels were discarded and left to perish in the Abyss. Overcome with regret for the countless Vessels lost, the Pale King later sealed off the Abyss, burying the remnants of his creations to forget the consequences of his actions. Although some managed to escape, including the Knight.
Downfall[]
| “ | Pale Wyrm...what good to foresee a demise unavoidable? | „ |
| ~ A fungal creature on the Pale King's tragic nature. |
After sealing off the Abyss, the Pale King left its depths, taking the Hollow Knight with him. Over time, he grew to care for the Vessel. Yet, the Pale King’s care for the Hollow Knight proved to be a tragic flaw. He saw in it a child, presumably a reflection of his own hopes and sacrifices.
The Pale King bonding with the Hollow Knight.
This bond imbued the Vessel with a flicker of self and will. That very spark, born of the King’s love, became the undoing of his plan, the Hollow Knight could not remain truly hollow, and the Radiance’s light ultimately seeped through, dooming the kingdom he had tried so desperately to save.
Death[]
| “ | ...No cost too great... | „ |
| ~ The Pale King's final thoughts. |
Sometime after the Infection was sealed within the Hollow Knight, the Pale King and the White Palace vanished, leaving no physical evidence of their trace. Rumors spread that he simply abandoned his people and went into hiding. Once the Knight has gathered 1,800 Essence, the Seer is able to awaken the Dream Nail, allowing them to travel through any dream. The Knight can then enter the White Palace by using the Dream Nail on the corpse of a Kingsmould in the Palace Grounds. It is unknown whether this is the actual White Palace or merely a memory of it.
The Pale King's corpse on his throne.
At the end of the White Palace is the corpse of the Pale King, sitting on his throne. Slashing his body makes him drop his half of the Kingsoul charm, which can be combined with the other half from the White Lady. Once the Kingsoul is converted to the Void Heart, the Knight will be able to fight against the Radiance from within the mind of the Hollow Knight.
Legacy[]
The Pale King’s influence endured long after his disappearance and death. His creation of Hallownest shaped the course of countless lives, and his actions directly led to the existence of the Hollow Knight and the eventual confrontation with the Radiance. The Kingsoul, formed from his essence and later combined with the White Lady’s, became a key artifact for the Knight, allowing them to challenge the Radiance and determine the fate of Hallownest. Beyond artifacts, the systems, structures, and society he established left a lasting mark on the kingdom, influencing its remaining inhabitants, such as his daughter, who would later go on to liberate another kingdom, Pharloom from the clutches of another hegemonic Higher Being much like the Radiance, and the history that followed.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
| “ | Even long departed, we feel the afterglow of the god-power that sat this throne... it lays heavy upon this kingdom. That lingering power alone was beacon enough to draw us to Hallownest. How bright it must have been to mortal bug stood before it. | „ |
| ~ The Godseeker speaking about the lingering godly power the Pale King left behind even after his death. |
An incredibly powerful Higher Being, the Pale King displayed an immense magical might that he retained even after shedding his Wyrm form, being described as emitting a blinding light that enamoured all, with even the Delicate Flower's pure aura being no match for his light. Even after his death, the Pale King's lingering power remained so powerful that the Godseekers were able to seek out Hallownest with it as a beacon, while his aura continued to bestow sapience upon his subjects.
- Wyrm Physiology (formerly): In his original form as a colossal Wyrm, the Pale King possessed immense size, strength, durability, and stamina, capable of burrowing through mountains and traversing vast wastelands with ease.
- Metempsychosis: Demonstrated the ability to shed his titanic Wyrm body and reincarnate into a smaller bug form.
- Immortality: Like all Higher Beings, the Pale King was immortal and could not be killed using conventional methods, though he eventually died or was "erased" for reasons that remain ambiguous.
- Flight: Capable of limited flight through the Monarch Wings.
- Prophetic Foresight: He is said to possess prophetic foresight to some degree, though the extent of this power remains unclear. He could seemingly imbue this ability into objects, as seen from the lore tablet within the Black Egg which allows the player to check on their completion status of the game, and allowed the Hollow Knight to monitor Hallownest.
- Sapience Bestowal: Granted sapience to the bugs of Hallownest, elevating them from primitive creatures to civilized beings.
- Memory Manipulation: The Pale King's sapience-bestowing aura also influenced the memories of his subjects, as bugs that left his kingdom would lose their sapience if granted intelligence by him, or lose their memories of Hallownest if sapient beforehand, as seen from Quirrel. Whether this extends to visitors of his kingdom, such as Iselda and Cornifer, is unknown.
- Soul Manipulation: As a Pale Being, the Pale King possessed the ability to generate infinite amounts of soul on his own, which he seemingly used to create the Void constructs in his palace. He was able to create his own soul totems that were filled with his soul, which he could refill whenever he wanted. The Pale King was also able to create the Kingsoul charm as a symbol of his union with the White Lady, giving the user unlimited amounts of soul, albeit very slowly.
- Light Manipulation: The Pale King is described as having given off a blinding white light that captivated all who witnessed him. It's unknown whether he could weaponize this light as the Radiance did, since he is never seen engaging in combat.
Abilities[]
| “ | VOID, yours is the power opposed. But yours is potential, eternity potential, force that could deny Time. VOID, harness shall be placed upon you. |
„ |
| ~ A lore tablet in the White Palace describing the Pale King's experiments with Void. |
Upon his arrival at Kingdom's Edge, the Pale King shed most of his supernatural powers to take up a meager shell matching his subjects. However, he still possessed many abilities that lent themselves to his rule over Hallownest, mainly his incredible intellect and knowledge of supernatural forces.
- Genius-Level Intelligence: A skilled craftsman and the mastermind behind Hallownest’s creation, the Pale King demonstrated immense intellect in both creation and governance. He engineered Void constructs such as the Kingsmoulds and Wingmoulds, created the Vessels, and oversaw the design of a prosperous kingdom whose systems and infrastructure reflected his pursuit of eternal order.
- Magical Expertise: The Pale King was highly versed in the magical arts as he was able to safely handle Void and even mold it into constructs despite its lethality to his kin. It's implied that through collaborations with the Weavers, he also learned how to utilize runes to construct seals of binding and even create tablets to allow one to see Hallownest's state in its entirety. Most impressively, the Pale King managed to seal himself, his palace, and all of its inhabitants into the Dream Realm, leaving no trace of his old abode.
- Void Manipulation: Despite being weak to the Void as a Pale Being, the Pale King was exceptionally skillful in its handling and craft. He managed to discover its weakness to light and not only created measures to limit its spread, such as a lighthouse, but also used his soul powers to forge Void constructs that served his will. Among these were the Kingsmoulds, armored guardians of the White Palace capable of wielding their claw blades with deadly precision, and the Wingmoulds, flying constructs that could reform after destruction.
- Indomitable Will: Guided by his unfettered philosophy, “no cost too great,” he was willing to sacrifice anything to stop the Infection and preserve his kingdom. While it is doubtful he ever truly believed in this philosophy, as he was seemingly repeating it to himself as a mantra right before his death, he nevertheless enforced it unwaveringly until the very end.
- Immense Authority and Influence: As Hallownest’s divine monarch, the Pale King commanded immense loyalty and reverence. His word shaped the kingdom’s laws, religion, and culture, and his leadership was sufficient to unify various tribes under his rule, with those who refused to join his kingdom still remaining staunch allies. Nearly everyone in his kingdom obeyed his orders, allowing him to be an efficient and decisive ruler.
- Vast resources: As the King of Hallownest, the Pale King had virtually infinite resources. This allowed him to build and install whatever he pleased, from armies of Void constructs to entire gauntlets of buzzsaws and thorns located in his palace.
Lore Tablets[]
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Beyond this point you enter the land of King and Creator. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the King's Pass. |
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Within our lands do not hide your true form. Let all bask in your majesty, for only this kingdom could produce ones such as you. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the King's Pass. |
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Your great strength marks you amongst us. Focus your soul and you shall achieve feats of which others can only dream. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the King's Pass. |
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. These blasted plains stretch never-ending. There is no world beyond. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the Howling Cliffs. |
| “ | Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Our pure Vessel has ascended. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the Ancient Basin. |
| “ | VOID, yours is the power opposed. But yours is potential, eternity potential, force that could deny Time. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the White Palace. |
| “ | No blazing kin. Only one light shall shine against the dark. The Wyrm becomes beacon, minds expanded, to yield, to devote. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the White Palace. |
| “ | Vessel. Though bound, you shall know the state of the world. Hallownest will be whole again. |
„ |
| ~ Lore tablet in the Temple of the Black Egg. |
Trivia[]
- The Pale King is often seen as a symbolic representation of the denial of entropy. His efforts to preserve Hallownest reflect his struggle against inevitable decay. Furthermore, he refers to the Void as a force capable of denying time, highlighting his attempts to prevent the unavoidable demise of his kingdom. In this sense, much of the Pale King’s reign can be interpreted as a desperate effort to preserve civilization and stave off the eventual breakdown of all things.
- The Pale King's character also appears to be loosely inspired by Gwyn from Dark Souls, serving as a lighter and more benevolent counterpart. Both were divine monarchs who built majestic civilizations, attempted to halt an inevitable crisis, and ultimately sacrificed everything to preserve their respective eras. However, while Gwyn’s actions plunged his world into despair, the Pale King’s legacy is portrayed with a more tragic, bittersweet tone.
- The Pale King's character also appears to be a figure in the Hollow Knight universe akin to Prometheus, with both being benevolent deities that wished to ferry mortal beings towards enlightenment and prosperity but as a result, were punished by other deities, Prometheus being sentenced to eternal torture by Zeus for giving the humans fire, and the Pale King having his kingdom destroyed by the Radiance after unknowingly stealing her followers.
- Seeing as the Pale King is referred to as a wyrm, a type of limbless dragon in European myth, this means he's technically a reptile, making him the only vertebrate character in the series.
- Despite this, many bugs apparently have bones in the universe of Hollow Knight, meaning that the Pale King may not be the only character with a backbone.
- Grimm also refers to the Pale King as a worm when remarking how Hallownest "was fallowed by worm and root", implying that the Pale King may be related to the worms of Pharloom's Wormways.
- This seems to reference how the vermiculation of worms often causes the soil to become more fertile, allowing plants to flourish and allow other creatures to come in, paralleling how the Pale King single-handedly created Hallownest and later developed it into a prosperous kingdom together with the White Lady.
- The Farsight, a Weaver device capable of allowing one to see the true state of the world, appears to be modelled after the appearance of a wyrm when not in use, more specifically the Pale King himself. This implies that the Weavers created this device based off of the foresight the wyrms possessed, though why it seems to resemble the Pale King in particular is unknown.
- Seeing as the Pale King apparently burrowed through mountains as a wyrm and Pharloom appears to be on a mountainous region, it's possible that the Weavers encountered him in the distant past and decided to use his magic in their devices.
- The Pale King clearly passed down many of his traits to his daughter, Hornet:
- In Silksong, Hornet's attempt to free Pharloom from Grand Mother Silk's influence backfires, inadvertently spreading the Void throughout the region. This scenario mirrors the Pale King’s experiments with the Void in Hallownest, which similarly went awry and worsened the situation.
- Hornet's unwavering commitment to saving Pharloom mirrors the Pale King’s commitment to saving Hallownest, though Hornet was notably less extreme in her methods.
- Hornet demonstrates remarkable mechanical skill in creating her own weapons, crafting Cogflies from spare parts and repairing the Silkshot using only basic schematics. Her ability to consistently maintain and rebuild her tools showcases a level of inventive proficiency reminiscent of her father’s intellect.
- The Twelfth Architect notes Hornet’s affinity for radial blades, suggesting she inherited her father’s apparent fascination with buzzsaws, as seen from the vast collection of them found in his palace.
External Links[]
- Pale King on the Heroes Wiki
- Pale King on the Hollow Knight Wiki
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 Villains
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Hallownest The Infected Grimm Troupe Other Pharloom The Citadel Caste and its associates Silk Beings Others | ||